Joined:
October 2014
Posts: 12
Location: Ft Collins, CO | I'm borrowing a friends mandolin so I can learn some "mando-ese" before making a purchase of my own. Seems harder to focus on sound or the way an individual instrument plays & handles if you really have no idea how to form C,D,&G chord. And how do you make the mando chop sound cool if you have no idea how to execute it. I'll get all that learned eventually . . . . I'm curious here as to the Ovation Mandos and if there are any idiosyncrasies with them and perhaps what to look for in a used one. I just think they're cool (a mini-Adamas) and those that I've seen on Craigslist an all seem to be in my price range, even with electronics. I'll do a lot of the research on my own (models & stuff) but I wouldn't mind hearing some testimonials and pros & cons of the roundback mando. Thanks
Mike |
Joined:
May 2006
Posts: 4226
Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | Hiya 5-String! Before I get into my answer for your questions, I should give you the heads up that very few members can post in the Welcome Section. So if you don't get many responses, hang around until a moderator gives you access to the rest of the site. Then copy-paste your post into a new thread int the General Section. In the meantime, I own an MM-68-7 "Book" mandolin which is basically a blinged out USA Ovation mando. I've owned all three iterations of the O-mando as well; the MM-68, the MCS-148 Celebrity import, and the Applause import. The Applause is not worth your time as the workmanship is spotty at best. The Celebrities (which are easily the most common to be found online) are very good instruments for the money, but be certain to have them set up well before you really get to practicing with it, as poorly set-up mando strings have enough tension to make your fingers beg for amputation! Also be aware that they have laminated tops, which can be good or bad depending on how you plan to use it. I play my mandos mostly plugged in, so a laminated top wouldn't make much difference. Now for the MM-68s: I used the plural because there are actually two versions of the MM-68 out there, and it pays to make sure which one you might be chasing. The original MM-68s were built in New Hartford, CT, and I absolutely love them. The do not have the volume or throatiness of the higher-end carved mandos, but for the price, they are very hard to beat. Plugged in, they are pretty much matchless. HOWEVER...several years back, Fender (curse their bean-counting hides) moved pretty much all of Ovation overseas and simply added either -AX to many guitar names and -X to the MM-68. So be careful, most of the MM-68s you see for sale were made overseas. They are good instuments at their price point to be sure, but they are nowhere near the quality of the American-made instruments. It is simple enough to ask if it says "Made in New Hartford, CT" on the label, and certainly worth your time in the long run if you decide to go that route. I hope all of this helps. It should be a bit to chew over until a mod grants you full access. There are plenty of others around here with more knowledge and experience with O-mandos than me. Welcome aboard! |
Mandos