Espanola Mandolins

[gestalt]

Looking for some information on these instruments, especially first-hand experience, as their web presence appears to be fairly limited aside from this stock image (http://i26.tinypic.com/2rormrt.jpg). I have encountered conflicting reports about manufacturing location (both the ambiguous "Asia" and Mexico) and almost nothing about quality or playability.

The mandolin that I am looking to purchase is this almost new model (http://i25.tinypic.com/6iyx5l.jpg), used sparingly by the original owner, for $100 including a hardshell case. I am assuming this is a typical entry-level instrument and the craftsmanship will reflect that, though on the surface it looks better than most others. Obviously I will play it before making a final decision, but was wondering what other criteria I should employ. I have played guitar and bass for over a decade and have dabbled with banjo and mandolin, but aside from basic appearance and ease of adjustments I am in the dark about the latter.

Any resources or opinions would be a great help. Thank you.

[Brad Weiss]

$100 is so cheap, that you can't really go wrong. Well, if you try to play it and it is so unplayable that your fingers bleed and the intonation is impossibly off, that might be a deal breaker. But it may be a good place to get your feet wet, and see if you actually want to play the mandolin.

This IS the resource, and you'll find no shortage of opinions!!

[Santiago]

If the deal looks to good to be true, chances are it is.

[gestalt]

While I appreciate the sentiment behind caveat emptor and adhere to it, what I am looking for, barring a firsthand testimonial, is some advice on how to better make an informed decision.

Having a background in string instruments means I am aware of some general issues on cheaper models like action/intonation problems that just cannot be remedied, frets/nuts/bridges that have not been finished properly, warping due to poor construction or environment, or other things which would leave you with a luthier bill more than the piece is actually worth.

Aside from general playability and tone, are there any other red flags I should be aware of? What are some common points of concern with entry-level mandolins?

Thanks again.

[Santiago]

Essentially you want solid wood and not a cheap laminate, which is very likely in the $100 price range. You get what you pay for.

[Jim MacDaniel]

Kentucky mandolins seem to be a very popular recommendation as of late for a nice performing, well made, all solid, yet inexpensive carved top mandolins. If you don't play bluegrass (meaning, if you don't need F-holes), the new oval hole Kentuckly (KM-171 in black, KM-172 in amber, and KM-174 in burgundy) mandolins are surprisingly nice mandolins for a small price (~$275 new). If you need F-holes, the KM-505 has received many nice reviews here in the message boards (~$400).

[Santiago]

Essentially you want solid wood and not a cheap laminate, which is very likely in the $100 price range. You get what you pay for.

[Wendell Jeong]

Since you can play it before buying it, you should be okay. To me evaluating this mandolin shouldn't be much different than evaluating a $100 guitar. You have all the aspects of setup to check and whether the tuners can hold a tune, warped neck, etc. I was at my local music store a couple of weeks ago. When I asked if they had mandolins, they handed me a pacific rim import....can't recall the brand. It had a black painted body and actually played better than my Hohner when my wife bought it for me. It was an $89 mandolin. This mandolin had the thin frets like my Hohner. Aside from that, I couldn't find anything really bad about it. As a new player, I may be a little mando impaired, but I think it might work for you as a starter instument. My Hohner doesn't have the sound of my Michael Kelly, but no one ever told me it sounded like cr*p when I showed up with it at a jam. I sometimes felt like I played it like cr*p, but it was not the fault of the instrument. Good luck with your decision. If you become a reasonably good player, I'll bet no one will even figure out that this is a $100 mando. hope this helps.

Wendell

[mrmando]

I'd regard Espanolas as significantly below a "typical entry-level instrument." I wouldn't touch it.

[allenhopkins]

You have hit most of the "common points of concern with entry-level mandolins": improperly pitched necks so that the action is unplayable, badly dressed or unevenly seated frets, non-functional hardware (tuners, tailpiece), improperly fitted bridge (feet don't make complete contact with the top). As you're no doubt aware, mandolins have "floating" (unfixed) bridges, so some intonation problems may be corrected by relocating the bridge to the proper spot -- not too hard to do if you take tension off the strings.

Necks aren't perfectly straight -- a small amount of concave bow or "relief" is acceptable -- but if you an extremely high action, more than can be corrected by adjusting the bridge saddle height with the adjustment wheels, you may be dealing with a warped or improperly pitched neck. The mandolin pictured has a truss rod cover, implying an adjustable neck truss rod, but at that price, the truss rod may not effectively correct neck warpage or curvature.

Obviously, checking for cracks or splits goes without saying. At a price of $100, you're getting a plywood instrument, with an "induced arch" (heat pressed), rather than a carved, top. And I assume you recognize it's not a high quality mandolin, but rather one to learn on. In that context, ease of playability and structural integrity are of much more concern than sound volume or quality. You have the chance to play it first, which is good. It has a decent case, which is also good. How it feels to you when you play it is very important; an easy-to-play instrument leads to more hours spent learning its ins and outs.

Don't expect too much; don't apply the same standards you would to one of your quality instruments. You aren't going to take this $100 mandolin to a repair shop for $300 worth of work. It might not hurt to get a professional set-up, new strings etc., which could run you 50% of the price of the mandolin, but might also make it much more rewarding to play.

Those who warn you against cheapo mandolins have your best interests at heart. A recognized brand like Kentucky, Rover etc. is a safer bet in the sub-$300 price range. But as long as you're realistic about what you're dealing with, and find it playable and structurally sound, you can learn on a cheapo. Many of us did.

[Jim MacDaniel]

Here's another option: Saga routinely sells their blems on ebay under the seller ID of rhaus1999, and they just posted three KM-150 with comsemtic issues relating to regluing their fingerboards up towards the nut. These are all solid f-hole mandolins, and they asking $120 for them (they sell for >$200 new), but I bet you can use the Best Offer function and get them for $100 or $110. (I've purchased a couple blems from them in the past, and have been quite happy with them.)

[Jim MacDaniel]

Here's another option: Saga routinely sells their blems on ebay under the seller ID of rhaus1999, and they just posted three KM-150 with comsemtic issues relating to regluing their fingerboards up towards the nut. These are all solid f-hole mandolins, and they asking $120 for them (they sell for >$200 new), but I bet you can use the Best Offer function and get them for $100 or $110. (I've purchased a couple blems from them in the past, and have been quite happy with them.)

Here (http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/rhaus1999_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_ipgZ) is the link.