Good deal on mandos (no financial interest)

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greenspiderweb
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Post by greenspiderweb »

brewerpaul wrote:Oh man, I SO want one of those. I don't know why but I have a major F-mando jones. I have an A model Kentucky which truthfully plays excellently well so it's been hard to justify the hundreds of bucks usually associated with an F. But for $170-something, I may just have to give in. I can always sell the A...

BTW-- how does this sound playing Irish Trad? That's what I usually play, with some of lots of other music thrown in.

Well, Paul, with a 45 day money back guarantee, no shipping charge either way, and $179, it's kind of a no brainer-you get to decide if it works for you! At least that's what I figured.

It will probably have a different voice than your Kentucky, but if yours is an f hole mando, it shouldn't be far off. But even if you have an oval hole, who knows, you might like this one better.

My replacement for the mistake music123 made has shipped, but I haven't gotten it yet, so I can't answer any specific questions-all I can say is all I've read about the Gloucester has been about the happy people who bought them. At this price-you get a lot of F style (my favorite too) for the money. Who knows how long they will be available on clearance-that's what got me to order!
Last edited by greenspiderweb on Fri Apr 13, 2007 9:28 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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livethe question
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Post by livethe question »

Hey, you guys are definitely bad for my bank account. I didn't think I "needed" an inexpensive mandolin but the more I read your accounts of the Gloucester and the accounts over at the Mandolin Cafe warped me.....as if I'm not already warped enough.

Barry, you'll get your's before mine comes in. Let me know how it turns out.

An expensive day today. Sent $$ for a Pat O'Riordan low F/Enatural set and now the mandolin. And I'm not even sure I like F style mandolins.

Anyone want to buy a really, really nice Vega Cylinder Back mandolin with Birdseye Maple back?

take care

jim
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Post by greenspiderweb »

Hi Jim,

It seems the only logical solution to me too after reading all those posts! If you don't like it, it doesn't cost anything to return it either, and you have 45 days to get it back!

I just got finished writing a nasty note to music123 for not handling my order well, and not fixing it on time, as they said they would. I still don't have the replacement Gloucester-it was just shipped today when I was supposed to have it in my hands.

Can't complain about the price, however, and I guess it's worth putting up with some inefficiency to get it, as long as they deliver the goods in the end!

You might want to put that Vega up on the cafe-better than here for the exposure.
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Post by brewerpaul »

Woo hoo!! My wonderful wife is ordering one of these for my birthday! Now, the hard part will be knowing that it's in the house, but that I can't have it until 6/27...

updated: I got a concession from my wife to let me play the mando when it arrives for about 10 min:bring it up to pitch and tune it, check the neck, fret buzzing, major flaws etc. Otherwise, by the time I receive the mandolin on my birthday, the 45 return period would be over. An eminently sensible woman...

Any suggestions for a decent CHEAP case for this?
Got wood?
http://www.Busmanwhistles.com
Let me custom make one for you!
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Post by rh »

brewerpaul wrote: Any suggestions for a decent CHEAP case for this?
new, probably can't get much cheaper than this, especially for a hard-shell case.
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Post by buddhu »

rh wrote:
brewerpaul wrote: Any suggestions for a decent CHEAP case for this?
new, probably can't get much cheaper than this, especially for a hard-shell case.
Looks just like the "Stagg" case I got for my Fullerton. Be advised that the fit isn't perfect. I had to modify the inner compartment and install a bit of additional padding before I was happy that the mando was being supported as it needed to be. Also, the Fullerton headstock is a fraction longer (I believe) than the real F9/F5 it's fairly snug lengthwise. Not force-it snug, but no space to spare.

I'm happy enough with the case.
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Post by greenspiderweb »

Well, I got my Fullerton Gloucester the other day. It had a perfectly straight fretboard (unlike the Pennington I first received in error), and the bridge was fitted pretty well (could be a little better-you can see some light under it in bright light).

I'm not overly impressed with the tone though. It sounds nice, but it doesn't have quite the "ring" that the laminated Pennington has, which is a big surprise to me. I actually prefer the laminated F model Pennington for tone! Maybe it sounds more like an oval hole mandolin-brighter and chimier-a more bell like ring to it, I don't know-I haven't picked up a mandolin for a couple of years anyway. And, take this with a grain of salt from a picky tone person-most all the reviews on the Gloucester have been overwhelmingly good. That's why we've been ordering these things!

Maybe fitting the bridge a little better would make a big difference, but I kind of doubt it-it's pretty close, and maybe it just needs to open up a bit-the finish curing, and playing in helps to bring out the tone too. Or it may just be my ear's preferences in tone quality. The fit and finish of the Gloucester is very well done, even with the satin finish, which isn't as labor intensive for the makers, and is usually thinner, and less durable.

I don't know at this point what I'll do, but I'm leaning towards ordering the Hammonton, which is very like the Pennington in finish, but in all solid woods (at the same price as the Gloucester). From what others have said on the Mandolin Cafe, it's a good one too. Hey, for $89 shipped, this Pennington is no slouch! I consider it a bargain for a nice sounding and playing mandolin-and if you want a festival or session mandolin-this is it!

