A guide to moving to a better mandolin?

[Patrick Market]

Hello. This is my first posting, so I hope this it is in the right spot.

Currently, I have an inexpensive Bently mandolin, which I have owned and played for about 5 years. It was a great beater to learn on, but the time has come to do better. I am looking to upgrade in the next year, and I am trying to find a good guide to doing so.

For example, I recently had a chance to play a Hohner HFM-100, and compared to my Bently, that Hohner sounded like angels singing. The upshot with the Hohner is that it is in the price range that I was looking for my next step, but I am wondering if I might not get more bang for my buck with another mandolin maker (no disrespect intended to that Hohner).

Thanks,
Patrick

[mandolirius]

You'll find a lot of advice here, but two things would make that advice more helpful. One, what is your price range and two, where are you located?

[Lawn Jockey]

.....and three, what type of music do you play?

[Jim DeSalvio]

Patrick,

If you wind up like the rest of here, you will be bitten by the mando bug, and in short order, you will be looking to upgrade.......yet again.

Give us a little more to go on, and we can help you spend your money!

One suggestion right off the bat, check out the line up from Eastman at The Mandolin Store.

[ncgarrel]

All other variables aside:

If you have around $1000 to spend a Breedlove Quartz is a great value. A used Breedlove can be had for $500-$800. The tone and quality is good on these instruments.

If you have around $2,000 to spend--I would go with a Collings. This will be my next mandolin.

If you have less than $500 there are lots of choices. I had a cheap Kentucky with good strings that worked for me for my first year. (I miss it sometimes). Others might suggest a Eastman or MK, which are good quality too! Still, I would go with a used Breedlove over a new less expensive mandolin.

Good luck! Enjoy shopping and playing.

(I recognize that this was a bit general, but I thought I would give him a place to start.)

[Patrick Market]

Wow! Thanks for all the input.

I'll get to all of the response answers right off: I live in Missouri, I was hoping to spend between $500-$1000, and my primary interest is in bluegrass music.

Right now, I play to amuse myself and my 2-year-old, but would like to start playing along with others at some point. No illusions of being Bill Monroe here, (I'm 40) just a little jam session here and there sometimes.

[ncgarrel]

Alright...if 1000 is your cap you might consider this.

The Woodwind Brass Wind which is a store in South Bend Indiana has large mail order business/website. They were giving a 20% discount via email coupon code for phone-in orders to people who get on their emailing list (they send you a coupon code in your email mail.) I don't know if it applies to Breedlove Quartz OF, but I would try. You could probably get one of those for about 1100 minus 20% which would be like $900 total...and it would be brand new with warranty. Otherwise I would look for a used Breedlove if you don't mind their style too much. If you are looking for an F-style then someone else might have to chime in. I am betting you would want to go with an MK, Eastman, or Kentucky. The others on here would know more about that though.

Come to think of it....I have heard of people getting $1000 used Gibson a-styles. One of those might interest you to.

I am pretty new to all of this, but have been researching mandolins pretty hard recently so just thought I would share my two cents.

(Of course I recognize that WWBW is a large store and not a small local shop which many people prefer for good reasons, but in my defense I have been going to the Woodwind Brasswind since they were a small local shop in a building no larger than my living room. They have taken care of me soooo many times and even do so today...OMG I just realized that my two local shops have always been WWBW and Elderly. How lucky is that?)

[LVH]

Play around, I suggest an A style. they are better for the money. The Scroll on an F style is just an expensive strap holder.... If you want a sweeter, warmer tone you might want to go with a teens gibson a style with an oval hole. They play easily and are really nice. you can find these in the classifieds alot and they go from 650 to 2500 so just look for a good deal. Good Luck!

[man dough nollij]

If you are anywhere near St Louis, you can play 50 mandolins in a day, at Fazio's and Music Folk.

It's a lot of fun, and it'll help to give you a better idea of what you like.

I like to find a very reflective wall in a corner somewhere, and play 'em one at a time. It's pretty hard to really hear yourself unless you are facing a hard wall.

I also recommend having someone else play them back at you. I have a mandolin that other people (who REALLY know what they're talking about) have raved about, but I just never felt that blown away. I was visiting the Weber factory the other day and heard someone else play my Gallatin. Yikes! It's a monster, though I never would've heard that from the 'driver's seat'.

[chip]

You can almost buy a Flatiron Performer A in that price range. Great mandolin for the price and something that will retain it's value. You can play it for years and always know that you will receive back what you paid for it.

[ncgarrel]

I'll second that idea about going to a store and playing a bunch of different models. That is what sealed the deal for me with the Collings mandolins. I played almost every mandolin at Elderly and though I did not intend to like Collings, I fell in love. If you play enough mandolins you will find a one or more that speak to you. I never would have know this if I didn't make the special trip! I also agree that you should play against a quiet wall or at least in a quiet room (I use the violin room at Elderly) and also have someone play for you--especially if you can find someone who will put the mandolin through its paces!

[Tighthead]

Save a couple hundred bucks extra and have Ken Ratcliff of Silver Angel build one of his no-frills A-styles. You can get a hand-crafted instrument from a very well-respected luthier that will serve you well for as long as you own it.

[ncgarrel]

Yeah, those look amazing for the money but I have never heard one. How do they sound? Can you compare it to another brand?

[Marcus CA]

Play around, I suggest an A style. they are better for the money. The Scroll on an F style is just an expensive strap holder.... If you want a sweeter, warmer tone you might want to go with a teens gibson a style with an oval hole. They play easily and are really nice. you can find these in the classifieds alot and they go from 650 to 2500 so just look for a good deal. Good Luck!

I'm a huge fan of the Gibson A's from this era. If you go this route, the only problem with buying sound unheard is that you aren't going to find uniformity in tone from them, since it you aren't going to find any two mandolins pushing 90 that have lived the same life. So, if you order one online, you probably won't know whether you got a good one or a great one. Also, and I may be corrected by some others who know more than I do about these, I think that the only difference between a plain A and an A-1,2,etc. is decoration, which increases the value by a few hundred $. The quality of the materials and workmanship is the same.

I also agree with the comments about Breedlove's Quartz models. I bought an OF because I liked its sound way better than any other mando in its price range. No regrets.

You've gotten a great introduction to the Cafe here. "You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave."

[Tighthead]

Yeah, those look amazing for the money but I have never heard one. How do they sound? Can you compare it to another brand?

I can't compare them to another brand--I haven't heard these and I don't know enough other brands. I do own a Laura Ratcliff mandolin and I think it sounds just great.

Based on my experience with my Ratcliff, if I was in the market I would have my order in to Ken already.

[ncgarrel]

Ha, I like your quote at the bottom.

I might add that all of use with MAS are "more sick than sound in the head." ;0)

One could have a good time analyzing the rhetoric of mandolin recommendations throughout the forum.