Fliss
Mar-20-2006, 3:15pm
I know it's a long way from where most of you are, but I thought you'd be interested to hear I discovered a new shop that sells guitars and mandolins. Actually, it's not a shop as such but a stall on the Market in the city centre of Chester. But they had an interesting variety of mandolins there, including a 1995 Gibson Master Model and a 1950s Martin flat top.
As you may know, I'm not far advanced from being a beginner, so before I say anything else, I'll qualify my opinions of the mandolins I tried by stating that these are entirely my own very inexpert opinions!
I asked if I could try the Gibson, as I've never played one of these, so I was interested to see how it would feel and sound to me. It was certainly a beautiful mandolin, an A-style, with a fantastic glow to the wood, for want of a better description. The sound wasn't what I'd be looking for myself, as I like the warmer sound you get with a flat top rather than the brighter sound of an arched top, but it was certainly nice.
The Martin didn't appeal to me, I was quite surprised. It sounded a bit thin, for want of a better description.
They also had a cheap Washburn which I tried, and I must confess I liked the sound from it, and it seemed louder than the Gibson, though it was nowhere near as appealing in other ways!
What I'm curious about is how the prices compare, in terms of value. I'm not tempted to buy any of these mandolins, although I enjoyed playing them, but I'd be intrested to know for future reference, and I'm not sufficiently aware of prices on Gibsons, for example, to know if this shop offers good value or not. The Gibson was priced at £1550, and the Martin at around £500. Does this sound reasonable value?
On a side note, as a near-beginner I was delighted that in trying out the mandolins I managed to produce a reasonable-sounding rendition of Pat Galvin's Hornpipe and a few other tunes, the stallholder seemed quite impressed and suggested we should jam sometime!!!!
Fliss
As you may know, I'm not far advanced from being a beginner, so before I say anything else, I'll qualify my opinions of the mandolins I tried by stating that these are entirely my own very inexpert opinions!
I asked if I could try the Gibson, as I've never played one of these, so I was interested to see how it would feel and sound to me. It was certainly a beautiful mandolin, an A-style, with a fantastic glow to the wood, for want of a better description. The sound wasn't what I'd be looking for myself, as I like the warmer sound you get with a flat top rather than the brighter sound of an arched top, but it was certainly nice.
The Martin didn't appeal to me, I was quite surprised. It sounded a bit thin, for want of a better description.
They also had a cheap Washburn which I tried, and I must confess I liked the sound from it, and it seemed louder than the Gibson, though it was nowhere near as appealing in other ways!
What I'm curious about is how the prices compare, in terms of value. I'm not tempted to buy any of these mandolins, although I enjoyed playing them, but I'd be intrested to know for future reference, and I'm not sufficiently aware of prices on Gibsons, for example, to know if this shop offers good value or not. The Gibson was priced at £1550, and the Martin at around £500. Does this sound reasonable value?
On a side note, as a near-beginner I was delighted that in trying out the mandolins I managed to produce a reasonable-sounding rendition of Pat Galvin's Hornpipe and a few other tunes, the stallholder seemed quite impressed and suggested we should jam sometime!!!!
Fliss