Mando Hangout - Shopping Advice Forum Feed

McKinley

eric@mandohangout.com — Wed, 9 May 2012 15:34:14 CST

Anyone know anything about McKinley mandolins made near Mansfield, Ohio?

Birthday story - need help

eric@mandohangout.com — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 08:03:50 CST

My lovely wife surprised me for my birthday with an Epiphone MM 50-E mandolin, telling me that she knows nothing about musical instruments and that I should feel free to return it if its not right. I am an experienced guitar player -- and probably spoiled in my tolerance for entry-level instruments -- but have never touched a mandolin until yesterday. The Epi strikes me as about what you'd expect from a $500 instrument -- reasonably well made, but the machine heads are very stiff which makes tuning hard and the finish is spotty. My question: is there a better option in that basic price range. I play with a band that is moving into bluegrass and folk music, so I figured amplification would be helpful (I have a piezo in my acoustic guitar). Is that necessary? Thanks so much for the help. Tim

Ball end Strings in light?

eric@mandohangout.com — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 10:34:40 CST

I'm wondering if any of you know the lightest set to be found in ball end mandolin strings? I need em for my Ovation. Appreciate any suggestions!

The picks

eric@mandohangout.com — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 05:50:44 CST

Witch picks do you all use? I keep going back and forth with bluechip tpr50 and bluechip sr50, Although I do like ts. What do you use :o

Mandolin Choices

eric@mandohangout.com — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 10:51:10 CST

Hello, I really need some help. You probably get a lot of this kind of question, but living on a battle destroyer in the middle of the Indian Ocean, it's a little tough to get to a music store and try them out. I am a guitar player, I would say average. I have been fascinated by mandolins for a long time so I decided to take the plunge. I am looking to stay around $800 which should put me at the higher end of the inexpensive models. I want better than a beginner that will last me a long time. I have it narrowed down to 3 that I really like, but have no idea about the company, the mandolin quality, sound etc.... I was advised to start with an "a" design, but asking around I was told that if you want to keep it for a long time and don't plan on buying another one go with an "f" design. I like the looks of them better any way. Here are the 3 I am looking at. Any help or honest comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, JB

Kentucky KM 630

Eastman MD 315F

Loar LM 500 VS

breedlove mandolin

eric@mandohangout.com — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 05:57:14 CST

what about the breedlove mandolin im looking at an f5 totally black mandolin it called the quartz model ?

string life

eric@mandohangout.com — Wed, 4 Apr 2012 16:11:05 CST

I am new to the mando, after 30+ years on guitar, and I discover that mando strings seem to go dead (and become hard to tune) very quickly--like after 2 months of playing not more than 30 minutes every other day. I wash my hands before playing and I wipe down the strings and freboard with a dustless cloth after each playing. These are d'addario phosphors, lightweights. Is this a normal expectation for string life on a mando? On a guitar I get 3-6 months for equivalent playing time and roughly equivalent strings. Am considering flatwound strings just to try out. Advice welcome!

Carl Fischer Mandolin

eric@mandohangout.com — Tue, 3 Apr 2012 08:53:45 CST

I recently stumbled upon a beautiful antique Carl Fischer bowlback mandolin. I am wondering if anyone could tell me a little more about this maker, and what this instrument might be worth? I'm afraid I don't have any photos, or a date, but any assistance is very much appreciated.

The back is made with dark wood, alternating with slightly darker strips, and the front has some nice inlayed detailing around the edges and sound hole. There is also a nice large inlay beneath the sound hole. The tailpiece looks like seashell, but the head doesn't have any markings. Tuning keys look like they might be ivory? (very yellowed). Comes with what appears to be the original canvas case.

Thank you!

Wide Nut or standard?

eric@mandohangout.com — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 15:02:08 CST

As a complete mando novice, I need some advice about nuts. (That cracks me up!) I am planning to order a mandolin from a really nice builder, and I'd like your thoughts on wide nuts vs standard. Generally, do folks with fatter fingers prefer wide nuts, and if not, who does? Can you change to a wide nut at any time, or is the neck actually wider on wide nut mandolins?

Thanks in advance!

CaliforniaJed

NJ stores to play a mandolin, Are there any?

eric@mandohangout.com — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:38:27 CST

Hello!!

I am Dan, I play in a band with a mandoliner, and I know a few others that play mandolin and we always end up trading instruments.

These encounters have inspired me to buy my own mandolin

(and I learned scale and chord shapes!)

