Giannini mandolins?

[Caleb]

Just noticed them on Music123's site. They look pretty interesting. What's the word on these?

[kww]

I looked pretty seriously at buying one, and only decided against them because of importation problems. I couldn't get one directly from Brazil, and buying one from someone from the US from someone that had imported them from Brazil started to get pretty costly because of the double duties and double shipping. Their GBSM3 and GBSM5 appear to be fine instruments. The GBSM5 is all solid, and built by a single luthier. The GBSM3 has laminated sides and back.

The GBSM1 is their budget model, and uses lower cost hardware throughout. I don't know if it is a bad instrument, though. I haven't heard anything bad about it at all.

[Fliss]

I tried one out at Hobgoblin a few months ago, just out of curiosity, but didn't like it. It seemed well made, the finish quality seemed good, and it was attractive looking, but the tone seemed very thin (bright?) to my ears.

They sometimes seem to be marketed as Celtic style mandolins, but I wouldn't really say they are Celtic style, they just have a similar look, rather than the tone.

Fliss

[Jim Garber]

I wouldn't really say they are Celtic style
I would not say that either... they are Brazilian style bandolims.

There was a thread a few months ago here (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=13;t=34306;hl=bandolim).

http://www.giannini.com.br/eng/imagens/novosite/handcrafted/GBSM5-g.jpg

Jim

[Caleb]

Thanks for the info and the link to that other thread...very helpful. But....I think I'm confused now: are these NOT mandolins....but bandolims? Furthermore...what is a bandolim?

[kww]

"Bandolim" is just Portuguese for mandolin. People tend to use "bandolim" in English to specifically refer to the Brazilian style of mandolin. Scale, tuning, etc., is all standard, so there isn't anything to worry about.

[Caleb]

"Bandolim" is just Portuguese for mandolin. People tend to use "bandolim" in English to specifically refer to the Brazilian style of mandolin. Scale, tuning, etc., is all standard, so there isn't anything to worry about.
Thanks, friend. I did notice on the ceder top model from Giannini that it does look a bit shorter than other standard A-style mandolins. Looks like the neck joins at the 9th fret? Maybe I'm not looking at it correctly.

I do not own a mandolin yet, but so far the looks and features, plus the price-point, of the Giannini's really appeal to me. I may look further into one of these. I know they're not made in USA, but I grow tired of the countless things now made in China

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sleepy.gif

I had been leaning toward the Kentuckys, but I have always like the oval hole design better from day one anyway. My curiosity is serioulsy peeked with the Gianninis.


Thanks to ALL for your help on this matter.

[Bill Snyder]

... but I grow tired of the countless things now made in China

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sleepy.gif

I had been leaning toward the Kentuckys...
Kentuckys are made in China.

[Caleb]

... but I grow tired of the countless things now made in China

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sleepy.gif

I had been leaning toward the Kentuckys...
Kentuckys are made in China.
Exactly. I see the Gianninis as a good alternative to a Chinese made product. I realize that the Giannini is a completely different beast as well, but it is likely more suited to my taste.

[Caleb]

Any more input on Gianninis?

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[Eric F.]

Haven't you bought a mando by now? You ARE a slacker! You're over-thinking this. Get something, start playing, grow vaguely dissatisfied, sell it and buy something else. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Caleb]

Haven't you bought a mando by now? You ARE a slacker! You're over-thinking this. Get something, start playing, grow vaguely dissatisfied, sell it and buy something else. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
I am definitely a slacker. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

I tend to overthink things a bit in life. I just want to get the right one. I'm getting close....

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/coffee.gif

[Keith Miller]

I have tried the full range side by side in a local shop and although my ears are not as well tuned as some here I could not tell any real differance beween the tone of any of them. As the range goes up so they become fancier that seems to be it. All the ones I played were very well made, played easily and sounded fine, NOT bluegrassy but great for the celic stuff I do. Good prices as well.
Keith

[Jim Garber]

Keith,
Nice to hear that someone has actually played one of these. I played a nice bandolim from a recognized maker that was very nice -- sweet sounding and all, but the high end Giannini looked pretty good for the money -- more than 1/2 the price.

I would want it to try my hand at choro.

