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Thread: Beginner mandolin U.K - Ozark vs The Loar

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    Post Beginner mandolin U.K - Ozark vs The Loar

    I'm U.K based and am currently looking at buying a beginner mandolin for myself. I recently purchased a vangoa from amazon for around £80, which was returned after a couple months (very very poor quality with multiple issues). Currently I'm looking for mandolin with a max budget of around £250. I'm aware Kentucky and eastman are go to for beginner mandolins, unfortunately I can't find a reasonable supplier of kentuckys in the U.K and eastmans are quite over budget.

    I'd like a mandolin which is either A or F shaped with F holes. I'll mainly be using the mandolin for folk and folk punk music. I'd love any recommendations which fit the above criteria. Currently I'm considering the below and would like to know which would likely be the better mandolin

    Ozark 2455 - https://www.eaglemusicshop.com/prod/...in-gig-bag.htm

    The Loar LM-310F-BRB - https://www.thomann.de/gb/the_loar_lm_310f_brb.htm

    I'm leaning slightly more towards the loar at the moment due to the hand carved top and unlaminated sides, the main thing bringing me towards the ozark is that eagle music also provide a set up. I'm not experienced enough to do my own set up at the moment, and with lockdown guitar shops are closed. Plus, I'm not really sure how expensive these set ups usually are.

    I'd like to know people's thoughts. Which is better, or is there an option available in the U.K which I might be better off with?

    I'm very excited to get involved in this community and with mandolin. I really appreciate your time in reading and/or responding to this

  2. #2
    Registered User Bren's Avatar
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    Default Re: Beginner mandolin U.K - Ozark vs The Loar

    I have bought from both Eagle and Thomann.

    Eagle, based in Huddersfield , service is excellent - the staff are players and you can tell they know their stuff.
    They have the best range of budget mandolins I've seen in the UK. I'd also give an honourable mention to Scayles of Edinburgh and Celtic Chords of Stonehaven in that regard. (The Acoustic Music Company in Brighton has the best high-end range)

    Thomann is a very big German music store with a great range and my previous dealings with them have been OK.
    If you wish to buy from them, make sure you're fully sorted with Duty and VAT costs before shipping.

    Post Brexit, anything over £135 will attract UK duty and if they're not registered for VAT in the UK you may pay twice in that too. Then the shipper may charge you vat on their costs for any duty etc they had to pay.

    Thomann might be on top of all this by now but 'id call their UK number to discuss it first if I were you.

    Good luck and happy picking!
    Bren

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    Registered User John Kelly's Avatar
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    Default Re: Beginner mandolin U.K - Ozark vs The Loar

    I have dealt with Hobgoblin Music and they have a good website and at the moment are having an on-line sale and often have second-hand instruments on offer. They have shops in various parts of the country.

    Like Bren I am based in Scotland. Hope you find something that you enjoy playing, and welcome to the wonderful world of the Mandolin Cafe!
    I'm playing all the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order. - Eric Morecambe

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  5. #4

    Default Re: Beginner mandolin U.K - Ozark vs The Loar

    Have bought a few instruments from Eagle music (and know other picking friends who have too) and they've always turned up nicely set up and very playable.

    Hobgoblin stock Kentucky, but their set-ups depend on the individual store, so it's a bit of a lottery.

    Thomann are just a box-shifting business, so there won't be any set-up at all. And, as Bren has pointed out, now that we've left the EU, you may well be hit with import duties, taxes, etc.

    Hope this helps, and good luck with the journey!

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    My Florida is scooped pheffernan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Beginner mandolin U.K - Ozark vs The Loar

    Quote Originally Posted by egilskall View Post
    I'm leaning slightly more towards the loar at the moment due to the hand carved top and unlaminated sides
    As The Loar website does not specify the back and sides to be solid maple, I suspect that they are laminate: https://www.theloar.com/p/lm-310f
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    Default Re: Beginner mandolin U.K - Ozark vs The Loar

    Thoman is efficient enough since brexit; they’ve reduced their prices so they now export everything tax free, which means that they leave all the tax collecting to their shipping company - in my case UPS.

