What A style Oval hole mandolins to consider in $2000 range?

[GASguy]

Hello, my name is Ron, I am a new member and new to mandolin, but I am a long time guitar and ukulele player.

I am looking at A style Oval hole mandolins, and based on my experience with taking up the uke about 8-10 years ago, I don't think I want an entry level or student model instrument.

I am thinking of spending $2000 to possibly $3000.

I would be more comfortable with a new to relatively recent build as opposed to vintage.

I know Collings as I have 2 Collings guitars as well as 2 Collings ukuleles, and I am looking for a 1-3/16" nut width.

I am currently looking at websites and YouTube and listening to sound samples.

I do have a nice Breedlove FF from 2012, I picked up used, but I want something for Celtic / Irish / Folk music.

Currently I am considering Collings, I would consider another Breedlove, but I think I want to diversify, and I am looking at Pomeroy, as well as the classified ads here and vendor web sites, both sponsors here as well as Elderly, The Music Emporium, etc.

I am close to Mandolin Bros., and have purchased from them, (guitars), but I have not been there since Stan passed away.

So what manufacturers and or sources should I be looking at in the research phase of the process?

Any information, suggestions, opinions, or comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Ron

[red7flag]

I am a big fan of the oval Collings, but to be clear (and they are) they are very bright as you should know. I like their sound playing Celtic, but also like the less bright more rounded sound of my Hester (while that is out of the price range a used Old Wave, with a similar tonal quality might not be). I loved playing Celtic on my oval Old Wave mandola before moving to a different sounding Girouard f mandola. So I recommend both the Collings bright and Old Wave warm as possibilities.

[Jim Garber]

FYI: I believe Mandolin Brothers is liquidating their stock and not carrying any additional instruments.

I was going to suggest an early teens Gibson A model but then I see that you want a 1-3/16" neck. And from all else you mention, it sounds like you want a new or more recently made mandolin. It might help to widen the choice and still keep within your budget if you can consider buying used.

I like the tone of vintage Gibsons but it seems like many of the modern makers of oval hole instruments really hybridize the oval holes. The originals have the shorter neck which puts the bridge further back on the body and also have transverse bracing (not x-braced or tonebars) which gives them different deeper tone and longer sustain. I do remember playing one Collings oval which did not have that tone I prefer in an oval. That was only one and there might be others that would have that tone and sustain.

[Gary Leonard]

I love my Collings MT-O, I purchase it used here off the classifieds for 1850. It might be hard to find a wide nut though in a used mandolin. Depending on how much you play the Breedlove and your new mandolin, you should probably take the neck profile into consideration, personally I wouldn't want too much of a difference.

Take a look at Northfield F-2S, and Weber. Pava is making oval holes also.

At that price point, you could find a Weber Galaltin new. Others will tend to expand that budget by 800 or more new, so it looks like used is your best bet.

[red7flag]

As Jim points out, there really is between the old school (Gibson heritage) short neck oval hole that is attached to the top and the more modern sounding longer neck that is elevated from the top. They play differently and sound differently as you might expect from designs from different eras. I have one of both Hester (short) and Collings (one fret longer, 13th fret and elevated fret board (many hybrids attach at the 15th fret)). Put the two styles together and A/B the sound and the difference will be instantaneously apparent.

[Jim Garber]

My favorite oval A is my Brentrup followed by my '23 Gibson blacktop snakehead. I believe that Gilchrist makes oval A's with transverse braces and probably there are a few other makers.

[mandroid]

Got my 1922 Gibson A4 for about that, bought Locally, Original owner survived being a soldier, in WW1..

[Jeff Hildreth]

I am a card carrying member of the 1 3/16ths" is the minimum acceptable standard nut width.

I believe some , if not all, Webers are 1 3/16ths".

[avaldes]

Weber Gallatin A Oval. NFI.

[Jim Garber]

As far as neck widths, I am fine with the standard 1-1/8" and 1-3/16" is a mere 1/16" wider. My National RM-1 has a 1-1/4" width and I find that I have to adjust to that every time I start playing it. I can probably do fine with 1-3/16" tho I am not sure if I would notice the difference that much.

It does seem that all the Collings MTOs in the classifieds here have 1-3/16" necks.

[pops1]

I have a 1 3/16" mandolin that I don't find a difference from my 1 1/8". I also have a Breedlove with the same 1 3/16" that I do notice a difference. Between the two the neck depth is a lot different and makes all the difference for me. A very shallow neck and I won't notice the difference, a deeper neck and I notice it immediately.

[Eric F.]

I had a Pomeroy oval back in my catch and release days. It had a sweet, ringing tone. I kinda wish I still had it.