Jim

[Keith Miller]

Jim,
They are nice to look at, the high end is really nice and I DO like the sound, beat te rest of the stuff in the shop hands down http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif and that included a very nice sounding Fylde , the dearest one was 1/2 the price of the touchstone Fylde
try and get your hands on one
Keith

[Martin Jonas]

They've just started appearing in the UK: TAMCO have one model for £225 but don't say which one, and the GBSM3 appears regularly on Ebay UK for £200. One thing I saw at the TAMCO site is that they have a scale length of 12.5", shorter even than a bowlback. The EBay listing in contrast says 335mm, which is effectively violin/bowlback scale. Which is correct?

Martin

[kww]

GBSM5 (http://www.giannini.com.br/eng/pop_mpb.asp?instrumento=gbsm5) description says 350mm scale, as do the GBSM3 (http://www.giannini.com.br/eng/pop_mpb.asp?instrumento=gbsm3) and GBSM1 (http://www.giannini.com.br/eng/pop_mpb.asp?instrumento=gbsm1).

[Jim Garber]

That is a big difference in scale, prob a typo on the first site. I would go for the 5 for the solid woods and suppose more attention to luthier details.

BTW does anyone know if the choro style leans toward lighter gauge strings. I think I heard that somewhere.

Jim

[Jim MacDaniel]

Slacker -- do you have any music stores that stock mandolins in your town or nearby? I know you don't play yet, but by visiting a store and test driving what they have in stock with a few two-finger chords and first-position scales, you can still get a good idea as to which ones feel better in your hands and sound better in your ears.

As an alternative to Giannini, you might want to check out Canadian-made Garrison mandolins -- per this thread (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=13;t=35542;st=0), they seem to be a pretty good value and yield a good tone.

(BTW, since you mentioned Kentucky, Saga is releasing an oval-hole Kentucky mandolin that should be hitting the stores in a couple of weeks.)

[Jim Garber]

Like this:

KENTUCKY STANDARD A-MODEL MANDOLINS - OVAL HOLE - BLACK
Item Number: KM-171

Kentucky Artist Collection "Oval Hole" A-Model Mandolins combine the best features of traditional 1920's instruments to provide unique modern instruments with the flexibility to handle today's demanding performance requirements. Each KM-160, in addition to the oval sound hole, has a bound rosewood fingerboard on a maple neck that joins the body at the 10th fret. All topped off with the unmistakable and traditional "snake-head" peghead design with rosewood overlay and pearl Kentucky script logo.

* Solid, hand-carved and graduated spruce top in a gloss Black finish
* Solid, hand-carved flamed maple back and sides
* New vintage-style body shape with "Oval-soundhole"
* One piece maple neck with dovetail neck/body joint at the 10th fret
* Nitro-cellulose finish
* Bound rosewood fingerboard with M.O.P. dot position markers
* Traditional "Snake-head" peghead design with rosewood overlay with inlaid Kentucky script in pearl
* Vintage-style rosewood bridge with small adjustment wheels
* Traditional 2-screw truss rod cover plate
* Bone nut
* Highly polished nickel silver frets
* Nickel-plated tailpiece with leather insert
* High-quality, nickel-plated Gotoh tuners with engraved plate and removable buttons
* Shop adjusted

Price: $295.00

A few other colors available and the price is prob list.

Jim

[Caleb]

Slacker -- do you have any music stores that stock mandolins in your town or nearby? I know you don't play yet, but by visiting a store and test driving what they have in stock with a few two-finger chords and first-position scales, you can still get a good idea as to which ones feel better in your hands and sound better in your ears.

As an alternative to Giannini, you might want to check out Canadian-made Garrison mandolins -- per this thread (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=13;t=35542;st=0), they seem to be a pretty good value and yield a good tone.

(BTW, since you mentioned Kentucky, Saga is releasing an oval-hole Kentucky mandolin that should be hitting the stores in a couple of weeks.)
Hi. I have went to some stores and checked out some mandolins. I've picked up some Ibanez, Dean, Alvarez, one Hohner, as well as some other cheaper brands that were on the wall. Honestly, most of them felt like junk, were all the typical burst finished A-styles with F-holes. The Hohner was actually pretty good and it was under 2 bills, and the Alvarez was one of those spruce top/maple back and sides models with the satin finish, it sounded good too, but not as good as the Hohner. But I've not had much access to really nice brands. There was one Webber in a certain store, but the shop owner would not let me play it (how's that for trying to sell a product?)

I like the look of the Garrisons, but they're probably a littler more money than I want to spend. I might just have to end up going on faith in the end and just ordering something online....that's what I did when I got my first nice acoustic guitar. I could not decide, so I ordered online and ended up loving the guitar.

