Godin A8 vs. Ovation MM

[Pen]

I'm looking for a mandolin that has factory installed pickups to be played in a loud band invironment (rock & blues band). How it sound accoustically is not that important - I have a Turkey Creek mando I am very happy with for those jams.

The Godin and the Ovation both seem to fit the bill and was wondering if one would fit my needs better than the other. I would like to spend in the $500-$600 range and am hoping to pick up a used instrument.

Also, if there's a make/model other than the above mentioned - feel free to bring it up!

Thoughts? Thanks!

[glauber]

No experience with Godin here, but the Ovation MM68 is excellent. It sounds great unplugged or plugged, and will not feedback. An used one should cost you $700-800, so it's slightly out of your range. The Korean-made Ovation Celebrity MM148 has very good sound plugged, but a thicker neck and usually worse action than the US-made MM68. However you can usually get an used Celebrity for around $200, sometimes less. I've never tried the Applause, but i hear it's bad. Ovation is a round-hole flat-top mandolin and doesn't sound like a carved-top "bluegrass" mandolin. You've been warned.

I've heard good and bad things of Godin. All i can say about it is, it looks cool.

[steve in tampa]

Playing rock/blues you might want to look for something with a magnetic pickup, like a solid body electric. I just picked up a nice one on e-bay for under 200.

I know of a blues guy here in town that uses the Ovations, and they work well. I played one for several years. They can sound like guitars whenamplified, so thatis why I mentioned the magnetic pickup. You are open to use more effectsas they were intended.

[cyeiser]

I like my Gold Tone GM-110. It's a PacRim knockoff of the Rigel G110. Got mine for $650.

http://www.goldtone.com/products/pages/gm-110.asp

[bjc]

You also might look for any used Freshwater mandos. I have one that I used in my rock band and the sound is very nice...there is a slight intonation problem that still needs to be worked out...but on a used one that should already be solved. It is very quiet unplugged, so it does make a nice "Sunday Morning" mando...But, if you want the flexibility that Steve is talking about a Mandobird or other electric might be possible.

[steve in tampa]

Heres a pic of the one I just got. paid 155 plus shipping

[bjc]

Not to hijack the thread...but what type is it? Single coil pick up?

[Ted Eschliman]

The plugged-in Ovation will be more "mandolin-like" than the Godin, if that's important to you. It's a terrific stage instrument in sonically hostile environments (competing with Marshall stacks, 22" ride cymbals, etc.). This is the instrument's very much underestimated strength.
It's also VERY sturdy. If you play any rough crowds, it can be used to beat down drunks off the stage, and will still play in tune.
That said, Glauber is correct in that you would be hard pressed to find a US Ovation in your price range. The Godin may well be half that price.

[steve in tampa]

bjc,

It is a no name with a single coil. Might be a Sherwood, but not markings. If I find I use it a lot, may hot rod it out with a Fender TexMex or HotRail.

Used to run my Ovation through a Boss compresser stompbox to bring it out in front of the guitars a little better. No exaggeration about the thing being sturdy and holding tune.

[mandroid]

Owned an A8 godin for a while, nice pickup (dry) tone output, had 4 RMC pickups retro-fitted to my 4 string, so when I spied the A8 I snapped it up, knowing the pickup was nice.

I've seen seen an Ovation guitar, that had RMC bridge pickups replacing the ovation ones.

The applause level one would make a good defensive accessory.

[glauber]

Heres a pic of the one I just got. paid 155 plus shipping

That's a steal. Nice looking axe. Must... fight... e-MAS...

[glauber]

An used [Ovation MM68] should cost you $700-800

Just to be sure, i meant an used one in excellent condition. But they do show up on eBay for $600 and change sometimes (example). And music123 famously has them brand new for $1050 including the case and shipping. I have never bought anything from them, so i can't say if they're good or bad; i've heard they're very slow shipping but eventually you get your stuff. Caveat etc.

[VictorLouis]

MM68 near the bottom of the page.


http://www.12fret.com/used/index.html#MAND&BANJ

[Pen]

Wanted to wrap up this old thread by telling you what I found. After MUCH shopping, I finally found a MM68 in mint condition for $600 (20 mins drive from my house no less!). On a whim, I jumped on an Ovation Fan club website and posted what I was looking for. I had a reply in 5 hours.

The MM68 is everything I could want for playing in a loud blues/rock band environment. My volume is better, I have no feedback and the tone is quite good. I still prefer my Turkey Creek any other time I play - but as a stage mando - this Ovation is great. I highly recommend this model to anyone else in my situation.

Thanks again for the advice all!

[glauber]

Cool. My MM68 has slowly displaced my Mid-Mo and became my most-played mandolin, even though the Mid-Mo sounds louder and better accoustically. I just love the Ovation's arm and the string spacing.