Morgan Monroe MM-7 [Archive] - Mandolin Cafe Forum

DryBones

Dec-15-2005, 1:52pm

Got a hint I might be seeing an MMS-7 under the tree and want to make sure the little lady isn't buying something bad.

thanks for any input.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Stillpicking

Dec-15-2005, 2:25pm

Well I picked up a "second" with a few defects. Its a MM-6 but my understanding is that they are similar except for the stain color. I had to do some fixing on mine but I knew that when I bought it. Now that I have everything right with it I like it alot, real nice open woody sound to it.

I would assume that you will be getting a new non-second quality MM-7 so you should be happy with it.

Merry Christmas and have fun with it!

Mike

olgraypat

Dec-15-2005, 2:27pm

Oh, gee. Personally, I'd direct Santa away from anything with the initials "MM," but there are some on the cafe who like them. Don't expect the workmanship to knock your socks off.

DryBones

Dec-15-2005, 9:07pm

It's a gift, I have to like it! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

mr51

Dec-15-2005, 9:55pm

It's a gift, I have to like it! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Years of experience talking here; not with a mandolin, but a wife.

If she goes to the time and trouble of buying it for your Christmas gift, YOU WILL LIKE IT. Not all wives would go out and make that kind of purchase for their husband. Even if it's not what you really may have wanted, don't let her know it.

Aran

Dec-16-2005, 3:40am

Wow that's a big present to be getting!! You have got to be happy that your wife is getting you a mandolin at all.

Anyway I have a Morgan Monroe and the workmanship is fairly ropey. Saying that though I am delighted with it as I'm only at this 2 years and it sounds good enough for me at the moment. A few players at sessions have even complimented me on it's sound. It intonates correctly right up the neck. It's loud. and sounds a million times better than my starter plywood A!! Yeah I'm happy!! I'll get an upgrade when I deserve one as a musician. I would feel like a plonker taking out a $10K mandolin at a session and not being able to play it amazingly. So for now it's a humble axe for a humble player.

I hope you have a lovely holiday.

barricwiley

Dec-16-2005, 4:56am

1st class wifey.
Love your gift and love your wife for being supportive, great combination.
Merry Christmas!
Richard http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

grant_eversoll

Dec-16-2005, 5:36am

I own a mms-2 I know that is a ways under the mm-7 but I love it and see nothing wrong with the workmanship and mine was set up when I got it so no complaints there either.
I also own a Gilmour guitar by Bean Blossom (Morgan Monroe) and have played the H88L out of it this summer with my job and it is built good and I have had no problems...My other Guitars are Alvaerz.

I have heard others complain about the workmanship of the Morgan Monroe line but I have not seen in and I have had a chance to play several,

It's a gift, Your wife thought it through, it's a mandolin...enjoy

DryBones

Dec-16-2005, 6:03am

Thanks everybody for the thoughts. She was shopping for a Mid-Mo but couldn't find a lefty anywhere but she did find this MMS-7 so she thought it would be nice. I have no complaints at all except now I better put something great under the tree also! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

bluegrassplayer

Dec-16-2005, 8:34am

Morgan Monroe mandolins are good for what they are. Usually if you put an ebony bridge on, it sound a lot better once it opens up.

It isn't a Gibson, but it's pretty good.

Merry CHRISTmas

357mag

Dec-16-2005, 12:33pm

I picked up a MM for the first time a few months ago. If it wasnt white, I woulda bought it. I liked it alotm. Much along the same lines as a MK which I like anyway.
Nice gift! Great wife! Enjoy! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

DryBones

Dec-16-2005, 2:11pm

thinking I will be selling off the MK after I get this MMS-7. Anybody interested in a lefty MK legacy FS? and this one has a lefty nut on it too! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

piknleft

Dec-17-2005, 7:29pm

'Bones, you really are somethin' of a poster guy. A lefty AND a mando under the tree! Put your secrets in a book, and the rest of us married guys'd probably end up makin' you a best seller. If all goes well(for you), then I would be interested in the MK. Now......go hug your wife http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Michael

Jason Kessler

Dec-17-2005, 7:43pm

I'm single, a righty, and have never played an MM. So one would THINK I'd have nothing to contribute to this thread. However, that won't stop me from contributing.

What a wonderful gesture. I have a feeling that any "weaknesses" the mando may evince will be turned into fondly noted "quirks" due to the love that brought them into your home.

We should all be so lucky. Merry Christmas, Lefty. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

Strange1

Dec-18-2005, 8:22am

I have a MMS-7 (marble look) LH mandolin. It is a nice instrument even tho they sent it with a right hand bridge on it. Finally got the correct bridge. However, the notches on the nut are slightly off. Between the G and D strings it is 4/10ths of a mm and between the D and A strings it is 5/10 of a mm, and between the A and E strings it is 3/10ths of a mm. I will be getting a new nut soon to correct that mistake. Otherwise I think it is a nice inst for the price. Only real bad thing about it is that I had to buy it myself (no wife).

