Michael Kelly Legacy O

[brandon]

Well after playing mando for a whole month , I've decided it,s time to upgrade from my generic korean mando(sonata)This has caught my eye http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7....4 (http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=guitar/search/detail/base_pid/511754/) but will it catch my ear? Has anyone played one...thoughts?...opinions? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

Just what I needed...another addiction. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

[Stillpicking]

I have an MK Legacy O and love it. I could never afford a Gibson F4 so this is my dream come true. Nice full sound and easy to play with the radius neck. Looks real nice too.

I have made a promise to myself and family to never pay over a $1000 for a mandolin. Just my own personal conviction, family needs come first in our house. If you have tons of money and no responsibilites then the sky is the limit (up to gas & food money & rent and.......)

Anyway you will find responses to your thread telling you to save your bucks and spend more but as Mick Jagger said "you can't always get what you want but if you try sometimes you get what you need".

You will like the MK "O".

[brandon]

I know what ya mean SP. I'm going to have a hard enough time justifying the $850.00 price tag to the wife.

[squeally dan]

Maybe ewatch Ebay. I just got an MK FS solid. It was under $500.

[Rob Powell]

Brandon,

You can get tha same mando from Elderly and if I'm not mistaken, it will be set-up properly. MF is NOT going to set it up for you....

Just my 2 cents...

[brandon]

thanks for the heads up beergeek.

[ira]

if nothing else, it sure looks purty.....

[Professor PT]

I tried one at a local shop and thought it sounded pretty flat. I have the f-hole variety and love the sound of mine. I think you need to try one in person or order from some place with an approval period. Weber makes some nice sounding oval and D-hole mandos that are not extremely expensive. However, they are not F-style. That will cost you at least a few grand, I believe.

[bjc]

Brandon,

I bought one not too long ago and everyone I have played says it is a HUGE upgrade. Now mind you I don't play grass. If that's what you're going for this is probably, not the right axe for you. I play country, folk, blues and rock and man it is just really sweet. It (IMHO) has a very full and balanced tone and if you're a guitar player crossing over the fretboard has a familar feel. The only adjustments I made were to lower the action, add a tonegard (but I would do that on any mando) and installed the Fishman bridge pick-up in it (whcih was real easy since it seems like the original bridge is made to be able to just drop the Fishman on)...I got mine at the local store in Virginia Beach for $699.00...if you want to email me you can...I think they ship. I don't ahve any financail interest in the store, I was just impressed that they had a lower price than anyone else.
But overall, I'd say it's a fine axe and you will not be sorry...

[J. Mark Lane]

If you want an oval hole mandolin, why not get one of those Davis models that Scott pointed out at Mass Street? Or a Kennaquhair? Both are hand made American instruments with a good reputation. I guarantee you it's five times the mandolin for the same price. Even a Mid-Mo would probably be a much better instrument.

I mean no offense. I thought the MK's served a useful purpose when you could get a new one for $400. Kind of the same market as the Kentucky's were (back then at least, I wouldn't buy one today). But I really don't think they are worth the price they are currently charging, especially when you can get a hand made American instrument for the same amount. And once you play a decent instrument, you'll see (hear, feel) the difference.

Mark

[J. Mark Lane]

Incidentally, I paid $800 for this Morris F4, hand made in Oregon.

[Lane Pryce]

Nuttin against MF but they are kinda like the wal-mart of music stores. Be patient and explore all of your options before you go ploppin down your hard earned cash. Look at the lower end Eastmans and even consider used stuff from the classifides. Fat-Dad can put a very good used mandolin in your hands for minnimal $$ and keep the wifey happy too!! Dats sumpin to tink about too. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif Lp

[mandolooter]

