#1
|
|||
|
|||
Upgrading my Mandolin
I've been playing mandolin for about a year now. My first is a Loar VS220 A Style. It's okay, but sometimes I hear shrill and a bit of tin in it.
I went over to the Music Emporium yesterday, hoping to play a few. The used Gibson F style I really wanted to see wasn't there anymore. (Somebody stole it last week! And I mean that literally, somebody walked out without paying for it.). And they didn't have any Colllings MT2's either, they haven't updated their website. So I was left to play a Pava, several Collings MT's, and a couple of Eastmans. And I have to say, I cannot hear much difference in tone between any of these and the one I have now. Mine cost about $400, and the others were in the $2500 - $2800 range. There must be something I'm missing. I'm still a little bashful letting it rip in a store, and I'm finding that right hand technique is alot more important when it comes to tone on a mandolin than on guitar. (Especially my tricone. I could cough in the direction of that thing and instant tone). Maybe that's part of the problem, I was holding back too much. So I think I've decided to put off an upgrade for a while. I'm not ready. Either my ears are off, my right hand is, or I need to spend alot more than $2500 to get a significant upgrade. I'm still adjusting to how much more expensive a mandolin is, compared to a flattop guitar. |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Jim, about a year ago, after much research, I picked up a Breedlove FF mandolin, and I really like it. Like you, I hadn't really been playing the
mando for that long. After I got pretty confident with playing one, I just wanted a nice stage instrument. The Breedlove delivers the goods sound- wise, and is reasonably priced. You can also have a LR Baggs Radius pickup installed at the factory (which I did). They have them in F hole and Oval hole models. Check the reviews, they are very favorable. By the way I have a National Tricone, Western D, two National custom artist models, and my main stage guitar is a Gibson Gospel, so we speak the same language Here's the F-Hole Breedlove FF that I have, and they can be had for about $1500 street price... http://breedlovemusic.com/mandolins/...-mandolins/ff1 |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
I understand the mahogany Big Muddy mandos are not as shrill as many others. They are not that expensive either. Check one out if you get the chance. http://bigmuddymandolin.com/product/m-11/
|
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Thanks Rock, I'll keep an eye out for that brand, I don't I've seen one yet, although I've only just begun searching. I know I'll never buy anything online, without first having it in my hands, no matter how easy a return policy they might have.
Edit: Ditto for the Big Muddy, thanks Bingo! |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Jim,
Here's my Breedlove mixed with my National Tricone, and a Martin SP0016TR... https://soundcloud.com/daniel-weldon...-time-complete |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
While I'm fine with the sound from my oval, I've heard better tone in other's recordings. Could be a lot in the players hand. My thought in auditioning an upgrade was to find an experienced player to play them for me as well as my playing them to see how they played and felt. I'm not sure I could finesse proper tone out of a Gilchrist right now. I think I would know if another mandolin played better tho. I went thru several sets of strings and a load of picks to find a sound more to my liking. Each set of strings seemed to favor a different pick sound-wise. Not a fan of the shrill tinny sound either. I suspect that the oval helps a bit there but not experienced enough to say for sure. Keep playing. It will find you
__________________
my music |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
|
#8
|
|||
|
|||
+1 string selection is critical on mandolins!
|
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
I did play another guys f style Weber this past summer, and while I was strumming it I didn't care for it at all. But in his hands it sounded really good. So I suspect the problem is as much my poor technique as anything right now. I have a K&K picking installed in my The-Loar, and when I play plugged in it sounds good enough that I'd never need to upgrade. Unplugged is a different story, and most of the time I'm playing it unplugged. |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Jim, I own a project studio with some nice gear (Manley preamps, RME interfaces, etc). I put it together so I could record whenever I wanted
I do over 300 gigs a year so booking a studio would be inconvenient for me!!! |
#11
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
__________________
my music |
#12
|
|||
|
|||
Thanks K!
And Jim, I also have an Oval mandolin (Bernard Allen) and I find them very pleasing to my ears too. I think they both have their place!!! |
#13
|
|||
|
|||
Carved top mandolins are more expensive than flat top mandolins for comparable quality instruments. That being said, you do not have spend a significant amount for an upgrade, but you might have to do a little homework and think outside the box. Have you spent any time at http://www.mandolincafe.com/ yet? It is a great forum with a phenomenal classified section.
My suggestion would be a used Gibson A-9. These are so good that I think Gibson literally stopped making them. You might could swing an early 20's Gibson A Jr. Snakehead if you wanted to go the vintage route. They are oval hole, but most of them that I have played sound great. I think that the Rigel A+ and even the A Natural are good values at around $1k. They don't really have a traditional bluegrass sound to them, and that makes them undervalued in the mandolin market. Finally, you might be able to find a Bozeman made Flatiron A around $1000-$1200 if you are patient. |
#14
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
I entered that contest they had for an MT2. I'm sure I'm one of many that said 'THAT was the winning entry???' But congratulations to the guy who got it anyway. |