Michael kelly mandolins

**yevri** · Oct-25-2006, 9:52pm

The owner of a small music shop near me said he got a great deal on a brand new Michael Kelly Legacy Festival Pack (mandolin, case, strap and tuner) - here's the product on the michael kelly site:

http://www.michaelkellyguitars.com/m...yfestivalpack/

Retail is $700, $500 is the lowest they can advertise it and he said he'd sell it to me for $375. Then I'd need to put a pickup in it. Anyone know anything about the Michael Kelly Mandolins and this Legacy Festival Pack? #I like the looks of others better, but it sounded and played well. What pickup should I go with? I hate spending this much for my first mandolin, but I tried a Fender with a single coil pickup and wasn't happy with that.

Does this seem like a good deal and what pickup would you put into it? Can I get a better mandolin for that price that already has a built-in pickup and maybe even a preamp with controls? A friend of mine bought a Tacoma that he loves and says he gets nothing but praise for it from sound guys - his has a pickup in it but no controls and it cost him $600. Not sure how that compares.

Thanks,

Brian

**Brady Smith** · Oct-25-2006, 11:03pm

The price seems fine...$500 is the normal selling price it seems. #Although I think you'd be ahead if you check out the MK's Dennis has for $499 if you can swing it. #His site is www.themandolinstore.com. #Otherwise I'd say go with what your lookin at.

Can't tell ya much about the pickups. #I would put mandolins in pickups but never a pickup in a mandolin.

Ya really can't go wrong if it plays well.

**F5G WIZ** · Oct-25-2006, 11:29pm

If it sounds good, go for it. I've played some MKs that sound great for the money and others that weren't so great. Don't think I would get one without being able to thump on it first.

**moku9** · Oct-26-2006, 9:44am

If you know someone who's played a while, have them play the instrument and get their first hand opinion.

I have a MK and love it.

dh

**yevri** · Oct-26-2006, 9:01pm

Thanks for the advice. I think I might buy the MK and add a fishman. From what I've been reading, I shouldn't need a preamp since I use an acoustic amp.

**moku9** · Oct-27-2006, 5:05pm

Needing a pre can depend on the pickup. Some are active some are passive. I think distance to the amp can matter as well. What I've read is a short cord into a pre/DI then a longer run to the amp/board.

**yevri** · Oct-27-2006, 10:42pm

Thanks. I got my MK today (the store told me to take it home and try it out before buying) and for the most part it looks and sounds good. But I noticed that on the high E pair of strings, when I press down on the first fret, it gets deadened on the metal frets. Is this just a setup problem that's easily fixed? The music store selling it doesn't seem to know much about mandolins (though I will bring it to them and ask), so I wonder if they will be able to do anything with it. Is that something where I could just adjust the bridge?

But I'm also thinking of the Fishman pickup, which should change the way it's set up, right? Can it get screwed up too by someone not knowing what they're doing?

**MandoSquirrel** · Oct-28-2006, 12:41pm

I would think the "e string" problem should be a minor set up issue, if it plays well otherwise.

**mythicfish** · Oct-28-2006, 5:37pm

Is it any good? You played it ... Who are you going to believe ... me or your own ears?

Curt

**yevri** · Oct-28-2006, 7:42pm

Well, Curt, I will believe my own ears I guess, but I don't know enough about setup and how easy it is to fix problems - that's why I'm asking about that. It sounds pretty good - better than the Fender I think, but it's a little harder to play and that E string getting deadened on the first fret is deal breaker unless it can be fixed easily.

**mythicfish** · Oct-28-2006, 11:15pm

It appears that this "Festival Pac" has more to do with marketing than mandolins. Retails for 700 & sells for 375

???
This is smoke and mirrors. Fishman PU, Fishman preamp? Do you really want to spend more on amplification than the instrument is worth? I don't know what kind of music you play or the make-up of your group. My only advice to you
would be to save your money, play more mandolins, and don't be taken in by any deal whose only attraction is that it
seems like a bargain. Oh yeah ... a work about sound men: Their job is to make you sound good. It's not your job to make their job easier.

Curt

**Soupy1957** · Oct-29-2006, 5:35am

for the $700.00 which was the origional price, you could have bought a MK Legacy with a Fishman pickup already installed:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...kup?sku=511752

but that's a mute point now. I don't think I'd spend the money modifying that one, but the next one you buy (and you will......cause I know.....cause I get MAS all the time....I brought another one home yesterday.....lol), get what you need.
-Soupy1957

**yevri** · Oct-29-2006, 6:40am

Thanks, Curt. Good advice about not buying just because it seems like a good deal. I don't want to hurry into a bad decision or let price be the only guide, but I also can only afford no more than $500 for a mandolin and pickup, so I'm hoping to learn enough about it from this forum and other stuff I read online while trying to play as many mandolins as I can find in local stores, which isn't many. That's why I'm hoping to get advice telling me about a good mandolin maker in that price range where most of the time you get a great (or good enough) sounding mandolin without a lot of troubles.

It seems like quality varies a lot within the same brand and same price range from what I've been hearing.