Here's where I come to you, Brave reader/Mandohangout

I live in New Jersey, right smack in the middle, next to Six Flags Great Adventure.

By using the internet and asking friends,

I have not been able to locate places that have mandolins for sale in NJ. Guitar Center near me carries two beat up mandolins which I tried out.

Alternatively, is it worth it to use a online service that offers returns if not satisfied?

I'm looking to spend around 500$, I love f shapes but will likely buy an A as I've read that of equally priced A and F shapes; the A will have higher quality appointments.

I'd gladly go all acoustic on my mandy, I have no gigging obligations yet, but I'd like it to be worthy of bluegrass jams, open mics, small performances..

I've been trying to get my hands on a Michael Kelly Mandolin because I've heard that in addition to a decent instrument, the electronics are pretty good.

I need to be able to play some mandies in store in order to know what I want and to ensure the quality/craftmanship of the instrument.

I have worked with guitars and acoustic instruments for year, so I have a bit of a feel for whether an instrument is up to par or not.

What are some things that I should examine on a possible purchase?

The tuners are always one of my priorities.

I notice many mandolins seem to have cheap tuners which slip, would it be viable to attach replace stock tuners with guitar tuners?

Is there a company that manufactures high quality mandolin tuners?

Thanks for your attention and patience.

I'm a little under the weather but eager to acquire and play my first mandolin.

Mando hybrids. Why?

eric@mandohangout.com — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 18:19:07 CST

Can someone explain what these are: mandocello, banjomandolin, etc? I see these hybrid instruments for sale and not only do I have no clue what they are but I don't know what they are used for. I haven't seen anything but mandolins used in Bluegrass so perhaps this has to do with the genre of music?

The Goya Mandolin

eric@mandohangout.com — Tue, 6 Mar 2012 21:28:33 CST

I have a Goya Mandolin and I can't find any information on it at all. Something that is different from the ones that I have seen is it says "The Goya" rather than just "Goya" . The front has a yellowish color with an oval sound hole. It has no pick guard and it has a clam shell piece on the bottom. There is no serial number any where.... Anyone with any information please let me know. Will try to post a picture up soon.

Loar LM 520 VS

eric@mandohangout.com — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 19:18:42 CST

Anyone got one, played one. What are your thoughts on this one?

Thanks HTB Boats

case cover

eric@mandohangout.com — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:07:50 CST

What is the best case cover out there ?

help plz.

eric@mandohangout.com — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 12:55:07 CST

I need a double mandolin case that's not 500$ but more like 100-250$. Any suggestion?

Epi mm 50

eric@mandohangout.com — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 05:19:39 CST

Are they all solid wood or laminate? Any difference between ones made in Korea or the newer ones from china?

please help ???????

eric@mandohangout.com — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:49:18 CST

Hey guys yes this is another one of those but i have been playing for 10 years and have a very cheap starter mandolin. I have recently picked up a gig with a band needing a mandolin player and and will now be playing live. My question is i now will be needing a mandolin with electronics and this is new to me .I have $500.00 to spend and have been looking at some Morgan Monroes F styles but just wanted to see what you guys recommend........Please help .

Galveston F style

eric@mandohangout.com — Tue, 7 Feb 2012 12:08:16 CST

I have a Galveston F style that appears to be solid wood construction. I have a copy of a VJ Rendano catalogue page, the distributor of Galveston that lists 2 solid wood F style models. One is maple back the other sycamore. Not sure which one I have. Mine does have some flame on the sides, but none on the back. Theres no model number on mine. I thinks its probably maple, but not sure if it might be sycamore. I was told it may have been a salesman sample.

Sorensen Mandolins

eric@mandohangout.com — Sun, 5 Feb 2012 20:31:52 CST

I'm looking to invest in a new mandolin and the mandolins made by Steve Sorensen have caught my eye. Has anyone played a Sorensen mandolin? Just looking for opinions.

best case for mandolin as hand luggage?

eric@mandohangout.com — Sat, 4 Feb 2012 14:29:54 CST

Hi,

I despite some time trying to research this question I can't figure out a good strategy for my wife to take her mandolin on her various travels, including vacation (it won't be as much fun if we can't play). We have a beater mandolin but she really doesn't like playing it (it's an old stradolin, and as the repair guy we took it to put it, "not one of the good ones." She took it on a trip in a soft-sided gig bag, and reckons that she wouldn't want to subject her Breedlove to the same treatment. AND she figures taking the Breedlove in its hard case would too awkward, given the other things she needs to take with her for work etc.

