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Thread: Michael Kelly LFS-E

  1. #1

    Default Michael Kelly LFS-E

    So to start off, I am a mostly an acoustic guitar player. I play Martins, upper end Taylors, vintage Yamaha's and I have an old Cortley I wouldn't sell for any amount of money. I have also played a little mando on and off over the years...but I wouldn't even consider myself an intermediate. But I do know what I like and I do know sound.
    Through a warranty issue with another manufacturer, I ended up with a new Michael Kelly LFS-E. I didn't choose this mando. It was just my best way to recoup my $$$. The store had set a selling price of $600.
    The MK is a gorgeous instrument! Beautiful turquoise MOP, great gold tuning pegs, good woodworking, etc. It also has very good, built-in Fishman pickups.
    The problem lays in the sound. While it's not horrible...it's just not that good. I have had an Eastman, a maple Alvarez and even a very cheap older Epiphone that would put this MK to shame. I have recent played lower end Kentucky's and Loar's, a Chinese made Flatiron and even an inexpensive Stadium with the same results.
    When I first got it, it sounded even worse. I set the intonation and messed around with the saddle height until I got the sound to improve a bit. I've now max'd out what little I know about setting up a mando.
    So my question is...is the Michael Kelly LFS-E worth investing in a professional set up...or should I Ebay this sucker and cut my loses ASAP? Thanks for your input.

  2. #2
    Registered User Rodney Riley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Michael Kelly LFS-E

    Not sure if you can get an MK to live up to what you are used to in instruments. (Namely comparable to your guitars. ) Think their tops and finish are too thick. If you look back thru some old threads here, to be comparable to a good quality guitar. (There are some exceptions) But you normally have to spend twice as much on a mando. A $600 guitar = $1200 mando. A $1200 guitar is = $2400 mando. Welcome to the Cafe.

  3. #3
    Registered User mandobassman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Michael Kelly LFS-E

    Quote Originally Posted by Johhny Fraz View Post
    So my question is...is the Michael Kelly LFS-E worth investing in a professional set up...or should I Ebay this sucker and cut my loses ASAP? Thanks for your input.
    Through my personal experience with MK, I would say no. I don't see how a pro setup will make that much of a difference. I have owned two MK's (Lord only knows why) and have played two others. All four were either lousy or, at best, a bit below average. They're shiny and pretty but that's about all. Every so often you might come across one that's decent one, I think that's rare. If you sell it for even $500, you could get a J Bovier A5 Tradition that is a very good mandolin. There's also some good Eastman's, Kentucky's and The Loar's that are all consistently better than Michael Kelly.
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    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: Michael Kelly LFS-E

    How's it sound amplified? You say it has "good Fishman pickups" (plural?). If it can be pre-amped and EQ-ed into a decent sound, that may be your best bet for getting some use out of it.

    There are a couple of Asian-import lines -- I'm thinking of Michael Kelly and Morgan Monroe -- where appearance seems to be the main consideration. Gorgeous-looking instruments, but recurrent disappointment with acoustic output.

    Even a pro set-up won't get "silk purse" out of "sow's ear," unfortunately.
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  5. #5

    Default Re: Michael Kelly LFS-E

    After reading through some of the older posts, it seems I am not the first person to find MK's sound to be rather underwhelming.
    It does sound good through an acoustic amp and through a sound board, but I would rather get rid of it then have to plug it in every time I play it. No question that the finish is quite thick. Sadly, that may be a large part or even the entire problem.
    If I hit the lottery, I would keep it just to pick it up every now and then and admire it's beauty. Lol. Really top quality work here! It's very pretty, no finish flaws, tight woodworking, excellent MOP inlay, etc. All around quality work. It's funny that a company that can do a spectacular job in building such a beautiful instrument can't realize that their sound is not up to par...and DO something about it! Very odd! With so many quality mandolin manufacturer out there today, you would think the market would force them to act. After all, this is NOT a piece of furniture...it's a mandolin. The sound should be the first concern and not just an after thought, as is the case here.

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    Registered User almeriastrings's Avatar
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    Default Re: Michael Kelly LFS-E

    The MK's certainly have no lack of flash and bling...acoustically, however, they consistently come up short. The ones I've encountered were all the same, lots of "gloss" but heavy and dead/thin sounding. Actually, for plugged in use this may not be a problem, as it does make 'em pretty resistant to feedback! Kind of like stuffing a semi-acoustic with old socks, but in the case of the MK's you don't need the old socks

    That 'inlay' is not actually inlay, either, at least on the headstock. It is a very thin 'slice' of pearl buried under the high gloss, thick finish.It is not routed into the wood - but laid on top. There are lots of other shortcuts on these things too, if you know what to look for.

