Own a "Beater" mandolin?

[Taylor and Tenor]

One can assume from the comments made and the listings shown in the various postings that most Mandolin Cafe members own more than one mandolin if not any numbers them.

As a matter of general curiosity, do you own a nice sounding "beater" mandolin that you only takes to play at your brother-in-law's house, rowdy pub sessions, jam sessions and outdoor/field events? Or do you take your best mandolin no matter where you intend to play?

[mandroid]

Have a Martin Back packer and a well traveled, veteran of several bike-camping tours, Leo travel mandolin.

recently got a Carbon Fiber Mix A5, my last MAS episode, It is my go to mandolin now when space is not an issue.

took the Leo to Ireland in '97. but for rowdy pub jams I bring the 4 string Banjo-Mandolin, locally.

Open Back, which I can hear without monitors. octave harmony with ITB.

[GTG]

Yep. Michael Kelly LFS, bought from ebay. Stripped truss rod and warped neck mean it won't play above the 12th fret, but otherwise sounds surprisingly good. It has been abused by being brought along on several snowy backpacking and backcountry ski trips and is perfect for such purposes. For in-town stuff (jams, gigs, band practice) I bring my good mando and try to be careful not to leave it lying around. I figure there's no point having a nice instrument if you're never going to take it out of the house.

[allenhopkins]

Strad-O-Lin, for which I paid $25 about 15 years ago. Great little mandolin, but with overall finish crazing and a couple major crack repairs. I have no hesitation about slinging it over my back, without its case, and taking it to a craft show, jam or street festival. Also, no hesitation about using it for performance or recording.

[Mattg]

Some folks might suggest that all of my mandolins are beaters. My best mandolin would not even be good enough to be a beater for a big name pro.

[Fliss]

I don't have a beater, just two nice mandolins

Generally, I take my favourite of the two with me when I'm taking a mandolin anywhere.

Fliss

[revbuzz]

I have just started playing. My main mandolin is a Washburn jethro burns but I also have a Johnson SA 100 that got me started a year ago - it is nearly unplayable - horrible intonation and poor playability.

[CES]

Technically, I guess, my beater is my Kentucky 675 S which is an Ebay neck/fretboard disaster but still sounds decent. In less hostile environs I take my Flatiron Pancake, which, ironically, is probably the "best" mandolin I own...really want a Mix or Ovation (preferably the Mix) but figure I should get a decent mando before I spend that much on a "beater."

I admire folks who take their good stuff out no matter what. Saw the Asheville based band Town Mountain last winter at a private party...it was about 20 degrees outside, but the mando picker had his Kimble F5 rockin' anyway...course, that may have been his "beater," but I kind of doubt it...

[EdHanrahan]

... but I also have a Johnson SA 100 that got me started a year ago - it is nearly unplayable - horrible intonation and poor playability.

EXACTLY what a beater is GREAT for!! You can't do it much damage, but you COULD make it very nicely playable. See Frank Ford's "Frets" website for helpful info.

As to the OP:
Several beaters have been made to play nicely and sound pretty good. But my best mando, a '90s Flatiron (Bozeman), hasn't left the house yet until my talent can back it up, and I get a proper-fitting case, and I fix the broken headstock curl.

[Capt. E]

You could probably call my "Shiro" A style a beater on the basis of what it cost me ($200). I wouldn't call it a beater on the basis of its sound, though. I would be sad if it was lost, stolen or damaged.

[Gerard Dick]

I have a KM 350S that is my beater. It has radius fretboard, big frets, bone nut and Allen T/P so it sounds pretty good. I take it to camps where I wouldn't take my Weber Y-stone.

[Rob Powell]

Technically, I bought the LM-700 ("The Loar") as a beater even though it's above what many would consider beater cost. Thing is, I would be crushed if something happened to it. Still, it's the one I play most at jams. Don't get me wrong, I love my Weber but lately have been considering trading it and I don't think I would trade the LM-700. Ironic.

[farmerjones]

i gotta $35 Rogue blem. from muso-frend. (black laquer)
Put on the J74s. Gave it some set-up.
Sure, i gotta Eastman 815 too, but to be able to get music out of an instrument that cost less than a tank of fuel, is a charge to me.

Youtube of Salt Creek on the Rogue

I can't blame the mandolin.

[f#54]

My Eastman 815 that Big Joe fixed is now officially my beater, can't sell it people can't get past the crack...oh well. it also has the pic-up for electric jams.
The Collings goes to bluegrass jams.

