Starter - Posted - 01/03/2012:  21:25:24

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

mandovoodoo - Posted - 01/04/2012:  03:51:39

Mahogany seems more mellow. Oval more mellow. Setup and tweaking can make a good deal of difference. Flat top or monel strings.

Generally the oval A mandolins seem rather popular.

TI_USER - Posted - 01/04/2012:  13:13:55

Before you switch mandolins, try using flatwound strings.  I have a Breedlove Quartz OF as well and with the most popular bronze wound strings it is, indeed, very bright.  I have used flatwound strings on it since I bought it in 2006.  I currently use D'Addario FW-74 flatwound strings, but before that I used Thomastik Heavy gauge.  They are very expensive but I have used a single set on my Breedlove for as long as a year, They will provide a very mellow, rich tone.  If you do decide to try them, give them a good week to settle in before you judge them.  They take that long to settle down from the new sound, but when they do, the tone will remain consistent for a VERY long time.  I hate a very bright tone and the flatwound strings provide the warmth I like.

It's worth a try and is MUCH cheaper than buying a new mandolin.

Edited by - TI_USER on 01/04/2012 13:17:09

Starter - Posted - 01/04/2012:  13:52:37

Thanks for tip(s).  I actually just put Thomastik lights on for her (her teacher recommended starting with lights) and they do indeed make the tone very much (to my mind) nicer.  Well, more mellow.  (They also feel much nicer, but whether that's because they're new, or light, or really expensive I can't say).

They had been on for a week before we played the Weber, which still blew us away.  On the other hand, the last time we played she said how much she liked the Breedlove and what was she thinking.  So I'm not sure where that leaves us.  Saving a chunk of money, perhaps.

TI_USER - Posted - 01/04/2012:  16:23:32

The reason they feel so much nicer is because of the flat windings.  There is no edges on the windings as there are on round wound strings so you fingers glide over them very easily.  It's a shame you spent the money on the Thomastik lights.  In my, and most people's opinion, they are way too light.  Those are usually reserved for old fragile mandolins such as bowlbacks.  You really need the heavy set.  Keep in mind that because of the flat winding, the string tension is much lighter than heavy round wound strings.  You will get a much beefier sound with the heavy set and the mandolin can EASILY handle it.

Starter - Posted - 01/05/2012:  19:36:08

Well, as I say, I put the lights on there because that's what her teacher recommended.  But I'll give her some mediums for, perhaps, mother's day.  And then on to heavies, perhaps.  But it will take a while; she doesn't have much finger strength or callouses

will

TI_USER - Posted - 01/06/2012:  05:15:50

It's possible her teacher is not familiar with Thomastik.  Flatwound strings are lighter tension just by their design.  Thomastik heavy gauge are actually lighter tension than most all medium gauge strings. They're very easy on the fingers.  That's why many people use them.  Honestly, if you are going to step up, I would just go straight for the heavy.  They are really soft on the fingers and will sound more robust than lights or mediums.