Weber Sweet Pea

[spudin]

Any advice on buying a Weber Sweet Pea? Are they worth the price? Has anyone here played or have one? Do they sound unique, or different? Thanks.

[beachbum]

If you go to the Folk of the Wood website, they have video clips of Mickey playing a sweet pea. I ordered my MK from them at Christmas and Trad that works there said he just got a sweet pea for Christmas and loves it. I've been thinking about getting one too.

Susan

[maroon]

Yes they sound "different" than a full size mando. They are very playable though and, all in all, a kick in the pants to own and play. I bought one for my son because of the smaller size. Other than for him, I wouldn't have bought it, even though I think it is a "neat" thing to have. Personally, given the relative portability (when compared, say, to a guitar) of a full size mandolin, I cannot really see the point of owning a smaller mando such as the sweat pea for travel purposes, unless, perhaps a few ounces were meaningful as might be the case when backpacking. Good luck!

-Brent

[jcs271]

They are GREAT as a little travel/practise mando. In its gig bag it is 1/2 the size of a standard mando case. Sound is weak compared to the average mandolin tones we are used to but it fills a very unique niche.
I LOVE MINE!

[Chuck]

I have said this on threads before but if space is really a problem, such as when I head to a motorcycle rally, tent, sleeping bag, clothes etc., the Sweet Pea will fit. Same flying with a carry on, laptop and mandolin. Tone leaves something to be desired but a heck of a lot better than no mando. I like mine. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[earthsave]

I've got one and honestly and ashamedly.... I havent had it out of the case for over a year now. A nice little instrument though. Great build and sounds good for it's size. Mandos really aint that big... like mentioned above and with a hardcase are safer to carry around than a gigbag.

I thought about putting my also unused pickup on it and taking it as a backup instrument... but never did that yet. IF I do I'll post about it.

[PhilGE]

I've toted my Sweet Pea across country and been glad to have something light and easy to play around with me. My 4 y/o bangs away on it as we "jam" together. I took my Old Wave and the Sweet Pea to his preschool yesterday. He got to bang away and the other kids were drawn to it like a magnet (the Old Wave was, too, but they didn't get to bang on it). One boy and I made up a tune about his toy tiger. His lyrics: "Tigers they have feet and teeth, feet and teeth. Tigers they have feet and teeth, they have feet and teeth. Tigers they have long, long tails, long, long tails. Tigers they have long, long tails, they have long, long tails." The boy couldn't carry a tune in a bucket, so I provided one for him http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif He spent a lot of time with the Sweet Pea and the Old Wave.

-Phil

[John Flynn]

Personally, given the relative portability (when compared, say, to a guitar) of a full size mandolin, I cannot really see the point of owning a smaller mando such as the sweat pea for travel purposes
I travel on business all week, every week. Two things I cannot do with a full sized mando, that I can do with a travel mando: 1) Pack it, and everything else I need, in a carry-on sized suitcase, 2) Hide/lock it in a desk drawer over the weekend. I have considered all the options. A travel mando has turned out to be the difference between my having a mando to play in the hotel in the evenings or not playing all week.

[lhamilton1]

Personally, given the relative portability (when compared, say, to a guitar) of a full size mandolin, I cannot really see the point of owning a smaller mando such as the sweat pea for travel purposes
I travel on business all week, every week. Two things I cannot do with a full sized mando, that I can do with a travel mando: 1) Pack it, and everything else I need, in a carry-on sized suitcase, ....
Hi,

I have a Sweet Pea too and like it. I mostly keep it in my drawer at work (it fits in the file cabinet, which my regular mandolin won't). The one I got took a bit of setup -- it's intonation was really off, but now that I've relocated the bridge it sounds fine (more plinky though than my regular mandolin).

I'm traveling to North Carolina in April and was hoping it would fit in my carry-on wheely and it didn't fit. How did you manage to get it into a carry-on?

Linda

[mandomiss]

I have a little Sweet Pea that I really love to pluck around on, but I haven't had it out of its case in quite a long time. Most of the time it just sits in my bookcase, but when I do have it on trips it's a blast to play.

[Bruce Evans]

Gracious me! I'm almost afraid to express my opinion.
(Not really)

They are worthless. They don't even sound like a mandolin. They are way over priced for what you get. As I've said before, they wouldn't even make a good ping pong paddle.

If I was packing and a Sweet Pea was all I had room for, I would do without. I've made the same remarks about the ukulele version.

Of course, not everyone will agree with me.

[John Flynn]

lhamilton1:

My Mederios travel mando is actually a bit longer than your Sweet Pea and it will fit, on its side, diagonally, in a 22" roll-aboard, which is at the extreme of being carry-on legal. It helps if you take the mando out of the gig bag and pack the gig bag, folded, in an outside pocket. You also have to be creative about how you pack the rest your stuff. Or you can go with a 24" rolling bag, which you would have to check, but the travel mando will fit in there straight with room to spare.

[lhamilton1]

lhamilton1:

My Mederios travel mando is actually a bit longer than your Sweet Pea and it will fit, on its side, diagonally, in a 22" roll-aboard, which is at the extreme of being carry-on legal....
Thanks! That's a real help. I have two wheelies and had assumed that they both were 22". But I've just checked and one is actually 19" and that was the one that I was trying. My Sweet Pea fits just as you said in the 22" one. I'll be able to take it after all.

I'm competing in the whistling championships in North Carolina in April and wanted to take the little mandolin along so I could use it to compete in the Allied Arts category where you get to accompany yourself as you whistle.

Linda

[odeman]

This question comes up every once in a while. I've had a Sweet Pea because I travelled a lot and, without dragging my #1 mando around, I needed that security blanket with me. Of course,the Sweet Pea doesn't sound like a full bodied mandolin but it's cute as a button, light as a feather and sustaines until next Thursday. Plus, it's the closest I'll ever come to owning a Weber.