OT Advice on mandolin purchase

JohnPalmer · Post by **JohnPalmer** » Tue Apr 23, 2002 9:17 am

Greetings,

I am in the market for a new mandolin and don't know a lot about some brands, styles, etc. I have been playing a 20 year old Japanese make. I looked into Mandolin Bros., which has many 50+ year old mandolins. Are they worth the price? Is Weber a good maker? Is there a difference in sound between the A and F styles? I'm looking for an instrument which has to last me the rest of my life and sound great. Is there a mandolin site which could easily answer my questions? I've looked on the internet but have only found stores but no opinions.

Thank You,
John

[ This Message was edited by: JohnPalmer on 2002-04-24 01:37 ]

[ This Message was edited by: JohnPalmer on 2002-04-24 01:49 ]

cj · Post by cj » Tue Apr 23, 2002 9:24 am

John, get thee to http://www.mandolincafe.com at once! The style you get depends on what kind of music you're going to play. The bluegrassers like F styles. I have a Weber, and they're handmade in the US with outstanding customer service. They have a variety depending on your price range. As for the $1000+ price range, I'm not sure since that's out of mine, but Mandolin Cafe is a good place to get advice, plus they have classified ads.

Hope this helps.

Bartleby · Post by **Bartleby** » Tue Apr 23, 2002 9:53 am

John;
I agree with the previous poster. It all depends on what style of music you want to play; the F style and A style rule in bluegrass because they have a bright, choppy, percussive sound with little sustain. The mandolin is used almost as a percussion instrument in bluegrass. F styles are more popular (and more expensive)because of the intricate construction and probably because that's what Bill Monroe played. Whether or not they actually sound better is subject to opinion.

For the same reasons that these mandolins are popular with bluegrass musicians, they're not so popular with musicians who play other types of music. For example, mandolinists who play Irish music generally prefer European style mandolins with a round sound hole (as opposed to F holes)and a bigger body. These types of mandolins tend to have more bass and much more sustain. Though I'm not familiar with the company, I believe Weber makes such a mandolin, and I have heard positive comments about it. I play a Mexican made Latina mandolin with a big body and a round sound hole. It's cheap, but it's solid wood and it plays and sounds great for what I play.

In choosing any style of mandolin, probably the most important consideration is the material. Make sure you get a solid wood mandolin. The cheaper models are made of laminated wood, which is a fancy way of saying plywood.

_________________
...always after me Lucky Charms!

[ This Message was edited by: Bartleby on 2002-04-23 11:56 ]

cj · Post by cj » Tue Apr 23, 2002 10:16 am

BTW to anyone purchasing a mando: There is a dealer named Rev. Ted Wigglesworth (no kidding) who reportedly has done some questionable dealings. He's been banned from the Mandolin Cafe board, but he still sells on e-bay under the handle of farmdawg2. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT deal with him. If you want more info, go to http://www.mandolincafe.com, to the message board, click on "Suggest a New Topic" and read the threads ("Ted's Back" is the most recent). Just passing this along . . .

[ This Message was edited by: cj on 2002-04-23 12:18 ]

SteveK · Post by **SteveK** » Tue Apr 23, 2002 10:21 am

You could check at Han's Irish bouzouki website and look at the "makers" list. Lots of the people who make bouzoukis and citterns make mandos too and specialize in the sorts that are used in Irish music. My opinion is not to waste money on an expensive F model for Irish music. A good A model or a type made for Irish music by Davy Stuart or someone would be a better buy.

http://home.hccnet.nl/h.speek/bouzouki/

Steve

livethe question · Post by **livethe question** » Tue Apr 23, 2002 11:19 am

I've got a Bridger mandolin made by Weber and I love it. Another place to check out info besides mandocafe is http://www.folkofthewood.com/index.htm

Mickey has a section at this website where he answers all kinds of questions about mandolins and you can even email him with your questions. Those are just his opinions but it you put those opinions in the mix of opinions you get from other sources you may be in the "ball park."

BTW Now that I have the Weber, I'll probably be putting my Gibson A-50 on eBay in the next few weeks. If any one is interested, post to me at my email, not in this forum.

Thomas-Hastay · Post by **Thomas-Hastay** » Tue Apr 23, 2002 11:41 am

John

Why don't you talk to some professional mandolin makers at <a href="http://www.mimf.com">The Musical Instrument Makers Forum</a>. If they can't help you "get on track", I don't know who can.

mike.r · Post by **mike.r** » Tue Apr 23, 2002 11:57 am

On 2002-04-23 11:53, Bartleby wrote:

In choosing any style of mandolin, probably the most important consideration is the material. Make sure you get a solid wood mandolin. The cheaper models are made of laminated wood, which is a fancy way of saying plywood.

