Help! Newbie needs advice on Octave Mandolins!

[ukulelerobb]

Hi! This is my first post so firstly HELLO WORLD!

I'm new to the world of the mandolin and need some advice. I play a number of instruments (mainly the ukulele) and have recently fallen in love with the octave mandolin! That being said I have never played a mandolin before but I adore the tone.

With this in mind I am looking at a secondhand Trinity 325 and have read some reviews that say its decent. Whilst I am a total beginner, I have learnt from my other instruments to buy quality and was wondering if this is what I'm looking for... The price is good $550 but i don't want to buy an instrument I need to upgrade in a few years. That being said I don't want to buy something extremely nice and pay a fortune and never play it to its potential... A real quandary...

Any Advice?

Thanks,

Robb

[Rob Zamites]

The TC models are exceptionally well built for their price point, and many keep them as their sole instrument. You could certainly do worse for the money. I'd say go for it, maybe have a luthier give it a once over, or learn to do a set-up yourself. $550 is a good price for a TC, especially if it comes with a case.

[allenhopkins]

Trinity College TC-325 is all solid woods (a plus), and goes for $625-675 new (sometimes with, sometimes without a case). It's a relatively short scale as octave mandolins go, which should seem friendly to a ukulele player.

Second Rob Z's opinion, to get a good set-up -- half the battle, when you're learning a new instrument, especially one from the mandolin family with an unfixed bridge.

[Marcus CA]

The price is good $550 but i don't want to buy an instrument I need to upgrade in a few years. That being said I don't want to buy something extremely nice and pay a fortune and never play it to its potential.

If the price is good, then you'll probably be able to get most of your money out of it if you do decide to upgrade in a few years, if you keep it in good condition. However, if you're able and willing to invest $1-2K in an OM, you'll probably get one that you'll enjoy playing more, and will be more likely to play it to its potential.

[roysboy]

Have you considered a harmonica ? Smaller ...don't néed setups fretwork , a case,WAY cheaper, lose it - so what ?...works for MANY styles of music , EVERYONE loves the sound ..... and you never hear of harp players afflicted by HAM outside of perhaps a bad Thanksgiving dinner .

[Rob Zamites]

Have you considered a harmonica ? Smaller ...don't néed setups fretwork , a case,WAY cheaper, lose it - so what ?...works for MANY styles of music , EVERYONE loves the sound ..... and you never hear of harp players afflicted by HAM outside of perhaps a bad Thanksgiving dinner .

Have you considered a career in stand up comedy? Oh wait, never mind, don't. Stick with your day job.

[CES]

The TC octaves are pretty decent instruments. Other than Gold Tone, which makes an OM with a solid top and, I believe, laminate back/sides, there aren't a ton of "beginner" options. I bought a Weber Hyalite as my first (and thus far only) OM, and have been very happy with it. But, it was closer to 1500, and I suspect I would have been just fine with a TC or Gold Tone.

How fast you outgrow a TC (if you ever do) depends on your skill level, which only you can answer! Good luck, and have fun!!

[allenhopkins]

...and you never hear of harp players afflicted by HAM...

Oh yes, there's Harmonica Acquisition Syndrome. Only thing is we're talking hundreds rather than thousands of dollars. I just turned in all by Hohner Special 20's for Lee Oskar diatonics, spent a bit of change there.

It's pretty much mandatory to have a bunch of harmonicas, if you want to work in different keys, and want to go the folk/blues route rather than getting into a chromatic harmonica (the kind with the button that selects different reeds, half-tones apart). And they sure don't last as long as mandolins; saliva and note-bending will do in your reeds within a year or two, if you use the harp frequently.

Advantage of the Oskars is that you can replace reed pans without buying a whole new harmonica; saves you about 50%.

[Blues Harp Tom]

Oh yes, there's Harmonica Acquisition Syndrome. Only thing is we're talking hundreds rather than thousands of dollars. I just turned in all my Hohner Special 20's for Lee Oskar diatonics, spent a bit of change there.

If you include my customized wooden bullet mic and my 1966 tube amp (in mint condition), I have spent more than twice as much on my harmonica habit than I have on Mandolins. But I've been playing blues harp for about six years, and I'm only one year into my mando journey. However, I'm pretty close to convincing my wife that I need a Weber Octave Mandolin, so at this rate I will be closing the gap quickly.

[JH Murray]

I love my TC 325. It has great tone and projection. I've seen a few folk bands who play professionally use them. Most owners agree that the factory strings are weak, and D'addario J80 strings really help the instrument come alive. Here's a video of Don Julin playing his TC octave.

[ccravens]

Looks like I'm piling on here, but I guess great minds think alike:

A TC with a good set-up (try to find a mando or CBOM luthier/set up person in your area) and new/different strings should be all you need for a while or forever.