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FROPPE
Akahai
USA
81 Posts |
 Posted - 06/18/2007 : 10:21:07 AM
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I'm considering adding mandolin to my list of weapons. I'm in Central Texas, and will probably have to limit my search to music stores and so-called "name brands", at least for now. Without doing any shopping yet, I'm probably looking at a budget of $450-1,000. Is this a realistic range for a good instrument? If so, any ideas?
Mahalo,
Ben Sterling
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 06/18/2007 : 11:13:16 AM
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Hi -
Let's hope Trev weighs in on this -- he's a bang-up mando player.
Anywho, you didn't say what style of mandolin you are looking at.
F-style mandolins are favored for bluegrass. There are lots of choices in your price range; through premium axes go for a lot more. I have a couple friends, both very good bluegrassers, who love their Eastman mandos. The Eastmans are true carved top instruments at a fraction of the cost of a Gibson or Weber.
Old-time players tend to prefer A-style mandos. Cheap ones usually sound pretty bad. Better ones can be had in your price range. I've played a nice Eastman oval hole A style.
And you can find a true vintage Gibson A style for around a grand -- not bad for owning a piece of history. My A 1 from 1918 is a peach.
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Edited by - Mark on 06/18/2007 11:32:42 AM |
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Trev
Lokahi
United Kingdom
265 Posts |
Posted - 06/19/2007 : 06:18:13 AM
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Mark, you're too kind! (Have a great camp, by the way! I can't stop thinking about it and wishing I was going!)
Ben, there are different philosphies about buying mandolins. There are more instruments about than ever, and some of the Chinese ones are now pretty decent, and very good value. There are also some great ones made in the Czech Republic. There are various shapes, and styles, and each tends to be associated with a certain type of music. (I once had a conversation with a woman from Nashville who said to me "there aren't really any other types of music that use mandolin apart from bluegrass" - I pointed out there was in fact Irish, Scottish, English, French, in fact pretty much most of Europe, not least of all Italy where they invented the things! And in February I was delighted to find out about John Almeida who was a famous Hawaiian musician who played the mandoln. Anyway, that's a bit of a digression!)
It all depends what music you want to play, what sounds good to you and what the thing looks like.
I was in Vancouver recently and was very impressed with a couple of relatively inexpensive mandolins (definitely under $1,000) called 'Paris Swing' - some people might think they look a little bit radical but I think they're great (and good value for money!) and I would have bought one if I'd not already got too much luggage to transport it back home. I thought they were great, and I'm going to look out for them in the UK. http://www.parisswing.com/
Some people prefer a more conservative looking instrument. A friend of mine has a mandolin made by the Mid Misouri Mandolin company which is a no-frills but really great wood and plenty of volume and tone.
Aw! I've just found out that Mid Misouri aren't trading anymore. If you find a second hand one, though, it'll be worth a look.
There is another school of thought which says 'buy an old Gibson'. Not only do they have a reputation for being good, but they will never decrease in value. You may well be able to sell it in ten years time for more than you paid for it, and that will not be the case with other mandolins. And like Mark says, you get a piece of history.
If you know someone else who plays, go to the store with them so you can hear how it sounds 'from the front'. I'm guessing you don't know anyone who plays though, or you wouldn't be asking us!
It's actually getting harder to find a really bad instrument these days. Quality control is much better than it used to be, technology has improved in all areas. I'm sure you'll do fine!
At the end of the day, the only way to do it is go to the store, try a few out, and sooner or later there will be one that says to you 'take me, I'm yours!'. That's the one to get.
Good luck with it, and I hope you have lots of fun.
Trev |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2164 Posts |
Posted - 06/19/2007 : 07:45:32 AM
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As a "reformed" Bluegrasser ( I still sing through my nose!), I play mandolin, although now in a polka band (waltzes and such). I'm happy with my MK or Michael Kelly. Solid wood, made to spec in S Korea.
Good tone and volume and playability. I got the one with a Fishman pickup built in so I can be heard over the drums in the band. It was under $1000. Mandolins are habit forming. |
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 06/19/2007 : 09:07:44 AM
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quote:
I once had a conversation with a woman from Nashville who said to me "there aren't really any other types of music that use mandolin apart from bluegrass"
Ah, so that's been my problem all these years!
Well, Trev, we might as well add Brazilian choro to the list of types of music that don't play mandolin. And if you aren't hip to Jacob do Bandolim, prepare to have your mind blown.
http://www.allbrazilianmusic.com/en/Artists/Artists.asp?Status=ARTISTA&Nu_Artista=282
Oh, right... they spell it dif'ernt, so it ain't the same.
Sheesh, imagine if Bill Monroe had played the `ukulele!
"I traced her little footprints in the....sand.??""
"Blue moon of Hanapepe???""
"Brada Penn??"
"Muleskinner Blues??" OK, that one works.
