What to look for in a new mando.

[TheOne-N-OnlyHomer]

Hello all, I don't post on here much and I may have even posted this before but I've been playing Mando for a little over a year now and I think I'm looking to upgrade. That being said I've been playing a Rogue A-style and I went and plucked around on a couple of different Mandos at a music store today. I played an Epiphone and The Loar, (kicking myself now I didn't get the model) and I like the playablity of The Loar better but the sound of the Epiphone better. So I guess what I'm asking is what is a good Mando in the 300-500$ range?

[Nashville]

The best mandolin that I've ever played in that price range is a Kentucky KM-505 (used).

[CWRoyds]

I would look at the J Bovier A5-T
There is one for $469 at the Mando shop.
http://themandoshop.homestead.com/jb...T-SG-9214.html

JB mandolins are really nice to play and sound great.
The JB A5 owners on the forum seem to really like them.
I have a JB F5-S and it is awesome.
It is really fun to play.

[TheOne-N-OnlyHomer]

I noticed when I played the two ate the music shop that for some reason it seemed I could fret my fingers easier on The Loar rather than the Epiphone, I dunno maybe it was just me lol

[TheOne-N-OnlyHomer]

Both those Mandos are nice and I shouldn't judge without playing them but I really want to move to an F-style

[Michael Bridges]

Honestly, at your price range, you'll get more instrument for the money with an A style.All those sexy, swirly things add to the price, not to the tone or playability. If your heart is set on an F, that's a personal choice, and lots of folks lean that way. I'm giving a +1 to the J Bovier A5-T as an excellent choice, right in your price range. I've had mine for almost a year, now, and it keeps on making me smile! Tone, fit and finish, and playability are all way above what you'd expect at this price. Whichever way ya decide, good luck on the mando-journey, and welcome to the insanity!

[mandobassman]

The Kentucky 505 and the JBovier A5T are both very nice mandolins. If it were me I would go with the JBovier. However, there is no way you are going to get the quality of either of those mandolins at that price in a F style. If you want quality in a F style I would save up and spend more. If you're interested in sound quality, the two mentioned will get you what you need. The J Bovier A5T in particular has received lots of praise in the past year on this site. I have a JBovier A5 from a couple of years ago and it is outstanding in sound, build quality, and playability. Much Better than many more expensive F styles I've played over the years.

[allenhopkins]

While I concur with the recommendation to at least consider an A-model, you could check out the Rover RM-75 as a modestly-priced F-model. All solid woods, hand-carving, gets pretty consistent Cafe´support.

[CWRoyds]

I do understand your desire to have an F Style, but you really should up your price range for a F.
The A style mandolins at your price range will be FAR superior to an F Style.
A mandolin upgrade should be about better sound, not just fancy shapes.
What is the point in a mandolin with curly bits if the sound sucks.

If you HAVE to have an F Style mandolin, up your price range.
You can get a J Bovier F5-T for $800-900.
The JB F5T will be an awesome sounding and playing instrument.
I am sure there are other mandolins at this range that would be acceptable too (Loar etc).

I played a room full of cheaper F5s at a store here in LA and was so disappointed in them compared to my J Bovier F5.
They all sounded weak and tinny.
If given the choice I would choose the J Bovier A5 over any of these cheap Fs.

The shape of the mandolin is a cool thing, but the SOUND and playability is much more important.
A great sounding instrument is inspiring and makes you excited to play.
A cheap F5 with a crappy sound will just make you anxious to buy a better one sooner or later.
Get a great A Style, or up your range to get a reasonably good F Style, otherwise you wont be satisfied for long and will have to buy a more expensive instrument anyway.

[pheffernan]

Both those Mandos are nice and I shouldn't judge without playing them but I really want to move to an F-style

In the~$500 price range for an F-style, I would suspect that your best best would be The Loar LM520 or LM590.

[Nashville]

I have never found a decent F model under $500. Depends on your ears though.

[CWRoyds]

If you can't up your budget and absolutely must have an F style, this one could be a good buy.
http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/84841

[TheOne-N-OnlyHomer]

Thanks for the advice guys, I guess it wouldn't hurt to check out some more A styles. Funny thing is you guys are suggesting I up my price range for a good f-style and my wife if saying the $500.00 range is too much hahaha. I guess I should play some higher end F-styles as well as the A-styles in the aforementioned price range and compare them. These are the first I've played other than my RRogue A-Style so it's probably easy to get excited about anything other than what I've been playing lol.

[JeffD]

You have to get your wife interested in music, so she aches for a new instrument and has a basis for empathy for your MAS. Get her into banjo or something.

