Best Multitasking Mandolin for under $2,500

[Pick&Grin]

Hey all. My Kentucky KM650 has served me well for a number of years, but I've outgrown it and am looking to upgrade. The "Best Mandolins Under $2,000" thread has been very helpful, but, I'm looking for some more specific information.

1) Is it worth upgrading from my KM650 if I'm not going over $2.5k?
2) If it is, what mandolins would be best for switching between Old Time/folk and bluegrass? I play mostly the former, but want to keep my bluegrass options open.

All and any advice much appreciated!
Thanks so much.

Ps. I'd be happy with A or F-style, vintage or new. :)

[LongBlackVeil]

Nothing beats going to a store and getting to play a bunch of mandolins, sometimes that's not possible though. It's not like guitars where they're all over the place.

Personally I think any mandolin that has a good bkuegrass tone, is going to have a good old time and folk sound as well.

If your looking to branch out even further into jazz and irish traditional music, I think you should consider a weber. You could probably get a used yellowstone in that price range. I like my yellowstone because it has a sweeter tone than the typical gibson bluegrass tone. That makes it super versatile for me

I haven't played a pava yet but those are being praised and they are certainly in your range

Btw, if your buying online anyway, I think you should go used. I only buy new if I actually have a chance to play th instrument first

[Pick&Grin]

Thanks, LongBlackVeil. Yes, where I live in eastern Iowa I'd have to drive 3-5hrs to find a decent selection of mandolins. I bought a mandolin banjo on ebay and got burned. Is buying online safe? I've been looking at Northfield and Ratliff mandolins (dreaming of dropping a little extra change). Any thoughts on those? Would Breedlove be a good choice?

Cheers!

[eastman_315]

Would Breedlove be a good choice?

Talk about a versitile option - you could be a couple of nice Breedloves for that $. Maybe an oval *&* an ƒ-hole? A K-style, F-style or A-style, perhaps? Pick 2 & be happy! :-)

I really do like my KO, though.

Take care,

Frank

[Mike Bunting]

Who made up the rule that one mandolin or another was preferred in bg or oldtime music?

[nickster60]

I think Webers do many things well and would be good choice. I also think Pavas are great and I love their tone.

If you are going to buy online I like Elderly, The Mandolin Store and Fiddlers Green. I am sure their are others but I only have experience with these dealers.

[multidon]

My choices in your price range would be, in no particular order: Breedlove FF, Collings MT, Pava Player, and Weber Bitterroot A. I have owned the Breedlove, presently own the Weber, and have played both the Collings and Pava. Any of them would serve in the role of "multitasking" admirably.

[Pick&Grin]

I like the way you think, eastman_315! Thanks for the advice and you take care, too.

[Pick&Grin]

Thanks a lot for this, nickster60! It's great to get pointed to some good stores. Yes, I've been hearing about Pavas and need to check those out. Cheers!

[Pick&Grin]

Thanks, multidon! That gives me some good (and fun) homework to do!

[LongBlackVeil]

Thanks, LongBlackVeil. Yes, where I live in eastern Iowa I'd have to drive 3-5hrs to find a decent selection of mandolins. I bought a mandolin banjo on ebay and got burned. Is buying online safe? I've been looking at Northfield and Ratliff mandolins (dreaming of dropping a little extra change). Any thoughts on those? Would Breedlove be a good choice?

Cheers!

You know that's really not that far if the stores have a good selection. I'm actually doing something similar pretty soon. I want a new mandolin but I really want get my hands on some great mandolins first, so I'm gonna take a day to go up to fiddlers green which is about 3.5 hours away. Luckily fiddlers green is open 7 days a week though so I don't have to take a day off of work.

I just don't think you should rule out getting yourself to a shop, a little road trip is good for the soul

[Jeff Mando]

It might be worth a portion of your budget to actually go to a store or city that has 30-50 mandolins to try out. I think then the choices would be more clear. I personally would rather do that than miss out on something unique by picking one of the tried and true choices. Maybe a trip to Chicago, Lansing, Nashville, Staten Island, etc.?

[F-2 Dave]

ideally, it would be best if you could try a wide variety of mandolins. But if I had to recommend one mandolin to cover many needs, sight unseen, under $2500, it would be the callings MT. Every one I've played has been outstanding.

[Josh Levine]

Probably the pava. I owned an mt that would fit the bill but I played a pava once and preferred it. They are similar.

