The Loar LM-400 Question - Amazon vs. Music Shops

**Corin** · Jun-18-2012, 9:41am

I'm a long-time Nickel Creek fan, and after seeing Punch Brothers at Bonnaroo I decided to pick up the mandolin. I've played viola for about ten years, so I'll have a nice head start on fingering. Anyway, I did my research, browsed a bunch of MandolinCafe threads, and decided on the Loar LM-400. There were some blemish models for $460 on eBay, new models available from places like Gianna for $550, and a new model on Amazon with the ever-tempting free 2 day shipping for $460. I went with the Amazon option, thinking it was a really good price for a new mandolin with such fast shipping.

Now, however, I'm having second thoughts, seeing as it appears the LM-400 doesn't come with a factory hard case, whereas the $550 options did. Plus coming from Amazon I'll have to pay for setup, which the local place quoted as $65. All things considered, I think I should've gone with folkinstruments or Gianna. However, I was impatient and too excited to think 100% straight.

The question now is whether I should keep the Amazon model when it arrives tomorrow, pay for the setup, and use a gig bag in the meantime, or return it and order through one of the other sites. I really don't know if I have it in me to send my first mandolin away as soon as it arrives... Maybe if it's in particularly bad shape or just not a particularly pretty specimen?

Thoughts/advice?

Thanks a lot!

**almeriastrings** · Jun-18-2012, 12:48pm

Why not wait until it arrives, and check it out? Cases are easy to find. Plenty of options.

I think I diagnose a classic case of "buyer's remorse"!

**CaskAle** · Jun-18-2012, 4:13pm

It might not need setting up if you are lucky.

I bought a Loar LM 600 from an internet superstore in Europe. It wasn't set up by the shop. However, although it played find to me, It was my first mandolin so I wasn't sure if it could be better set up, so I took it to my local music shop. They took a look at it, played it for a few seconds and said "That is fine, we won't be able to improve on that" and handed it back to me!

Might have just been lucky, of course, but so might you!

**Corin** · Jun-18-2012, 4:21pm

Originally Posted by CaskAle

It might not need setting up if you are lucky.

I bought a Loar LM 600 from an internet superstore in Europe. It wasn't set up by the shop. However, although it played find to me, It was my first mandolin so I wasn't sure if it could be better set up, so I took it to my local music shop. They took a look at it, played it for a few seconds and said "That is fine, we won't be able to improve on that" and handed it back to me!

Might have just been lucky, of course, but so might you!

Thanks, that's great to hear. And I imagine you're right, although I have absolutely no remorse over the LM400 itself. I'm incredibly excited to play it tomorrow. Thanks a lot guys. It's great to be here!

**Brutus1999** · Jun-18-2012, 5:59pm

Well, (and this happens to me and everyone else), you THINK you are worrying about the mandolin, but actually you are worrying about thirty or fifty dollars or so -- which might be worth worrying about, or might not, depending on how much free time you have and how much your time is worth. You can get a fine case for $60 or $70 and a set up, if necessary for maybe $50 -- so let your fingers do the fretting!

(Now if I can only take my own advice....)

**robert.najlis** · Jun-18-2012, 6:04pm

If possible - I would go for the setup and the case. Especially the setup. Getting a setup from a place like Gianna or Folkmusician (the two places you mentioned) would likely make a world of difference and be more than worth the extra time and money.

**Bob Tedrow** · Jun-27-2012, 8:10pm

I posit mail order houses working on narrow margins depend on rapid turnover in their stock. I can scarcely believe they have the time or the money to hire an experienced luthier.

**Brian Sharpe** · Jun-29-2012, 9:27am

I bought a LM600 from one of the on-line discount music stores and it came with the factory setup which was, to be charitable, mediocre. I bought my Eastman MD 504 from a bricks & mortar music store and they had it set up beautifully. After paying to have my LM600 setup properly I don't think I really saved any money.

Price and value are not always the same thing.

**dcoventry** · Jun-29-2012, 9:35am

Originally Posted by Brian Sharpe

I bought a LM600 from one of the on-line discount music stores and it came with the factory setup which was, to be charitable, mediocre. I bought my Eastman MD 504 from a bricks & mortar music store and they had it set up beautifully. After paying to have my LM600 setup properly I don't think I really saved any money.

Price and value are not always the same thing.

This is just an excellent example and a great post. I have believed for some time in the axiom "you get what you pay for". that's the good news, and the bad news.

Make no mistake, I like a good deal as much as the next guy, I did actually get the 3 instruments in my signature line for excellent prices. BUT, I want people to respect my talents in my line of work and to pay fair value for them. Music stores and on line retailers probably feel the same way, no doubt. I'll pay extra dollars to help keep good folks in business, and I would hope others would do the same for me.

**Mike Scott** · Jun-30-2012, 10:25am

Hmm.....this is all about set up. I have never purchased from Amazon although one of my relatives purchased a cheap guitar from them which was set up just fine and had pretty good intonation up the neck. He also purchased a cheap tenor uke and the set up was awful. So, I think it is "pot luck" on factory set ups. All my purchases have been from local stores or places like Gianna or The Mandolin Store (NFI), so set up has never been an issue. I did once order a uke from a store that touted their set ups. The action was way to high when it arrived. I ended up shaving down bridge by about half so......................you just never know.

My $.02 is to look over the one coming from Amazon, determine the extent of set up required, and if minor have a go at it yourself (lowering bridge or other minor stuff), if too extensive mods are necessary then decide if you want to send back and re-order from someone who does set ups.

No matter what you decide, have fun with your new mandolin. And welcome to the "Cafe"-the best place by far for info on mandolins and mandolin playing.