Madolin newbie

[ethanay]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

The only Breedloves built overseas are the Crossover labeled ones, and Electronics in the USA models was an option, not the norm. I had to pay for the LR Baggs Radius in my Quartz FF.

The Breedlove Premier and Cascade models are also very nice USA series, and they are gloss finished compared to the Quartz models which are satin finished.

I have a Quartz KF. it's awesome. I wouldn't recommend it to the OP because they are getting difficult to find and more expensive, ironically, I think, because people realized what a great value they were. They do come up, and IME they don't stay listed for very long if they're in decent shape. But if one is available, it should be in the OP's price range and suit them just fine.



It didn't come with electronics, but sounds glorious with a K&K through a Red Eye. I can't tell it's not mic'd.

[ethanay]

Originally Posted by Br1ck

It is primarily the low G string that separates the men from the boys.

I've never heard this before, can you say more about it?

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by ethanay

I have a Quartz KF. it's awesome. I wouldn't recommend it to the OP because they are getting difficult to find and more expensive, ironically, I think, because people realized what a great value they were. They do come up, and IME they don't stay listed for very long if they're in decent shape. But if one is available, it should be in the OP's price range and suit them just fine.



It didn't come with electronics, but sounds glorious with a K&K through a Red Eye. I can't tell it's not mic'd.

Yep, I love the Quartz series. I switched to narrower necks (Gibson A1, F5G, A5G, and a Flatiron Performer A), but I love the sound of the two Quartz mandos that I had. And I traded my Quartz FF to my duet partner, and so, I get to hear it on stage with me a few times a month. It sounds so much better than the mando that he used to play through, which was a pac rim instrument that he put a lot of money into trying to upgrade (Loar with a Cumberland bridge and James tailpiece).

If the OP is patient he could find a Breedlove at a good price.

[Br1ck]

Originally Posted by ethanay

I've never heard this before, can you say more about it?

Sure. When I play an Eastman or Kentucky( sub 900) the G string lacks richness. There is a tinny tone to it. Every Northfield or US factory or luthier built mandolin I've ever played sounds rich and full, to varying degrees.

Now I will add that I've never played a well used Eastman. Maybe they play in and develop a pleasing G tone, but I'm not taking that chance. I do know my home made adi topped mandolin got much richer as time went by, but it started out richer than the imports Ive played. I know my $1400 used Silverangel and every other like quality or better mandolin has met what for me is a standard for tone.

It is like playing a D 18 after an import. To me there is a line crossed there. After that you throw lots of money at the problem for less and less improvement. But playing that mandolin with triple and side binding, a fern inlay and a top quality piece of back maple is just special. It's something you just want to own, like a Manzer archtop.

Any mandolin is better than no mandolin.

[Br1ck]

One more thing. I personally like, and am not alone, the tone of the Md 315 over the MD 515. I think it's the matte finish on the 300 series. The 500 series certainly looks nicer.

Another reality, the tuners on a mandolin will never be easy or silky smooth. The 500 has nicer tuners, but compared to guitar are harder and stiffer to use. Just accept it. Mandolins never stay in tune. Changes in temperature and humidity will throw it out of tune. Not saying I've never played a mandolin the next day and found it in tune. Happens about five times a year.

And mandolin will improve your guitar playing. You'll develop a tighter right hand picking technique.

Oh, and forget trying to equate your fretting hand with guitar. I know it's guitar tuning upside down. Forget that and learn it from scratch as a new instrument. Did I forget to mention how much fun mandolin is?

[SalFromChatham]

It always comes down to the instrument. I liked my MD304 so much that I got one for my gigging partner as a gift. His is “tinny”, and mine is rich and deep. Go figure. Same model.

[guitar12]

Originally Posted by Br1ck

Another reality, the tuners on a mandolin will never be easy or silky smooth. The 500 has nicer tuners, but compared to guitar are harder and stiffer to use. Just accept it. Mandolins never stay in tune. Changes in temperature and humidity will throw it out of tune. Not saying I've never played a mandolin the next day and found it in tune. Happens about five times a year.