[almeriastrings]

I would say you are pretty lucky to be "only" 3 hours or so from a decent selection of mandolins.... my nearest stop is 1500 miles away... the next stop roughly 4,000 miles away

A lot of good names mentioned, but only you know what kind of sound you want. No substitute for trying as many as possible. It is not just sound, either, but how the neck feels, for example. It might sound great, but you just can't get on with the neck...

Finding (and understanding) what tone/feel suits best can take time, and can get expensive if you have to go through a series of instruments to get there....

Another reason to try things out is that you might find an unexpected gem. Something that really works for you that you did not even have on the radar.

[darylcrisp]

In our family we have two F style Webers(did have 3), I have owned a Pava A, and currently and most recently purchased a Collings MT with the wider nut width and englemann top-then, about a month later I purchased another MT almost identical.

I personally love the neck of the Webers, the profile is just right, I also like the tone and ease of playability of a good setup Weber.
The Pava was nice, very good note quality all over the fretboard. I did not care for the more rounded/oval feel of the neck profile.

The Collings MT I recently picked up is the overall winner of my group. It plays extremely easy, setup came perfect and I was able to remove all relief to have a super flat fretboard with very low buzz free action. I highly prefer the englemann top on these over the adi, and I like the satin finish for feel and how I hear it. The wider nut at 1 3/16" is perfect for my hands, and I really like the soft V profile of the neck. This mandolin has the cleanest, most pure note quality I've heard in any mandolin-and I've played a lot of high dollar mandolins over the past few months. I use a tonegard because the A style slips around too easy for my style of seated play-the tonegard keeps it balanced just like the bottom points of an F style.

My father-in-law played my MT once and immediately set about wondering if I might want to "trade" for two of his Martin guitars-or any of his guitars. I ended up getting him a similar englemann top, wide nut, satin finish MT from Dennis at TheMandolinStore. It also is a great mandolin. There is a slight tonal difference, but both setup almost identical for flat, no relief fretboards and low buzz free action. To my ears, mine is ever so slightly dryer, his is slighter "sweeter". Both are killer.

I don't think you can lose with any of the choices between a weber, Pava, or Collings. All of the brands setup very easy for me and I had all of them with almost zero relief and low action. I like light gauge strings also for easy fretting and all 3 brands sound fine for that. The big differences are neck profile and top wood(Sitka, Adi, englemann). The Pava usually have adi tops.

If I had to pick personally, I would take the Collings hands down without fault. Its sound just appeals to me highly.
I did play a couple Collings in F and A style along the way with adi tops and they were a tad too bright/zingy for my ears. I think the englemann on a Collings is a big winner. They can get as loud as you want also, or play soft and sweet.

I had some credit at TejonMusic and that's where my MT came from. Sean and his dad are great folks to deal with. Picked up my fatherinlaws MT from Dennis at TheMandolinStore. I also got a weber and Pava from Dennis. He is top shelf to buy from and you mandolin will arrive with a great setup.

good luck and keep us posted on the outcome
d

[Kroland]

I own a Pava, and love it, but I recently played a Collings MTO that was, in my opinion, the most versatile mandolin I've ever heard. Classical, Celtic, and bluegrass all sounded at home on it. And great volume and playability too! However, you really really should try to get to a shop that has some of these models before you bite the bullet. There are gems and duds and unexpected connections formed with instruments you weren't even considering.

[billhay4]

Marty Jacobson.
Bill

[Bertram Henze]

To me, a multitasking mandolin would be one where you do two different things at the same time, such as picking with one hand and fretting with the other. Should be easy to find.

Now, a multipurpose mandolin, on the other hand...

[Eddie Sheehy]

Does it slice? Does it dice? Important questions that must be answered...

[Pick&Grin]

I think you're right, LongBlackVeil and almeriastrings! Should count my blessings and make the trip. I wouldn't buy a car unseen, eh?!

[Pick&Grin]

Ha! Good point, Betram Henze!

[Pick&Grin]

I hadn't looked at Collins MTO or had really considered O mandolins. When I take my journey to visit a store I'll be sure to do that. Thanks, Kroland!

[Pick&Grin]

Thanks for this, darylcrisp! This give me a lot to mull over! I'll certainly keep you all posted. I'm planning out plenty ahead (hope to purchase next spring/summer) so I can take my time, do this right, and not rush myself. Hoping I can score a store that has good selection. It'd be 5+hrs, but Elderly might be a good place to go for a few hrs.

[Stephen Cagle]

Don't give up on the Ratliff. Charles Johnson with Mandolin World Headquarters just got in a new Ratliff 'Country Boy' F5 and it looks pretty sweet. I can tell ya they sound really good too. There's my 2 cents worth. Good Luck! Stephen