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Thread: Hello, I am new here

  1. #1
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    Default Hello, I am new here

    Hello,
    My name is Zeke I from Illinois and I new to the website and I am new two mandolins also. I have played guitar for a few years and My musical taste are wide with blues in the lead.

    I am looking forward and eager to learn all I can and pulling all the knowledge I can from this form.
    I saw a mandolin on Craigslist and I thought it was pretty kool looking and it had a nice case that I thought was worth the asking price by itself. I bought it, tuned it up found some chords and scales and started played it.

    So I bought a little nicer starter mandolin a Ibanez M510 DVS to make sure I wanted to peruse this interest......... I DO !!! LOL

    I believe the nicer quality the instrument and good setup the better I'm going to play so I am in the market for a good mandolin somewhere between $500 & $1000.... I have noticed the Eastman's and Kentucky get a lot of love.

    I have an A style with F holes but am really attracted to the f styles.
    Any insight or suggestions would be greatly appreciated thank you for having me on your forum

    Here are some pictures of the Ibanez and the cause of my new found thrill. The case cleaned up nicely.
    sorry for sidewise pictures I cant find how to fix .... even turned them sidewise before i loaded them hoping the would come out turned right .. didn't work, lol.
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  2. #2
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Hello, I am new here

    Welcome to the Cafe. Did you buy your Ibanez new? It looks like it may have a piece of foam plastic under the bridge that the store should have removed. It will sound better without that deadening the sound. The blue mandolin looks like ones made by shops in Vietnam. You might have either mandolin checked out for setup to optimize the playability.

    Take your time on this site before jumping in to buy another mandolin. Get as much knowledge as you can. You may do fine with what you have until then.
    Jim

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  4. #3
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    Default Re: Hello, I am new here

    Welcome to our wild, wacky world. You will be amazed at the expertise and experience of Cafe members, so like Jim said, take you time, explore the Cafe and, mostly, have fun. Good luck.

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  6. #4
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    Default Re: Hello, I am new here

    Yes it is new, and that is the factory foam, I am going to change strings today and remove foam and adjust the bridge.
    Thank You for the welcome.

  7. #5
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    Default Re: Hello, I am new here

    Thank You, I am looking forward to learning as much as I can.

  8. #6
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    Default Re: Hello, I am new here

    Welcome to the Cafe!

    I agree that taking your time and learning as much as you can before the next acquisition is a good approach. It is amazing how much you can learn here. Although I started my mandolin adventure in 2017 with my Eastman MD 515, a really nice F-style mandolin, I have avoided leaping to the next tier until I knew much more and was confident that this was not a passing interest. The mandolin is a delight to play and I hope you find the same joy in the instrument.

    Have fun!
    ---
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  10. #7

    Default Re: Hello, I am new here

    If you decide to purchase another mandolin Eastman and Kentucky make good mandolins and are a terrific value. If you buy one from one of the site sponsors it should come with a decent setup and ready to play. To complete things a little more The Mandolin Store once in a while will have some blems (cosmetic issue nothing that would effect the structural integrity of the mandolin) at a good deal. Currently they have two F style The Loar blems on sale for a great price. They carry Eastmans as well. Dennis is a good guy and will be straight with you comparing brands. With a setup and free shipping it is a good deal.
    https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/175733#175733

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  12. #8
    Orrig Onion HonketyHank's Avatar
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    Default Re: Hello, I am new here

    Welcome aboard, Zeek. I see that MAS is already nibbling at your toes. Watch out!
    New to mando? Click this link -->Newbies to join us at the Newbies Social Group.

    Just send an email to rob.meldrum@gmail.com with "mandolin setup" in the subject line and he will email you a copy of his ebook for free (free to all mandolincafe members).

    My website and blog: honketyhank.com

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  14. #9
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    Default Re: Hello, I am new here

    The blue mandolin with the fancy pearl is the cool to look at. I would like to know where you bought it, I want one.

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  16. #10
    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: Hello, I am new here

    Quote Originally Posted by Hudmister View Post
    The blue mandolin with the fancy pearl is the cool to look at. I would like to know where you bought it, I want one.
    I think OP said he bought it on CraigsList.

    Mandolins like this show up on eBay frequently, with sellers like antoniotsai and Bruce Wei. They're made in Vietnam, and feature ornate decorative inlays and often colored finishes. Cafe users report varied experiences with them; some are decent instruments, some have flimsy metal parts (tuners, tailpieces), wood that's not well seasoned, or inlays that fall out. Caveat emptor I'd say.

    Here's a Wei mandolin currently on eBay. Not as fancy as the one in this thread, though.
    Allen Hopkins
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  18. #11
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    Default Re: Hello, I am new here

    Zeek, Be sure to check out Howard Morris' mandolins. A used A style, fully carved domestic instrument can be had for under $1,000. They sound absolutely wonderful and play easily, as well.
    2014 BRW F5 #114
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  20. #12
    Moderator JEStanek's Avatar
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    Default Re: Hello, I am new here

    Welcome to the Cafe!

    Jamie
    There are two things to aim at in life: first, to get what you want; and, after that, to enjoy it. Only the wisest of mankind achieve the second. Logan Pearsall Smith, 1865 - 1946

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  22. #13
    Registered User Charlie Bernstein's Avatar
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    Default Re: Hello, I am new here

    Welcome, Zeek!

    Rich DelGrosso's book Mandolin Blues (plus any of his albums and YouTubes) can give you a lot of blues mandos insights.

    Keep on pluckin'!

