Supercreep
Lizard People
What should I be looking for? I can't play it worth a damn, but it needs to intonate and tune up sufficiently well for recording.
mikemorgan
panned out
I think MF might have a Rogue in that $ range.
F
Fusioninspace
New member
You might try a Dean Mondo Mandolin. It's actually not a mandolin, but a mandolin-like instrument that's fun to mess with...
It's larger than a mandolin, but smaller than a guitar. The top three strings are doubled and the bottom three are single. The open position is like the 5th fret on a guitar. Plus it's tuned like a guitar.
I had a real mandolin for awhile and didn't play it very much. But when I got this thing, I played it quite a bit. In my mind, it sounds very close to mandolin, but it plays like guitar. So I could get some nice tunes out this thing without having to learn a new instrument.
The one watch out on real mandolins is that most have flat necks - not curved like guitars. About a year ago I played some curved top ones - MAN, what a diff in playability. But all those started at $1,000.
The mando was around $175 on ebay I think.
It's larger than a mandolin, but smaller than a guitar. The top three strings are doubled and the bottom three are single. The open position is like the 5th fret on a guitar. Plus it's tuned like a guitar.
I had a real mandolin for awhile and didn't play it very much. But when I got this thing, I played it quite a bit. In my mind, it sounds very close to mandolin, but it plays like guitar. So I could get some nice tunes out this thing without having to learn a new instrument.
The one watch out on real mandolins is that most have flat necks - not curved like guitars. About a year ago I played some curved top ones - MAN, what a diff in playability. But all those started at $1,000.
The mando was around $175 on ebay I think.
C
chazba
terminally hip
I recently got an Ibanez mando from the early 70's for $300 w/ case. The quality is very high. You can find recently made (chinese) Ibanez for under $200 but the build is not as good...laminated woods etc. Good luck
wbcsound
New member
I've got the Rogue from Musician's Friend. I'm a guitarist, not a mandolin player, so I don't really know the difference between a good and bad one. That being said, it works fine for my limited usage.
crazydoc
Master Baiter
I'll second that. Intonation was on - I had to do a little setup and nut work, but it plays fine. I'm not a mando player, so I can't comment on its tonal quality, but it does sound like a mandolin.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Rogue-RM100A-AStyle-Mandolin?sku=519193
wbcsound
New member
This sounds really ineresting, I'm going to have to take a look at these...
M
MattNZ
New member
I'd have a hunt around. Got mine for about $175 US. It's only an Aria, but if you spend a bit of time trying a load out, eventually you'll hit a good one.
Always remember that every instrument is different. Even the 'uniform' factory made ones differ. Try out a load until you're happy!
Always remember that every instrument is different. Even the 'uniform' factory made ones differ. Try out a load until you're happy!
Supercreep
Lizard People
Okay, now I'm all reading up on mandolin, mandola, octave mandolin, bouzouki, critten, and various contraptions. I aim to have one.
Something that doesn't require tiny doll hands to play might be nice. Anybody have experience with any of the celtic flavors?
What about setup and intonation? Do you check the same sorts of things as you would on an acoustic? If it doesn't tune up properly I don't want it.
Something that doesn't require tiny doll hands to play might be nice. Anybody have experience with any of the celtic flavors?
What about setup and intonation? Do you check the same sorts of things as you would on an acoustic? If it doesn't tune up properly I don't want it.
6
60's guy
Guest
Casey,
Have you ever held and played a mandolin?
It can be a beast of an instrument to play!
I can identify with your budget limitation, but I think you’ll end up being a bit disappointed by purchasing a lower end mandolin. The instrument is inherently difficult as it is to play. Purchasing a cheap mandolin will only add to your frustration unless you have it set up by someone who knows what they are doing.
I have 3 mandolins. One was given to me by my dad back in the 1970s. I think he paid $40 for it back then. I also have a mandolin given to me by an uncle of mine who had purchased it in the late 1950s or early 1960s. He had kept it in storage for years in Arizona in his attic! He gave it to me a few years ago and it’s been hanging on a wall ever since. I attempted to refinish the body shortly after he gave it to me, but it quickly became obvious that the wood had severely dried out. It was unplayable in the state that it was at the time.
I digress.
