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Joined:
December 2009
Posts: 1
| Hello everyone,
I'm looking to get a mandolin and learn to play. If anyone has one they they are looking to sell, please let me know.
Thanks.
Andy |
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Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | Sounds like you're just getting into it, so I'll assume you don't want to spend a ton of money. I have played both of these and for the money you can't do much better:
KENTUCKY KM-805
Solid spruce top, back and sides
Nice binding and inlays
High quality adjustable bridge
Quality hardware
About $750. with hardshell case
ROVER RM-75
Solid spruce top, solid maple back and sides
Gloss finish, nice bindings
Quality hardware
About $450. with hardshell case
I like the neck and fretboard a little better on the Kentucky, but if money is an issue the Rover is a hell of a mando in its own right. I don't think you would be disappointed in either one
I do most of my shopping at THE MANDOLIN STORE just north of Phoenix, but they do lots of mail order business and will treat you right. They also have a pretty good stock of used mandos from $200. to $12,000.
Good Luck. |
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Joined:
June 2007
Posts: 3084
Location: Brisbane Australia | A $12,000 Mando!!!! :eek:
Dave is that a Slothead Mando? :D
AJ |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 5563
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Actually, if that's a Bill Monroe RI Gibson F-5, that's about half of list...My neighbor has two of them....drool... :rolleyes: |
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Joined:
December 2009
Posts: 30
| Check out the mandolincafe classifieds best bang for your buck. |
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Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by AussieJames:
A $12,000 Mando!!!! :eek:
Dave is that a Slothead Mando? :D
AJ Actually $12,999. sorry. It's a Gibson F5 Master. Not the Bill Monroe version.
Mandos can get crazy expensive. Probably 5k just to get in the real game. And you can blow past 10k in a heartbeat. I had Cotton price out a very moderately appointed F style and it was kissing 8k without anything extravagent. Didn't buy it. Had to settle for a 4k used one (sob).
However, there ARE some really nice mandos far less expensive then that. The Kentucky nad Rover that I mentioned above are real nice in the 500-750 range. At 1000-1500 there are some very nice Eastman and Breedlove models that are quite nice indeed. I'm just a hack, so can only tell you what feels good, looks good and sounds good to me. A real pro bluegrass player can probably give better advice. They're probably playing a Gibson, Weber or Collings.
Speaking of Weber, they are also pretty nice in the 2500-5000 range and the shop near me (see above) is actually the biggest Weber dealer in the country, which probably makes it the biggest in the world. Very nice instruments, but in that range you can get a used Collings which is what I did. But if you want new under 5k you should definately look at Weber. He's got a blone maple one with torty trim that is yummy.
Lastly, for anyone not into mandos (yet) there are a couple of things to consider. 1) the cases are far easier to store than guitars, 2) you can hang more of them on the walls per sq. foot, and 3) they are far easter to smuggle into the house than guitars.
Lastly (really this time) TAKAMINE has been working on a mando for the last 2 years and the very strong rumor is that it will be shown at NAMM in a few weeks. No idea the price point but I'm guessing 1500. or so. I understood that the last hurdle was figuring out how to fit a COOL TUBE preamp into the mando. Can you imagine how nice THAT would sound for live work?
Ooops, one of my favorite videos. Check these kids out. While their buddies are out skatebording and playing X-Box, these guys would rather pick up their mandos and let it rip ...
MICHEAL RUBIN & SCOTT GATES
And FINALLY, my all time favorite guitar/mando duet with a YOUNG ALPEP on guitar. Awesome. This is actually the video that made me buy my 1st mandolin ...
YOUNG AL
Happy Picking.
PS: AJ, I've never seen a slothead mando. But anything is possible. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15665
Location: SoCal | You know, I sit and watch these videos then watch beginning mando videos and think that maybe I should pick up a mando. Then I realize that I've never really learned how to play guitar and I should probably stick with it.... |
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Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | Paul you should give it a try.
You would increase your repertoire by 50% ...
You know 18 notes on the guitar (3 chords x 6 courses)
Applying the same to mando = 18 notes / 4 courses = 4.5 chords
THERE YOU GO !!! |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15665
Location: SoCal | One of these days...
You got a cheap mando for loan? Believe it or not, I was watch this today mando lessons ..... |
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Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by moody, p.i.:
You got a cheap mando ... ? What do YOU think?
Yeah, those online video lessons are darn good. |
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Joined:
March 2009
Posts: 416
Location: On the Coast - Halfway between SF & OR | I've noted no mention of the Ovation mandolins.
Were they not worth dealing with? |
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Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | Ovation mandos are fine depending on what you want to do with them. Especially nice for plugged in work. |
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Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 32
Location: Bay Area, CA | Let me know if you are interested in my Ovation USA MM-68 mandolin, in red, with original case. |
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Looking to buy: Mandolin