    Generally, you will get better overall performance by going for the best (acoustic) instrument for your $$ in an A, not F, style and adding your own pickup later. Bottom line is you are not going to get a really good F-style mandolin for a few hundred $$. There are very decent A styles out there for well under $1K, however.
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  7. #7
    Quietly Making Noise Dave Greenspoon's Avatar
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    Default Re: Michael Kelly LFS-E

    I have heard these plugged in and been pleasantly surprised. I had a used Legacy-O (F-4) that was a great box with some playability and other issues. I took it to a decent luthier with a solid crew in the shop. About $150 later, I had an awesome little F-4 that played and sounded better than you'd expect from an MK. I'd suggest letting an expert evaluate the needs of your axe and then go from there.
    Axes: Eastman MD-515 & El Rey; Eastwood S Mandola
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  8. #8
    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Michael Kelly LFS-E

    I've only ever played one elec.mandolin.Acoustically,it was the most horrendous thing imaginable,but plugged in,it sounded pretty good once the tonal balance was set. Reduce the treble quite a bit & it was fine. I think that elec./acoustic instruments are built to be played via an amp. & not really intended for acoustic use.
    My very first mandolin was a MK 'Legacy' solid wood (no laminated stuff) & although a bit 'thin' sounding,it was good enough to prove to myself that i could play a mandolin,
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    Default Re: Michael Kelly LFS-E

    Ummm .... Yeah .... An MK will do to get you going but I've only played one or two I actually liked. And those were early on. As time has passed I have been less than impressed. As mentioned above finish thickness is a problem. Some stuff is made pretty to sell. You may as well play it though, while you save your money to replace it. Putting more money into it may improve the tone and playability, MAY, but it is money you will never get back in the resale. Also as mentioned above if you are used to a higher level of quality in guitars when you go to purchase a mandolin your wallet will squeal. Keep an eye on the classifieds here at The Café ....... you can find some good deals ... Luck .... R/
    I love hanging out with mandolin nerds . . . . . Thanks peeps ...

  10. #10
    Middle-Aged Old-Timer Tobin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Michael Kelly LFS-E

    Quote Originally Posted by Ivan Kelsall View Post
    My very first mandolin was a MK 'Legacy' solid wood (no laminated stuff) & although a bit 'thin' sounding,it was good enough to prove to myself that i could play a mandolin,
    Ivan
    Yep, same here. My first mandolin was a MK Legacy FS-E (solid woods). I bought it with a good setup and it was a decent starter instrument for me to learn on long enough to know that I wanted to stick with the mandolin. But the sound was so thin and tinny that it just wouldn't cut it when playing with others. There are much better mandolins in that price range.

  11. #11

    Default Re: Michael Kelly LFS-E

    So Ebay it is! Too bad, but life is too short to deal with inferior instruments. I'll take that $$$ and buy a Kentucky or Loar that has the sound I am looking for.

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    Default Re: Michael Kelly LFS-E

    Quote Originally Posted by allenhopkins View Post
    How's it sound amplified? You say it has "good Fishman pickups" (plural?). If it can be pre-amped and EQ-ed into a decent sound, that may be your best bet for getting some use out of it.
    I have that mandolin and it plays and sounds great. My problem with it the Fishman active electronics system. It is too weak of a signal (with fresh battery!) for any soundman to dial it in. I got an LR Baggs Acoustic DI and it makes it sound perfect in volume and tone. But I feel I should not have had to get that for a poor quality pickup system. https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...ium=organicpla
    Last edited by MikeEdgerton; Jan-27-2022 at 10:18pm. Reason: fixed quote syntax

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  14. #13
    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: Michael Kelly LFS-E

    Lots of piezo-pickup instruments require some sort of pre-amp to produce a signal that balances with other types of inputs -- mics, mag pickups, etc. Not necessarily "poor quality," just the varying output levels of different types of pickups etc.