So here are two directions to go, perhaps, and I'd be grateful for your advice: get a better beater? I did notice once at Sam Ash an (?) Ovation mandolin that seemed pretty sturdy, though not nearly as nice as the Breedlove; it was synthetic, I think, and cost a couple of hundreds. And I came across the Big Muddy travel mandolin discussed on the forum.

Or, is there a better gig bag or case: a hard case that's more travel friendly, or a gig bag that actually would offer some protection in the overhead bins? If we had to choose, I think, we'd rather pay for better case, if there is one, and not spend playing time wishing we had the Breedlove.

Many thanks,

will

reasonable price for a mandolin to last

eric@mandohangout.com — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 06:56:48 CST

Hey, I bought my first mandolin here in Thailand last week and I love it. EXCEPT the one I bought is junk. Not surprised since nobody here plays them and they don't really have any options. BUT this brings me to the question.....

I want to have someone bring out a better mandolin for me to play on. I'm thinking no more than $500 U.S. I see that some people spend 2000 bucks on mandolins, but because of my experience and budget, that's just not gonna happen. SO, what can I expect from a mandolin for this price? I still consider this a good bit of money so I'm hoping I'll get something that will last for many many years, even if it doesn't compare to something super high priced.

Also, I'm planning on getting an A style since I've read that you can get more bang for your buck that way. One particular model I had in mind was the eastman md305. here is a link for it.

http://www.eastmanguitars.com/md305/

Thanks so much for the help!!!

Gold Tone versus Kentucky

eric@mandohangout.com — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 06:49:16 CST

Hello everyone!

Absolute beginner here. For years I have desired to learn to play the mandolin, but I just recently reached the point where I am seriously looking to buy an instrument. Having played guitar for 8 or 9 years has taught me the importance of starting on a quality instrument, so as to not get frustrated at the sound being produced. That being said, I am also a poor college student, and my budget can only go so high (into the low- to mid-$400 range).

I've perused forum after forum and watched what seems like a thousand video reviews on various brands and models of mandolin, and have managed to narrow my search down to two final contenders: the Gold Tone GM-55A and the Kentucky KM-505.

Kentucky appears to be generally one of the most favorable brands, having the best reviews and the most praise. The KM-505 is all solid construction, which I've also come to understand makes a world of difference. The GM-55A, though higher in price (by about $55 from the lowest prices of each that I have found online), has a maple curl veneer back, but its hand-rubbed oil finish (in contrast to the Kentucky's nitro-cellulose) also seems to have gotten a great deal of praise from those who have played one. I recently bought a banjo from Gold Tone and was very pleased by its quality and by their service and warranty.

Both being inexperienced and being unable to try each mandolin model in person, I am neither experienced enough nor physically able to decide on my own which instrument is the better choice. I have no immediate preference for what type of music I want to play (bluegrass, celtic, classical), I just want to learn and experiment.

Would anybody here be able to shed a little light and sway me either way? It would be greatly appreciated! I just want to learn on the best instrument I can afford to purchase right now. Thanks! :)

Links for specs:

Kentucky KM-505 - http://www.sagamusic.com/catalog/details.aspx?ProductID=KM-505

Gold Tone GM-55A - http://www.goldtone.com/products/details/w/instrument/438/GM-55A

MORRIS MANDOLIN

eric@mandohangout.com — Sat, 7 Jan 2012 13:01:53 CST

Does anyone know about Morris mandolins? Are they good? I am looking for a good bluegrass mandolin. They don't have a truss rod, does that matter much? Thanks for the info. glen

Surf Picks

eric@mandohangout.com — Fri, 6 Jan 2012 05:54:16 CST

Has anyone else tried these?

http://surfpick.com/

best mandolin(s) for really warm, rich tone

eric@mandohangout.com — Tue, 3 Jan 2012 21:25:24 CST

Hi,

My wife has been very happy with her Breedlove Quartz A-Style with F-holes. And until the other day we hadn't encountered even much higher end instruments that were obviously different and better, at least to our novice ears and fingers.

But then we encountered a Weber Bitterroot, F style but with an oval hole; it sounded much mellower and sweeter, and perhaps more suited to the kind of playing we're doing these days (just the two of us, guitar and mandolin, doing fairly slow and mellow songs, playing melodically rather than much of the bluegrass chop.

