Need a Mandolin Suggestion

[TommyK]

Originally Posted by california91207

I'd like to learn to play the mandolin. Can anyone suggest a good mandolin to start with? Also, any lesson book or DVD recommendations?

With all due respect to the fine posters here on acousticguitarforum.com. If you have mandolin questions you need to post them at mandolincafe.com. Those guys are very knowledgable and live, breath, eat, drink, bleed, mandolin.

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by TommyK

With all due respect to the fine posters here on acousticguitarforum.com. If you have mandolin questions you need to post them at mandolincafe.com. Those guys are very knowledgable and live, breath, eat, drink, bleed, mandolin.

Thanks for the suggestion- and I will venture over to the mandolin cafe...

But..I started a thread a couple of days ago asking a couple of mandolin-related questions. It was directed at acoustic guitar players who also play mandolin. Perhaps I would have reached as many acoustic guitar players who also play mandolin over on the mandolin site you suggested. Maybe not.

As such, with all due respect, I chose to post my mandolin question here. But now that you mention it, I do have a related question that should probably appear elsewhere:

God: Tommy Emmanuel or David Grisman?

[devellis]

Well, I'm a mandolin cafe long-timer (somewhere around 2000 posts) and, while I can't speak for that group as a whole, I think I can tell you what they'd say.

First, get the best mandolin you can afford. At the low end, paying less can be a false saving. Lots of people brag about having gotten a $100 mandolin and then go on to say how they upgraded the tuners, tailpiece, and bridge and paid for a good set-up. Woops, just turned into a $400 mandolin.

Second, get an A-style body rather than an F-style. The work involved in carving a scroll and points adds substantially to the builder's cost, so you simply don't get as good an F-style mandolin as you do an A-style mandolin for any given price. As noted earlier in this thread, A- and F- style refer primarily to the shape of the body. The shape of the (holes f vs oval) is independent fo the shape of the body. You'll probably want f-holes for bluegrass, although there's been some great bluegrass played on oval holes, as well. But the f-holes are by far the more common in that genre.

Third, go with all solid woods if you can. Solid top is an absolute requirement. Pretty self-explanatory.

Fourth, don't be distracted by cosmetics. A ton of pearl is expense that wasn't put into the basic quality of the instrument. Some imports are aimed squarely at image/impulse buyers who buy something because it looks like what they expect a quality mandolin to look like -- all fancy, with gold plating and nice pearl in the headstock. Well, expect the tuners to be lousy, the tailpiece to be finnicky, and the fretwork to be sloppy -- or expect to pay a bundle for good quality *and* fancy appointments. Some imports are really great, but the ones with the lowest prices and fanciest appearance are a recipe for disappointment. My most expensive mandolin cost 36 times as much as my least expensive. But they're both "good mandolins" in their own ways. Both are very playable and even the cheapie sounds nice (although not anything like the top-end example).

Fifth, get the instrument set up properly. Either have that part of the initial purchase or reserve around $100 for a separate source to do a good set-up (it may cost less than that, but it can be hard to judge). The reason my cheapie mandolin plays so wonderfully is that I bought it from a reputable dealer to whom I've given other business (including the purchase of the instrument costing 36 times as much) and they took a few minutes to make sure it was set up properly. In particular, they set the action at the nut, which was considerably too high originally. They would have done the same for a customer they didn't know, which is why I try to give them my business. That extra few minutes of care made a very modest instrument a really good player, even though it's by no means a world class mandolin. I perhaps could have saved 10% off its modest price if I'd shopped the internet for the lowest price but I would have gotten an instrument with nothing more than the factor set-up and would have had to shell out a good hunk of change, do a bunch of set-up work myself, or suffered with an instrument that might have been all but unplayable. Going with a good dealer actually saved me a considerable amount of money and aggrevation.

Comments on some brands mentioned: Kentuckys can be very nice mandolins for the price if you get a good one and it's set up properly. Mid-Missouri is now Big Muddy. Their instruments are really well made for the price, they're American, plain and simple, all solid woods, flat tops, and the company's service is fantastic. Eastmans are made in China but with some set-up in the US. The two dealers mentioned will give you a really nice one at a fair price. I have less experience with Morgan Monroe, Kelly, and some of the other imports. I'd be wary about buying them from an unkonwn source simply because they may need some initial adjustment that can offset the "discount." The Mandolin Store, Gianna Violins, and some other places will make sure you get any instrument they carry at its best.

Enjoy the world of mandolin. It's great fun.

Bob DeVellis

[markd]

Not much to add, but to say that as a mando newbee (6 months) I'm already on my 3rd mandolin. 1st one was ok, but cheaply made. 2nd one was well made but didn't have the sound I wanted. 3rd one was good woods but finished poorly. I have upgraded the tuners and the tail-piece and have a fine instrument for a while. Just like guitars, you need to play them for awhile to know if it's going to work for you.

