Attn: any of you who also play Mandolin

[neilca]

Originally Posted by phydaux

I just recently purchased my first mandolin, a Kentucky KM-250. The Kentucky KM-150 was highly recommended as a good "student" mandolin, and the KM-250 was only a few dollars more.

I already regret not spending more money, and getting an f-hole mando rather than an oval hole.

Isn't the Kentucky KM-250 an f hole mandolin?

[packmule]

Originally Posted by neilca

Isn't the Kentucky KM-250 an f hole mandolin?

Yeah, I think the poster is saying that they regret not getting an oval hole model instead of the KM-250.

[posternutbag]

Originally Posted by packmule

Yeah, I think the poster is saying that they regret not getting an oval hole model instead of the KM-250.

That was my understanding as well.

[Br1ck]

My Silverangel is really the best of both worlds. They are voiced to be warmer, and mine has a redwood top to boot. Though it has f holes. it sounds very much like an oval hole mandolin. There is a $1500 Econo A model. Most F hole players will think they are too warm. But these are a big step up in quality of sound from the imports, and a consideration when you are ready to move up.

A Collings MT O is good too. Mandolin world gets pricey fast.

[caperrob]

So, Santa left an entry level model under the tree so I am now in the club. It's crazy because a few weeks ago, I told a guy that when I play lead on guitar, I spend a lot of time above the 12th fret so maybe a higher pitched instrument like a mandolin might suit my ear

I am enjoying it a lot so far....definitely a new addiction. I am eager to get up to a reasonable speed on it.....practice, practice practice lol

[TiffanyGuitar]

I did not read all of the posts but I am on a similar journey. I have played guitar for 31 years. Just bought an Eastman MD315. I really like it.

[Br1ck]

Newbies, especially those with cheaper mandolins, they MUST be set up by someone who knows. Even an Eastman, if not bought from a specialty shop like Elderly, Gryphon, or The Mandolin Store, can use some fine tuning. If you don't own an Eastman or Kentucky KM 150 and above, this is extra important.

I bought a closeout Michael Kelly to hone my setup skills on, and I needed to level and crown the frets to get the action right. It ended up pretty good, and I sold it cheap to a student wanting to learn. But I can tell you, I would not have lasted a month if I started on that. Every mandolin I've played in an all purpose music store has been horribly set up. PLEASE, I want you to succeed.

[TiffanyGuitar]

Originally Posted by Br1ck

Newbies, especially those with cheaper mandolins, they MUST be set up by someone who knows. Even an Eastman, if not bought from a specialty shop like Elderly, Gryphon, or The Mandolin Store, can use some fine tuning. If you don't own an Eastman or Kentucky KM 150 and above, this is extra important.

I bought a closeout Michael Kelly to hone my setup skills on, and I needed to level and crown the frets to get the action right. It ended up pretty good, and I sold it cheap to a student wanting to learn. But I can tell you, I would not have lasted a month if I started on that. Every mandolin I've played in an all purpose music store has been horribly set up. PLEASE, I want you to succeed.

This is great advice. My Eastman is pretty well setup, although I haven't gone entirely through Rob Meldrum's setup guide, and I will eventually have a pro go over it. I learned long ago the benefit of having a pro checkup on my guitars every once in a while (my 335 is at the luthier now being re-fretted and overall checked up). Owning these instruments is not a "set them up once and forget it" type of proposition.

[Br1ck]

An Eastman right out of the factory box will need some attention, though they are far better than most. But some care with bridge fitting and nut slotting will reap rewards.

And it's likely that an under $400 mandolin will need $150 worth of setup and fretwork. If you don't it becomes a case under the bed.

[Shuksan]

Originally Posted by Br1ck

Newbies, especially those with cheaper mandolins, they MUST be set up by someone who knows. Even an Eastman, if not bought from a specialty shop like Elderly, Gryphon, or The Mandolin Store, can use some fine tuning. If you don't own an Eastman or Kentucky KM 150 and above, this is extra important.

