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Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.mandohangout.com/archive/33596
William Channell - Posted - 06/06/2013: 18:55:33
'Sup everyone? I've been noodling around my friend's cheap bean blossom a style mandolin for a little over a year, and now for about four or five months I've really been buckling down and practicing in a real way. Now I've decided to purchase a quality beginners' instrument of my own. I'm going a-style (I've heard you get more bang for your buck that way) and an oval hole, because oval holes seem to be a bit more versatile. I've narrowed down my choices to the following:
Eastman MD-304
Kentucky KM-174
Michael Kelly Legacy AO A-Style Oval
I'm leaning toward the Eastman. I'm gonna be in pheonix in a couple weeks and will stop at the mandolin store to play around a bit, so that will probably be enlightening, though I though I'd get all your opinion on the matter. Thanks!
abinigia - Posted - 06/06/2013: 20:27:12
I tend to think F hole mandolins are more versatile. But either way, an A-style mandolin will be less expensive for the quality. F-style mandolins are expensive because they're a pain to build. The only reason I suggest thinking about oval hole style v F holes is if you want to play bluegrass. You will not get the percussive chop sound from an oval hole.
And just to make sure you're clear about it, F-style is not the same as F hole. You can get A-style mandolins with F holes and F-style mandolins with A holes (hmm, sounds like I'm talkin' dirty but I'm not).
Regards,
Brian
UsuallyPickin - Posted - 06/07/2013: 04:38:04
Brian is correct. Of course what you ultimately wish to play on the instrument will effect which instrument you choose to buy. Classical is most often played on a bowl back, Irish or Oldtime on an A model oval hole, Bluegrass on an F model with F holes, Jazz on the particular players likes from solid body to modified A models usually with F holes. This is not to say that you can't play any music on any type of instrument. And there are instruments that transcend style differences because of quality, needless to say those aren't beginner instruments. But these generalizations are the tonal "conventions", I am fond of several different makes and models of mandolin but suggest a good beginners mandolin is an A model with F holes as a good all around choice, both fiscally and aurally. Play several when you get to The Mandolin Store. You may find one, or several, that agree with you. Make sure that you have someone else play the one's you like so you can hear them from the front of the instrument. They will sound different. Best of luck in you mandolin search. R/
mojohand40 - Posted - 06/07/2013: 06:18:08
Whatever you do: report back.
I want to hear your opinions if you get to try the three you mentioned. I've never tried any of those, but I do have an Eastman (F style, F holes) I find the Eastman's to be pretty hard to beat in the price range they are in.
But, I have to say I like the looks of the Kentucky KM174 in Burgundy. Nice looking mandolin.
Jim Yates - Posted - 06/07/2013: 08:32:05
I use an f hole mandolin for bluegrass and an oval hole for almost everything else. When I'm playing by myself around the house, I almost always go for the oval hole mando, but part of that might be that the f hole mando (Eastman 605) has a case that's a little harder to open.
UsuallyPickin has correctly pointed out the preferences of most players in each genre, but note that he also said that you can play any style on (almost) any mandolin. In other words, if you plan to play bluegrass, blues, jug band, old time and Irish trad, you won't need 5 mandolins. (although you might want 5) Before I got my Eastman, I played several bluegrass festivals with an oval hole mandolin.
William Channell - Posted - 06/07/2013: 09:37:30
Thanks for the responses guys! Very helpful. I may actually go for an Eastman MD-305. It seems like they're more plentiful online than their oval-hole counterparts, which means I may be able to get a better deal on one. But yes, whatever instrument I get, I'll have to play it first.
TI_USER - Posted - 06/09/2013: 17:26:58
Play what sounds best to you. Many times players will go for the F-hole only because tradition dictates it or it's what their mandolin hero plays. You can play any style on any kind of mandolin. I played in a high-energy Bluegrass band for 10 years using a 1924 Gibson A. It sounded great. Jimmy Martin had one of the highest levels of energy in his music and he used a Gibson F-4 (oval hole) on every recording he ever did. Red Rector used a Gibson A model his entire career. It's not the norm, but if you prefer the tone of oval hole mandolins then by all means buy one.
