My new M-111 Mid-Mo octave mandolin

  1. Martin Jonas
    Martin Jonas
    I've just received a parcel with my latest gift to myself -- a Mid-Mo M-111 all-mahogany octave mandolin, with custom specs:

    - Allen cast tailpiece.
    - Upgraded tuners (not sure what make, but feel much nicer than the stock tuners on my M-0).
    - Fret markers on 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19.
    - Factory-fitted soundboard transducer pickup with end-pin socket.
    - Adjustable truss rod (were these standard on the octaves?).
    - Thin white binding around fretboard (I don't normally like bound fretboards, but this looks classy).
    - Triple-bound soundhole and top edge.
    - Ebony/maple chequered inlay stripe on back.
    - Set of three bridges to adjust action.
    - Very nice (and very heavy!) hard case.

    Lots of photos on the Photobucket album of the seller:

    Photo album link

    First impressions are very positive, but I haven't played it much. Intonation was a bit off out of the case, but much improved once I moved the bridge back by a couple of millimetres (where it clearly had been in the past). Slight buzz on the open D strings -- I think the nut slots are a fraction too deep. Other than that, lovely low action and plays like butter, even though the scale length is longer than I'm used to from my tenor guitar (22" vs. 20.5").

    This one was on Ebay a couple of months ago, but I was hesitating a bit too long and it went by Buy-It-Now within a few hours. However, the buyer put it back on sale here on the Cafe Classifieds and I got it for 25% less than the original Ebay listing. Good deal, I think. I believe he was a guitar player and found it more difficult to get his head aorund the OM than he had anticipated.

    For the serial number collection thread: this is #089 and the original seller said he bought it directly from Mike Dulak about eight years ago. Not sure that adds up, unless Mike numbered the octaves separately.

    Martin
  2. billkilpatrick
    beautiful - mazel tov!
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