eastman mando vs fender

matonman · #1 02-20-2012, 04:25 PM

i have decided since being made redundant from my job of six years and my wonderfull wife has given me the green light to spend about $1000.00 bucks on a new mandolin.
i am tossing up between an eastman md315 or a fender fm63s , the fender got silver behind the collings in acoustic guitar players choice awards 2012, and the eastman has also got a lot of good press.
i dont have the opportunity to play either where i ,so i would appreciate any opinions from anyone who has played one or the other, or both.

googoobaby · #2 02-20-2012, 04:30 PM

I'd pick the Eastman over the Fender any day. Not that I think the Eastmans are that great, but they closer approximate a real mandolin than the Fenders I've tried. IMHO, if I had a restricted budget, I'd get a MidMo or Big Muddy, which I think sound very good, but I don't play bluegrass.

JCook1 · #3 02-20-2012, 06:06 PM

I would definitely go with the Eastman. They are well made and have a great reputation.

Jack

matonman · #4 02-20-2012, 07:35 PM

thanks guys, i was leaning towards the eastman,the guys at the store assured me they would make sure it was set up before they shipped,so ill more than likely go that way.
i was wondering though, why the fender got such a high rating in the players choice awards ,i mean it come second to the collings which is probably 4 times the price of the fender

rcoolz · #5 02-20-2012, 10:04 PM

I had an eastman 605 .They are really nice mandolins...The woods that they use are highly flamed ...I do play bluegrass and played the eastman with our band..had good projection. I sold it to get a handmade F5 ....I would definetly go for the eastman

matonman · #6 02-20-2012, 10:34 PM

thanks for the replies. looks like the only thing now is, should i try to stretch the budget the extra 400 bucks and get the md515?

aphillips · #7 02-21-2012, 01:29 AM

What kind of music do you want to play on it? That will make a big difference in suggestions.

CelticDude · #8 02-21-2012, 05:49 AM

Not to totally muddy the waters, but if you can swing a bit more money, you can probably find a used Collings MT. Check out the Mandolin Cafe classifieds, or of course EPay. A HUGE jump in quality over either the Eastman or Fender.

If those are your choices, then the Eastman is solidly the better choice. Just play a few first, as they are variable.

Fliss · #9 02-21-2012, 06:06 AM

I'll second the suggestion for Mandolin Cafe classifieds, you can find some great hand made mandolins there, often for not much mor ethan $1000 - however I see you're in Australia which may make it a bit more difficult since you'll have to budget for the shipping, any taxes etc. It can work, though - I'm in the UK and bought a used mando from the States via Mandolin Cafe, which was a bit of a gamble as I couldn't play it first and returning it would have been expensive, but I did my research, bought from someone I felt I could have a degree of confidence in because of what I knew of them through the forum, and it worked out brilliantly and is a really great mando.

http://www.mandolincafe.com/cgi-bin/...rmat=headlines

As has been said, your choice may be influenced by what kind of music you want to play. And if you want the scroll, IMO you will pay extra for that (compared to an equivalent model without a scroll.) I think it's worth choosing carefully and getting the best mando as you can afford within your budget.

Getting back to your original question, I'd definitely pick Eastman over Fender.

Fliss

matonman · #10 02-21-2012, 05:40 PM

i will be playing bluegrass/fiddle tunes and the like,and i would like a scroll ,and am prepared to pay for it .
i hadn't considered buying a used one ,being that no one down here seems to even know what one looks like let alone own one,but i will have a look at the classifieds at the mando cafe ,thanks for the tip.
i would like a weber or collings one day but that is a little bit down the track ,and probably not justified given my ability at this time,all i need is something reliable,with good intonation and with a nicer tone than what i have.

Dr. Jazz · #11 02-24-2012, 09:48 PM

I hope this doesn't sound rude, but "Why would you pay an extra 50% for a scroll?" Or putting it another way: "Why would you buy a mandolin at the bottom range, when for the same money you could get something in the middle range - or higher?" For $1000 you should be able to get a MD-805 Eastman. That is a monster of a mandolin.
I love the looks of an F. I really do. When it came time to have my Heiden made, I just could not bring myself to pay the extra $5K. I do not regret the decision in any way. My A model is a monster. Fabulous volume and tone. I could not have spent my money in a better way.

But everyone has to "shoot their own dog"!
Good luck in the hunt!

Wade Hampton · #12 02-26-2012, 12:12 AM

Mike is worth listening to here, Matonman. You will get far more for your money spending it on a really good A model than you will get for the same money on an F-5 copy.

The main reason that most bluegrass mandolinists use F-5 style instruments is that the added mass of the solid chunk of mahogany inside that fancy scroll seems to make the instrument project better and cut through in a loud, cacophonous bluegrass band. You can hear F-5 style mandolins over a five string banjo.

If you're not in a bluegrass band and have no particular ambition to be in one, the only thing the scroll is good for is to serve as something to loop a strap around.

Personally, I find A model mandolins to have a more musical sound to them. They don't have quite as much projection, it's true, but they more than make up for it by having a warmer midrange and a more nuanced tonality.

At least in my experience. They're what I prefer and own. So at least look into A model mandolins while you're considering this. You'll get far, FAR more for your money if you get one, for the simple reason that you won't have to pay for all that extra handwork carving out and binding that silly scroll.

Hope that makes sense.

Wade Hampton Miller

PS: Unlike Mike, I'm NOT a big fan of the visual appearance of the scroll and the ornate headstock on F-5 mandolins. To me it goes beyond baroque and into the visual excesses of the rococo era - all it lacks are a couple of chubby cherubs and gilded grape leaf clusters, perhaps with some vine tendrils curling around the edges.....

PPS: But to each their own...

matonman · #13 02-27-2012, 05:36 PM

thanks for the advice wade and dr j .
i might just reconsider my options now .it does make a lot of sense.

chinmusic · #14 02-28-2012, 01:59 AM

I echo Wade and Dr. J. Forego the scroll and get yourself a good quality A model. I found my Collings MT on the Mandolin Cafe classifieds and would never go back to the Kentucky F-style I first had. Sure, the scroll is cool and all, but good wood makes all the difference in the world.

In addition to the Mandolin Cafe classifieds, I'd give the folks at themandolinstore.com a look or call. Great guys with excellent prices- not to mention very helpful.

Best of luck.

GRW3 · #15 03-09-2012, 03:31 PM

An Acoustic Guitar magazine survey about mandolins is about like asking dog lovers about their favorite type of cat. If you want information on mandolins you should go to the Mandolin Cafe website.

I had an Eastman 515 and it was very good. The general feeling about Eastman has been sort of like Taylor, the more you pay the fancier the instrument but the basic quality is pretty consistent. I don't buy the f style mystiq, I had one and would buy another if it had 'the sound' but it's not critical. But if you want one, buy one, the Eastman 315, f style, will probably sound pretty much like the 305, A style, but part of playing is the esthetic and that has to considered too. If you're not happy, you won't play.