My advice to anyone is play everything you can get your hands on and soon one will make you buy it. #The "right" one will call to ya. I played a Morris F style w F holes last summer that was very nice sounding to my ear right after another fellow had just sat it down with a disrespectful comment on it's tone and looks. #He seems to be less concerned with looks, than sound (the builder) as I am also. #(Hence, the ole "paper bag" joke) Don't get me wrong, beautiful instruments are awesome but on a limited budget I'd go soley on tone and save up for the "looker w/great tone" for down the road when your skills and MAS have fully matured. That may not be that far off in the future anyways. #Resale price is an issue for us cash poor pickers too since that money usually goes into the new mando fund. There is a lot to think about but a funky looking mando w/ tone to die for will make ya as happy in the dark as a real looker will in the daylight, and these things are for makin music. The classifieds have had a lot of great deals lately it seems and most sellers offer a trail period...ya want that for sure. #A few day of pickin will give you a chance to become a little familar with the mando and its sweet spots, etc. On my favorite mando the sweet spot for me is at the 15th fret...most folks don't seem to pick that high up on the neck, on a regular basis as I do, but while on my "test drive" I hit that spot and knew I was gonna keep it. #I've never regretted the decision since. #Lots of different "tone" options out there to choose from and no one mando will do it all in my eyes. #YOUR idea of great tone is what's right, not mine or Grismans! As ya become better on the instrument that too could change as your skills and technique inproves. An old Gibson A might be had at that price level and it'll hold it's value too. #Good luck, it'll be fun and when ya do make the buy let us know what ya got and how ya like it...we're just a bunch of mando nuts around here anyways! "Another addiction", your sounding like my wife Brandon...:)

[J. Mark Lane]

On the Morris's--

I agree, 'looter -- Howard is a practical builder. I've never met him, but I have two of his instruments, and have corresponded with him a good bit. I also have one of his CD's (his bluegrass band -- it's the real deal). His instruments are relatively plain to look at, but I like that, personally. I prefer it. I order it when I order custom instruments. So his approach suits me.

The quality of the work is quite decent. The basic "bones" of both instruments (an F4 and an F5, both "blondes") are good. The finish is fine. The workmanship better than most low-budget instruments I've seen. The flaws come in the end-game -- both instruments needed new nuts and saddles (both were playable, but I'm kinda picky about that stuff). I had some fret work done on the F5, and will do so on the 4 as well. But that kind of work is likely to be needed on most any "low end" or middle instrument (and some "high end" ones). I also put Schaller tuners and Weber tailpieces on both of mine. The F5 has a Tourtelotte violin style bridge. I scooped the fretboard on the 5, and had Howard make the 4 with a short extension.

The tone of the Morris's -- the F5 is really very nice. I won't say it's the finest mandolin I've played. My Givens Legacy A6 has superior tone, that's certain (and three times the price, too). But the Morris is *far* better than any MK I've played, and better than the vast majority of other Pac Rim instruments I've played. (Now and then, you get a Kentucky or something that excels, but those are rare, I think.) The F4 has a very sweet tone, and decent volume (I think all F4's have relatively low volume). Indeed, I sometimes wonder at the relevance of the F4 style altogether -- most of the good oval hole mandos I have played were "Celtic" style instruments, like the Sobels. Whatever. If you want an F style oval hole, I think the Morris's are a good value.

I'm not "pushing" them per se. I have no interest in doing so, really. I'm just saying, having played a number of MK's, I think for the prices they are now getting you really can do much better -- at least in terms of tone, and if tone isn't your first consideration, you should be re-thinking the whole game.

Mark

[newblue]

J. Mark,
whats the story on that sweet Morris? where can I see one?

[J. Mark Lane]

newblue,

The only place I know of where you can see one is at my house (in New York). I'd be happy to let you play it. I don't know that there are very many out there -- I think mine is Morris #37 (going on memory). Howard Morris sometimes puts his instruments on eBay to sell them. He doesn't maintain a website, and is only sometimes good with email. As I said, a practical builder who is also a player. Anything I can do to help, let me know.

Mark

[RichM]

A couple things to add to this string:

1. I currently own a Howard Morris oval-hole A-style. Can't say enough good things about Howard. Even though I bought the mandolin "off the shelf," Howard made some changes to it for just the cost of shipping it back to him. His attitude was "I'm not happy until you're happy." Is it the finest mandolin ever made? No, but it's a great mandolin at a fair price, handmade by an independent American builder. Howard recently had an F-4 style on ebay that did not sell-- probably worth contacting him about it if you're interested:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....me=WDVW (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10179&item=3753722329&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW)

2. All that being said, I did own a Legacy O for a time. I thought it was the best of the Michael Kelly line. If you decide to go this way, I would try to play it yourself, or have a player you trust try it out-- in most mass produced instruments, you will find good ones and not-so-good ones.

[J. Mark Lane]

Check out that eBay link. #$695 for an American made, hand-crafted F4 with a nice burst finish. #Why would anyone buy a mass-produced pacrim instrument for more? #(Or even less.) #Even if it needed some setup work, don't they all?