If you live somewhere where you can go try before you buy then do it. Many shops have an upgrade policy which will allow you to buy and then trade up within a few weeks for the full value of the instrument that you originally bought. If you're not near any good shops (like me), then buy used "name-brand" instruments like Weber or Monroe or Eastman so that if it doesn't fit you, you will be able to resell it easily.

[JoeInOttawa]

I have an Epiphone MM-30 that I bought to learn on, and I have to say it's a great-sounding instrument, especially fo the money I paid second-hand. Even sounds quite good plugged in.

Seems to me I bought if from an AGFer here as well, as an added bonus...

Joe

[DeadHead]

Jeff Cowherd in N. Ky. is importing a line he's branded J. Bovier. (bovier is french for Cowherd).

I have played a handful of these and they were nice rigs for the money. I see lot of positive review on them on mandolincafe.com. I have recommended them for beginners twice and they bought them and liked them.

This is Jeff's store:
http://www.jbovier.net

This is the J Bovier page:
http://www.jbovier.net

Good solid started mandolins. Not dirt cheap but IMHO this is about what you have to pay to get a decent mandolin. A lot of people compare these to their 'higher end' mandos.

Good luck, take your time and get a good one that will suit your needs for while.

That said, I've got a nice handmade two point all solid and good woods, appointments, etc that I'd part with. I have too many mandolins. Its a spicewood and made by a Ky. luthier that does very nice work. Contact me if you thin you might be interested. I've taken very good care of it AND its been played quite a bit as well. Sounds really good, really LOUD.

[martind gibsona]

Like Bob DeV, I'm also a longtime Mandolin Cafe member. There are many of us who haunt this forum, that one, the Acoustic Guitar Magazine forum and the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum. (At least, those are my four -- I'm sure there are other forums represented here as well. Shoot, I even hang out on a banjo forum ... but I play tenor banjo, so please guys, don't jump me!) While I agree that you should post your question(s) over there too, this isn't a bad place for them. There are many multi-instrumentalists on ALL these forums.

Don Smith

[heylow]

As a person who literally just went through the exact same thing and had many a trouble with some online retailers and their supposed "setups", I strongly suggest you call Steve at Gianna Violins immediately! He is happy to answer questions and help you find the best for whatever your budget might be.

I ended up with an Eastman MD515 that I love and got it for a steal as far as I'm concerned. Perfect setup, friendly staff, the works. I got Steve's MandoVoodoo service done as well. I can't say I know what the mandolin sounded like before he did it but I CAN say it sounds light years better than any other Eastman I had played.

Of course I have no affiliation with the company other than being a very satisfied customer.



heylow

[Stixx]

Originally Posted by Fliss

If you're looking for something that's pretty reasonable and not an "el cheapo" you could look at Eastman mandolins:

http://www.giannaviolins.com/esmando...Inventory.html

I'll second the suggestion of an A-style body with f-holes for bluegrass.

Fliss

plus one on the Eastman suggestion. I've played them and they are around a fraction of a nice f model Collings. Outstanding mandolins and lately guitars as well. I have a Collings Mandolin but would not mind an Eastman any ole day. Have my eye on one matter of fact.

[DeadHead]

http://www.mandolincafe.com/cgi-bin/...uery=retrieval

[california91207]

Thanks everyone for some great suggestions! If there isn't a mando under the tree next week, I'll be using this info for my after Christmas shopping.

Happy Holidays!

[mandopickr]

Devellis got it right, but I'd like to add a little:
The sound of F models are based on the top, which is solid wood, and carved to produce the correct sound. Many less expensive "f" model mandolins have laminate tops. I would avoid them at all costs. they're just not a bargin based on sound. Once you get to a solid top (not a solid carved top either), you have several hundred dollars involved, such as higher end Kentucky's etc.

One compromise, without going to a "A" model, is the Tacoma M-1. It's a solid wood top, back and sides. Its very playable, and often can be found for less than $200 with case, used.

When I was looking for a mandolin, because of my guitar experiences, I knew to look for the sound difference with solid wood. One day I stumbled on the M-1. It was a great first mandolin for me. I could have continued to use it, but always like the "look" of the f models. I now play a Webber for performances, but still have the M-1 hanging behind my desk in case I feel the urge to play during the day. Plus, it has this great smell of the spruce top.

[danl.]

When you get the mandolin go to www.musicmoose.org for some lessons
Dan

[california91207]

Thanks for all your great suggestions. Seems as if Santa went to -- of all places -- Guitar Center and found a Breedlove Quartz FF. I had a bunch of $$ collecting on gift cards that were probably not going to be used there which my wife snuck out of my wallet and cashed in today -- which got her an extra 10% off the purchases price (the salseman told her last weekend that if she waited until today she'd get the extra discount). I've been reading great things about these mandolins, can't wait till I'm playing up to the quality of the instrument!

[Fliss]

Congratulations! Breedlove Quartz are very nice mandos, I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun with that

Fliss