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  #1  
Old 08-13-2020, 10:45 PM
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BoneDigger BoneDigger is offline
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Default Thoughts on beginner octave mandolins?

I am considering a Gold Tone 800+, Trinity College, or Eastman all are around $750-900, give it take. This would be mostly for Celtic music and maybe some folk. The Eastman is all solid but with the F holes sounds more bluegrassy to me. The TC and Gold Tone seem more like what I need. The TC is all solid, but the sound clips I have heard seem better on the GT. I also realize the GT is longer and will be a stretch.

Thoughts on any of these or similarly priced mandos?
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Old 08-16-2020, 11:56 AM
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Nobody has a thought on these?
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Old 08-16-2020, 01:17 PM
frankmcr frankmcr is offline
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Not sure there's such a thing as a "beginner" OM. Pretty much something people get into after they've been playing mando for a while in my experience.
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Old 08-16-2020, 01:46 PM
catt catt is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BoneDigger View Post
Nobody has a thought on these?
They're all entry-level, and if set-up properly will be fine for starting out. If you get into playing mndlns more you'll very likely want a step-up instrument.
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Old 08-17-2020, 09:05 AM
jparis51 jparis51 is offline
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I'm very happy with my Eastman MDO305. I tried the Gold Tone OM-800+ but much preferred the "chop" of the Eastman (and you're right it's from the F holes). That said, some might find the Gold Tone more suitable for Celtic. I wanted to like the Gold Tone enough to keep it for an alternate sound, but a few things kept me from bonding with it:

I felt like the the thick gloss finish deadened the sound, the tuners were uncomfortably close together, and it's fitted with a custom gauge string set (albeit available from several retailers). The Eastman wants D'Addario EJ80s, which are more widely available.

Also note that the Gold Tone comes with an undersaddle pickup. If you want amplification (as I did) most anyone who sells the Eastman will fit it with the K&K Mandolin Twin for you. This is the route I took and it sounds great, although like any K&K it needs a good preamp and EQ. Make sure your dealer does a setup as well.

Good Luck, it's a wonderful instrument. Listen to what Sierra Hull can do with her Weber OM -- I hope I can afford one of those some day (not that I'll ever begin to approach her abilities).

Last edited by jparis51; 08-17-2020 at 09:16 AM.
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Old 08-17-2020, 01:13 PM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
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An old Flatiron 3MC should be right up your alley - unfortunately they don't come up for sale very often, and with good reason IME...
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Old 08-17-2020, 04:22 PM
catt catt is offline
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Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa View Post
An old Flatiron 3MC should be right up your alley - unfortunately they don't come up for sale very often, and with good reason IME...
Yes. And fwiw - ditto with mandolas, bouzouki et al..

*A rare offering on a used FI https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/159038#159038

Last edited by catt; 08-22-2020 at 11:31 AM.
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Old 08-24-2020, 05:32 PM
neilca neilca is offline
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For a true beginners OM I have a Hora. You can find them on ebay. The tuners are terrible but overall the instrument plays well. You can go here for more info

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...40-Hora-Octave

BTW price is under $300.
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Old 09-11-2020, 06:20 AM
varmonter varmonter is offline
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Just an aside. I bought a mid 50s Gibson tg-50.
Which is an archtop f hole tenor guitar.
My initial idea was to change the tailpiece and
Bridge out...drill 4 new holes in the headstock
And turn it into an om . But after playing with it
I decided to leave it alone and am playing it
At gigs now. Its tuned gdae. And I put a pickup
In it. JJB. It sounds great and is a real fine playing instrument. These can be had for around
A grand and are a real well made instrument.
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Old 09-11-2020, 08:40 AM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by varmonter View Post
Just an aside. I bought a mid 50s Gibson TG-50...It sounds great and is a real fine playing instrument...
Here's one for sale:



https://www.archtop.com/ac_48_TG50.html
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  #11  
Old 09-16-2020, 07:21 PM
pjmacd pjmacd is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BoneDigger View Post
I am considering a Gold Tone 800+, Trinity College, or Eastman all are around $750-900, give it take. This would be mostly for Celtic music and maybe some folk. The Eastman is all solid but with the F holes sounds more bluegrassy to me. The TC and Gold Tone seem more like what I need. The TC is all solid, but the sound clips I have heard seem better on the GT. I also realize the GT is longer and will be a stretch.

Thoughts on any of these or similarly priced mandos?
One maker to look into (although I don't know if he's still active) is Stan Pope of Big Leaf Mandolins in Canada. I've played a Trinity College, and it sounded thin and feeble to me. I haven't tried similar models from Gold Tone or Eastman, although I've been impressed by Eastman guitars and unimpressed with a Gold Tone baritone guitar.

Several years ago, I bought a used Big Leaf octave mando from a musician who needed it for a studio project, then decided to sell it. It was well made but the finish was a little sloppy. Still, it had a good sound, much better than the entry-level octave mandos I had tried. I'm hoping to move soon to a smaller home and need to thin my herd. If you are interested, please send me a PM. I can send pics and/or sound clips.
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