How many licks does it take?

[Jonathan Peck]

I feel like I've been chasing my tail in search or the perfect instrument for me. What I've finally realized is that they all sound different and they're all, for the most part, good instruments out there. It's hard to go wrong with any builders these days.

I've had several instruments pass through my hands, all part of the catch and release program, in the interest of sampling different makers work. I've finally come to the conclusion that what's most important to me is the shape/width/depth/profile of the neck and the string spacing, and how the instrument plays in my hands anywhere on the neck.

What's most important to you. The tone of your instrument or the shape of the neck?

[woodwizard]

Jonathan: I've finally come to the conclusion that what's most important to me is the shape/width/depth/profile of the neck and the string spacing, and how the instrument plays in my hands anywhere on the neck.
.................................................. ..

I think you said it perfectly for the way I feel about it.

[JEStanek]

I'm not good by a long stretch, I'm a beginner. I have a combination of comfort, sound and looks that are important. Total package maybe. What I've found I want out of an instrument is a comfortable neck shape, thicker/higher frets than the skinny ones on my Eastman, and a mandolin that sounds nice and looks nice to inspire me to play it.

I've become accostomed to the Narrower to standard neck widths and the wider Breedlove feels awkward. I like more of a V shape so the Weber Beartooth I had felt awkward. They both sound pleasing to me. Long answer from a guy who can only play a few tunes...

Jamie

[billhay4]

Every once in a while, an instrument will speak to me. Could be sound, could be action, could be the neck, weight, color. Or a combination of these.
When it speaks, I try to prolong the conversation as long as I can.
Bill

[Steve Ostrander]

Definetly the sound. I've played old Gibson A4s with a chunky neck, and newer models with very delicate necks. The neck doesn't seem to matter at all to me. It's got to sound good.

[TomTyrrell]

It has to fit me and speak to me. If it doesn't feel right I can still play it but I won't play it well and it just won't ever sound right to me.

I don't really care what it looks like, especially the back, but I won't pay extra for ugly.

[sgarrity]

I've owned great sounding guitars and mandolins that didn't fit my hand, they are now sold. I currently own a great sounding mandolin that fits my hand perfectly. MAS is in remission....

[billkilpatrick]

Every once in a while, an instrument will speak to me. Could be sound, could be action, could be the neck, weight, color. Or a combination of these.
When it speaks, I try to prolong the conversation as long as I can.
Bill

precisely - an indefinable combination of many things with comfort being first and foremost for me.

i'd only had three mandolins in my hand before getting a mid-missouri but it was love at first feel. great tone as well.

[mandroid]

Since I'm not Ordering New Builds, they are what they are , the Popeye acceptance..

A4 and A50 are just different, Lebeda JF, and Hodson Djangolin, different again.

[Rick Schmidlin]

A mandolin I can't put down. That may be a simple answer, I have bought and sold in the last six years eight guitars and four mandolin's. I have owned my MF5 for almost three years and have no plans to sell it. All the other instuments I have owned have been first class and I have never had a problem to sell or trade them but they never spoke to me like my Collings

[John Flynn]

This has changed for me over time. When I was a beginner, I have to be honest, it was looks. I liked having a traditional-looking F-style with a scroll and frankly, I didn't really have an appreciation for great tone. Ten years later, when I got my Rigel, the priority became playability. That thing has the best darn neck and fretboard. I could play things easily on it that I found hard on other mandolins. Five years later, I still have the Rigel, but I don't play it much. Now with my Old Wave, the deal for me is tone. I have finally gotten the instrument broken in, set up right and found the right strings (EXP77s), so it sounds great. I have also gotten used to the neck, so the playability is very good and I think it looks pretty good also, but those two are now just bonuses. To validate that, I also have a Parsons flat-top that is not much in the looks or playability departments, but I think it just sounds great. I like it almost as much as the Old Wave and a lot more than the Rigel.

There is a saying I like: "If you always choose what you chose, you always have your first choice." What that means for me in this situation, is that at some point, it is good to be satisfied with what you have and make the best out of it. Another way to say it is make it about the music and not the hardware, or to put it more on the nose, "Just play the darn thing!" I remember once not being able to take my regular mandolin to a lesson with Curtis Buckhannon, because I would have had to leave it in a hot car all day prior and I did not want to risk it. Instead, I took my Mederios travel mando, basically similar to a Weber Sweet Pea. Curtis had never seen one, thought it was a great novelty and insisted on playing it for the lesson, while I played his 1920 A-2. Funny thing: I still sounded very much like the struggling student I am, while he still sounded just like he does on his CDs.