_________________
...always after me Lucky Charms!

[ This Message was edited by: Bartleby on 2002-04-23 11:56 ]

Not so grasshopper,laminated wood is far superior to plywood and while no match for a solid carved top can be every bit as good sounding as a pressed wood top and sometimes better but I agree that plywood tops are usually found on inferior instruments and should be avoided.High quality laminates for backs and sides have been in use for decades for all sorts of quality stringed instruments.

Peace, Mike

Bartleby · Post by **Bartleby** » Tue Apr 23, 2002 12:35 pm

Mike;
Because they're cheaper, the majority of new, mass-produced mandolins sold are made of laminated wood. Many of these instruments are of very high quality, and some may cost more than a comparable instrument made of solid wood. Epiphone, for example, makes the MM20 with a laminated top and the MM30, which is basically the same mandolin with a solid top. The latter costs $100 more but sounds %200 better. My point was, and is, a solid wood instrument is preferable to a laminated wood mandolin. An instrument can be made of solid wood and still be poorly made, but name me one instrument made of "high quality" laminated wood that you'd choose over a comparable instrument made of solid wood.
_________________
...always after me Lucky Charms!

[ This Message was edited by: Bartleby on 2002-04-23 15:37 ]

Mastersound · Post by **Mastersound** » Tue Apr 23, 2002 6:44 pm

Some thoughts:

The Epi is made by Samick. Save yourself some $$$ and go straight to the Samick.

If you're looking for something that can be amplified the Samick A model with pickups is a lot of mando for the price.

A mate's got a 1920's Gibson F and a Flatiron A and I actually prefer the sound and feel of the Flatiron. My Chinese Valencia sounds dead as a beatle by comparison.

Mando chords are infuriating. I'm using barred 2 finger chords to cover more possibilities, but after about the 8th fret there's just not enough room to accurately fret notes... yet.

Although I'm a rhythm player I downloaded some Nickel Creek songs and it's inspired me to try some melody work. Nickel Creek are sort of new age Celtic-Bluegrass folk fusion. Sort of. Check out The Lighthouse' Tale.

dd · Post by dd » Tue Apr 23, 2002 8:09 pm

Nickel creek is GREAT. Chris is FANTASTIC!!!!!

JohnPalmer · Post by **JohnPalmer** » Tue Apr 23, 2002 11:48 pm

WOW!!!

I can't believe all the feedback. I have been searching and trying to decipher this mandolin from that mandolin, from this site from that site. And then I simply turn to the good 'ol messageboard to find more info in one minute than it took many, many hours to find. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. (I'd get down on my knee, but it's a little sore) I was actually, maybe looking at an F mandolin, but now I don't think I need one. But one question (and I hope you all return to look), does the age of the instrument mostly help or hinder the overall sound, playability, and quality?

Thank you,
John

Parkwood · Post by **Parkwood** » Wed Apr 24, 2002 1:32 am

The maker Fylde (based in the UK) may be worth checking out. The instruments are very popular for traditional Irish folk, and very reasonably priced.

Hobgoblin and The Music Room in the UK keep them in stock, but you can buy them direct. Music Room seems to be the cheaper of the two shops.
Good luck!

Parkwood

Parkwood · Post by **Parkwood** » Wed Apr 24, 2002 1:36 am

The link for Fylde is below - check ot the impressive customer list!

http://www.fyldeguitars.com

mike.r · Post by **mike.r** » Wed Apr 24, 2002 2:34 am

On 2002-04-23 14:35, Bartleby wrote:
Mike;
Because they're cheaper, the majority of new, mass-produced mandolins sold are made of laminated wood. Many of these instruments are of very high quality, and some may cost more than a comparable instrument made of solid wood. Epiphone, for example, makes the MM20 with a laminated top and the MM30, which is basically the same mandolin with a solid top. The latter costs $100 more but sounds %200 better. My point was, and is, a solid wood instrument is preferable to a laminated wood mandolin. An instrument can be made of solid wood and still be poorly made, but name me one instrument made of "high quality" laminated wood that you'd choose over a comparable instrument made of solid wood.
_________________
...always after me Lucky Charms!

[ This Message was edited by: Bartleby on 2002-04-23 15:37 ]

Folks should not confuse a solid top(pressed wood) with a carved solid wood top.The pressing process distorts the wood cells and often results in a split along the grain at the highest point of the arch which is filled before finishing.To my ear,these mandolins sound much the same as the laminated models by the same manufacturer.

peace, Mike