Hey Rich, how about a pic or two of the oval hole A for the group? #A carved top, oval hole A style mandolin by a small American builder -- that's of general interest. #

Mark

[dtb]

my 2 cents........I play a MK Firefly, about 4 years old, and was purchased when they were cheap, before the out sourcing began. It serves my purpose fine. I play guitar now, mostly. But the fiddle player I play with got the Legacy FS with the Allen upgrade, and will say he got a real sleeper. It's a super mando. Sounds great, and plays like a dream. I'm in the same boat with instrument purchasing. I did finally get a great guitar, but I'll never have a "great" mando.

[RichM]

Some photos of my Howard Morris:

http://members.aol.com/mouser9999/morris.jpg
http://members.aol.com/mouser9999/morris2.jpg
http://members.aol.com/mouser9999/morris3.jpg

[Blueglass]

I have played a friends MK O I think it is a nice mandolin for the money and investment. I also think these mandolins will have good resale value. This is a mandolin a musician can play for years. However, I don't think it is one to play for the rest of your life. It's a good intererm mandolin.

[brandon]

#However, I don't think it is one to play for the rest of your life. #It's a good intererm mandolin.
that's really what I'm looking for.

[Professor PT]

That Morris looks cool until you get to the headstock. Geez, would it take that much more time to cut it into a more pleasing shape?!

[brandon]

That Morris looks cool until you get to the headstock. #Geez, would it take that much more time to cut it into a more pleasing shape?!
I agree. atleast a cool inlay or something.....anything. still a killer looking mando though.

[saznpins]

I have a nice Morris F5 (#38, 2002) for sale in the classifieds. I bought it new from Howard and it served me well for a couple of years until I got a deal on a Montana Flatiron that I couldn't pass up. The Morris is miles better than the half dozen MK's I've tried in different flavors.

Morris (http://www.mandolincafe.com/cgi-bin/classifieds/classifieds.cgi?search_and_display_db_button=on&db_id=11155&query=retrieval)

If you're anywhere near NJ you can come and see it.
Cheers,
Sarah

[J. Mark Lane]

Anyone about to spend $800 on an mass-produced offshore mandolin would be foolish not to consider Sarah's Morris.

As for the headstocks on the Morris, sheesh, I guess it's all a matter of personal taste. I happen to think the old Gibson style headstocks (now imitated by everyone on the planet) are gaudy (I'm tempted to say "girly"...he he he). I really like the plain, form-follows-function approach of the Morris headstock. But again, I tend to like everything pretty much like that -- simple, spartan, functional.

Mark

[brandon]

Anyone about to spend $800 on an mass-produced offshore mandolin would be foolish not to consider Sarah's Morris. #

As for the headstocks on the Morris, sheesh, I guess it's all a matter of personal taste. #I happen to think the old Gibson style headstocks (now imitated by everyone on the planet) are gaudy (I'm tempted to say "girly"...he he he). #I really like the plain, form-follows-function approach of the Morris headstock. #But again, I tend to like everything pretty much like that -- simple, spartan, functional. #

Mark
Does sarah take master card or visa? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Richard Polf]

Okay, I give up---how does one contact Mr. Morris?

Richard

[J. Mark Lane]

Beats me.

[squeally dan]

Try this page:

http://www.mandolincafe.com/cgi-bin....=morris (http://www.mandolincafe.com/cgi-bin/builders/searchdb.cgi?uid=default&view_records=1&keyword=morris)

[squeally dan]

Scroll down the list!

[squeally dan]

OOOPS! Thats a link to the builder. Maybe you could PM Sarah. Just click the little PM button onher previous post.

[neal]

Ok, contacting Howard you could go here (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10179&item=3753722329&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW) , then just contact the seller and ask him if it's for sale yet.

I had that same style Morris he was selling on ebay, #I had to double-take, thought it was my old one. #Nice mandolin. Nice price. #

It sounds like you really want the MK. #Well, it's a recognizeable name, looks sweet, some have said it sounds good. #We all have our opinions, if it were me looking for an oval hole under 1000, I'd certainly look at the Davis at Mass St Music, or try to find a teens/20's Gibson A. #

Whatever you buy, make sure they set it up for you.

[saznpins]

Brandon, I can take paypal http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif You could pay with mastercard or visa through that if you have it... ;) PM me if you'd like more info.