HELP w/ new Mando!

[desiknow]

New Post Help w/ new Mando Hello everyone!

I have enjoyed reading up on Mando's on this forum the past two weeks. I am a guitar player who has always wanted a Mando in the back of my mind but I got the itch REALLY REALLY bad when introduced to Nickel Creek and I saw the it could successfully applied to a folkish pop stuff too. Not that it hasn’t been done before but I feel Chris Thile has done it very very well !!!

So, I got the itch real bad started reading and went to my local guitar center and sam ash. no luck. cheap fenders, epiphones and 1 tacoma..and that $100 stuff sam ash sells.
I bought the Tacoma in hast last week.
I want to return it and get something a little better. I got it for $300 since they are no loger carring Tacoma @ G.C.
I think I will be able to come up w/ another $300-400 in the next two weeks.
What do I get. I would want to get a pickup put in, in the near future or buy one that already has one, for church stuff.
I have been looking at the M.K. Legacy Series and the Kentucky KM-675 but any suggestion is welcomed.
What would you do if you had to buy a F style one right now for $650-700?

Thanks!! You guys ROCK.
P.S. Any good reviews on Elvenwood Mando's

[John Flynn]

What would you do if you had to buy a F style one right now for $650-700?
Personally, I wouldn't do it. In that price range, F-styles are not your best deal. You are paying precious few dollars for fancy woodwork that does not improve tone or playability. In the higher price ranges, it's a whole 'nuther story. BTW, the Tacomas are not traditional, but they are decent mandos, as are the Mid-Missouris in your range. A pickup can be added to anything, but a mike is better. For $700, you might even snag a used A-9, Rigel A Natural or Beedlove Quartz, any of which would be much better than the mandos you mention. If you must, must, must have an F 'cause Chris T. has one, the MK is probably your best deal.

It just kind of reminds me of all the bicycle riders in my neighborhood wearing yellow jerseys during the Tour de France. It didn't make them look or perform like Lance Armstrong.

Prime example of what Johnny is talking about (http://cgi.aol.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=3750688743&ssPageName=STRK:MEBI:IT)

[Phantoj]

Hi newbie!

I can't answer your questions, but I greet you as a fellow guitarist turned onto this neat instrument.




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[magnumgray]

There's a blonde Howard Morris in the Classifieds ... I own one in sunburst and find it does a great job .....handmade and great gibson like sound for the money

[GVD]

Or you could do like I did and go ahead and buy the MK with a pickup cause you think you just have to have a F. Then in a year or so after you keep hearing A styles that have lots better tone than your MK you'll end up buying one of those. Then the MK ends up under the bed and never being played. #I mean why would people like Johnny and Dale want to try to save us $650-700. The nerve of those two #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

GVD

[desiknow]

Thanks guys!

KEEP IT COMING.

Its not that I want an F style cause Chris T. uses one. I am a bit to old for that. I just really dig the way they look.

SO...what are some other good A's in that range?

[Phantoj]

I think you should get what you like. If you'd rather play a slightly inferior instrument with a cool scroll, hey, there's nothing wrong with that - as long as the cheapie F still intonates well, tunes easily, etc...

But I'm a NEWBIE, too, so...

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Argh!...if you can hang tone, playabilty, quality & resale off of that scroll go right ahead.......but hey......if it looks cool, that's what matters.......huh....

[fatt-dad]

I have a 70's vintage Aria Pro II (PM-780) in a shaped hard-shell case that I will sell for $750.00. It's made in Japan and all solid wood. Some marks from wear and a chip or two missing from the MOP inlay on the fretboard. Haven't taken photos yet, but you can email me if you want to at fatt-dad@richmond.com

p.s., I'm keeping my a-model Flatiron and Stiver for all reasons referenced above - but they are worth more (to me at least).

fatt-dad

[RobP]

Or you could just play the Tacoma for a while -- for $300 you got it for a steal. I played one for a couple of years before buying a Rigel. The Tacoma's are quite playable and a good place to start. My suggestion: give the Tacoma a try for a while, and stick around here and read up a bit before you make another purchase. Then later sell the Tacoma in the Cafe classifieds -- I bet you will get your money back for it.

Beware of the instrument temptations -- relax and pick a while http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Rob

[natep]

NEW WASHBURN M6SW JETHRO BURNS "F" STYLE MANDOLIN ! $405 res not met/ $779 buy now
1940's Gibson A-50 mandolin, excellent original $700
KENTUCKY KM-250s ARTIST A-MODEL MANDOLIN $172.50 res not met
1980 Washburn M-4S Jethro Burns F-Style Mandolin $750

Above i have copied the listings on ebay of several instrument s i've been watching. The F's i was looking at are all hand-carved solid top & back, and all made in China or Korea. i've got the impression that the Asian F models (and A's, i bet) are often good but from playing them at stores i get the impression they're inconsistent. that is, i played a $195 kentucky Artist A-model that had a far better sound & feel than the $700-800 Kentuck and Morgan Monroe F models. Likewise, i have for years played a 1930's Kay that i still maintain has a great sound, but it has lately become more and more unplayable due to action and fret wear and not worth the expense of refixing.

on ebay now is a Tyler Mountain F that might be alright, i really dont know. it was under $500 recently tho.

I ended up with a 1930's Gibson A for $650. Well, it's currently in Cleveland OH heading for me as we speak. A couple weeks ago i was very tempted to buy a very similar model for $1100, which i preferred strongly over the $1600-1800 webers and collins's. i'm hoping for the best, i guess. I'd check out the $700 Gibson A on ebay tho, were i in the market.