Alvarez mandolins?

[Griffis]

Wondered what the general consensus of ALvarez mandos was around these parts.

I've owned and played a few Alvarez guitars in my day that ranged from above average to really darned nice.

Reason I'm asking is because of this:

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Alvarez-A500-Mandolin-Double-Point-Oval-Hole-F5-Head_W0QQitemZ150210694635QQihZ005QQcatego
ryZ10179QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target='_blank'>http://cgi.ebay.com/Alvarez....iewItem</a>

I think it's gorgeous and hope it might sound and play as good as it looks. Seller says it's 20 years old or so.

Any thoughts?

[Mark Walker]

I played one in a music shop a few months back. Nice looking, average sound; had a terrible set-up though. (Not surprising; no one at this 'guitar' store knew diddly about mandolins.)

I wouldn't have bought it, but one 20-years old might have some mojo if it's been played and set up correctly. I've got a 30-year old Alvarez 12-string guitar I've had for about 25 of those 30 years and love it.

Bid on! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[pdb]

nice looking, below average sound. Most are only solid tops with laminated sides/backs. A few are solid woods throughout. I've never actually played one I thought was anything close to american makers instruments. There are better pac rim mandos out there (eastman and kentucky to name two).

[MikeEdgerton]

Take a look at these (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=Search&CODE=02&SID=47a46cc36e19e5d7) threads. They've been discussed many times before. If you scan through those messages you'll find threads that discuss the two pointers specifically.

[arbarnhart]

A while back when I had my oval A and swore I would be happy with that, I played an Alvrez F style that was around $700 at a local store and it was incredibly difficult to put back on the wall. It played well and sounded very good. It is partially to blame for my eventual purchase of an F.

[catmandu2]

If I had to spend $300 blindly, I'd go for this:
http://www.elderly.com/new_ins....174.htm (http://www.elderly.com/new_instruments/names/kentucky-km-174-a-mandolin--KM174.htm)

Although plain looking, these are likely to deliver more bang/buck.

I was going to get one, but a cafe member sold me one of these instead:
http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/90U-4006.htm

While generic looking, it has a very good sound.

Of course, you asked about the Alvrz...I'm just offering up cheap alts. that probably sound as good to far better.

If you could swing $400, I'd go for the Mid-Mo M-4 in the classifieds...and there's a newly posted Gypsy. You can't go wrong with all-solid wood, MIA mandos at these prices.

[John Flynn]

I had an A800 as my main mando for 10 years. I'm not sure when it was made, but I think late 80's or early 90's. It was stamped "Handmade in Japan," and it was all solid woods with carved top and back. I thought it was great when I had it and it served me well. I paid $400 for it and got $400 for it on a trade after 10 years of very hard playing, so I can't complain. It wasn't until I replaced it with a Rigel A+ Deluxe that I realized its limitations, the main one being that it was not very even in volume and tone across the fretboard, but for what it was, it was not too bad.

I'll tell you what I would buy if I had $400 and I have NFI whatsoever. There is a Parsons Flat-top in the classifieds for $325, I think. It is a deluxe version of one I have as my beater. It is not as good as my better instruments, but for the money, it is the best darn mando value I have ever played. I had to use it this past week at large bluegrass jam and to my surprise it held its own. I even got a spontaneous compliment on the tone from the leader of the jam.

[catmandu2]

...or, the Parsons (missed that one MJ http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif )

I'd love to sit down with all three of these (Mid-Mo, Gypsy and Parsons) for an afternoon.

[Andrew Faltesek]

During the process of checkin' out various local mandos last year, I played an Alvarez F1 which was maple/spruce, no stain, nice binding, etc. It sounded good and seemed well constructed for the price($700). It sold recently for $600 according to my contact at the shop.