Members SnorkelMonkey Posted September 14, 2011 Members Share Posted September 14, 2011 That's cool, you seemed to miss the points of all my posts. Maybe you can get this point? Do you think the Stradivarius violins would be as prized as they are for their tone if they were made out of laminated wood? I rest my case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Verne Andru Posted September 14, 2011 Members Share Posted September 14, 2011 That's cool, you seemed to miss the points of all my posts. Maybe you can get this point? Do you think the Stradivarius violins would be as prized as they are for their tone if they were made out of laminated wood? I rest my case. First, nothing made of all laminates will ever sound as good as a solid or mix of solid/laminate. You know that. And since they didn't have laminated woods back when Stradivarius was making violins, we can't say for sure he couldn't have made a solid/laminate instrument that sounded as good as the one's he did. To this day nobody has been able to figure out why his sound as good as they do. Pixie dust? Who knows? Besides, I'm talking about mandolins and you're talking about violins making it an apples/oranges comparison. In all I don't see you as having a case to rest. FWIW - Items become collectible/prized for lots of reasons, rarity being the primary one. If Stradivarius was still producing instruments today at the same rate as, say Gibson, their value would be considerably less. Since he's dead and took his secrets to the grave with him, what few of his instruments that remain are of value to those that want it. Same as Loar-era mandolins. But it'll be a cold day in hell before I seriously consider shelling out $250,000 for an instrument which has it's frets in the wrong places requiring a fret-board replacement to play in tune which completely ruins it as an investment grade piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members larry50 Posted September 14, 2011 Members Share Posted September 14, 2011 I have a USA made Breedlove Quartz FF. It is a superior instrument, albeit without bling and a satin finish, but it sounds gorgeous and has a nice wide and flat fretboard that plays like a dream. You might find a used one at fairly reasonable price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Verne Andru Posted September 14, 2011 Members Share Posted September 14, 2011 ^^ Those are way kewl. I like the ones modeled after the old Venetian Kay's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SnorkelMonkey Posted September 14, 2011 Members Share Posted September 14, 2011 Besides, I'm talking about mandolins and you're talking about violins making it an apples/oranges comparison. In all I don't see you as having a case to rest. Mandolins can trace their roots back to the lute. Flat top and bowl back mandolins that is. Where do you think Orville Gibson got the idea for his invention of the archtop mandolin from? One last thing. You might have skipped over this one but why do some mandolinists put one of these on the back of their mandolins if the back is just for reflecting the sound forward? All those artists are drinking the Kool-Aid? http://www.tone-gard.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Verne Andru Posted September 14, 2011 Members Share Posted September 14, 2011 The effect of holding your instrument - mando, uke, guitar, whatever - away from your body, which is what the tone-gard is designed to do, is the same regardless of materials the instrument is made from. Laminate woods - it wasn't until recent times that processes allowed thin enough laminates, produced inexpensively enough to be used on instruments. Back in the days when Stradivarius was making instruments it was cheaper, faster and easier to use solid woods. Laminates were difficult to make and very expensive, relatively speaking. The dynamics of an instrument that is plucked is completely different than one that is bowed. While some things, such as tap tuning, have been carried over from violins to mandolins, their construction differs significantly enough as to render point-to-point structural comparisons useless. Case in point - violins have a singular tone-bar under the bass side of bridge, called the bass bar. Mandolins have 2 tone-bars - one treble and the other on the bass side, x-bracing or a modified x-bracing. Violins also have a sound post sandwiched between the top and the bottom while mandolins have none. The proportions of the 2 instruments are completely different as are some of the woods used. Violins use between 4 and 6 ribs to transmit vibrations between the top and the back, mandolins have no ribs. To put a fine tip on my point, look no further than a bowl-back mandolin and try arguing those work the same way a violin does. This has degraded to an exercise in splitting hairs. To the OP - I trust I've provided some information that you'll find useful in your hunt. Best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoboPimp Posted September 15, 2011 Author Members Share Posted September 15, 2011 yeah thanks again evree won Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoboPimp Posted September 15, 2011 Author Members Share Posted September 15, 2011 anyone have any info on the "Mastercraft" brand? It seems like it might be a "store brand" for the Mandolin Hut... solid carved top and back, comes with a hardcase and the prices are pretty great. Also, does ANYONE want to chip in on the thoughts behind a nitro VS poly or other finish on a mandolin>? It seems that most any I can find with the nitro finish are $600+ but if there's opinions on the difference it makes I'd be open to listening to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SnorkelMonkey Posted September 15, 2011 Members Share Posted September 15, 2011 I hear nitro "breathes" whatever that means? There's slight tonal properties I'm sure but I think it's more about people getting anal about getting close to that beloved instrument from the past. Also nitro wears differently than poly for that "mojo" relic'd look. It's a longer process, I'm thinking that's what the extra price tag is there for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pine Apple Slim Posted September 15, 2011 Members Share Posted September 15, 2011 Also, does ANYONE want to chip in on the thoughts behind a nitro VS poly or other finish on a mandolin>? It seems that most any I can find with the nitro finish are $600+ but if there's opinions on the difference it makes I'd be open to listening to them. Ha, this is a can of worms, but I'll give my opinion.I dont believe there will be any discernable diff in tone between nitro and a more modern poly finish, IF, the finish is done correctly, ie, sprayed on thin. Sure if you just dip the instr in plastic and put a thick plastic coating on it, it would dampen the sound. The main diff is cosmetic. They are going to wear differntly.I prefer nitro, cause Im traditional like that. But I would not pass