Morgan monroe mandolin

[mandolinplayingpreacher]

I own a Morgan Monroe Mandolin MCM-T I would like to know if anyone else owns one of these mandolins and what do you think about it? I know that it is not a high price instrument but it does have a good sound quality for the price. I have looked up
information on this mandolin and have gotten some good comments about it. I would enjoy hearing from someone else who may own one.

[jim_n_virginia]

hmmm lemme get this straight... you want an opinion on a overseas made Pac-Rim mandolin from a bunch of BUY American and support you local small builder crowd... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

I'll just say that for the money they are pretty good instruments. I know lots of folks that have them and are happy but most are fairly new to the mandolin so I figure they'll be upgrading pretty soon.

I personally think they coat the mandolin with too much finish thus reducing volume output and that just me. I know a lady that plays a blackface MM at a local jam and she does fine.

Of the Pac-Rim mandos coming out now I would say Morgan Monroe, Micael Kelly and Eastman are the best and of these in my own personal opinion I'd take an EAstman over all of them if I had to pick one mainly because EAstman uses a thinner finish.

Trade in value on Pac-Rim mandolin are not so good but lately with better instruments coming from over there you can at least get some of your money back if and when you decide to trade up.

You'll get a lot of differing opinions on a Morgan Monroe some will love theirs and some hate them, I think it's all subjective and if YOU like the sound thats what ultimately is what counts. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[MandoPirate]

hi Paul ... I own a morgan monroe mcm-cb which is the collectors -cherry burst model .. I really like the tone and sound quality of the mandolin .. if I have to say anything bad about it I would say only that it would be great if there was a little less finish coat/laquer on the body .. and none on the neck ... the heavy finish on the neck slows my hands down when i get a little sweaty.

Mine is currently in the shop having frets replaced, ... that alone is costing me about what i paid for the mandolin used and i like it enough that im happy spending the money .. I do reccomend playing the exact mandolin your planning on purchasing befor you buy it though as I dont think all MM,s sound as good.

good luck
MP

and I agree with the poster above me .... there are much better mandolins but the MM is my first so .. grain of salt ..

in a couple of years when im deserving (hopefully) i will buy a custom or more locally made mando

[Sitka]

I own an MCM-CB cherryburst model as well. As of right now, the only complaint is that it isn't as loud as I would like it to be. The initial tone in weak and tinny, then I put a Toneguard on it and it has opened up to a fairly complex tone. It is an excellent mando for less than $1,000.

Micah

[Aran]

My first solid wood is a Bean Blossom which is the bottom of the pile Morgan Monroe. I am waiting for a USA hand made to arrive later in the year and I can't wait.

On a positive note about my current mandolin:

It stays in tune and the hardware is good quality.

The intonation up the neck is fine.

It has reasonable volume.

It didn't cost very much.

On the negative side:

Cosmetically the finish is rubbish.

The sound is fine until you go to a festival and play next to a better mandolin which is usually every other mandolin there (in my case). The sound is just really thin, there is no thunky bass or bell like highs.

In the end I'm glad I got it cause I have had 2 years with something that is more than playable and this in turn as given me time to hone my ear and find out what sound I would really like from a mandolin before I spend a lot of money. Maybe the symptoms of MAS will ease for longer that way, who knows http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[mandolinplayingpreacher]

This is a reply to Aran

My first mandolin in the Morgan Monroe line was a Bean Blossom, it was not to bad of a Mandolin. But I say that when I moved up to the MCM-T I would compare it to comparing a Loyd Lore Gibson to a Johnson.

[manicmando]

I was told that a Morgan Monroe was nothing more than nicer finished Rouge I dont really know but thats what a Saga rep told me

[olgraypat]

Assuming you mean Rogue...I doubt it. The first mandolin I bought was a Rogue, on a lark. It at least resembled a mandolin enough that I was intrigued. I traded it for an MM. I can assure you that the Rogue was finished out much better.

[Mandorev]

Paul,

MM are not made by Saga. The come out of a different factory and are to me a grade above Saga. I have owned or played about every MM model and overall they are a good mandolin at that level. I currently play a MMS-5 Fern and it is really loud with good woody tone. I had it set up and re worked by Gibson set up guy. New bone nut, better spacing, bridge adjustment and it plays better that any of the other MM. The MCM-T that I owned had the least sound and power. Too much finish I think. To make one of these pacrim mandlo's go, a pro set up is the best money spent. My MMS-5 Fern has wonderful tiger back and has opened up real well. Once you decide to stick with this mando, play it hard ( alot of two finger chords everyday) and get it to open as best it will. Good luck !! By the way, I am a mando playing preacher too!

Mandorev

1950 Gibson A 40
2001 Flatiron F5
2003 Gibson F5L
MMS 5 Fern

[manicmando]

I never said MM was made by Saga, they make Kentucky mando's which in "my" opinion is a better mandolin

[Mandorev]

Manicmando

Sorry, I stand corrected. The Kentucky is a great mando, as a matter of fact I am trying to buy a Kentucky A off the classified, but the dude won't respond to my reply. I guess it is sold. Keep on pickin'

[Soupy1957]

Over and over again, as I allowed myself to be bitten by M.A.S. (Mandolin Aquisition Syndrome) I could only afford the Pac-Rim instruments, but I'm saving up now for a Smith Creek, (Dave will be happy to hear that, I'm sure).

Whether the Kentucky (which I liked ok, but was just anxious to move on and see what else was out there), or the Michael Kelly (I didn't like the radius'd neck), the Epiphone MM-50 or the Washburn "Jethro", I've found them to play and sound about the same, and I expect the same in finish and so forth, considering their value level.

I repeatedly considered the Morgan Monroe, and the only thing that stopped me was circumstance.
I fully expect that the MM is simply in the same league as what I have already owned, based on the comments I've heard in here, about them.

-Soupy1957

[earthsave]

My first solid wood is a Bean Blossom which is the bottom of the pile Morgan Monroe. I am waiting for a USA hand made to arrive later in the year and I can't wait.

On a positive note about my current mandolin:

It stays in tune and the hardware is good quality.

The intonation up the neck is fine.

It has reasonable volume.

It didn't cost very much.

On the negative side:

Cosmetically the finish is rubbish.

The sound is fine until you go to a festival and play next to a better mandolin which is usually every other mandolin there (in my case). The sound is just really thin, there is no thunky bass or bell like highs.

In the end I'm glad I got it cause I have had 2 years with something that is more than playable and this in turn as given me time to hone my ear and find out what sound I would really like from a mandolin before I spend a lot of money. Maybe the symptoms of MAS will ease for longer that way, who knows http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
I have a bean blossom I picked up as a beater. I leave it out and sitting around the house and take it outside, which makes it much more accessible so I will play more.

It plays nice all the way up the neck, stays in tune, and dont look too bad from a distance. A great practice mando.

But the sound is very hollow?? The body on this one is very thick, giving it a larger sound chamber, and more volume/loudness, I suspect. It is considerable taller/thicker in body than my A style Flatiron, and barely fits in my Travelite case because of this.

Great for practicing and maybe play amplified, but definitely lacking in woody tone. It'd work for old time music and other styles as well, but not much for jamming in bluegrass or a band.