Jack

VictorLouis

Dec-20-2005, 9:20am

Thanks everybody for the thoughts. She was shopping for a Mid-Mo but couldn't find a lefty anywhere but she did find this MMS-7
Having only played ONE example of each brand, I would be QUITE happy with the MM. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

DryBones

Dec-21-2005, 10:51pm

well its official, the MMS-7 was suppose to be under the tree on Christmas day but FEDEX has lost it.package was last seen leaving Hagerstown,MD but never arrived in the Fredericksburg,VA distribution center. FEDEX is telling us that a trace has been put on the package but will not be prioritized until 12/27, that ground shipments will have to wait until Express shipping can "catch up". Yet another reason to use Big Brown. What kills me is that I just went through this with the US Postal Service about a month ago on a priority mail guitar that took 10 days to delivery. Maybe I wasn't meant to play http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

Stillpicking

Dec-22-2005, 7:48am

Hang in there Jason you never know it may still show up by Christmas.

Merry Christmas & hope you get the MM-7 soon!

RI-Grass

Dec-22-2005, 4:39pm

Brown's no better. Lost a shipment for me two months ago. They made good on the insurance value once I ponied up a copy of the invoice, but it didn't help the poor guy who was looking forward to receiving the one-of-a-kind item. And don't get me started on Brown to Canada ...
Sal

Bill Snyder

Dec-22-2005, 8:47pm

I normally won't buy something if I find out they plan to ship by UPS.

DryBones

Dec-22-2005, 10:25pm

so far I have never had any problems with UPS (knock on wood) but what is the answer? If we can't trust any of the shippers how do we ship? I have no local stores to buy from and even if I did they wouldn't have anything lefty in stock. I guess the only way to ship is to pay the extra cash for next day or express if you want a guarantee of it getting there at all.It seems those are the only packages the shippers really have an interest in and for good reason,probably how they make their real money.

357mag

Dec-23-2005, 6:52am

Oh man, that is so bad! Every time I have one being shipped, I hold my breath. Been lucky so far but I havent bought all that many. Almost as bad is waiting for the seller to recieve his MO in the mail. Says alot for trying to buy from a store and skip all the hassle.

Stephen Perry

Dec-23-2005, 7:16am

We get a better price with FedEx, have less damage. The problems aren't with the local delivery and pickup people, but with the long-distance segment. I suspect most of the damage comes from the toss to the front of the semi.

This time of year the common carriers are completely overwhelmed. They're forced to rely on a good deal of seasonal help, which generates problems in any business. I'm currently involved in 2 FedEx problems. I think these are the only problems this year. Considering we ship over $250,000 in merchandise via FedEx every year this isn't too bad. But each glitch is a bother.

I anticipate having to appeal the damage to my mandolin to FedEx. If that doesn't work, then I'll have to evaluate the contract and see where I can file suit. Quite a bother.

bjc

Dec-23-2005, 8:29am

All I'll say here is that I have "friends" who worked part time for a major shipper and the feeling with them was "If it says FRAGILE launch it..." I have always been concerned, but like others I've been lucky.

DryBones

Dec-31-2005, 2:58pm

Roydw3

Dec-31-2005, 3:31pm

I have had problems with both Fedex and UPS...my office closes at 4:00 and when I have a package coming, I have stayed on several occasinos longer just to make sure I was there when the package arrived. Twice (once with my laptop and once with an expensive digital camera) Fedex listed on their website that they tried to deliver at 4:07 but the business was locked. I complained, made phone calls, etc., but still my high dollar electronics sat in the truck all weekend long and the drivers house. Just last week, Fedex delivered a package containing 20 Bibles and listed on their website that they delivered it to the front porch at 6:17 on Friday night. Now why would you leave a package on the front porch of a business on a holiday weekend. I went to find it and it wasn't anywhere to be found. They ended up delivering another box on Wednesday to make up for it. UPS may come two days late or they may come two days early. There is never any consistency to it and they constantly have banged up boxes. They too have lied on their website about coming and the business was closed when I stayed several hours waiting. My biggest complaint with both companies is that you can't call them and arrange a delivery. If you call the company, they have no way of contacting the drivers...and Fedex drivers are private contractors and my not contact the company for some time. There are so many times that if I could have left a message for the driver, our problems would have been solved.

piknleft

Jan-04-2006, 3:41pm

"Bones, any (good)luck yet? Hope you're making progress.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif Mike

DryBones

Jan-21-2006, 6:03pm

I have a MMS-7 (marble look) LH mandolin. #It is a nice instrument even tho they sent it with a right hand bridge on it. #Finally got the correct bridge. However, the notches on the nut are slightly off. Between the G and D strings it is 4/10ths of a mm and between the D and A strings it is 5/10 of a mm, and between the A and E strings it is 3/10ths of a mm. #I will be getting a new nut soon to correct that mistake. # Otherwise I think it is a nice inst for the price. #Only real bad thing about it is that I had to buy it myself (no wife).

Jack
Jack,
I took your advice and replaced the bridge with a lefty from Cumberland Acoustics(Thanks to Steve for all the help!)Now I know the difference between a right and left hand bridge. The MMS-7L plays like a dream now and the intonation is almost perfect! I also checked my Michael Kelly and it too has a right hand bridge on it that I will be replacing in the near future. Lesson learned? never buy a lefty pac-rim, all the small parts seem to still be righty.

Stephen Perry

Jan-21-2006, 9:12pm

It isn't necessarily all pac-rim instruments that will come in with odd bridges!

DryBones

Jan-21-2006, 9:53pm

Steve,
I guess you are right(or is that left?)I am sure there are other manufacturers that actually make a lefty with all lefty parts, just not the 2 I have. Anyway, I know what to look for and ask in the future. How are the Eastman's when it comes to lefties? It's tough to be a lefty sometimes. The learning curve seems to be a bit steeper. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif