Search:

With both guitars and mandolins, my experience is that true "student grade" (and cheap) instruments will never have the playability, sound, and inspiring character of a serious mid-to-hefty priced...

I'll be the dud/killjoy and offer the opinion that it's all about time and money and how we use the limited quantities of both that we have. Seeing what's out there to buy is really normal, but like...

Back to the OP, and mandolins: What kind of music do you want to make? This forum includes everyone from die-hard arch retro-traditionalists (great!) to singer-songwriters (ditto), classical players...

Executive summary: (1) do an inventory of your own mechanics (posture, picking and fretting) and eliminate any bad habits that may have developed. (I always use a strap now, and caught some other...

I'd suggest getting the wood into a drier space now so that it can acclimate to a more reasonable humidity level. If it's really tropical (90%!) where you are, for any length of time, I would try...

Here's an opinion from an outlier, as I have slowly gravitated to lyrical and melodic playing and rarely find myself playing bluegrass or other driving musical forms. Consequently, I rarely want fast...

Increasing reliance on offshore makers to meet domestic needs guarantees situations like this. We get lower costs, but becomes consumers and not producers and give away any ability to provide for...

I admire and appreciate the numerous members who make an effort to give others the opportunity to play and hear and see these instruments. For really accomplished players and makers and songwriters,...

It seems that in American commerce, it's necessary to sustain a level of visibility and a certain volume of sales (tickets, albums, whatever) or you end up on the margins where it's difficult to...

Yes. The catalyzation, as distinct from evaporation or other hardening processes for water-based paints and finishes, makes a huge difference. There are makers offering remarkably thin, hard...

Since I play every instrument I own there is no point for me, personally, in spending for that degree of meticulous craftsmanship on the decorative features. The transitions in the intersecting...

I've only played a modest number of mandolins but based on that experience I consider Martins to be nice-sounding instruments that have an open, non-assertive sound compared to many Gibsons which are...

It's one of those imaginary Gibsons -- they're common. Personally, I have an imaginary F5, Loar of course, and it's a pretty good mandolin, though apparently only I can hear the sound it produces....

A very thin French Polish treatment can work really well on a cracked nitro finish. It doesn't fill or build, but creates a better visual continuity across the surface. (I have used this twice myself...

Website says 5 year limited warranty. The industry is moving in this direction for many reasons (all of them financial). Inexpensive and moderate-price instruments do not return enough profit to make...

Rigels have contoured bodies (w/ radiused edges) and feel great to hold.