looking for a mandocello for a student

[themandocello]

I have a student that is looking for a mandocello. She has one of those cheap Chinese models that are heavily inlaid, and is looking for something by Gibson or whatever. The thing is, her budget is pretty small, which rules out Weber/Eastman. Any suggestions?

[NotMelloCello]

Even though I hated the one I had, GoldTone makes one for less than $1000....

[colorado_al]

What is her budget?
Here's an eastman for $1300.
https://reverb.com/item/5312478-east...with-hard-case
They're pretty good once you get them setup right and get some bigger C2 strings


Also, Morgan Monroe is supposed to be coming out with one that is like $600 but I don;t know if they are out yet
http://www.morganmonroe.net/mm-mc100.html


Here it is listed at $500, but I've never heard of this retailer, and I'd bet it would need a setup
https://dizdarmusic.com/collections/...nroe-manocello

[allenhopkins]

I have a student that is looking for a mandocello. She has one of those cheap Chinese models...is looking for something by Gibson or whatever...her budget is pretty small, which rules out Weber/Eastman. Any suggestions?

"Pretty small" as in what -- $500 or $1,000? If the former, good luck; Gold Tone guitar-bodies are $800 or so, and the cheapest used Eastman I've seen listed at $1.3K. Gibsons probably all over $2-2.5K, unless you find one with major condition issues. Ovation mandocelli crop up from time to time, but again, $1.5K or more.

There are a bunch of Asian oddities on eBay, but I'd be cautious there; I assume she already has one of them. It's a niche instrument, not too many around, hard to find one for a "pretty small" budget. The Morgan Monroe, if available, might be the answer...

[multidon]

Perhaps it would be cost effective to buy a decent archtop guitar and pay a luthier to do a conversion?

[pheffernan]

The thing is, her budget is pretty small, which rules out Weber/Eastman. Any suggestions

While Weber archtops are prohibitively expensive, they did make a line of flattop mandocelli called Tamaracks that are more affordable and come up used from time to time.

[multidon]

Is there any reason a bouzouki could not be re-strung as a mandocello?

Also, it might be possible to find a 5 course cittern that would be suitable. It would be like a mandocello with a bonus high course. Moloney Music carries a Portuguese made APC 5 course Algerian Mondol which they advertise could be re- strung as a cittern. About 400 euros IIRC.

[colorado_al]

I received this response from Morgan Monroe re Mandocello inquiry:

The mandocello is not ready for production yet. Keep checking MorganMonroe.com for more news.

Rob

[Mike Anderson]

What about the Suzuki or Thomann house models?

https://www.thomann.de/gb/search_dir...&sw=mandocello

[Martin Jonas]

What about the Suzuki or Thomann house models?

https://www.thomann.de/gb/search_dir...&sw=mandocello

Don't know the house brand model -- it says "Made in Europe" and as it doesn't look like a Hora, I suspect it's either by Soares'y or by Musikalia. Good price, so may be worth a try.

I have a Suzuki mandocello (MC-815 -- the predecessor of the MC-836 at Thomann, looking very similar but with maple back and sides). I like it a lot and it works very nicely for classical playing with Thomastic MC strings, but Thomann won't ship it to the US: it has rosewood in it and comes under the new CITES restrictions.

Martin

[Mike Anderson]

Don't know the house brand model -- it says "Made in Europe" and as it doesn't look like a Hora, I suspect it's either by Soares'y or by Musikalia. Good price, so may be worth a try.

I have a Suzuki mandocello (MC-815 -- the predecessor of the MC-836 at Thomann, looking very similar but with maple back and sides). I like it a lot and it works very nicely for classical playing with Thomastic MC strings, but Thomann won't ship it to the US: it has rosewood in it and comes under the new CITES restrictions.

Martin

I know I'm being lazy not looking it up myself Martin, but any idea why you can make an instrument out of rosewood but not export it? What possible difference could that make to the species in question?

EDIT: sorry, silly question I guess; the instruments were probably built prior to the new regulations. Still don't understand why no export though. Wonder what this will do to all the instrument builders who have stocks of rosewood. Nothing good obviously. Seems to me the sensible approach by CITES-compliant governments would be to permit existing stocks to be used, including export of finished products, provided they register those stocks with the authorities via dated proof of purchase etc.

[themandocello]

She specifically doesn't want an Eastman. She wants a traditional mandocello shape/design.

- - - Updated - - -

"Pretty small" as in what -- $500 or $1,000?

Her budget is $1500 - $1800

[multidon]

Davy Stuart makes a mandocello in New Zealand that looks nice. Never played one but looks like a good bet. It would be custom made. Web site says prices start at $2000 NZ which would be about 1500 US at current exchange. Not sure how much the various import fees would add to that.

[NotMelloCello]

Seems to me the sensible approach by CITES-compliant governments.......

Don't kid yourself. The US is only country with a stupid enough gubmint to come up with CITES regs and then try to follow them. With other countries - it's just enough paperwork to make sure the money changes hands.