I wish that new Kentucky oval hole model mentioned came in a natural finish. I'd have to seriously consider that one.

[Caleb]

Like this:

KENTUCKY STANDARD A-MODEL MANDOLINS - OVAL HOLE - BLACK
Item Number: KM-171

Kentucky Artist Collection "Oval Hole" A-Model Mandolins combine the best features of traditional 1920's instruments to provide unique modern instruments with the flexibility to handle today's demanding performance requirements. Each KM-160, in addition to the oval sound hole, has a bound rosewood fingerboard on a maple neck that joins the body at the 10th fret. All topped off with the unmistakable and traditional "snake-head" peghead design with rosewood overlay and pearl Kentucky script logo.

# #* Solid, hand-carved and graduated spruce top in a gloss Black finish
# #* Solid, hand-carved flamed maple back and sides
# #* New vintage-style body shape with "Oval-soundhole"
# #* One piece maple neck with dovetail neck/body joint at the 10th fret
# #* Nitro-cellulose finish
# #* Bound rosewood fingerboard with M.O.P. dot position markers
# #* Traditional "Snake-head" peghead design with rosewood overlay with inlaid Kentucky script in pearl
# #* Vintage-style rosewood bridge with small adjustment wheels
# #* Traditional 2-screw truss rod cover plate
# #* Bone nut
# #* Highly polished nickel silver frets
# #* Nickel-plated tailpiece with leather insert
# #* High-quality, nickel-plated Gotoh tuners with engraved plate and removable buttons
# #* Shop adjusted

Price: $295.00

A few other colors available and the price is prob list.

Jim
Where did you get this info? I can't find this on Saga's site at all?

[Jim Garber]

Where did you get this info? I can't find this on Saga's site at all?
Right here (http://www.sagamusic.com/catalog/products.asp?Page=2&view=&keyword=&CategoryID=2&FamilyID=3&BrandID=20). Scroll down toward the bottom.

Jim

[Caleb]

Where did you get this info? #I can't find this on Saga's site at all?
Right here (http://www.sagamusic.com/catalog/products.asp?Page=2&view=&keyword=&CategoryID=2&FamilyID=3&BrandID=20). Scroll down toward the bottom.

Jim
Thank you.

[Jim MacDaniel]

Slacker, I too prefer a non-burst finish, and the new Kentucky oval holes appear to come in three colors, none of them being sunburst: Black, Burgundy (like the color of last year's KM-250S model), and a Honey Amber. They will feature all solid woods, and their quality and performance should be nice enough to have fun with. (Note: I have no commercial interest in Saga -- other than wanting to buy one of these myself. ;)

[Jim MacDaniel]

Here is a pic of one of Saga's new F-hole models in ther Honey Amber finish, which will be one of the three colors available on their new oval-hole model...

[jackofall]

I find these Giannini things intriguing. They're definitely pretty.

Interesting point about the scale length. If Trevor sees this I'd be interested in confirmation of the scale length of the Gianninis he has for sale. What's quoted on the TAMCO site does seem a bit shorter than I've seen specified elsewhere.

I'm quite tempted by these.

And yes, I am experiencing a very virulent bout of MAS at the moment. The shopping list is growing.

[Caleb]

that little cedar top model looks great, but does seem short. looks like the neck joins at the 9th fret. thats not much access.

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[jackofall]

True, but I have another flat top that joins at about the same place. For Celtic stuff in G or D it's not really a prob.

[glauber]

I'm going to Brazil in a few weeks. I may buy me a Giannini to leave there for when i visit. We'll see.

[nhanduti]

That is a big difference in scale, prob a typo on the first site. I would go for the 5 for the solid woods and suppose more attention to luthier details.

BTW does anyone know if the choro style leans toward lighter gauge strings. I think I heard that somewhere.

Jim

Hi Jim!

I'm from Brasil, and play choro too, lighter gauge strings are easilly to play but with medium gauge you have more basses and a loud sound, maybe trills and speed notes can be dificult to do, but not impossible. I prefer lighter gauge, you can do beautifulls trills, doble stops and slides easilly and can play with much more feeling, that is indispensable for choro! ;)

I have a giannini that was made in 1978, the model is out of production today, all solid woods, rosewood and german spruce. a very fine instrument. scale length 350mm!

i have some choro notes, if you want i can send you whenn my scaner turn on, now it is broken.
:mandosmiley:

[Capt. E]

And in Mexico at least, a mandolin is called a bandolin (n at the end, instead of an m in portugese).