    I can’t say I’m overly impressed with UPS. They delivered a case for my electric mandolin last year - they delivered it on time but I found it on the driveway, propped up behind my motorhome. Clearly it was too much trouble for the river to ring the doorbell. With my recent Thoman order, they sent me a delivery date, then, two days before that, they sent me a tax bill to which they added their commission of over £14. Having paid it, the delivery date dissappeared from their website, and a different date re-appeared several days later. This again dissappeared and a new one re-appeared. The package was delivered, without warning, 24 hours before it was supposed to.

    Trying to talk to them is like trying to communicate with a bag of sprouts and two particular parts of the human anatomy come to mind when trying to describe this form of incompetance.

  8. #7
    Registered User Bren's Avatar
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    Default Re: Beginner mandolin U.K - Ozark vs The Loar

    Thoman is efficient enough since brexit; they’ve reduced their prices so they now export everything tax free, which means that they leave all the tax collecting to their shipping company - in my case UPS.
    That is also an issue.

    UPS (or any shipping company) could not only charge you the duty (if applicable) and VAT, but also cost + handling fee + VAT on the extra handling and clearance costs. There shouldn't be any commission, although maybe that is how their handling fees are described, so same/same.

    Handling fee is about 10% in my business (not music related) which covers admin etc, but I've yet to see a detailed invoice from UPS (on other EU deliveries) which makes it clear how their charges are calculated.


    they delivered it on time but I found it on the driveway, propped up behind my motorhome.
    Just as well you didn't back over it!
    Bren

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    Default Re: Beginner mandolin U.K - Ozark vs The Loar

    I would second Eagle Music as a reliable mandolin supplier. I know the people there who are local session musicians and very conscientious about what they sell and the service they provide. Set-up will be spot on.
    I also have a Loar 500 VS to sell, a step up from the Loar 310. I have sent you a PM about it.
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    Default Re: Beginner mandolin U.K - Ozark vs The Loar

    Quote Originally Posted by Bren View Post
    That is also an issue.

    UPS (or any shipping company) could not only charge you the duty (if applicable) and VAT, but also cost + handling fee + VAT on the extra handling and clearance costs. There shouldn't be any commission, although maybe that is how their handling fees are described, so same/same.

    Handling fee is about 10% in my business (not music related) which covers admin etc, but I've yet to see a detailed invoice from UPS (on other EU deliveries) which makes it clear how their charges are calculated.



    Just as well you didn't back over it!
    Perhaps it’s down to my slack language - I don’t make a habit of importing things - on their [severely lacking] receipt it’s referred to as a “brokerage charge”.

    They can effectivelly charge you what they like. Your order doesn’t get delivered ‘til you’ve paid up. The only way to pay is via their web portal and this doesn’t tell you how the tax/brokerage has been calculated. I would have discovered more by discussing the charges with the cat and we had that put down two years ago!

    I’ve explained the problem to Thoman and told them that, until things improve, I’ll be shopping elsewhere.

  11. #10

    Default Re: Beginner mandolin U.K - Ozark vs The Loar

    Thank you all for your input on this. In the end I decided to increase the budget and go for an eastman 305 from eagle music. From everything I've read, it seems worth it to put the extra money down now for something with such consistently high reviews. That and eagle music were incredible, I rang them up and they were very patient and happy to discuss the options

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    Default Re: Beginner mandolin U.K - Ozark vs The Loar

    The price you pay will pale into insignificance when you get 10 or maybe 20 years down the line by which time you’re likely to have bought a couple more. I spent a fortune on a Martin guitar back in the 70s but what can £190 buy you nowadays?

    I’ve frequented Eagle Music umpteen times - they’re not that far down the road from me - and you’re usually offered a cuppa’. The only thing I find peculiar about the place is their website which suggests other things you might like to accompany what you’re looking at. I was looking at a Martin D45 guitar at several thousand pounds one day and it suggested that I might also like a copy of some complete beginners guide to playing acoustic guitar!

  13. #12

    Default Re: Beginner mandolin U.K - Ozark vs The Loar

    The 305 is streets ahead of the Ozark and, in my personal experience, better than any The Loar I’ve tried too. You have chosen wisely!

    Enjoy the journey.

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