She would like to rule out F-styles on purely esthetic grounds. So our dream mandolin of the moment seems to be (a) a Weber A style with oval hole or (b) a Collings, ditto. The Collings seems to be a little more strident (judging from sound clips at least) but has a wider fingerboard like the Breedlove.

Any opinions on these two, or suggestions for others we should be thinking about? I would really like to get her an instrument she really loves to play even more than she loves the Breedlove.

Thanks, Will

Michael Kelly mando - - Advice please?

eric@mandohangout.com — Tue, 3 Jan 2012 20:38:20 CST

Looking for some input here (if I may - - -)

There's a local craigslist ad for a Michael Kelly Dragonfly Custom III Limited Edition mandolin up for sale. The asking price is $550, and I guess I'm wondering if this is a good deal or not? I've heard of the Kelly mandos, but don't know much about them/ have never picked one/ and (after googling them) it seems they sell for around a 1,000 bucks or so. The seller picks mandolin in a band, and decided to sell this one in order to get an electric mandolin which will suit his band's needs better.

The mandolin is only about 60 miles away from me, so I can easily go and try it out/ hear what it sounds like, and see how nice (or not) it plays. I'm fond of "road trips", so that'll be no problem - - but I'm kinda curious as to whether or not it would be worth my time to go and check this mandolin out.

Here's the link for the craigslist ad - - - - - > > > http://duluth.craigslist.org/msg/2775791298.html

Any and all advice would be appreciated, and thanks in advance.

Gibson F5L Master Model Derrington Signed.

eric@mandohangout.com — Tue, 3 Jan 2012 11:54:37 CST

Hi all,

A question to you knowledgeable people......does this look like a genuine sale?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gibson-F5L-Mandolin-Master-Model-Derrington-signed-/280800651675?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Sting_Instruments&hash=item416105e99b

I ask because the starting price is very low, and i've seen these mandolins discussed on forums before....usualy when talking about scams.

The seller has no feedback, looks like their first sale too......what do you reckon? I have little knowledge when it comes to mandolins so wouldn't even know if it was a good one or not? You always hear about the Gibson F5, but in regards to the different models, i wouldn't know what was what.

Thanks for any help.

Calv.

Fender FM-60E

eric@mandohangout.com — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 16:57:32 CST

There is a Fender 5 string for sale near me. $450.00 Not sure if this is too high. I really like it and would like to get one similar if not the same. Any thoughts on this? I really appreciate your input. Thanks, Eric

Best mandolin case for the money?

eric@mandohangout.com — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:53:25 CST

Well I think the eastman fiberglass case are good but their is not much storage. What do you all think.

best mandolin under 1500$

eric@mandohangout.com — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:46:26 CST

I think the best one would be a loar Lm700 . What do you think?

gravity picks

eric@mandohangout.com — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 18:40:36 CST

Ever used them checkem out I got some coming ?

What about oils with beeswax:?

eric@mandohangout.com — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 05:41:59 CST

The question about best Christmas presents for mandolin players caused me to reflect on a bottle of lemon beeswax oil that has lasted me years mainly because I have used it on my guitar so infrequently. There are combinations other than lemon beeswax that sound interesting, e.g. walnut beeswax oil, coconut beeswax oil, and home-made variations. Besides being a possible gift, do you wax your mandolin, sometimes, seldom, or never? Amazon and Google show a variety of products.

what does Wide Nut mean

eric@mandohangout.com — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:13:15 CST

Afternoon,

I am a survivor of a traumatic brain injury, and thinking that playing a mandolin, will help to re-wire my brain. I have never played any instrument before my injury, but I love the sound of a mandolin, so I thought, if you love it learn how to play it. I'm pretty sure I'll buy an A-style (because the "beginning" A-style fits my budget better then any f-style), but wondering about mando's listed as wide nut and what that really means?

best presents for a mandolin player (besides a mandolin)?

eric@mandohangout.com — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 10:10:30 CST

Hi,

Any thoughts about equipment or recordings that you wish someone had given you when you were starting out? My wife has a Breedlove mandolin that she loves, along with a strap and capo. She has some intro dvds (Caplinger, Sam Bush). So maybe she's all set, but I'd love to find her something that might enhance the experience. (I thought of a mandola, but I think I've decided to hold off on that).

As far as tastes go, she's interested not so much in virtuoso performances as in the way mandolin can enhance group singing and playing: we've been particularly impressed by Slipstream, Redbird, and of course David Grisman. Any others along those lines that might be nice presents?

