https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a9wVrS5vSM
okay so,
I'm a bass player primarily. years ago i bought a nice eastman 515 and sold it a while later. I recently tried finding another eastman, but the one i got off of ebay came with a warped neck and I sent it back. bummer.
so, I contacted the violin maker who made my upright bass, to ask about making me a flat-top mandolin (flat top for price reasons, they also happen to sound great!)
since his back log of orders is about 8 months out, i figured i'd grab a harley benton F style to hold me over. $150 including a (really nice!) gig bag. Shipping is from EU, but in total it was $220.
honestly, it's a perfectly good mandolin. the top is laminate of 3 pieces. it's obviously not carved and was pressed into an arched shape. no, the finish does not look good inside the scroll. it does go out of tune relatively easily. the bridge is not fitted that well.
but, it's a nice instrument! It might not have the best sound in the world, but particularly the low strings, at least to my (bass player) ears, have a pleasant tone.
It's certainly not the loudest thing in the world but i also would not describe it (all things considered) as lacking in volume.
as far as this track goes, yes that is Ringo starrs isolated drums, and my dog's name is ringo. (I also own a dog training business and don't mind using him for some promotion )
anyway, if someone is in the market for an entry level F i really do recommend this instrument. I have a harley benton electric bass that absolutely blew me away and only cost about $200 as well, so it's not a fluke, they're making possibly the very best budget instruments i've ever seen.
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