Donnie - Posted - 06/10/2013: 18:50:33
I use a Collings Black Face MT-O on everything I do acoustic. I play Swing, Lite Jazz, Folk, Old Time, and chop Bluegrass too. If you've never seen one check out Collings website. William, I hope you find you're "go to" mandolin like I did.
Edited by - Donnie on 06/10/2013 18:51:42
wantedoutlaw - Posted - 02/16/2014: 14:02:48
I grew up playing a style oval hole mandolins like Martin with spruce top& mahogany back/sides but wasnt any good for bluegrass but great for celtic. I was going to buy an eastman f style sounded awesome played great standing up but wasn't comfortable sitting down playing it so i tried a Eastman MD305 a style f hole with maple back/sides it blew me away low action,easy to pick,nice loud chords, a real pro mandolin for $499cdn with nice gig bag a very versatile mandolin bluegrass, country/rock,celtic it does it all the f style version the MD315 was $730 but for that price you get a MD505 a style with case.
Rickson - Posted - 02/18/2014: 08:02:54
I own a Kentucky KM-172 and I'm just amazed how good it sounds. Have been playing it for around 2 years and it sounds 20 times better then it did when I bought it... and I thought it sounded great at the time.
StringsAttached - Posted - 08/05/2014: 09:38:43
I wonder what Will ended up buying. Any reports?
In my limited experience, I have not found many modestly priced Oval holes that sound much different from f holed mandos. I think this is because most Ovals in the under $1K range are built in the A5 style (raised fretboard and neck attached to the body at the 14-16 fret). So basically they are "bluegrass" style mandolins with an oval hole soundboard. The ovals that have characteristic rich overtones, sustain and tubbyness are built with the neck attaching to the body at the 12th fret, aka, Gibson Teens A2 - A4 style.
If buying a moderately priced instrument, with the possibility that you'll want to eventuallyy sell it for an upscale or custom one, it might be easier to sell if it has f holes, as this is the more popular style.
SteveZ - Posted - 08/05/2014: 16:11:11
Had an Eastman 504 that was fabulous. Can say nothing but good about the Eastman line. However, the forever-keeper is a flat-top round hole (RedLine Traveler) which makes everything played on it sound great.
StringsAttached - Posted - 08/05/2014: 20:05:39
I had an Eastman 615 for a couple of years that was a great instrument. Sold it for a "better" American made mando that didn't sound any better but cost a lot more. One of the pitfalls of buying online. I would not hesitate to buy another Eastman.
StringsAttached - Posted - 08/06/2014: 09:42:58
I stand corrected on the Eastman ovals. I was just checking several out at The Mandolin Store and observed that the necks on their Ovals (both A and Scroll models) are attached at the 12th fret. It also appears that their fretboards are flush with the top. That should give them a decidedly "oval" tone. The Eastman F hole mandos have their necks attached at the 14th fret, with a raised fretboard - standard "Bluegrass" style.
Ben Venuti - Posted - 08/17/2014: 01:05:02
So today I went to an instrument show. Got to play some really nice instruments. Most notably in the mandolin category I got my hands on a "24 Loar. This was a beautiful instrument and competitively priced at a little under $200,000. It was a sweet mandolin but no bluegrasser! maybe as far from a bluegrass instrument as I've ever played, Absolutely chopless but if Bach is your thing that instrument is for you. Across the way was an A2Z blond top that was quite high priced at 6k but it rang, had plenty of percussive chop and could mute the loudest Mastertone on the planet! It had all the qualities of Andy Statman's A2Z but without the dings and I'd be proud to play that mandolin in any bluegrass band---with the exception of Yonder Mountain String Band because they ain't no part of nothin" So between a Gibson Loar and a Gibson Oval from the same period if all I had to go on was the instruments I played today I'd have to say if you want to play bluegrass get an oval hole!
These things are all different and that is why you hunt them and pick them up and play them until you find the one that speaks to YOU! You can't buy a stock item from an online site, that's just too cold! When you find it -then you reach deep into your pocket and somehow find the cash to buy the thing 'cause you can't live without it! I tried to trade my house for the Loar -since my wife is away I thought I could get away with it. "But Honey, the car is a roof too!"
Edited by - Ben Venuti on 08/17/2014 01:21:04