Planning a trip to Mandolin Bros.

[doublestop]

Hi all,
I'm planning a trip to Mandolin Bros. next week. Has anyone been there lately and if so what should I not miss? I have to check the inventory again, but I think there are a couple of Apitius' that I don't want to miss. Anything else?

[nupicker]

doublestop, what do you play now ?

[jlb]

If they'll let you pick it, I wouldn't mind hearing a report on that D'Angelico on their website.

[jefflester]

I was there about a month ago and the vintage instrument that impressed me most was the 1927 F-2 (http://www.mandoweb.com/88-1520.jpg). They didn't have that D'Angelico when I was there. Nice to see they've finally updated their website, it seems like it's been several months.

[doublestop]

Here's what I currently play and don't think I could get rid of either of them. One is a 1986 KM-1000 and the other is a Custom Yellowstone w/ fern inlay. Most people at jams ask me to take the tone guard off my Kentucky. They are very different from each other, but I love them both.

[doublestop]

And the Weber.........

[doublestop]

The Weber.....

[JiminRussia]

I'll meet you there! I always feel like I should take my hat off when I walk through the door. If they have one in stock, I want to try one of those Eastman mandos. They always have a large selection of vintage instrumnts that leave me absolutely boggled.

[flairbzzt]

I was there two days ago. They have plenty of Eastmans. I didn't see that D'Angelico but I was busy playing many others. There's a few Collings' to try and many Gibsons placed around the building. Take a close long look because everything is not in the same room. There's not as many weber f's there right now, but he usually has alot. try the bighorn (2 point). Stan's rule is still in force-you can play anything you want for as long as you want. They are very busy lately fielding phone calls and taking care of customers so have some patience..

[flairbzzt]

I saw the Apitius' in the upper room. Check out the blue Rigel g110.

Jim-they have 2 Eastman 815's in blonde that are not supposed to be available in blonde (only the 915's). I went there just to see them.

[Jasper]

Sorry to be uninformed, but where is Mandolin Bros.?

Jasper

[ootee1]

You've got to try the Phoenix Bluegrasses if they're still there. Out of the new instruments I thought they played and sounded the best.

[jefflester]

Sorry to be uninformed, but where is Mandolin Bros.?
Staten Island (NYC) and www.mandoweb.com

[PlayerOf8]

The nice thing about Mandolin Brother, is they will let you play everything!!

George

[Walter]

I was there a couple weeks ago. They certainly have a lot of Eastmans. The Eastmans were beautiful, but I was not impressed with the tone.

Anyway, make sure to check out the new Gibson "wide neck" model. Other highlights:

Gibson '24 snakehead
Phoenix Bluegrass (2 models)
An "A" style OME (very interesting)
Collings MT (the best on the wall in my opinion)

Have fun, and report back.

[kudzugypsy]

you gotta give us a report on the early OME A. interesting history. that one is a sleeper, dont be fooled into passing that one by.

[Tom C]

Make sure you walk up to the room where the banjos are. They have more mandos there -including more upper end.
The mando room is straight ahead when you walk in. Also wlak up the 2 steps on the right to find more.

[danb]

The blue rigel is pretty cool. I was there on Thursday http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif I liked a snakehead A they have in the mando room, and also a pair of old gibson mandolas.. there was an oval-hole octave on the wall that might still be in GDAD if nobody retuned it since I tried it http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Great folks there, very friendly. Also try out the wacky high-end paramount tenor banjo in the mando room with the funky bridge muting mechanism, crazy-looking thing that works really well!

[Wando]

Yes, by all means be sure to go upstairs. There is some heavy artillery up there. My favorite was the Gibson Sam Bush. Wow!

[flairbzzt]

Missed you by one day Dan. So, doublestop-is that the Weber from Lanning music? What's the report on your Saturday visit?

[danb]

Actually, I was there wednesday from about 4-6, now that I think about it. I was up on Larry Wexer's famous red couch playing his Loar on Thursday http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif What time were you there?

[flairbzzt]

I was there from 1:30 to 4:00 give or take a few minutes. Stan was checking out my MM mms-5 (I bought from him 3 months) earlier and Eastman 615 while I was playing a Weber Bighorn and an F-9 about 3:30-4:00ish. I was also tooling around with a blonde eastman 815 at that time.

[PatrickH]

There is a nice used Phoenix NeoClassical in the mando room that I've played to past two times I was there that I liked. This is a very interesting instrument with incredible projection with these very light flatwound strings.

Also try the Collings MF-5 in the high-end rooom.

The Phoenix Bluegrass models and the Collings MT's in the Mando room were also some of my favorites.

[doublestop]

Finally made my trip to Mandolin Bros. and here is my assessment. I first started in the downstairs mando room. I played the Ome which had great tone, but the neck was way too chunky for my liking. The Phoenix' were all great. I preferred the tone of the matte finish Collings to the nitrocellulous in the high end room. The Eastmans were all great looking, but didn't do much for me tonewise. I moved to the high end room and played the Adam Steffey (nice), the Collings, the Adam Bibey and the Gibson Master model. The Gibson Master model was definately the loudest mandolin in the store and I think the only varnish finish mando in the store. I could be wrong. There was no Sam Bush model, must have already been sold. The Blue Rigel G-5 made me go wow. It was very loud and if you like a bright mandolin that one is for you. I came away from Mandolin Bros. learning on thing. Stan Jay LOVES to talk!!!! Oh yeah, I also played the Apitius' under the assumption that I would sound like Adam Steffy, well I can tell you that that didn't happen. Guess I need to keep practicing.

PS Was my first time trying the Bighorn and that was great too!

[doublestop]

Walter,
That's funny I was just reading the posts and we both had the same assessment of the Eastmans. They sure are purdy though!!!