I finally ended up purchasing an Eastman 615 mandolin a few months before Jamfest 6 occurred at a cost of $1500. Initially, I thought I made a good decision, but I soon learned that even an instrument at that price is worthless unless it’s properly set up. I’m in the middle of the process of setting up my mandolin to make it easier and more enjoyable to play.
Little did I know that dtb (Dan Thompson) also owns an Eastman 615 until he showed up at JF6 with his mandolin. I learned that it was the same mandolin that he used to record the tracks he had sent me that eventually led to a collaboration of sorts between us prior to JF6. I took Dan’s track of mandolins and other instrumentation and I went off on a tangent by adding guitar, bass, writing lyrics, and recording vocals for what eventually turned into a song named
The River
Dan IS an extraordinary mandolin player!
Here’s a picture of my Eastman 615 model.
Here’s a collaboration between myself and Christian songwriter Joe Gage in Nashville, TN. I played the mandolin parts and I admit….I had no business doing so…..but Joe liked the mandolins that I added to his song. That was good enough for me and I took him at his word that I had sort of did OK.
Call On You
Good luck with your search for a mandolin!
I look forward to hearing you play it.
Have you ever held and played a mandolin?
It can be a beast of an instrument to play!
I can identify with your budget limitation, but I think you’ll end up being a bit disappointed by purchasing a lower end mandolin. The instrument is inherently difficult as it is to play. Purchasing a cheap mandolin will only add to your frustration unless you have it set up by someone who knows what they are doing.
I have 3 mandolins. One was given to me by my dad back in the 1970s. I think he paid $40 for it back then. I also have a mandolin given to me by an uncle of mine who had purchased it in the late 1950s or early 1960s. He had kept it in storage for years in Arizona in his attic! He gave it to me a few years ago and it’s been hanging on a wall ever since. I attempted to refinish the body shortly after he gave it to me, but it quickly became obvious that the wood had severely dried out. It was unplayable in the state that it was at the time.
I digress.
I finally ended up purchasing an Eastman 615 mandolin a few months before Jamfest 6 occurred at a cost of $1500. Initially, I thought I made a good decision, but I soon learned that even an instrument at that price is worthless unless it’s properly set up. I’m in the middle of the process of setting up my mandolin to make it easier and more enjoyable to play.
Little did I know that dtb (Dan Thompson) also owns an Eastman 615 until he showed up at JF6 with his mandolin. I learned that it was the same mandolin that he used to record the tracks he had sent me that eventually led to a collaboration of sorts between us prior to JF6. I took Dan’s track of mandolins and other instrumentation and I went off on a tangent by adding guitar, bass, writing lyrics, and recording vocals for what eventually turned into a song named
The River
Dan IS an extraordinary mandolin player!
Here’s a picture of my Eastman 615 model.
Here’s a collaboration between myself and Christian songwriter Joe Gage in Nashville, TN. I played the mandolin parts and I admit….I had no business doing so…..but Joe liked the mandolins that I added to his song. That was good enough for me and I took him at his word that I had sort of did OK.
Call On You
Good luck with your search for a mandolin!
I look forward to hearing you play it.
Supercreep
Lizard People
Thanks, but I'll never be able to play well enough to justify such an expense. I know what you're saying, though - 1500 probably nets me close to an entry level working instrument.
As acoustic and electric guitars are bread and butter sounds for me I can justify their purchase more easily. This would be something that would appear once or twice on a record, and likely not in a showcase type format.
Bouzouki sure sounds awesome though.
As acoustic and electric guitars are bread and butter sounds for me I can justify their purchase more easily. This would be something that would appear once or twice on a record, and likely not in a showcase type format.
Bouzouki sure sounds awesome though.
Supercreep
Lizard People
The River is an especially nice tune. I crave real percussion on it.
philboyd studge
New member
Though it'll be a little more than $300, I'd look for a Tacoma M-1 with a good setup.
6
60's guy
Guest
I agree!
I've also been yearning to lay my hands on an Octave mandolin.
FWIW.....check out the Mandolin Cafe Forum
I saw joro there today!
Anfontan
Banned by eurt
I play guitar and mandolin with a bluegrass band I've been with about 10 years and after looking around at different models years ago I got a Washburn F style-the M-3WS model. I tried a lot of various mandolins, another band member actually has a 1917 Gibson, the Washburn was the best playing and sounding of them all. You could find a used one-not sure if it would be in your price range though-it's a damned good instrument.
