Morgan monroe

[Sweetpea44]

Cafe Members~

I'm new at mandolins and looking for something to start on. I've looked at different stores in my area, and I've found one store that I feel comfortable with. They don't carry a lot of mandolins in stock at once (only about 6), but they're good quality and the people are knowledgeable. Right now, they have Morgan Monroe M-F1 for about $550, which is about my price limit. I don't know much about Morgan Monroe, so I was wondering they it was a good brand at a good price. It's solid wood. I don't want a cheap instrument because then I won't be motivated to practice. Would this be a good beginner type mandolin? They other mandolins they have in stock are way over my budget. Any suggestions? Thanks!

[homeslice]

Howdy Sweetpea. I own a Morgan Monroe mms-8, which is supposedly one of thier better ones. Here is my honest opinion..If I knew then what I know now, I would have bought a Kentucky. Not that there is anything really wrong with the mandolin, especially after Ive spent about a hundred bucks getting it tweaked and setup, but I now know fully that I could have gotten much more bang for my buck with a Kentucky. There are a few Kentucky's at the local shop here that cost $400 less than what I spent and they are all hands down better instruments in every department (except maybe looks). For around $300 bucks you can get an "A" style with a radiused fingerboard (easier to play), and Id be willing to bet that with the proper setup, It will sound better than the Morgan Monroe. I know that those sound better than mine, and they play much easier. Just my 2 cents. Good luck!

[Sitka]

Hey Sweetpea44, Welcome to the Cafe!

I would recommend that, if you know someone that has been playing the mandolin for a fair amount of time, to have them go with you to look at mandolins. They would be able to tell you, and show you, the better quality instruments in a certain price range. Also remember that every mandolin is different. I own a Morgan Monroe MCM-CB which is one of their limited addition models. You can listen to sound clips of it on my website in my signature.

Micah

[K3NTUCKI8oy]

I would recommend the just call them Morgans because there is nothing Monroe about
them.

[Ken Berner]

Are you suggesting that Morgan sign the label?

[earthsave]

Play all the mandolins they got and see if you can tell the difference between the $550 and the ones outta your price range.

Just whack em a bit with a pick and listen. Form a chord or two. If you dont know any chords, you can find pics of a two finger G and C here, print em out and take with you to the store and make those chord forms and whack on em a bit and listen. Feel the pressure of the strings on your finger an which ones are easier to chord. Compare the action (string height above the bridge all the way up the neck.

Should be able to get a feel for how they sound and play. Hopefully, someone in the store knows about mandolins. Have them play em and sit back and listen and ask if they all play similarly.

I played guitar before I played Mandolin and the mando is a very easy instrument to make a pleasant sound come out of in a very short time.

[bluegrassjack2]

I thought Morgan Monroes were made with wood from the Morgan Monroe State Forest in Southern Indiana??

[jim_n_virginia]

#Would this be a good beginner type mandolin? #They other mandolins they have in stock are way over my budget. #Any suggestions? #Thanks!
It would be OK for a beginner mandolin but I would definitely find someone to set it up properly and not neccesarily the store you bought it from.

[Stephen Perry]

I suggest you get a bendalight or equivalent and a dental mirror. Take a very careful look inside Kentucky, Morgan, Eastman, and other low end mandolins and compare to the more expensive instruments. Look for the size of the tone bars, quality of finishing, whether unnecessary reinforcing strips are used, whether the end blocks are shimmed or properly fit. Regardless of your current perception of tone, getting something that isn't built like a decent mandolin should be built isn't likely to bear fruit.

[Laurence Firth]

Hello SP – I have a Morgan Monroe MM5 that I purchased a year ago. I initially had some difficulty with it but I’m pretty satisfied with it now. I’ve discussed the problems I had and the solution to those problems in the Café here:

Morgan Monroe Problems (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=8;t=43420;hl=tuning+machine )


If I were making my purchase today I might look at the Kentucky’s, Eastman’s and at the classified ads here at the café. Be sure to read my post and then look at the instrument carefully and if possible get someone else to evaluate the instrument you are considering if you know someone who plays the mandolin. Unless the store you purchase it from has done so you will need to get the mandolin “set-up” regardless of the manufacture.

Best of luck with you purchase and leaning this great instrument.

[steve V. johnson]

bluegrassjack sez "I thought Morgan Monroes were made with wood from the Morgan Monroe State Forest in Southern Indiana??"

LOL!! No, the politicos get the $ from the logging in there, such as it is. The MMSt.Forest is a nice place to hang out, tho.

stv

[Sweetpea44]

"I suggest you get a bendalight or equivalent and a dental mirror. Take a very careful look inside Kentucky, Morgan, Eastman, and other low end mandolins and compare to the more expensive instruments."

Thanks for the advise! I'm a dentist, so it won't be hard for me to take a mirror from the office!! :-)
~Sweetpea44

[RobP]

A dentist huh? Judging from the bills I pay, perhaps you should be looking into a Gibson or Collings http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif Might as well go for it now if you can http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Cheers

Rob

[Nolan]

I wouldn't waste my time... save a few more bucks and get a used Gibson A9.

[earthsave]

You might look in the classifieds here for a used mando. #I'd buy sight unseen from a reputable dealer or member here rather than an MM. #I've heard maybe 10 played and played maybe 2 or 3 myself of the high end ones, and they all were thin sounding and lacked good woof and tone.

[Seafood]

I bought a MMS3 here and it came with a solid bronze tailpiece and solid hardwood bridge. I spent $100 on a set-up, luckily it was only $350 to start with. If you had to start from new all this would be in $800 range. I did need to replace a couple of the tuning buttons and the MM company sent them out real fast and free. Great company and if you could find a used one in the $3-400 you might be happy.
If I had it to do over I'd probably go with a Kentucky or Eastman from here:
http://www.themandoshop.com/

[Skin it Back]

I have an MM8 that I bought as my first mandolin two years ago. I really like the tone (warm & woody, not harsh)and have been pleasantly surprised that I have had no problems with the tuners as it stays in pretty good tune.

FYI, I will be selling it (for less than you mentioned) around October/November when my new BRW is finished if you can wait. Otherwise, good luck. I also hear that some people really like the Eastmans.

[mercenarymandolinist]

I bought a MM8 from a Staten Island shop and it was a bad choice of instrument and dealer. The top was about 10mm thick. I ended up recarving the whole thing. After a year and a half, the tuner buttons are cracking. Search "revoicing Morgan Monroe" in the builder section. I have it in blackface with a cast Allen tailpiece and a soundboard transducer/endpin jack. It's a good gig mandolin, but the F5 I built and my Gibson F Goldrush are in a different league.
I had a Kentucky 1000 that I bought back in the '80's that was an excellent mandolin for about the same money.