If I was looking for a clean, well-maintained Martin A from a reliable source, I’d contact this guy, who goes by the same name on Reverb as he does here on the Cafe’:
https://reverb.com/item/38471110-mar...-mandolin-1935
If I was looking for a clean, well-maintained Martin A from a reliable source, I’d contact this guy, who goes by the same name on Reverb as he does here on the Cafe’:
https://reverb.com/item/38471110-mar...-mandolin-1935
Monte
Northfield F2S
Weber Yellowstone Octave F
Another structural difference is that the Martin has a canted (bent) top, being inherently stronger. Add that to the scale difference (lower string pressure), and I'd expect the Martin's top to be quite a bit lighter, probably with less bracing. And possibly allowing more complex, or at least interesting, resonance.
- Ed
"Then one day we weren't as young as before
Our mistakes weren't quite so easy to undo
But by all those roads, my friend, we've travelled down
I'm a better man for just the knowin' of you."
- Ian Tyson
I still prefer older Italian bowlbacks for their trebly sparkle.
It's not hard to find decent examples, and there's a wide range of tonalities unique to the various makers - Calace, Vinaccia, Ceccherini, Embergher et al.
I believe the Vaunted Mr Loar was a classical player , when that guy from Tennessee was still a kid..
writing about music
is like dancing,
about architecture
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
Thank you for your thoughts, I think there is a good deal of wisdom in that post for me to chew on. Ultimately I want to upgrade to a more intermediate mandolin and I should be focusing on if it sounds right to me and fits my needs more than if it is "correct" for the type of music I enjoy playing. Because of this I think I am going to settle on the Northfield Calhoun as it is a large upgrade compared to what I have been playing on and sounds quite nice for the price. Cheers!
Elderly just listed one used: https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/169020#169020
1924 Gibson A Snakehead
2005 National RM-1
2007 Hester A5
2009 Passernig A5
2015 Black A2-z
2010 Black GBOM
2017 Poe Scout
2014 Smart F-Style Mandola
2018 Vessel TM5
2019 Hogan F5
The Calhoun is a good choice, and a good recommendation. I’ve played a couple of them, and they compared favorably to a Flatiron 1N I used to own (sold in a downsize). It’ll suit you well.
The Calhouns are very different to ally than the Martin Style A I own, but my Martin, which was a later model (‘74, iirc, with the black rather tortoise pickguard), doesn’t have the tonal complexity or volume of some of the older ones I’ve heard. My daughter, who dabbles but doesn’t really play much, chose it from the litter to take to law school because she loved the shorter scale length and lower string tension. As she’s in an apartment in Boston, the lack of volume is a bonus for her.
The Martin was a lesson learned for me. It’s not always possible, but whenever so, I play before I buy (especially tough this last year). I probably wouldn’t have taken it home from a shop. That said, it is a quality, well built mandolin, and I doubt my daughter will ever part with it. Except for the dogs of the dogs, they can do well in the right hands/home. (The seller offered a trial period, but the USPS lost it for about a week before it was delivered, and the poor guy was agonizing about it (I wasn’t), so I couldn’t add to the trauma by sending it back, lol, and, it is a cool little mandolin).
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