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  24. #14
    Registered User Simon DS's Avatar
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    Default Re: Hello, I am new here

    Hey Zeek welcome to MandolinCafe!
    Here’s a cool tune for you, by Larry Unger. It’s very scale-like, so great for practicing D major, probably the most common key.
    You can print it out with TAB at mandolintab.net

    X: 84
    T: Beth Cohen Blues
    C: Larry Unger 1/29/91
    S: handwritten MS
    Z: 2005 John Chambers <jc:trillian.mit.edu>
    M: C|
    L: 1/8
    K: Bphr^d
    |: "B"Bcde fgfe | fagf "C"gfed | "B"Bcde fgfe | fgfe f2ff
    | "B"Bcde fgfe | fagf "C"gfed | edce "Am"dcBA | "B"B2F2 B2z2 :|
    |: "B"B2fB "C"c2fe | "B"def3 agf | "B"B2fB "C"c2fe | "Am"dcA3 edc
    | "B"B2fB "C"c2fe | "B"defa b2c'2 | bc'ba "C"gfed |1 "B"d6 z2 :|2 "B"b6 z2 |]

    And some blues tunes:
    https://abcnotation.com/searchTunes?...s&f=c&o=a&s=10

    You can checkout our Newbie social group here on the Forum too.

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  26. #15
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    Default Re: Hello, I am new here

    Quote Originally Posted by Charlie Bernstein View Post
    Welcome, Zeek!

    Rich DelGrosso's book Mandolin Blues (plus any of his albums and YouTubes) can give you a lot of blues mandos insights.

    Keep on pluckin'!
    Thank You

    - - - Updated - - -

  27. #16
    Registered User Steve Repinec's Avatar
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    Default Re: Hello, I am new here

    Hey Zeek,
    Matt Flinner is doing a blues class as one of his fall course offerings (I am signed up). Go to mattflinner.com to check out the curriculum. His courses are excellent, affordable, and come with a lot of materials.

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  29. #17
    Registered User kookaburra's Avatar
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    Default Re: Hello, I am new here

    Welcome Z! Where in IL?

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  31. #18
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    Default Re: Hello, I am new here

    East Alton , 20 min from St Louis Mo.

  32. #19
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    Default Re: Hello, I am new here

    I am 20 min from St Louis Mo. East Alton ,

  33. #20
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    Default Re: Hello, I am new here

    Thanks for the tip. I bought it and am work with it.

  34. #21
    Every day is a gift. Sheila Lagrand's Avatar
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    Default Re: Hello, I am new here

    Quote Originally Posted by Hudmister View Post
    The blue mandolin with the fancy pearl is the cool to look at. I would like to know where you bought it, I want one.
    Here's one on eBay. It isn't blue, but it does have a nifty dragon. https://www.ebay.com/itm/37248929719...QAAOSwGoBb28wA
    Phoebe, my 2021 Collings MT mandolin
    Dolly, my 2021 Ibanez M522 mandolin
    Louise, my 193x SS Maxwell mandolin
    Fiona, My 2021 GSM guitar-bodied octave resonator mandolin
    Charlotte, my 2016 Eastman MDO 305 octave mandolin
    And Giuliana, my 2002 Hans Schuster 505 violin, Nehenehe, my 2021 Aklot concert ukulele,
    Annie, my 2022 Guild M-140 guitar, Joni, my 1963 Harmony 1215 Archtone archtop guitar,
    Yoko, my ca. 1963 Yamaha Dynamic No.15 guitar, and Rich, my 1959 husband.

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  36. #22
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    Default Re: Hello, I am new here

    I got it on craigslist. A local guy said it belonged to his Vietnamese sister in law. I liked it and it started me on the mandolin path. .... it could be yours, lol

    That lead me to this Eastman MD415 BK I got over the weekend.
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  37. #23
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    Default Re: Hello, I am new here

    Quote Originally Posted by Hudmister View Post
    The blue mandolin with the fancy pearl is the cool to look at. I would like to know where you bought it, I want one.
    I got it on craigslist. A local guy said it belonged to his Vietnamese sister in law. I liked it and it started me on the mandolin path. .... it could be yours, lol

    That lead me to this Eastman MD415 BK I got over the weekend.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

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  38. #24
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    Default Re: Hello, I am new here

    Welcome Zeek!
    Since you already play guitar, you know that having the instrument properly set up makes a huge difference in how it plays and how much fun you have with it. Because of the double string courses on mando it's even more important, so make sure that at least one of your new collection has a proper setup. If you don't know how to do it yourself, having a local luthier check it out is a good investment. I don't know about the Alvarez, but that Eastman is most definitely a good candidate to be your main mando for a while, and worthy of getting a good checkout. Congrats, and enjoy your new obsession!

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  40. #25
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    Default Re: Hello, I am new here

    Quote Originally Posted by Alfons View Post
    Welcome Zeek!
    Since you already play guitar, you know that having the instrument properly set up makes a huge difference in how it plays and how much fun you have with it. Because of the double string courses on mando it's even more important, so make sure that at least one of your new collection has a proper setup. If you don't know how to do it yourself, having a local luthier check it out is a good investment. I don't know about the Alvarez, but that Eastman is most definitely a good candidate to be your main mando for a while, and worthy of getting a good checkout. Congrats, and enjoy your new obsession!
    Thank you,
    Yes Sir a setup makes a huge difference and a good quality instrument. I gave the Ibanez a setup it plays good but the Eastman is for sure my main one. I bought it new and it came with a store set up from a experienced pro.

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