The other problem I have is that my hands (especially the left hand and wrist especially) aren't too happy about playing this new instrument! I think the right setup of lowering the strings at the nut and adjusting the bridge will go a long way in hand comfort though. And I may have to abandon mandolin, in deference to the flute in the long run. Time will tell.
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Post by buddhu »

The action at the nut is sometimes a tad high, but at this price point I doubt they spend a huge amount of time on set-up.

I changed the nut on mine for a bone one and lowered the action quite a bit there. I would certainly fit the bridge tightly to the top - fortunately mine arrived with a pretty much vacuum fit.

As for tone, mine is opening up a bit, but I play it long and hard every day. It is nowhere near as full and bassy as my Eastman, but that's more an oval vs f-hole thing. With a new set of J74s, a good 2mm pick and some hard playing my Gloucester is getting a decent tone and good volume. At the moment I have to dig in a bit to get the volume and 'thunk' on the chop chords, but the same was true of the Eastman. Its solid wood, with a lightish finish and a top that isn't too thick. It'll open up a lot more as I continue to thrash it!

I actually prefer playing the Fullerton now - even though the Eastman cost more than 3 times as much.
And whether the blood be highland, lowland or no.
And whether the skin be black or white as the snow.
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Post by buddhu »

Oh, I could never abandon mandolin - no more than I could abandon whistle.

How could you even consider such a thing!? :o
And whether the blood be highland, lowland or no.
And whether the skin be black or white as the snow.
Of kith and of kin we are one, be it right, be it wrong.
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Post by rh »

buddhu wrote:Oh, I could never abandon mandolin - no more than I could abandon whistle.

How could you even consider such a thing!? :o
Pain can make one consider lots of things.
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Post by Ro3b »

If you're seeing light under your bridge, if needs to be fitted better. I bet that's part of why you're not happy with the tone you're getting. Fortunately, fitting a mando bridge is pretty easy. Just use low-tack masking tape to attach some sandpaper to the top of the instrument and run the feet of the bridge over the sandpaper, so they pick up the curvature of the top. Just go slow and make sure you're keeping the bridge perpendicular to the top.

Also, a really good way to quickly break in a new acoustic stringed instrument is to tie it to the front of a stereo speaker and play music into it for a few hours. Sounds kind of extreme, but it does work.
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Post by buddhu »

Ro3b wrote:...
Also, a really good way to quickly break in a new acoustic stringed instrument is to tie it to the front of a stereo speaker and play music into it for a few hours. Sounds kind of extreme, but it does work.
Motorhead should do the trick...
And whether the blood be highland, lowland or no.
And whether the skin be black or white as the snow.
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As long as our hearts beat true to the lilt of a song.
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Post by buddhu »

rh wrote:
buddhu wrote:Oh, I could never abandon mandolin - no more than I could abandon whistle.

How could you even consider such a thing!? :o
Pain can make one consider lots of things.
True. Pain, which I have experienced in playing mando, can very often be eased by a decent action (especially at the nut end for Celtic players who tend to stay down that end of the fretboard more than bluegrassers). Even for people with small hands.

The other thing is hand position. The wrist should not be sharply bent in any direction. That's where I started out wrong. Took me an age to break the habit of bending my wrist back too far when fretting full G shape chop chords.

A straightish wrist and not holding the neck too closely/tightly in the V or U between thumb and first finger are key. Just let the neck rest on the hand.

Takes practice, but the difference is indescribable.

Give up mandolin :o :boggle: :o Never...
And whether the blood be highland, lowland or no.
And whether the skin be black or white as the snow.
Of kith and of kin we are one, be it right, be it wrong.
As long as our hearts beat true to the lilt of a song.
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Post by greenspiderweb »

rh wrote:
buddhu wrote:Oh, I could never abandon mandolin - no more than I could abandon whistle.

How could you even consider such a thing!? :o
Pain can make one consider lots of things.
Yes, exactly, Rob! My hands/wrists have some problems, and tend to be a little cranky about over use. Good suggestions, buddhu on playing properly. That will help, no doubt, thank you.

And thanks for the suggestion of fitting the bridge better, Ro3b. There is the slightest bit of light there when viewed in bright light-generally it is fitted pretty well though. I've fitted violin bridges in the past like you described, and will do that if I keep it.

I think it's just the general tone of it that I don't favor. When an all laminated mandolin sounds better to me, with a thicker finish, and no set up either, and nothing major is wrong with the less preferred mandolin, then I think it's just a tonal preference. The Gloucester rings, but it's not bell like, if you know what I mean.

You may be right about fitting the bridge perfectly-and only one way to really tell to be sure. If I do, I'll report back about it.
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livethe question
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Post by livethe question »

Hey everyone,

My Gloucester came in today. I've only been playing it for about an hour. I guess I got one of the "good ones." Fit and finish while certainly not perfect, aren't bad at all. I thought it sounded a bit thin to begin with but decided that may be because I play an oval hole, actually Weber's D hole, Bridger that I've played about five or six years.

After playing the Gloucester for a while and then putting on a tone-gard and King Brown arm rest, I'm finding that the tone is much richer.

it's a keeper.

back to playing with the new "toy."

take care

jim
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