Will

Mandola for a mandolin player singing in lower registers?

eric@mandohangout.com — Thu, 8 Dec 2011 16:01:17 CST

Hi everyone,

My wife has taken up the mandolin and loves it. We are that very early stage where all our songs are in G (I play the guitar), but having a great time and it's all wonderful.

The only problem is being confined to that single key. When we sing and it's just me on the guitar I move the capo and change keys etc. to fit her (and my) vocal range.

Now, as I understand it (I play the mandolin too, off and on) one can play mandolin in other keys, esp. A, and I even have a mandolin capo. But really for our voices we want to go lower.

Hence my question, in part because I don't have a good Christmas present yet: would a Mandola be a useful complement to a mandolin for these purposes?

Many thanks, Will

D'Addario Strings

eric@mandohangout.com — Sun, 4 Dec 2011 18:08:01 CST

Back in October I was playing my mandolin in a jam session at a bluegrass festival and one of the E strings broke. This weekend I finally managed to go to Guitar Center and get myself a new set of strings to replace the E string. I normally get Martin Phosphor Bronze strings, but I happened to notice they had a set of D'Addario mandolin strings on sale. I was real eager to try these out since I knew that a lot of professional bluegrass mandolin players use them, particularly my hero Doyle Lawson. I just put the new D'Addario string on it tonight and I have one word to say about it, WOW! With these new set of strings I finally managed to get the tone out of my mando that I have been looking for an incredibly long time. I know for sure I will be buying D'Addario strings from now on!

Christmas Present

eric@mandohangout.com — Fri, 2 Dec 2011 13:08:03 CST

I would like to buy my wife a new Mandolin for Christmas. She has been learning to play for about four weeks now on a borrowed Mandolin. Any advice on a decent one for under 500.00 to get her started?

Question about Loar setup/purchase and dealers in the UK.

eric@mandohangout.com — Thu, 1 Dec 2011 03:37:40 CST

Hi all,

Unfortunately i am not in a position to try many (if any) decent mandolins out prior to buying them, so my purchase of my first mandolin will be on recommendations and reviews only. Not ideal but i think thats my only option right now.

I really like the sound of the Loar 600, but am looking for the best place to buy them for price and setup. I'd rather not pay out a fortune for something that doesn't come already professionally setup, but i'm not really that clued up about where to get these in the UK.

That raises another question, would i better off buying these from the US, or after customs and tax and everything will it work out the same price or more? Also, might sound a silly question but would the setup still be ok after a long journey from the US if i went down that route?

If you're wondering why i'm thinking of the Loar LM 600, like i say i just really like the sound once they've been set up properly and would like something that i won't have to replace in a few months once i get better in my technique. I do want an F hole scroll type, sorry if that sounds a bit superficial and i know you can get more mandolin for your buck in an A style, i just really like the look of the F's.

If anyone has any advice then please throw it this way, it would be most appreciated.

Thank you,

Calv.

Anybody got this guy's instruments?

eric@mandohangout.com — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 05:46:45 CST

Seen this seller on eBay and love the look of his mandolins. I'm not accustomed to buying instruments without playing them first. Has anyone bought from this seller, and if so what do you have to say about his mandolins?

http://stores.ebay.com/Antoniotsais-Guitar-Mandolin-Art

pick-up for octave mandolin?

eric@mandohangout.com — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 08:24:00 CST

Hi all!

I've just bought an octave mandolin and it's 100% acoustic, but I'd like to amplify it for my gigs.

Do you recommend me any pick-up?

I currently have a Dean Markley Artist Transducer pick-up that I use for my dulcimer.
http://www.deanmarkley.com/Pickups/ArtistTransducer.shtml

Do you think that one can work well too?

Thanks!

JustStrings.com charges extra for a phone call?

eric@mandohangout.com — Tue, 8 Nov 2011 06:35:53 CST

I had no idea about this until today, and if you didn’t either, then I’ll just send out a general FYI. I was on the phone ordering some strings from JustStrings.com, and the person informed me that if I ordered from them over the phone, they would charge me $5 extra. I had ordered from them before by phone and never heard that. I am like many people, I presume, in that I feel more comfortable ordering by phone so I can talk to someone, ask a question or two if needed, and then give my order and credit card number. I politely asked about the policy and “we’ve just done it for years” is the best I could get.

