Fender FM53, Ibanez M522, or Loar LM-220?

[emily michelle]

I'm looking to buy my first mandolin and have narrowed it down to these three. I liked how they all sounded in the store, but I'm still wondering about future reliability issues.

The Fender FM53 is used and it's the cheapest; the back and sides are nato, which I've been given to understand is not super but maybe okay for a beginner instrument, but I do like the price. And part of me keeps saying "It's Fender! They're good guys, right?"

The Ibanez M522 is the next up in price; I like that it's an F-style, but I keep hearing that at this price you're getting to get a better instrument if you go for A-style, which seems like a reasonable goal.

The most expensive is the Loar LM-220; I like that it's solid wood pretty much everything, with a hand-carved top and bottom, but it's also a fair bit more than the cheapest option. I'm willing to spend more money, but I keep wondering if I'm quickly going to figure out what I really want in an instrument and end up buying a new one in six months, so I should save my money this time around.

Anyone have any advice?

[allenhopkins]

You've summed up the situation pretty well. The Fender and Ibanez have solid tops, but laminated back and sides; their tops are heat -pressed, not carved into an arch, as far as I can ascertain from their published specs. The Loar is all solid woods, and the top and back are carved, not heat-pressed. I'm always a bit skeptical of "hand-carved" in this price range, and suspect that most of the carving is by a machine, with some hand finishing, but have no evidence on that; chalk it up to my being an elderly curmudgeon.

But of course price is another consideration. In learning mandolin, set-up and playability are the first considerations, more than sound and appearance. However, the price differential seems pretty small. The Ibanez and Fender are somewhere around $300, though I assume you're paying less for the used one. The Loar's around $350, based on what I can find on-line. For a difference of less than $100, you're getting an instrument made of better materials, and with more hand-work in it. IMHO, for such a modest price differential, I'd spring for the better instrument.

I wouldn't worry too much about nato vs. maple in the back and sides; their main function is to reflect and project sound, not to be a vibrating surface, and in the price range you're dealing with, you probably won't find much difference. And as for Fender being the "good guys," I think that applies a bit more in the electric-guitar field than for acoustic mandolins. All the instruments you're considering are Asian-made, so having an "American" name-plate is fairly irrelevant.

Good luck; see if you can get an opportunity to try one or more of your choices before buying, and if possible, take a mandolinist friend along for the trial. And remember that individual instruments can vary significantly, so generalizations based on make and model can only go so far. Get a good set-up, so that the instrument plays easily and intonates properly, and enjoy!

[Jill McAuley]

Of the three you list I'd go for The Loar LM-220 if it was me - I've played several at my local music shop and they're a very decent mandolin for the price, plus when/if you decide to upgrade it'll likely attract more interest than the Fender and Ibanez, neither of whom are particularly "players" in the mandolin market.

Cheers,
Jill

[Folkmusician.com]

Unless there is a BIG price difference, I would go with the LM-220. It is in another league comparable to the other two.

[Grateful Dawg]

Is the "Honey Creek" Loar at $399 a 220 model?l. I'm getting one of these. Thanks!

[tiltman]

you replied to/asked a question on a 12 year old thread.
the OP may have given up or died a long time ago...

Kirk

[Cotatigirl]

Hey there,
I would buy the Loar. The Loar company is making mando!ins more than other instruments and I think they make a better instrument. Ibanez makes a decent guitar, but I haven't played one of their mandolins. IMO, Fender hasn't made a very good acoustic guitar, so I would be hard pressed to consider one. The best thing is to play them and make a decision. You get what you pay for. Don't go by $$ to get a "deal". Good luck and happy hunting! Jan 🎸

[Cotatigirl]

Oh...well if it's a 12 y/I thread, MAYBE there needs to be an ARCHIVED area!

[Jill McAuley]

you replied to/asked a question on a 12 year old thread.
the OP may have given up or died a long time ago...

Kirk

To be fair Grateful Dawg may have just been asking the question about the Honey Creek for themselves, vs. suggesting it to the OP who started the thread 12 years ago. Not sure if the Honey Creek and 220 are essentially the same or not, Loar changed things up awhile back, If I remember correctly Scott T. came back from a NAMM show and reported about it in a post here at the time.

[Mark Gunter]

Oh...well if it's a 12 y/I thread, MAYBE there needs to be an ARCHIVED area!

There is absolutely no law against posting to an old thread around here, no worries, and you shouldn’t be given grief about it.

However, there are TWO problems that I see that sometimes arise from posting to an old thread. One in which a new question is asked in an old thread, and the question goes ignored because people browsing do not check the original date and they begin replying to the original question and do not read the new question. So the new person posting could be overlooked inadvertently. The second problem is just the other side of the same coin: That because people do not look at the date, and do not actually read the thread before responding, they may offer all sorts of advice to an original poster who is no longer here.

Neither of these two problems is criminal and results usually in not much harm.

There are numerous - quite numerous - old posts which are still alive and well and get regular contribution over a decade past starting. These are really long-lived threads that continue on just fine.

Don’t let anyone intimidate you about reviving an old thread. OTOH, consider starting your own new thread for new questions. There’s a better chance you’ll be answered promptly and in a relevant way. All the above is just my opinion, I’m no authority here, just a mandolin lover. This is by and large the friendliest group of folk on the internet. Welcome to the forum!