**yevri** · Oct-29-2006, 6:53am

Thanks, Soupy1957. I saw that MK on Musician's Friend as well. If I could afford $700, I'd probably get that or another like it. But I can't go that high. I should be buying a new acoustic guitar and electric guitar (which is really what I play) before spending that kind of money on a mando, but I really like playing mandolins so far and think it will add a lot to my original music as well as covers that my band does. After playing for one day, I was hooked and I went from spending $100 on a Fender FM52 on ebay (which they let me return because the hum was so bad) to now considering $375 for a MK and adding a fishman to bring it near $500, I don't think I can go to $700.

So reallly, what I'm looking for I guess is still a good-sounding, dependable acoustic-electric mandolin for $500 or less that doesn't use a single coil pickup (can't stand that hum) and sounds good acoustically and electrically played. I'm fine with used as long as it plays and sounds good - scratches and other cosmetic stuff doesn't matter.

Am I being unrealistic with my price range? I haven't found anything yet.

**Zethos** · Oct-31-2006, 11:36am

I'm going to bump your thread. I am in the exact same boat as you, I'm looking for a F style mandolin with a pickup for about $500. Like you, I have a Fender FM52E but can't stand the pickup on it. I have been looking at that MK legacy with Fishman pickup on MusiciansFriend, but it's more then I want to spend.

**yevri** · Oct-31-2006, 11:45am

It's tough finding a good mandolin in that price range I guess. I'm thinking there has to be one that doesn't have a single coil pickup and that is made well in that price range. Let me know if you find something and I'll do the same.

**Keith Miller** · Nov-01-2006, 4:03pm

guys... please try the crafter mandolins... i've got nothing but good thing s to say about the electrics and pickups on those
Keith

**yevri** · Nov-28-2006, 5:27pm

I gave up on the Michael Kelley Festival Pack. It appeared the neck was bowed a bit and after two times of the store owner making adjustments, it still played very poorly and buzzed in spots.

I have gone to the local music stores (that I know of in Cincinnati) and played a bunch of mandolins, but can't find any decent ones in my price range $300-$500 with a pickup - there are very few to choose from. So I guess I am at the mercy of advice from bulletin boards and what I read on the web.

I had someone recommend a Morgan Monroe MM-100-SB/E F-Style Acoustic/Electric. It has an Ashton Bailey transducer pickup and volume controls and I can get it from a couple of places (InstrumentAlley.com and PlayBetterBluegrass.com) for $345 which includes set up, hard shell case, strings and a strap. Seems too inexpensive to sound good. Will this sound bad? Anyone know these instruments? These pickups? Would I be better off spending a little more ($500 is about tops I can spend - including a pickup)?

Someone also recommended a Kentucky KM-630 at $429.95 and adding a pickup to that. That would put me a bit out of my price range, but I might be able to swing it if it's a far superior solution.

Can you point me to specific mandolins in that price range - with a pickup or with adding a Fishman or other pickup (no single coil) - what are the best I can get in that price range?

I don't have the luxury of playing before I buy, so any advice here would be great.

Thanks!

**Stillpicking** · Nov-28-2006, 7:00pm

I own 2 MKs and 1 Morgan Monroe all 3 are different sounding but all are decent mandolins.
I have a Shadow removeable pickup that works great. The Shadow can be plugged directly into a small amp or into our preamp works fine either way.

Let me suggest that you check out the Classifieds here on the cafe and look for a used MK or Morgan Monroe. Chances are it will be already setup and playable and might be the best deal you can get, matter of fact I got my Morgan Monroe off the Cafe classifies.

Good hunting!

**Stillpicking** · Nov-28-2006, 7:17pm

Do a search here for Fullerton mandolin. These are an all wood import "F" well within your price range. Just came across the posted review.

**yevri** · Nov-29-2006, 5:30pm

I've been looking at the classifieds and talking to mandolin dealers about solutions. One is a Kentucky KM-630 for $429, then adding a Fishman pickup installed, hard case, strings and a strap with free shipping and it will cost about $700.

I was looking at getting the Morgan Monroe mm-100-SB/E for $350 (has pickup and volume controls) with a hard case, strap and strings for free. Is the Kentucky KM-630 worth paying double the price? I also had another dealer tell me to buy an Eastman MD505 at 487.50 and put in a K&K pickup. Once I add the case, it'll be at least $700, probably more, or get a Kentucky KM380S for a little less.

Not sure i can afford the extra $350 right before Christmas, but if it's going to make a world of difference and I'll be disappointed with the sound of the mm-100, I might wait to make the purchase or work something out.

So I guess my questions are:
Is the KM-630 (or even the Eastman MD505) worth double the price?
Is there a better solution for that same price?
Will I be wanting to sell the mm-100-SB/E soon after getting it and upgrading to a more expensive mandolin anyway?

I'm tired of looking, so I will probably just get something this week whether it's a good decision or not.

**cooper4205** · Nov-29-2006, 6:35pm

yevri-

have you looked at the <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Goldtone-Rigel-GM110-Acoustic-Electric-Mandolin-HSC_W0QQitemZ300051805883QQihZ020QQcategor

yZ10179QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Gold Tone G110 rigel copy</a> (NFI). i have heard good things about them(though never played one myself) and they come w/ a pick-up already installed. plus, they look pretty cool.