My question to you is: is this becoming industry standard? I told JustStrings.com “no thanks” (the guy on their end was extremely polite about it all) and called in an order from Elderly Instruments instead. The customer service guy at Elderly said he had never heard of such a thing, and thought it was as crazy as I did. So again, does anyone out there know any other website instrument and accessory providers that charge for ordering over the phone? Is it becoming a standard in the industry?

Tanglewood TML VS Mandolin advice please.

eric@mandohangout.com — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 08:37:44 CST

Hi, soon i'll have a couple of hundred pound spare to get myself a mandolin, just a starter one obviously......i have been looking at the matt black Tanglewood TML VS.

http://www.dv247.com/guitars/tanglewood-tml-vs-mandolin-matt-black--67489

A few shops i've phoned about this mandolin say it should be fine to play from the box after tuning it, however i'm a little wary of this because of the need for proper set up and all that.

Any idea? I know it's not the best mandolin, but i think it's slightly better than the real cheap ones. I like no frills, i love black, from what i hear Tanglewood aren't the worst company to deal with.....and most of my money is going on a banjo for the time being.

Any advice most appreciated.

Calv.

Shops in Maryland

eric@mandohangout.com — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 12:14:18 CST

I have been looking for a little while at upgrading my mandolin. The problem I am having is that there appears to be very few shops that sell mandolins in Maryland and the ones that do tend to have a small/limited selection. I am looking to see if anyone knows of a place? If need be, I can drive to neighboring states but obviously not any further than I have to.

Ray

Gibson vs Weber vs something else

eric@mandohangout.com — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 21:29:00 CST

I am looking to get a better mandolin and in my head I think I must have a Gibson. I know there is more to life than Gibson so before I spend more than I have ever spent on an instrument I want to get some opinions. I played a 5k Weber Fern against an F5G Gibson which was the same price. I like the Gibson v profile while the Weber neck felt huge. I think the Weber sounded better but the F5L won but its $2500 more. I can't seem to justify $7500 for the F5L and would like to keep this at 5k. If anyone had suggestions for anything else, let me know. Since I am in NY its hard to find anything to play that is sold around here. For some reason I can't get into Collins.

Mandolin with humbucker

eric@mandohangout.com — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:27:45 CST

Hey guys,

Im looking for an electro-acoustic mandolin with a humbucker pickup. I've been searching all over the internet, but all I could find was mandolins with singe coils in it. Do you guys know where I can get one? Or give me the name of a mandolin that has this? I live in the Netherlands and I can't find anything here.

Here's a video of John Paul Jones playing a mandolin with a humbucker:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cfc3rCQOuU&ob=av3n

Thanks!

Eastman 614 or 805D-(two point)

eric@mandohangout.com — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 06:34:03 CST

Looking at purchasing one of these on line. The 614 retails for about $200 more. Is the price difference due simply to the extra cost of the scroll work? Is the quality, volume, tone comparable?

http://www.eastmanguitars.com/md614/

http://www.folkmusician.com/Eastman-Mandolin-805-2-Point-Sunburst/productinfo/MD805D-SB/

mandolin

eric@mandohangout.com — Mon, 5 Sep 2011 08:56:42 CST

looking for a mando in the $800 range

does anybody own a kentucky km 855?

or a loar lm700?

was also looking at eastman and morgan monroe

thanks

Northfield mandolins

eric@mandohangout.com — Mon, 5 Sep 2011 08:07:12 CST

What do you think about ?

Stelling vs Gibson, Weber, LaPlant, and others

eric@mandohangout.com — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 16:05:44 CST

Has anybody heard a new Stelling mandolin? How do they compare to a Gibson, Weber, Lloyd LaPlant, or other make? I am in the market for an F-5 style mandolin in the $5,000 to $10,000 price range. I *really* like the looks of the Stelling mandolin on their website, but I have never heard one. I have heard about some of the makers that are no longer working at Stelling. If they sound anything like their banjos, I know it will be great. I also have a Stelling banjo and love it. I just don't want to make a several thousand dollars mistake.

So I guess I have two questions.

1) How do Stelling mandolins sound?
2) What other makes do you recommend in this price range?

Thanks!

Lance

Ebay mandolin

eric@mandohangout.com — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 13:53:05 CST

So what's wrong with this mandolin that it's so cheap? I'm guessing that it's made in China or somewhere similar, but could it be a decent mandolin for the price? Can't see the name on the headstock.