[JeffD]

I treat all my instruments like they are my best. If the pub looks too rowdy, or the canoe trip has class 2 rapids or higher, I don't take an instrument.

[Sheryl McDonald]

My beater had a sinking top, and it's gone off to a friends house for them to mess with -- so technically, I don't have a "beater" anymore. I do have an older Levin oval hole that didn't cost much, so if I had to pick a cheap instrument to adventure with (white water rapids, etc), that would be the one. If it floated off down the river, I wouldn't be out much.
Otherwise I'll just play my Weber. I do have a Jade A5, but the neck is wider than I feel comfortable playing. If it had the right feel, it would probably be the beater.

[John Flynn]

I have two nice mandolins and a nice octave mandolin, but I am a great fan of beaters. I have three beater mandolins and a beater octave.

> Risa Mando-solid, which almost isn't a mandolin. I consider more like a "highly portable mandolin practice device." It packs in a carry-on suitcase for short trips, taking up almost no space and I can play it with great gusto and not disturb anyone, day or night.

> Mederios Travel Mandolin by Mike Mederios in Colorado. It is comparable to a Sweet Pea, although I like it better. It fits snugly in a hardshell uke case and I can actually pack all that inside a 24" checked bag for longer trips. It probably has a half-million frequent flyer miles and a LOT of playing time on the road.

> Parsons Flat-top, by Will Parsons in West Virginia, with a "no-frills" finish. It is comparable to a Weber Y2K and it's actually a great sounding, great playing mandolin. It even has a bit of a chop. But I consider it a beater because it seems indestructible and I didn't pay a lot for it.

> Troubadour Octave Mandolin, made by Hora in Eastern Europe. I bought it to leave in another city I worked in and flew every week to, but now I use it to save wear and tear on my good octave.

[Sheryl McDonald]

>>> Risa Mando-solid, which almost isn't a mandolin. I consider more like a "highly portable mandolin practice device." It packs in a carry-on suitcase for short trips, taking up almost no space and I can play it with great gusto and not disturb anyone, day or night.<<

I have one of these too, and had forgotten about it as a "beater". I'm wondering how it would sound plugged into one of those Vox Amplug headphone amps. Anyone try this? The Risa mando is a GREAT travel instrument! No kidding. It goes right into the suitcase, can't be damaged.

[Spencer]

An old Harmony, that has been around Europe and over the atlantic in a plastic bag, still doing fine.

Spencer

[John Flynn]

>>> Risa Mando-solid, which almost isn't a mandolin. I consider more like a "highly portable mandolin practice device." It packs in a carry-on suitcase for short trips, taking up almost no space and I can play it with great gusto and not disturb anyone, day or night.<<

I have one of these too, and had forgotten about it as a "beater". I'm wondering how it would sound plugged into one of those Vox Amplug headphone amps. Anyone try this? The Risa mando is a GREAT travel instrument! No kidding. It goes right into the suitcase, can't be damaged.

I have found most "headphone amps" sound pretty bad, unless you want some sort of over-driven rock sound. The only two devices I've found that provide a pleasing, almost-acoustic, mellow sound are the Korg Pandora PX4A, although it's overpriced and not very user-friendly, and the Waves iGTR, which I like, use and highly recommend. But for playing in hotel rooms, I typically don't use any amplification. I can hear the Risa just fine straight up.

FYI, I had my luthier put a custom bridge on my Risa that provides much better intonation when strung and tuned for GDAE.

[Sheryl McDonald]

Not to mutate a thread, but how about a picture of that bridge.

[Jim MacDaniel]

I treat all my instruments like they are my best. If the pub looks too rowdy, or the canoe trip has class 2 rapids or higher, I don't take an instrument.

Now there's an argument for a Martin Backpacker: it can be used as a backup paddle on a canoe trip, and as a club if the pub gets too rowdy.

[Mike Snyder]

The only use I've ever found for a "beater" is when my mandolin is in the shop. If I'm playing, I want to be playing the best instrument I've got. I don't worry much about wear and tear, and I play in some really rough environments. Think Pecan Grove at Winfield at 330 AM. I actually own a Martin Backpacker, but I tend to loan it out to anyone who wants to try out the mandolin, to see if they might want to go ahead and buy one. My brother-in-law has it now.

[makemeasammich]

I only have one mandolin. I love it like a newborn and treat it like a newborn. So no beatings.

[John Flynn]

Not to mutate a thread, but how about a picture of that bridge.

Here ya go...