6
60's guy
Guest
I'm fairly content with my Eastman 615 except for one thing.
The nut width is 1-3/32" and I find it to be narrow and difficult in spite of the fact that I have small hands and short fingers.
The narrow nut width is a nusiance!!!!
I'd prefer to have a mando that had a bit more spacing between string sets.
I've done a bit of research but I've come up empty researching the nut width of older mandolins.
I had my eye on an older Gibson A-Style that dated back to before I was born at the shop I purchased my 615. The neck appeared to wider, but 3 grand was way out out of my budget.
It bugs me that I can't find definitive specs online concerning neck widths of vintage mandolins.
Maybe I should just build a mandolin to my own specs!
Anfontan
Banned by eurt
I'm fairly content with my Eastman 615 except for one thing.
The nut width is 1-3/32" and I find it to be narrow and difficult in spite of the fact that I have small hands and short fingers.
The narrow nut width is a nusiance!!!!
I'd prefer to have a mando that had a bit more spacing between string sets.
I've done a bit of research but I've come up empty researching the nut width of older mandolins.
I had my eye on an older Gibson A-Style that dated back to before I was born at the shop I purchased my 615. The neck appeared to wider, but 3 grand was way out out of my budget.
It bugs me that I can't find definitive specs online concerning neck widths of vintage mandolins.
Yeah, an instrument that totally suits you it a rare find-same reason I've modded a lot of my guitars.
Are you playing melodies or chording mostly? For the most part I am doubling the fiddle lines or playing harmonies with him. For that the Washburn is just great-it's a fairly wide neck and easy to get around on. I have to be careful though if I pick up the banjo and noodle around with it a bit, because I will start trying to play banjo chord on the mandolin-and that just ain't gonna work. The necks are very close in size and seems to short my brain out for a while..
Oh, and a mandocello really messed with my head-the intervals are the same but the fret spacing seems HUGE!
C
Corndog
New member
My ol' standby...pawnshop.
6
60's guy
Guest
Notating for the most part. I've yet to develop confidence playing mandolin chord chops. I think my less than confident chording on the mando is due to an improper set up. It's never felt right.
I bought a new set of strings today and I'm gonna go back to square one....intonate and set the action to what I am comfortable with. It's not that difficult a process. If I can set up a guitar.......a mando should be a no brainer.
M
mrface2112
Well-known member
i've got the cheap $150 F-style Rogue from MF.
Pros: it plays surprisingly well and sounds *very* good for the cheap POS it is. it came with a good case. excellent beginner's mandolin. it even records rather well.
Cons: intonation and action are not very good, even after a setup. frets are cheap pieces of crap--i shaved off part of the 3rd fret the very first time i played a C chord. the strings literally shaved off part of the fret. the finish isn't that great.
i love playing it, though, and have been trying justifying spending $150 for a pickup for it. hard to justify a pickup that costs the same as the instrument. i keep thinking i'll just get one of those epiphone mandobirds instead.
that said, i came across a Gibson Flatiron Festival mandolin the other day and was absolutely floored at the tone and playability. so THAT'S what a nice mandolin feels and sounds like. time to save my pennies.
i'd be happy to post a link to my Rogue recorded if anyone wants to hear it.
cheers,
wade
Pros: it plays surprisingly well and sounds *very* good for the cheap POS it is. it came with a good case. excellent beginner's mandolin. it even records rather well.
Cons: intonation and action are not very good, even after a setup. frets are cheap pieces of crap--i shaved off part of the 3rd fret the very first time i played a C chord. the strings literally shaved off part of the fret. the finish isn't that great.
i love playing it, though, and have been trying justifying spending $150 for a pickup for it. hard to justify a pickup that costs the same as the instrument. i keep thinking i'll just get one of those epiphone mandobirds instead.
that said, i came across a Gibson Flatiron Festival mandolin the other day and was absolutely floored at the tone and playability. so THAT'S what a nice mandolin feels and sounds like. time to save my pennies.
i'd be happy to post a link to my Rogue recorded if anyone wants to hear it.
cheers,
wade