Mandolin decision

**MandoFinn.** · Jun-01-2012, 10:53pm

Hi, i'm in a desperate need of an upgrade from my Rogue 100A mandolin. I'm on a tight budget however, i'm currently looking at the Kentucky KM-174 and the Morgan Monroe Rocky Top MMS-4FE. I know some people don't particularly like the acoustic electrics but I play at a lot functions at my church and I could always use a little more volume there. Any advice to assist me in my decision would be greatly appreciated.

**Ed Goist** · Jun-01-2012, 11:12pm

I have played a Rogue, and have owned a Kentucky KM-172 (the amber version of the KM-174).
In my opinion, the Kentucky KM-170 mandolins are light-years better than the Rogue. No comparison. I'd say my KM-172 was the best sub-$500 mandolin I have played. I feel very fortunate that it was my first mandolin.
I haven't played the MM, but I am not a fan of A/Es in this price range. IMHO, better to spend as much as possible on an acoustic mandolin, and to then work on a mic solution. YMMV.

**Adam Sweet** · Jun-02-2012, 6:33am

You can always play into a microphone (an sm57) and amplify any acoustic instrument. I think other factors should weigh on your decision first:

1. tone
2. playability

I've always liked the Kentucky mandolins - in terms of their playability...I'd stay away from the F5's because they tend to be cheap sounding. I like the A styles, both the oval and the f-holes.

**MandoFinn.** · Jun-02-2012, 8:00am

Thanks for the advice, but if I wanted to look a little more into the F-Style mandolins (not an A/E), would I be able to find one of decent quality in my price range?

**hank** · Jun-02-2012, 8:31am

The MM 68 Ovation in the Cafe classified is a great low priced plugin. Another even better but out of your buget would be one of the used Rigel A models.

**Tim2723** · Jun-02-2012, 9:13am

Originally Posted by MandoFinn.

Thanks for the advice, but if I wanted to look a little more into the F-Style mandolins (not an A/E), would I be able to find one of decent quality in my price range?

It would be difficult. F's are just more expensive than A's to build, so to get an F at the same price, corners have to be cut somewhere. Those corners are in quality. It's really just that basic.

Other than wanting to get a little louder at church, you don't mention why you're "in desperate need of an upgrade". What is it about your Rogue 100A that prompts you to replace it? Tell us about that and our answers will fit your needs better. Don't worry, there are no bad reasons to want another, better mandolin, but there are lots of ways to get sidetracked and waste money without getting what you want.

**MandoFinn.** · Jun-02-2012, 12:44pm

Originally Posted by Tim2723

What is it about your Rogue 100A that prompts you to replace it? Tell us about that and our answers will fit your needs better. Don't worry, there are no bad reasons to want another, better mandolin, but there are lots of ways to get sidetracked and waste money without getting what you want.

The biggest thing is that the action is horrible. I believe i'm past the beginner level of just figuring out fingerings and getting a feel for the mandolin, so as i'm getting to faster more advanced songs i feel that the Rogue is somewhat limiting my play ability. I want something with better action, and a nice resonate sound.

**Tim2723** · Jun-02-2012, 1:07pm

That's sort of what I thought you might say. If the action is horrible and impeding your progress, then the question is: Have you had the instrument set up? If not, then that may be your best course of action since all mandolins require proper adjustment to play easily and perform their best. A $200 import and a $20,000 masterpiece both need to be set up. Just buying a new, more expensive instrument won't necessarily solve that problem.

If you're after an improved tone, that may be different. But if your Rogue isn't working at it's best, then you may not even be getting all the tone from it that it can produce. Set ups can be costly, yes, but all mandolins need it done. It's a basic cost of ownership. A proper inspection of the instrument may show that it is somehow defective and needs replacing, but that's worth knowing too. Set ups are almost always cheaper than buying another mandolin. Just purchasing one out-of-adjustment instrument after another is a surefire recipe for wasted money.

**Adam Sweet** · Jun-03-2012, 8:12am

I play a Bruce Wei I bought off the internet for under $500. It's a sort of F (small scroll - you can see pictures on the Facebook Group). I love it. It has the perfect feel for me - slightly wider fingerboard, great "chunk", nice projection and gorgeous to look at, good heft/balance, which I feel is one of the benefits of playing an F style. They can be heavy. Certainly heavier than an A.

Having said that, I loved my A style mandolins...

**CES** · Jun-03-2012, 8:37am

Of the under 500 dollar f styles I've played, the Morgan Monroes and RM-75 seem to be the better of the choices. Neither are stellar mandolins, but they can be very serviceable for your purposes. A better quality option, if you can find one used, might be a Godin A-8...they are loud enough and sound good enough unplugged to practice effectively with, and work great plugged in. They usually go 400-650 used depending on condition...

Loar 520 or 600 may be options for you in the F-style as well...

But, agree that you should get the best mandolin you can get for your money, then either mic it or add a pickup after market...

Tim's also correct that set-up is critical...there are some low cost things you can do yourself...see frets.com for info. There may be a lot you can get out of that Rogue yet, and, if nothing else, you can make it a servicable beater!

**MandoFinn.** · Jun-10-2012, 7:47pm

Hey it has been a little while but I went to the music store today to look at a couple of mandolins and I was very pleased by The Loar LM-220. Do any of you know anything about this, any comments or complaints? I loved the tone and how much it projected and it was so easy to play.

**Tim2723** · Jun-11-2012, 2:13am

The Loar brand mandolins get consistently high praise and are among the most frequently recommended beginner/intermediate mandolins. If you loved the tone and feel, that's more important than any of our opinions. I see that you're from Long Island, NY. Did you see the instrument at Mandolin Brothers? If so, the instrument may have had a decent set up done while your Rogue may have not.