Anyone had the opportunity to A/B the RM-1 Walnut with the RM-1V (Maple w/steel)? I've seen this thread ( http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/gr...uss&gmid=25717 ) , but am curious if anyone else has tried the maple version? I have the opportunity to pick up a RM-1 V for a good price, but it seems from all the posts, YouTube videos, etc. that everyone has the walnut version. Are the maple versions brand new? Thanks for any info or insights!
I think you'll find that the RM-1V is a relatively recent version which will be why everyone seems to have the walnut version. I haven't been able to make a comparison (RMs are relatively rare here in the UK) but I suspect that the differences are largely cosmetic rather than anything to do with the sound. The sound for both is generated in the same way and I doubt whether a maple body would sound significantly different from a walnut body. There will inevitably be those who think they can hear a difference but ignore the differences brought about by setup + brand, type and age of strings.