I bought a closeout Michael Kelly to hone my setup skills on, and I needed to level and crown the frets to get the action right. It ended up pretty good, and I sold it cheap to a student wanting to learn. But I can tell you, I would not have lasted a month if I started on that. Every mandolin I've played in an all purpose music store has been horribly set up. PLEASE, I want you to succeed.

This reminds me of the Michael Kelly F-style octave mandolin I bought some years ago. I gave up playing it after a while because it was so hard to play. It shouldn't have been because I had already been playing mandolin for several years. Several years later I learned set up skills and found that the action was way off, the relief was way off, and the string spacing on the nut was all over the map within courses and between courses. It looked like the slots were located by eye by someone who had too much to drink. I went back and set the action and relief and made a new nut and it became playable. Still not a great sounding instrument, but a decent first try at an octave mandolin.

[TiffanyGuitar]

Over 20 years ago I had an inexpensive Oscar Schmidt mandolin. Don't remember much about it, other than I gave up pretty quickly. I know part of it was that I was not nearly as good on guitar back then as I am now and flat picking on guitar was very difficult for me back then - not to even mention trying it on the mandolin. But I also remember it seemed very hard to play too. Very likely very poorly setup.

[catt]

Originally Posted by Br1ck

An Eastman right out of the factory box will need some attention, though they are far better than most. But some care with bridge fitting and nut slotting will reap rewards.

And it's likely that an under $400 mandolin will need $150 worth of setup and fretwork. If you don't it becomes a case under the bed.

Don't forget two sets of strings -

because by the time the new person has learned to set up the instr, stringing and so forth...the odds are prbl that newbie kinks/breaks an E string.

[phydaux]

Originally Posted by Br1ck

Newbies, especially those with cheaper mandolins, they MUST be set up by someone who knows. Even an Eastman, if not bought from a specialty shop like Elderly, Gryphon, or The Mandolin Store, can use some fine tuning. If you don't own an Eastman or Kentucky KM 150 and above, this is extra important.

I bought a closeout Michael Kelly to hone my setup skills on, and I needed to level and crown the frets to get the action right. It ended up pretty good, and I sold it cheap to a student wanting to learn. But I can tell you, I would not have lasted a month if I started on that. Every mandolin I've played in an all purpose music store has been horribly set up. PLEASE, I want you to succeed.

I bought my mandolin from Elderly Instruments specifically because they do a pro setup on all instruments they sell prior to shipping.

I also bought an arm rest and a Tone-Gard from them at the same time.

[poopsidoo]

Originally Posted by packmule

Great choice - you'll get a lot of mileage out of that and better still, if you ever decide to move up the mandolin food chain you won't have any trouble selling the Eastman. Make sure to use a heavy pick - anything from 1.0mm and up will get the best tone and volume.

I recommend the LR Baggs radius permanently installed inside under the bridge. That gives a good sound for the PA to use. But I go through a Tonedexter which gives my Kentucky a GREAT acoustic sound. I also had success with the LR Baggs Benue as a DI

[Br1ck]

I've bought a good deal of fret specific lutherie tools over the last twenty or so years. Prior to building a mandolin, I had dressed frets, but never done a refret. So I found an old birch arch top guitar to practice on. By the time I was done, I had removed the back, shaved the braces, corrected the neck angle by slipping the neck, which destroyed the painted on binding, so then bound the back and sides. While I was at it, I put a JJB pickup in it. Then I refretted the neck. It was a good learning exercise, and I ended up with a funky guitar to play.

Learning how to level and crown frets is very satisfying. But if you aren't so inclined, The Mandolin Store, Elderly and others will do you right. Just buy a decent mandolin. You can get a crappy mandolin to play well, but it will never sound good. I always say buy the best. A new player will do better on a Martin D 18 quality guitar. I'm a believer in this 100%.