best mandolin for blues/swing/old time stringband music?

[liestman]

I do play my RM1 as my main public mandolin (also with flatwound strings which gets rid of any metallic sound - Jazzmando strings and a Blue Chip TAD40 with a lowered action from what it came with from the factory). Rather than saying its loud, I would say it has a huge dynamic range. Yes, you can play banjo loud but you can also play soft and sweet. I love playing it on an Irish slow air as a duet with a flute playing friend, so that should be the proof. The bass end is rich and rings forever making it lovely for a mixture of melody and chords in a slow, elegant arrangement. It sounds nothing like the brashness of a mandolin banjo or the cheap imitators or even a metal bodied National. Having the dynamic range available is a great feature, so you can put in lots of rhythm and feeling and not just banging hard all the time. I play my oval hole favorites at home but almost always use the RM1 in public.

[MandoHog]

Why not a used Phoenix Jazz model? There is one on M/C classifieds right now in that price range (I have no ties to seller). It seems like it is a blend of everything you are looking for. Thx

[yankees1]

Old Wave (Bill Bussman) makes about the best oval A and his pricing fits your budget. I'd stay oval for what you're playing.

I agree, Old Wave oval !

[August Watters]

The Mix is a highly regarded instrument but it is new and made with modern materials not available during the era of your interests, music-wise. Depends on the level of authenticity you are going for.

I agree with this, but following this reasoning most of the mandolins discussed in this thread should probably be excluded for the same reason. If you're looking for instruments authentic to the string band/blues style of the 'teens and twenties, how about an old flat-top? My favorite mandolin lately has been a 100-year old Bruno that sounds weirdly like a Neapolitan bowl-back. I also recently got a flat-top SAMMO model by Samuel Osborne, from the 1920s, in Brazilian rosewood. The bass response is incredible, very guitar-like. None of these cost me more than $500, including restorations. Or for a carved-top instrument, you might find an old Gibson A-style, from that era.

[allenhopkins]

I'd suggest a Strad-O-Lin, but you have too much money.