[JeffD]

I've finally come to the conclusion that what's most important to me is the shape/width/depth/profile of the neck and the string spacing, and how the instrument plays in my hands anywhere on the neck.

What huh? That is everything. What else is there? The middle name of the luthiers daughter or something.




This discussion is similar to one I had stream side a year ago. We were discussing what is it about an artificial fly that attracts a trout, what do you have to "get right". This fellow had narrowed it down to fly size, fly shape, fly color, and presentation on the water. I told him thank goodness that was it. Otherwise fishing would be hard.

[Volvoguy]

To me, I got a mandolin when i was 10, and 14 years later I'm still playing it. It feels fine. I can play other mandolins just as well (just as bad?). Probably helps that it is a Heiden, but that's beside the point. I say just play the damn thing! You'll get used to jsut about anything within a short amount of time if you just don't think about it.

Don't get me wrong, I fully understand the want to get more instruments, you should see how many guitar cases are around here....... But really, just play what you have and be glad you can play at all!!!!

[Bertram Henze]

That is everything. What else is there? The middle name of the luthiers daughter or something.

Not quite everything, in fact none of my important criteria are covered:

- sound,
- sound,
- sound,
- looks.

Everything else can be adapted by practising and setup.

Oh, and I'd be interested in the middle name of the luthier's daughter, too

Bertram

[red7flag]

The first thing that hits me about a mandolin is the look, but if the tone is poor... No tone, no farther. Next will be playability. I like that butter feeling. Great tone and great playability, I can overlook some cosmetics.
Tony

[first string]

To me, I got a mandolin when i was 10, and 14 years later I'm still playing it. It feels fine. I can play other mandolins just as well (just as bad?). Probably helps that it is a Heiden, but that's beside the point. I say just play the damn thing! You'll get used to jsut about anything within a short amount of time if you just don't think about it.

Don't get me wrong, I fully understand the want to get more instruments, you should see how many guitar cases are around here....... But really, just play what you have and be glad you can play at all!!!!

Yeah, no offense but that is an interesting sentiment coming from someone with a Heiden! Maybe if you played an Eastman or something...

Not that you're wrong, but I think at this point we should probably give it up and admit that we are all at least a little bit gear heads. Otherwise we wouldn't be hanging around on this forum. At least not in this section of it. It's hard to believe, but I'm pretty sure there are a lot of mandolin players out there who don't log on to the cafe with any regularity. Those of us who do, are all probably more than a little obsessed with the instrument itself, as opposed to being in it purely for the music.

[jasona]

When you are sampling at the top of the tree, the tone is good all around and all that is left is playability. Until you get up there, tone counts first I think.

[Jonathan Peck]

When you are sampling at the top of the tree, the tone is good all around and all that is left is playability. Until you get up there, tone counts first I think.

Thanks, that's pretty much what I meant to say.

[red7flag]

When you are sampling at the top of the tree, the tone is good all around and all that is left is playability. Until you get up there, tone counts first I think.

Many would say that all the instruments listed in my signature are the "top of the tree", well at least in the top half, but each is very individual as far as tone and feel. Collings and Stanley are really different approaches to sound and fit and finish. The Collings has a clear modern tone, while the Stanley is loar type. Which is better. Depends on the use and my mood. The Weber, being an oval A is a different beast, but more Celtic/Old timey in feeling. All have "good tone", but oh so different. I would say all have playability locked in too.
My point is what tone are you looking for? Do I need all three? No way. Which would I keep if I could only have one? Probably the Stanley, wait Collings, no Weber. I think you will have to pull any of them from my cold dead fingers. Just teasing. A very happy owner of each.
Tony

[TomTyrrell]

Most people can get used to playing a mandolin that doesn't really fit them very well. But why do that if you don't have to? Its like wearing shoes that are one size too big.

I prefer not to compromise at all. No reason I shouldn't be able to have a mandolin that fits me well, sounds good and looks good too. But since I don't look at it while I'm playing and when I'm not playing it is in the case looks aren't really all that important to me.

[allenhopkins]

Title of this thread has something to do with a Tootsie Roll Pop, don't it?

[gnelson651]

Title of this thread has something to do with a Tootsie Roll Pop, don't it?

I thought that to.

Also I thought the question revolved around how many licks it takes to make a solo break. #

[Jonathan Peck]

I meant it in a philosophical tootsie pop existentialistic sort of way

[Chris Wofford]

As a beginner it has to be playability. I don't really know what a good mandolin sounds like because I have not heard enough. I also don't know if the problem is me or the mandolin.

[JEStanek]

If you're asking the Mr. Owl... the answer is 3.


See for yourself...

Jamie