on an instr, particularly in the price range you are looking, just because the finish is not nitro.There are so many other more important factors. Know nothing, good or bad, of the "Mastercraft" brand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoboPimp Posted September 15, 2011 Author Members Share Posted September 15, 2011 thanks again for your input guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pine Apple Slim Posted September 15, 2011 Members Share Posted September 15, 2011 Depending on your budget heres what I recc(as far as a new one anyway) for used, ajd price range accordingly:Low end: Kentucky A. Play a bunch of em if you can and cherry pick one, but if you can't your odds are still good for a decent mandolin, and if it turns out to be dead as a doorknob, you only out a couple hundred.Step up($300-600): Id go for tone over flash here. Mid Missouri or possibly Redline flattop Army/Navy style. plain but Ive never heard one that didnt substantially out perform any $500 Morgan Monroe.oops, looks like Mid Mo has gone out of business. Still might be some out there tho.Ive played one of these and its was comparable to a Mid Mo:http://redlineresophonics.com/mandolinsStep up more: ($800-1500); No question, from my experience Id go Eastman here.1500 to 3000: Id look at smaller American or Canadian Mnf, Weber or Flatiron come to mind, but Im sure there are others. Or a lesser known indv builder.3000^ Pick a good builder, get on his list and be patient. Or buy a Gibson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jamesp Posted September 15, 2011 Members Share Posted September 15, 2011 You can't win if you don't play. http://www.mandolincafe.com/giveaway/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoboPimp Posted September 15, 2011 Author Members Share Posted September 15, 2011 entered, thanks ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SirJackdeFuzz Posted September 15, 2011 Members Share Posted September 15, 2011 I just got a Morgan Monroe MVA-1 oval hole model. And, although I am not an expert on Mandolins, I have been playing guitar for more than 25 years and I think I can tell a quality instrument when I play one. If their other models are as nicely done as this one, then I would think they should be quite nice. It seems that some have had a different experiences with them. The one brand that keeps coming up in these discussions for the similar price range is LOAR. Some brands in the same ballpark to check out might be LOAR KENTUCKY MICHAEL KELLY make sure to check the model numbers carefully to ensure solid woods. This place seems to have a good array of mandos and a good handle on how they compare: http://www.themandolinhut.com/ . . . THAT looks beautifull . . . big 0val hole fan myself ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SnorkelMonkey Posted September 16, 2011 Members Share Posted September 16, 2011 I have been experimenting with strings lately swapping out a new set every few days just to get a bead on exactly what the different tones are and intonation between brands and model numbers. I am amazed at how noticeable a string model set change can be between new sets on a mandolin. Almost a completely different instrument. I also noticed that some brands are just relabeled being made by a larger string manufacturers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SirJackdeFuzz Posted September 16, 2011 Members Share Posted September 16, 2011 I have a USA made Breedlove Quartz FF. It is a superior instrument, albeit without bling and a satin finish, but it sounds gorgeous and has a nice wide and flat fretboard that plays like a dream. You might find a used one at fairly reasonable price. . . . W O W . . . the 1st F-style mando i like ! Very nice indeed !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Verne Andru Posted September 16, 2011 Members Share Posted September 16, 2011 Keep an eye on Guitar Center's used site. They currently have a Michael Kelly Dragonfly Custom II for $299.99 with a case. Those are usually closer to the $1000 mark. I recently got a killer deal on a Fender Mandocaster from there. http://used.guitarcenter.com/usedgear/index.cfm?page=1&srch&q=mandolin&startZip=&distance=100&sort=0&dir=desc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BryanMichael Posted September 17, 2011 Members Share Posted September 17, 2011 . . . THAT looks beautifull . . . big 0val hole fan myself ! Thanks man, I was looking for something a little different and I gambled on the Morgan Monroe MVA from a reputable dealer online. I made an offer and got it for a decent price. So far, I think I made a good choice. I just ordered some "silk and steel" mandolin strings online as well, I'm looking for a warm, mellow, strummy sound- not the "banjo killer" that all the bluegrassers are clamoring for - I want an intimate experience with the mando... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoboPimp Posted September 24, 2011 Author Members Share Posted September 24, 2011 update... this is what I ended up going with... It arrived earlier this week and so far I am quite impressed, esp. for the $$$ compares quite well with my friends $1000+ eastwood to be honest. Loud and bright and clear sounding. The action is great, the case is nice and the clip on tuner even works well. thanks for all the advice everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Verne Andru Posted September 25, 2011 Members Share Posted September 25, 2011 Congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlackHatHunter Posted September 25, 2011 Members Share Posted September 25, 2011 Congrats indeed. I was recently shocked by how good the Eastman MD305 was... especially for south of 400 bones new. That's a lot of mandolin for that price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoboPimp Posted September 26, 2011 Author Members Share Posted September 26, 2011 Congrats indeed. I was recently shocked by how good the Eastman MD305 was... especially for south of 400 bones new. That's a lot of mandolin for that price. yeah, at this point I'm thinking the quality of the cheap ones can rival the much more expensive imports with a decent shop checking them out and doing a proper setup. Major props to the Mandolin Hut! I got an all solid wood, carved top mandolin in a lovely finish with hard case, tuner and picks, etc. for $349 to my door. I'm actually really happy I didn't spend more. I don't think I could have gotten much better for my needs and at a price I could afford. now ... string recommendations? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members masterbuilt Posted September 27, 2011 Members Share Posted September 27, 2011 Congrats. I like the look of that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BryanMichael Posted September 27, 2011 Members Share Posted September 27, 2011 Whoah! NICE CHOICE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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