[Barry Wilson]

I bought a factory second the loar lm 600... the nut had to be replaced so I got a bone nut instead of plastic.. I refinished mine and added a cumberland bridge and love it. I played it during a live radio show we did a couple weeks back and everyone at the station thought it sounded wonderful.

you might have like the feel better because of the bigger neck and jumbo frets. I prefer the feel to my godin a8 for that reason. I understand the love of the F style. I started with an epiphone A style and it was plinky sounding to me. I went through a couple cheaper"upgrades" that turned out to be mistakes. not many mandolins around my area to try out.

[terzinator]

Nothing wrong with an F over an A, but I'd suggest that to get the same quality F-style that you'd find in an A-style, you need to spend around 50% more at the lower end, and twice as much at the higher end.

A few examples... (Tried to pick equivalent quality examples, only the scroll is the difference. But I might be wrong.)

Loar 220VS (A): $400
Loar 520VS (F): $550

Eastman 505 (A): $700
Eastman 515 (F): $1000

Kentucky KM-950: $1000
Kentucky KM-1050: $1700

Collings MT (A): $2500
Collings MF (F): $4500

Ellis A: $5,000
Ellis F: $10,000

(If you can save a bit, the Kentucky KM-950 is what I'd suggest. Brilliant. If you can find a Kentucky KM505 for around $500, go for it.)

[TheOne-N-OnlyHomer]

I bought a factory second the loar lm 600... the nut had to be replaced so I got a bone nut instead of plastic.. I refinished mine and added a cumberland bridge and love it. I played it during a live radio show we did a couple weeks back and everyone at the station thought it sounded wonderful.

you might have like the feel better because of the bigger neck and jumbo frets. I prefer the feel to my godin a8 for that reason. I understand the love of the F style. I started with an epiphone A style and it was plinky sounding to me. I went through a couple cheaper"upgrades" that turned out to be mistakes. not many mandolins around my area to try out.

First off I love your "signature" can't tell you how many times I've had that accusation leveled at me lol Second I think you hit the nail on the head with the jumbo frets and bigger neck cause my fingers definitely seemed to find the frets easier, that being said can you tell me of any comparable A-styles with a similar neck set up? I'm a fairly big guy with pretty large hands lol.

[Michael Bridges]

I'm a big guy, with hands/fingers to match. My JB has the larger frets and radiused fingerboard. VERY comfortable to play. My previos mando had a wider nt (1 3/16"), bt I find this one easier to play with the 1 1/8. The bigger frets really do make a difference.

[TheOne-N-OnlyHomer]

Now just finding one of those I can play in my neck oh the woods.

[mandroid]

Having it set up in the seller's Shop before you take it home will make playing , learning less effort on the un callused fingers.

[Barry Wilson]

It's funny, I start my sets on ukulele now then mandolin and talk about the instruments... then OM then guitar.

folkmusician has a good deal on the lm 400 with case and setup for $600. I know from my little experience (much better players here than myself) I like the bigger neck and frets. I used to play bass for many years and people thought my hands were small for bass but even guitars I prefer the fender wider necks to say a gibson les paul thicker neck

[TheOne-N-OnlyHomer]

So I played a KM 505 today and I honestly didn't care for it much, I thought the action rather stiff and for some reason my fingers had a hard time finding the frets, I also played a Morgan Monroe F-style that I liked pretty well and my fingers seem to find the frets easily enough and it was much smoother on my fingers, that being said it was a used instrument so that might have something to do with it, I think they were asking 465.00 for it.

[allenhopkins]

Well, you should buy the mandolin that suits you, but doubt you'll find too many on the Cafe´recommending the Morgan Monroe over the Kentucky. "Stiff action" can be adjusted pretty easily.

You're doing the right thing, playing a variety of instruments and looking for one that you like -- in terms of sound, feel, and looks. Just make sure that you get all solid woods (no plywood), and hand-carving if possible, in the price range you're considering.

[roysboy]

Thanks for the advice guys, I guess it wouldn't hurt to check out some more A styles. Funny thing is you guys are suggesting I up my price range for a good f-style and my wife if saying the $500.00 range is too much hahaha. I guess I should play some higher end F-styles as well as the A-styles in the aforementioned price range and compare them. These are the first I've played other than my RRogue A-Style so it's probably easy to get excited about anything other than what I've been playing lol.

Apparently in some states its illegal to have a spouse AND a mandolin . If the mandolin thing doesn't sort itself out you may want to think about moving . Good Luck ....haha .

[terzinator]

So I played a KM 505 today and I honestly didn't care for it much, I thought the action rather stiff and for some reason my fingers had a hard time finding the frets...

It's statements like this that make me believe that a proper setup is more important than the model number.

We say "oooh, this mandolin, this one, you have to try this one." And the person hearing our cries goes to a shop, and plays it, and it has cruddy strings, or a poorly adjusted bridge, or the nut slots are too high, and they think, "well, that was bad advice."

So the hunter's challenge is two-fold: 1) Finding the right instrument, 2) that's set up properly.

The onus is on the builder/maker, and the shop. (Or the buyer, who can see past one or the other.)

Tough order, sometimes.