Every Weber oval or D-hole I've played (probably around a dozen) has been excellent.

I've never played a Collings oval but if you bought one off these three brands, I doubt you'd go too far wrong. There are two used Collingses in the classifieds now for a dollar under your budget.

I've had a few Gibson paddleheads, but it always came down to the neck for me, and I sold them.

Good luck. You ought to be able to find something sweet in that price range.

[JeffD]

Hello, my name is Ron, I am a new member and new to mandolin, but I am a long time guitar and ukulele player.

I am looking at A style Oval hole mandolins, and based on my experience with taking up the uke about 8-10 years ago, I don't think I want an entry level or student model instrument.

I am thinking of spending $2000 to possibly $3000.

Couple of thoughts for you. Number one is that you don't have to spend your budget. If you find something that could make you happy for ever for less than your budget, you can set the remainder aside for your next mandolin.



Secondly, you don't say anything about the genre you are interested in. I know you said A style oval hole, but A denotes a arch top instrument. And arch tops are certainly not the only way to go. There are many oval hole flat top instruments that you might really love that might well cost less for the same build quality.

Flat tops don't have that iconic bluegrass sound, but that is the only thing they lack. They can and do have an authority all their own. If you are not all in on bluegrass, a flat top might just be something to look at.

Just a thought.

[Br1ck]

See if you can find an old Flatiron flat top. You could buy four of them, and they have the sweetest tone imaginable.

[colorado_al]

See if you can find an old Flatiron flat top. You could buy four of them, and they have the sweetest tone imaginable.

I like the way this guy thinks!
Check this one out from the classifieds:
https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/107988#107988

[Charles E.]

Welcome to the Cafe Ron. I would consider a Girouard mandolin in addition to others mentioned.

http://www.girouardmandolins.com/

Mike Black also makes excellent oval hole mandolins.

http://www.blackmandolins.com/index.html

[GASguy]

I like the way this guy thinks!
Check this one out from the classifieds:
https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/107988#107988

See if you can find an old Flatiron flat top. You could buy four of them, and they have the sweetest tone imaginable.

Does anyone know the nut width on these flatiron flat top mandolins?

[JeffD]

See if you can find an old Flatiron flat top. You could buy four of them, and they have the sweetest tone imaginable.

Could do one heck of a lot worse.

[colorado_al]

Here are a pair of used Collings MT-O from The Mandolin Store for $2000 each:
https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/109391#109391


https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/109390#109390

[HonketyHank]

I have a Collings MTO that I played in the tremolo video I did in the Newbies social group. I sure do like the sound from that thing. I also have a Weber Vintage F that I like even though the sound is different. I would love to try out a Weber Vintage A and probably will if I can find one at an affordable price (and if you don't beat me to it). In your price range you have a world of opportunities for very nice A mandolins.

The big thing is that it is normal and expected that you would expect a trial period and that your acceptance would depend on your subjective 'likes' or 'dislikes' rather than physical problems with the instrument. Make sure you get that. I have sent back instruments from very well-known builders because the sound was great but not to my liking. While I hated doing that, it was a lot cheaper than flying cross country and back to try them out.

[Charles E.]

Ron, those Flatirons are also known as "pancake" mandolins. Here is a current builder that gets good reviews........

http://crystalforestmandolins.com/recentlysold.html

Good luck with your search!

[colorado_al]

I'm a fan of the RedLine Traveler from Steve Smith at Cumberland Acoustics
Here's a new one for $950. Though the nut is 1 1/16"
https://reverb.com/item/3440313-red-...lnut-sunburst?

[Northwest Steve]

NFI and I have not played one.....but Mike Black gets very good reviews and I really like the sound of his mandolins. I have a soft spot for mandolins from a one person shop. New would be a little over $2k but used one's do come up from time to time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsY5n8KxQaI

He makes them with our without a vizri and here is a sound sample comparing them
https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...lack+mandolins

[Mike Snyder]

I own Mike Black #27. I know the luthier and consider him a friend. The build quality is superb, vibe is very vintage Gibson snakehead. Mine has a big sound and has been played hard and regularly. They show up infrequently in the classifieds at reasonable prices.

[Ivan Kelsall]

If you can find one at all,have a look at a Weber "Beartooth" oval hole - i used to own one & it was incredible. It was loud & powerful & as clear as crystal. Unfortunately,it developed a warped neck,something that can happen to any mandolin & i traded it in for another "F" style.The proposed repair carried out under warrant by Weber,would have taken many months & the particular "F" style
(my Lebeda "Special") was on offer,
Ivan