I've been following this thread because I'm thinking about getting back into mandolin. I've had some good mandolins in the past (Eastman 505 (from a reputable dealer) , Sawchyn Beavertail (direct from them), and a Big Muddy (direct from them) but keeping them in tune is just maddening for me. Tuning a guitar is a few turns here and there and then you're good to go but what drives me crazy about the mandolin is not necessarily the retuning daily but getting the courses to stay in tune. Takes a lot of fiddling around to get the G strings in tune with each other, then the D strings, etc.

Ok, enough of my rant, I still love the mandolin and want to get another one!

Rob

[posternutbag]

They say that a mandolinist spends half their time tuning and the other half playing out of tune, and there is some truth to it. I have found Waverly tuners to be an immense upgrade, and I put them on all my mandolins. This might not be practical on a sub $1K mandolin.

But it gets better. The more you play, the more you get a feel for tuning the instrument, like anything else. It took me about a year of dedicated mandolin playing (after years of guitar) before I really got good at tuning quickly and precisely.

[rokdog49]

I have a D18 and there are imports that sound great by comparison.
I didn’t like that analogy.
Now, back to our regularly scheduled mandolin discussion.

[bkepler]

Originally Posted by Br1ck

One more thing. I personally like, and am not alone, the tone of the Md 315 over the MD 515. I think it's the matte finish on the 300 series. The 500 series certainly looks nicer.

I went from an MD305, to an old (and imploding) MD605, to a new MD605, to a current MD515/v. I seriously love the varnish finish on the 515. It sounds nice and open but you also don’t get the horrid friction sounds on the 300 level matte finish. When I had mine, I took it down and polished it up to a nice satin that was MUCH more pleasing. The only thing with the varnish finish is that you have to be okay with that rather red burst. I know a lot of people like the understated classic brown that Eastman has.

[ethanay]

Originally Posted by Br1ck

Another reality, the tuners on a mandolin will never be easy or silky smooth. The 500 has nicer tuners, but compared to guitar are harder and stiffer to use. Just accept it. Mandolins never stay in tune. Changes in temperature and humidity will throw it out of tune. Not saying I've never played a mandolin the next day and found it in tune. Happens about five times a year.

And mandolin will improve your guitar playing. You'll develop a tighter right hand picking technique.

Oh, and forget trying to equate your fretting hand with guitar. I know it's guitar tuning upside down. Forget that and learn it from scratch as a new instrument. Did I forget to mention how much fun mandolin is?

Thank you for your comments on the G string...and I just wanted to iterate my experience with the above is also all true. I also find it helps with my fretting hand technique as well as picking technique! Playing a guitar after mandolin IMO is just "easier." Interestingly, I've also found this to be the case switching between piano, guitar and mandolin on a regular basis. I can't really explain why that might be the case, though.

[ethanay]

Originally Posted by posternutbag

They say that a mandolinist spends half their time tuning and the other half playing out of tune, and there is some truth to it. I have found Waverly tuners to be an immense upgrade, and I put them on all my mandolins. This might not be practical on a sub $1K mandolin.

But it gets better. The more you play, the more you get a feel for tuning the instrument, like anything else. It took me about a year of dedicated mandolin playing (after years of guitar) before I really got good at tuning quickly and precisely.

It's not out of tune, it's just a heavy chorus effect


But seriously, I think it has in part to do with the relatively high pitch range of the instrument. Just as frets get narrower and narrower up the neck, the higher tuning means less precision and greater pitch changes relative to tuning key movement. Also probably greater pitch changes relative to wood movement. Then it's made worse by the doubled courses. IMHO mandolins are a good case for very high gear ratios.


Writing this up...I'm glad that I went with a carbon fiber hybrid! (Emerald Amicus)

[Br1ck]

Check out Steve Sorensen's prototype composite mandolin. Likely to be very expensive though, but a touring mandolinest's dream. He posted on that other site recently.

[ethanay]

https://www.mandolincafe.org/forum/t...ensen-mandolin


really cool! and seems like a unique contribution to composite construction techniques, too.


also I'm just noticing the typo in the post title.

[Ash Telecaster]

I recently went through this question myself. I followed the consensus opinion at a Mandolin forum. They recommended an Eastman MD305. I'll be honest in that I wasn't impressed by the pictures but, wow, what a great instrument it is. Additionally I bought it from the Mandolin Shop and the set up is immaculate. One of the best instrument purchases I've ever made.