We'll be thinking about ya at Kaupoa, Trev. Y'all stay warm now. |
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 06/19/2007 : 2:09:41 PM
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Yo Mandoheads (and anyone looking for an uplifting musical experience)-
Check out this amazing video of a young Brazilian band ripping it up on "Assanhado," one of Jacob do Bandolim's classic songs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh3kMWMD63U
And now for the Taropatch content: notice the little `ukulele-like instrument played by one of the band members. It's a cavaquinho -- essentially a steel string `ukulele. Also played to great effect in the Canary Islands.
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rendesvous1840
Ha`aha`a
USA
1055 Posts |
Posted - 06/20/2007 : 11:53:34 AM
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You might try www.sugarinthegourd.com/ for advice on mandolins. When the home page opens, click Forum and Other Instruments.
Paul |
"A master banjo player isn't the person who can pick the most notes.It's the person who can touch the most hearts." Patrick Costello |
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kawika
Aloha
USA
33 Posts |
Posted - 06/20/2007 : 6:50:26 PM
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| One time back when the Waihe'e jams were going strong Geri Valdrez pulled out a mandolin and proceeded to blow our minds. I had never heard Hawaiian music played like that. I hated to see him stop and go back to playing his lap steel which sounds a little odd since he is such an amazing steel player too. |
Edited by - kawika on 06/20/2007 6:55:41 PM |
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Pops
Lokahi
USA
387 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2007 : 11:30:22 AM
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Ben,
Check out Elderly Instuments' website for mandolins. The Micheal Kelly's are supposed to be pretty good players for the money and if you check the used instrument section you might find a decent deal on a Breedlove. Smakula Fretted Instruments' website also has nice mandolins occassionally at very good prices. And unless your planning on playing a lot of rags or blues a'la Yank Rachell, I'd suggested staying away from resontator models because they'e pretty limited outside of those dominions, in my opinion. |
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noeau
Ha`aha`a
USA
1105 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2007 : 4:48:51 PM
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| This won't buy a mandolin but. Johnny Almeida played one for a lot of Hawaiian songs. I grew up hearing taxi dance bands while they worked and a mandolin was definitely part of their group of instruments and I did not grow up in Nashville.. |
No'eau, eia au he mea pa'ani wale nō. |
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Rlowenote
Akahai
84 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2007 : 06:28:49 AM
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Two of my mandolin playing friends have gone from Weber ($$$) to Eastman ($$) to Collings ($$$$). This makes the Eastman brand appear to be a very good buy as far as new instruments. Neither plays Bluegrass, but many other styles of music.
Ralph |
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Trev
Lokahi
United Kingdom
265 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2007 : 06:32:58 AM
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| Noeau - Taxi Dance bands? I've never heard that expression before, (although as a mandolin owner I'm intrigued!). I'd love it if you could spare the time to explain what they are! |
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2007 : 07:51:48 AM
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Taxi Dance bands?
Listen to the song "Dime a Dance Romance" by Jonathon Edwards. Covered by Steve Miller.
No mandolin, tho' |
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noeau
Ha`aha`a
USA
1105 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2007 : 11:29:21 AM
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To expand a little. Taxi dance halls were prevalent in Honolulu back in the day. I think they were about 10 cents and by the time it was the middle sixties was about a dollar per dance. I know that many Filipino men frequented them and the bands were usually Filipino too. There would be a bass, a guitar, a mandolin, and often a trumpet and saxophone. Of course they played dance music all instrumentals. You could hear the music as you walked by on the way to Tin Tin Chop Suey. men who were single would go to these dance halls and spend a little money dancing the night away. I think it was originally men who worked on the plantations. Most of the workers from the Philippines left wives and family behind. I suppose they were very lonely so the dance halls supplied surrogate companionship for the men.
I was under aged most of the time so I was never allowed in. So what went on there was left to the imagination. Later on when I was in high school I managed to go in one of these dance halls and what a let down reality was. You see I used to see the ladies on the way to work and they were all dolled up pretty much. So I thought a lot of hanky panky went on. Well even if there was I never saw or heard anything about it.
Any way that is just another page in the unique and interesting history of Hawaii. |
No'eau, eia au he mea pa'ani wale nō. |
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noeau
Ha`aha`a
USA
1105 Posts |
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Absolute
Lokahi
275 Posts |
Posted - 08/21/2007 : 12:01:46 PM
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You know, if you built a plywood box and used a door handle/lock-set drill attachment to cut a sound hole or two, then got a long strip of molding, and a lot of tuning pegs, and a couple of pieces of bone to use to keep the strings properly separated, and wooden toothpicks for the frets, then ordered a set of Aquila strings to go with it, I bet you could build a mandolin. Yes siree, no problem....
I wouldn't bother. I'd just go here and spend $180.00, unless they've got one cheaper at their outlet, then put a decent set of strings on it. (But I've never played a mandolin, so I'd be happy just to have something to play around with. Others may be a bit more demanding...)
http://www.wwbw.com/Search/Default.aspx?N=61&Ntt=mandolin |
Thank you. |
Edited by - Absolute on 08/21/2007 12:03:48 PM |
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