A style vs F style

[Mark53]

I am new to the mandolin. Having played the guitar for 25 years I felt I needed to branch out.

I am quite taken (as many are), with the look for the F style. The scroll and head stock are dramatic. It looked to me like a single cutaway guitar.

Then i picked up a copy of the Bluegrass Journey DVD. There was a part called the Mandolin Clinic featuring Tim O'Brien with his A style Nugget, Ronnie M'Coury with his Gilcrest F and Chris Thile with his F style Dude.

All fine players. The thing is that to me, Tim O'Brien sounded better. The sound of his A Nugget was richer, fuller and more complex than the others. If sound is what counts than the A beat out the F in this case.

Now I am trying to over come scroll envy. That scroll really is a $2.000.00 strap hanger. I learned my lesson with guitars that sound and feel are what count. I need to learn that with mandolins as well.

Thanks for listening. Comments are greatly appreciated.

[Chris Baird]

You've got to quantify mando tone on a case by case basis. There is no A style tone nor is there an F-style tone.

[Phantoj]

A fully-dressed Harley will cost more than a 600cc Honda sportbike. And the Honda will be a lot faster.

But don't expect to be happy if you bought the Honda when you wanted the Harley.

Buy what you like, but good quality and good tone reward the player more than good looks, imo.

[ChrisWallace]

I'm with Phantoj. Go with what you like but, unless your willing to shell out big bucks, I'd take the A style.

In my opinion, you'll be getting more bang for your buck.

[Mark53]

Well, tone is subjective but I will try.

The Fs had little or no sustain. No , what I would call complex overtones. The A was more open with greater depth. More defined mids and deeper bass.

It could be that I am a Blues and Ragtime guitar player. I really don't like the Bluegrass "bark". Too percussive.

I do prefer Yank Rachell and Norman Blake to Bill Monroe.
It may be that my music preferance is dictating my preferance in instruments.

[fatt-dad]

To chime in - There should not be any prominent tonal differnces between an A-5 type mandolin and an F-5 type mandolin, beyond looks, all other factors being equal. I would not say the same for an A-style mandolin that was not in the A-5 tradition (i.e., joined at the 12th fret). I may be off target here, but that is my opinion and I'm sticking to it.

f-d

[250sc]

Mark53,

The tone of each instrument is different. If you pick up 3 like models of an F or A mandolin they will probably sound different.

After lurking on this web site for 3 years I think there is a concensus that you are likely to get more instrument for your money if you get an A model due to the extra work that is required with the scroll and points. ( I will probably be corrected for making this statement)

The bottom line is you should start to play everything you can get your hands on and decide for yourself. Personally I love the looks of an F style but can't afford one that sounds anywhere as good as my, bottom of the line, Collings A.

Good luck.

[Spencer]

I have had some very respected builders tell me there is no basic tonal difference between scroll and non-scroll, I play a non-scroll, f-hole mandolin that holds it own against some very well respected scroll models, in a one-one test.

But you say something else, that you don't like the percussive bluegrass bark, so in my opinion you should definitely be looking at round hole models as well. I'm not sure from your posts that you are.

Most of us here agree that there is a much larger tone difference between the round hole and f-hole designs. To my ears, the round holes have a less sharp, more mellow bass tone. Not what most bluegrassers want, but a lot of other prefer them. I think that you music taste should dictate your choice of instrument.

Spencer

[GVD]

250sc Posted on Oct. 06 2004, 10:01

The tone of each instrument is different. If you pick up 3 like models of an F or A mandolin they will probably sound different.

...I think there is a concensus that you are likely to get more instrument for your money if you get an A model due to the extra work that is required with the scroll and points. ( I will probably be corrected for making this statement)

The bottom line is you should start to play everything you can get your hands on and decide for yourself.

No corrections needed 250sc, very good advice.

GVD

[earthsave]

If you got the dough... get an F. If not get an A.

[Ken Sager]

It has been said before, and I'll say it again.

Play as many mandolins as you can get your hands on. As, Fs, oval holed As and Fs, guitar shaped mandolins, whatever. When one of them moves you in your core you'll know it, and you'll buy it. Don't let its shape or color influence you. Looks can be deceiving. Tone, playability, and quality are hard to fake. Find something you simply can't live without. Something that spanks you and forces you to beg for more, which you do because you simply can't live without it.

Then remember that they're just mandolins... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Joy to all,
Ken

[mandofiddle]

If Tim O'Brien were to play Ronnie and Chris' F style mandolins, guess what. He'd still sound like Tim O'Brien playing the mandolin. The tonal differences you are hearing has more to do with the player and their technique than the mandolin themselves. Tim really likes to let his chords ring out when he plays as opposed to creating the standard bluegrass "bark".

[duuuude]

A fully-dressed Harley will cost more than a 600cc Honda sportbike.
That's about the best analogy I've heard so far, good one!

[sirmando]

Mark53 take it from me I spent money on an F-style mandolin because I liked the looks of it, now I wish I had the money back and spend it a better A-style.

[dasspunk]

I solved this exact problem the way you will likely solve it in the future. I bought one of each.

FWIW, I too love the Tim O tone and went looking for it in an A-style. I found what I was looking for in a #Laura Ratcliff A (http://www.silverangelmandolins.com/products.html). It has spank and complexity and is just a blast to play. I love it. Your milage may vary...

[Baron Collins-Hill]

hmm, a style or f... i say neither!

[merv]

Hey Phish I have one of those also and love it.