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Thread: Any experience with new Gold Tone Mandola?

  1. #1
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    Default Any experience with new Gold Tone Mandola?

    Hi,

    Many of you may already know that Gold Tone has released a new mandola for the 2010 product year:

    http://www.goldtone.com/products/det...a-New-for-2010

    Just want to see if anyone has seen or play one recently? How do they sound? Build quality? I have not had any luck finding one locally (not surprising), and so far the only place I have seen them for sale is on Janet Davis.

    Any input / comment will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

  2. #2

    Default Re: Any experience with new Gold Tone Mandola?

    I've been thinking about getting one of these and tuning it DAeb (or maybe gDAe / aDAe)...something like that. I'd be interesting in hearing some feedback on them as well...they look nice online.

    -Brett

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Any experience with new Gold Tone Mandola?

    They do look nice indeed, and I am still tempted. On the other hand, the fact that I have seen no player review since the model hit the market a few months back, tells me that I should probably wait. It also doesn't help that Gold Tone has had some QA issues with the top sinking on some of their OM and Bouzouki models in previous years.

  4. #4
    Registered User Jim MacDaniel's Avatar
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    Default Re: Any experience with new Gold Tone Mandola?

    Anyone know if the back and sides are solid or laminate? I ask because Goldtone decribes the top as being "solid spruce", while the back and side are simply referred to as "mahogany". For a lot of Pac-Rim instruments, if "solid" is not specified in the decription, it can usually be interpreted to mean "laminated" -- but an MSRP of $639USD seems pretty expensive for a plywood instrument.
    "The problem with quotes on the internet, is everybody has one, and most of them are wrong."
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  5. #5
    Registered User shiloh's Avatar
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    Default Re: Any experience with new Gold Tone Mandola?

    Barrangatan, did you decide to purchase the Goldtone mandola? Did you ever find any links to the sound/tone? Jim, somewhere online I read that it is laminated mahogany, fyi. I'd be curious to hear a review. Elderly sells them (without case) for around $500 I believe. I live in San Diego (Pt. Loma) and would love to hear the mandola if you decide to purchase it.

    Jill
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  6. #6
    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: Any experience with new Gold Tone Mandola?

    Quote Originally Posted by shiloh View Post
    ...Elderly sells them (without case) for around $500 I believe...
    Apparently available here for less than $400, which would make one quite a bargain even with laminated back/sides.
    Allen Hopkins
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  7. #7
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    Default Re: Any experience with new Gold Tone Mandola?

    Jill - I never did get the Gold Tone mandola, partly because I was very unsure if I wanted to take a chance on what I perceived to be the company's some what questionable track record in quality assurance, and partly because I re-examined my need for an instrument around that scale length. At 17" scale length, it just seems too long for tunes, and too short for accompaniment. In the end, I'm opted to wait and see if I wanted to get an OM, or a cittern, down the road.

    Having said that - the low price that Allen found on Amazon sure seems like a very good deal, and it may just push me in favor for it once again

  8. #8

    Default Re: Any experience with new Gold Tone Mandola?

    I just tried out the goldtone mandola . not impressed at all . good tone on the open strings and first frets but sounds like a flat top , very boxy . found it to be similar to their octave mandolin . bulky neck . not easily playable in the 9th and up frets . so my opinion is meh . be ok for a $300 instrument , it does not look like it would last a long time .

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