Need opinions!

[meghory]

Hi everyone! Well, I'm very excited because i'm finally going to get a real mandolin! I've been playing a "starter mandolin" for about 2 years now. I've come into a small inheritance ($5000-$6000). What are your opinions on a great mandolin in that price range? I've been wanting a Collings for while. What do you think?

[Rick Schmidlin]

A Colling MF5 is perfect,plays well and all the pro's and all other love mine, it's my love affair. There is an ad I believe for 6,100 running now.....GO FOR IT!!!!!!!

[kudzuklunker]

Play a bunch of 'em and get the ONE you like. That's plenty of money for a good mandolin.

[woodwizard]

Same question ... different person. Boy you will sure get a lot of endorsments on that question. But the answer seems to always wind up to play a lot of them until you finally find the one that speaks to you. That's the one you should get. My Gibson spoke to me. If you don't have the opportunity to do that then maybe one of the answers here from our cafe members might inspire you to take a chance. You can get a really decent mandolin in that price range for sure. Good luck and keep pickin'

[blewgras]

GET A BREEDLOVE.

[niaflsbob]

BE PATIENT GRASSHOPPER! YOU NEED TO GIVE THE ALL KNOWING MEMBERS HERE MORE INFO. WHAT STYLE OF MUSIC DO YOU PLAY (BLUEGRASS,JAZZ,GYPSY,COUNTRY,ETC). THIS WAY WE CAN START A REAL CONFUSING (FOR YOU) DISCUSSION OF ALL THE MAKES MODEL ETC THAT ARE OUT THERE. I SUGGEST YOU GIVE ME THE 6K AND ABOUT 3-4 YEARS AND I WILL PURCHASE / PLAY VARIOUS INSTRUMENTS AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION. SOUND REASONABLE?

[meghory]

Ha! Cute Well I like to play bluegrass but would like to play all kinds of music eventually. I'm really into a Thile type tone. No, this is not going to be a Thile discussion and I know it's not all in the mandolin but the player. But, I like that sort of tone which is light and pretty as opposed to say a more aggressive, hard-core bluegrass type tone like your Mike Comptons and the like. Hope that makes sense. And thanks for everyones help and input. I take it seriously!

[Geoff B]

Thile's dude(s?) has an engleman top, if i am not mistaken. Folks will have opinions, but I think beyond Thile's incredible dexterity and personal touch, that tone has a lot to do with the engleman top. Sweet and complex in my opinion.

[Hallmark498]

Check out a Tucker

[mandroid]

a trip to a place with a good selection will put your hands and ears in the same room with a few instruments to hear and feel in you hands.
all I can Offer is text.

FWIW, the Scrolly, pointy one, here, has 'Lebeda' inlaid on the top of it.
It was about $3k.

[Dave Hanson]

Go and try all the mandolins you can find in your price range and buy the one YOU like best. You don't need other players to tell you what their favourite instrument is.

Dave H

[Jackie Walters]

If I had that kind of money, I would (my own opinion) have one custom made. I have a custom made "A" by Silverangel's by Laura Ratcliff. Ken Ratcliff's wife. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. Ken makes some mighty fine instruments too. There are 5 custom made silverangels in my neck of the woods and I've heard 4 of the 5. And it's like an "EF Hutton" commercial,(I don't know if you remember those) when they are played everyone 'STOPS TO LISTEN". I also think it's crucial when it comes to mandolin or any fine instrument, a lifetime warranty (anything structural) is essential. Now I'm not talking about shipping it back and forth to the factory to get it right and being tied up for MONTHS. Trust me, I've heard those horror stories too. These fine luthiers create these fine instruments with a heart.They aim to please. You can have it made to YOUR liking as well. YOU get to chose most all features. Ken also is a fabulous artist. He painted an angel in flight on the back of mine. There's something about having an angel close to your heart while you're playing. But you can have anything painted....
And for the record. I had Jeremy Chapman from "The Chapman's play mine a few years back..and I'll never forget this for as long as I live. His brother, John was chatting with some of my friends nearby, he literally stopped to hear Jeremy play my "angel". And Jeremy said it was a fine instrument and he said it had a wonderful sound.
So my vote..is custom made..Just at least consider it. There are fine luthiers out there. And would do you right.
Angelfire

[Sadee]

Meghory - that is my Collings MF5 that ToneMoster is refering to. I'm selling it because the neck is a tad big for me and I need the cash to fund a guitar that I'm having built so I'm motivated to move this mando pretty fast. The price has been reduced to $5800. It's an outstanding mandolin as you can imagine since it's a Collings. And it's close to mint condition. A great value since most of them that I've seen on the used market are around $6,500 or more!

[mandolooter]

Since your in Nashville head to the world-class music stores in your neck of the woods and play everyone ya see...some mandolin will probably say "buy me!". Of course they all may say that....hehehe!