    That's why they make devices like your Baggs, because the closer-to-acoustic sound quality of piezo pickups makes them preferred by musicians who want to play plugged in, but want to sound acoustic. If you peruse this forum regularly you'll find quite a few discussions of pre-amps.
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    Lurkist dhergert's Avatar
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    Default Re: Michael Kelly LFS-E

    Quote Originally Posted by Johhny Fraz View Post
    So to start off, I am a mostly an acoustic guitar player. I play Martins, upper end Taylors, vintage Yamaha's and I have an old Cortley I wouldn't sell for any amount of money. I have also played a little mando on and off over the years...but I wouldn't even consider myself an intermediate. But I do know what I like and I do know sound.
    Through a warranty issue with another manufacturer, I ended up with a new Michael Kelly LFS-E. I didn't choose this mando. It was just my best way to recoup my $$$. The store had set a selling price of $600.
    The MK is a gorgeous instrument! Beautiful turquoise MOP, great gold tuning pegs, good woodworking, etc. It also has very good, built-in Fishman pickups.
    The problem lays in the sound. While it's not horrible...it's just not that good. I have had an Eastman, a maple Alvarez and even a very cheap older Epiphone that would put this MK to shame. I have recent played lower end Kentucky's and Loar's, a Chinese made Flatiron and even an inexpensive Stadium with the same results.
    When I first got it, it sounded even worse. I set the intonation and messed around with the saddle height until I got the sound to improve a bit. I've now max'd out what little I know about setting up a mando.
    So my question is...is the Michael Kelly LFS-E worth investing in a professional set up...or should I Ebay this sucker and cut my loses ASAP? Thanks for your input.
    Gotta ask, has this instrument been setup regarding fretwork? Are the strings buzzing, as was the case with the four MK mandolins that I purchased and worked with? If the strings are buzzing against the frets, it's going to sound pretty awful. Also the bridge probably needs to be shaped properly to the top. And yes, a good all-around setup will make a difference.

    Also, MK used a couple of different tailpieces, and it can make a difference in tone and volume. My understanding is they used a traditional style stamped tailpiece at first, then their last releases had a heavier, more solid welded brass tailpiece, which is what the four MKs I worked on have. If yours has the traditional style stamped tailpiece, upgrading that with a more solid tailpiece might be a good option to consider.

    Other relatively inexpensive but possibly tone-changing add-on considerations might be a Tone-Gard, an armrest, pickguard, etc... It's not an expensive mandolin to begin with, but it is solid wood so there is potential, and especially if it's a person's only mandolin it might be worth enhancing it, plus these add-ons (and an upgraded tailpiece) can all be removed and used on a better mandolin in the future if desired.

    That said, all of the four 2016 MK LFSTB models that I worked on have sounded pretty decent after being setup properly. They are loud and clear tone and they have good sustain when desired. I kept one and the owners of the other three have all been pleased with them. But they do not produce what might be considered "the Gibson sound", sort of a muted resonance. However they make excellent travel/backup mandolins and that's what I use mine for.

    The important thing to remember is that the MKs and many if not most other mandolins coming from Asia need to be setup properly in order to sound decent. In particular, frets need to be re-seated and leveled, bridges need to be shaped, truss rods adjusted, nut and bridge slots set properly. Most of these things don't get done at the factory, and even if they are, shipping is hard on mandolins and it changes most of them.

    Best of luck with this!

    P.S. Regarding amplification, yes, a DI or some other device to match impedance may be required in order to get decent volume. This is pretty normal with piezo pickups.
    -- Don

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    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: Michael Kelly LFS-E

    dhergert, hope you noticed that the OP started this thread seven years ago. Laura H picked it up yesterday -- re: your PS about piezos often needing pre-amps.
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    Lurkist dhergert's Avatar
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    Default Re: Michael Kelly LFS-E

    Thank you, I did miss the OP date... Oh well, maybe it will help someone in the future.

    FWIW, I did notice that Elderly has one of the OP's model for sale on Reverb (NFI).
    -- Don

    "Music: A minor auditory irritation occasionally characterized as pleasant."
    "It is a lot more fun to make music than it is to argue about it."


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    Quietly Making Noise Dave Greenspoon's Avatar
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    Default Re: Michael Kelly LFS-E

    I had an MK-O that sounded OK, but just, when I got it. A hundred dollars later and a great set up by Suave Guitars in North Adams and it really started to sing. I still regret letting it go. So, yes; absolutely invest in a good set up from someone who really knows mandolins.
    Axes: Eastman MD-515 & El Rey; Eastwood S Mandola
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    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Michael Kelly LFS-E

    Quote Originally Posted by allenhopkins View Post
    hope you noticed that the OP started this thread seven years ago.
    I think it would be a cool feature that pages, or posts, gradually turned a darker shade of yellow/brown, based on the year of the post. Well in my fantasy world of what forums should do, without a sense of what can be done or what should be done. Easier to identify zombie threads, and cool, yea cool. I know the information is there in the date of each post, but I get tripped up on this all the time.

    I would assume the original poster has been happy for more than a few years now.
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