Mandolin brands

[mandobassman]

Sorry for my unending questions,
Is savannah decent?

I'll provide my two cents worth here. The only Savannah that is worthwhile at all is the SA-120. The 100 and 200 are plywood junk and they sound like plywood junk. I actually had a Johnson SA-120 (now Savannah) that was a fairly decent sounding instrument and I would have kept it as a beater except that it had a severe sagging top on the bass side that forced me to have the bridge about a 1/4" higher on the bass side than on the treble side. I was always expecting it to collapse at any time. The low end tone on that mandolin was actually quite amazing but the high strings sounded terrible. Harsh and compressed, especially when played hard. It wasn't too bad when played lightly, but as soon as you put a little beef into it, the sound went to H _ _ _. It really amazed me at how the low and high tones of this mandolin could be so different. The low end was so good that if I only played on the G and D strings, I would think I was playing a very high dollar mandolin. But, as soon as the picking got to the A and E strings I was immediately reminded of how cheap this thing was. Keep in mind, this is the best Savannah I have ever heard. Every other Savannah I have heard was junk, and they play like junk, unless you can get someone to do some magic to the set up. You are much better off buying from a Cafe sponsor and getting a Kentucky. And, I would stick to a A model. There are no good F models for under $200. As Allen said earlier, there are major compromises in building a F model for that price.

[mandolinteacher]

My first mandolin was a Kentucky (China). I played it for 14 years. I "upgraded" to a Flatiron (Bozeman, MT) in 1994. Now I play a custom Bunting (Enfield, CT).

I've played a few of the Horas made in Romania. Here's a video of a Hora test run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSs1ie1pc4g

[Steve Ostrander]

So it's gonna be pretty tough to find a good f style for under $200?

No, it's going to be impossible. It's hard to find a good A-style for under $200. Used Kentucky km150 is about the best you can hope for. Some like the Rover rm50 but I have not played one so I can't comment.

[Mark Wilson]

So it's gonna be pretty tough to find a good f style for under $200?
What's your take on the savannah sf 100?

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...it-good-enough
Here are some comments. Check out reply #3.

[johnmarkva]

Second (or third, fourth) the Kentucky km150. Just got one used for $200 and am blown away. Granted it is nicely setup which is important.

[Tom Coletti]

If you can find a good deal on a Kentucky KM-150 or KM-252, it's a great place to start if you want an archtop mandolin with F holes. For an archtop with an oval hole, the KM-172 or the new KM-272 are also great values. Each are all solid woods and generally regarded as more consistent in quality than Savannahs. A quick YouTube search or forum search will allow you to compare reviews, specs, and tone of each.

--Tom

[kkmm]

Any thoughts on the savannah sf100 and 200?

No Savannah, Johnson, Rogue or those cheap brand. I tried those and sold all of them within weeks.
Again Kentucky KM-150 is a low priced mandolin that is very good.
I was lucky to get one used one, still in excellent shape, two days ago for only 60$ including the gigbag.
This will be my main mandolin to play from now on (I have 4 others, one Kentucky pancake which sounds also very good).

[mandroid]

To keep prices low when the Overhead costs of making stuff in the US Is Higher, the product looks less fancy .

So, Big Muddy is a Flat top & Weber Gallatin lacks edge Binding and the high Gloss Sunburst finish

http://www.bigmuddymandolin.com/ ... http://webermandolins.com/instrument...yle-mandolin/g

so many people are OK with the benefits a Lower Labor and Overhead cost
that Importing Companies use to have an affordable Product to sell..

Adding, as Above if you are needing a Sub $200 mandolin

It cannot be made in a 8 dollar an hour+ Wage Business, in this Country .
sort of Economics 101.

[MysTiK PiKn]

bUY USED.
Never mind what it looks like. Make sure every fret sounds/rings properly and cleanly - there's a reason for that. Also play those frets loudly until if buzzes - then back to a medium loud level, closer to where you will likely play.

If a setup is free, then why don't they set them up before money is involved. WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE.

Read what allen says above at least 7 times.
"If you want to spend in the $200 range: (1) you aren't going to find any US-made mandolins that you can buy new for that price, so resign yourself to getting an Asian import; (2) get an A-model (teardrop-shaped), not a fancier F-model, 'cause an F-model in that price range has to embody a lot of compromises to stay that cheap; (3) make sure you get a decent dealer or pro-technician set-up -- bridge location and height, nut slotting and height, new strings, truss rod adjustment if needed -- which in an introductory instrument is much more important than either looks or sound."


Got a friend who's a good player? Take friend with.

When you find what you want - leave the store, and come back tommorow. there's a reason for that too.

If you fall in love with one, run for the hills. Come back next week.

After you own it, you can fall in love with it. Not before.

[MysTiK PiKn]

To keep prices low when the Overhead costs of making stuff in the US Is Higher, the product looks less fancy .

So, Big Muddy is a Flat top & Weber Gallatin lacks edge Binding and the high Gloss Sunburst finish

http://www.bigmuddymandolin.com/ ... http://webermandolins.com/instrument...yle-mandolin/g

so many people are OK with the benefits a Lower Labor and Overhead cost
that Importing Companies use to have an affordable Product to sell..

Adding, as Above if you are needing a Sub $200 mandolin

It cannot be made in a 8 dollar an hour+ Wage Business, in this Country .
sort of Economics 101.

why you should take help and avoid emotional decisions.
They know their market - lots of people - w no idea.
I got caught. Learning the hard way.

ALSO:
The nice imports are priced just enough below the nice domestics.

[Capt. E]

There are some "low cost" domestic instruments. Big Muddy comes to mind first. There are some small volume builders who provide a very good value. There are 39 pages of US builders here in the Builder's section of the Cafe: http://www.mandolincafe.com/builders.html

Prices range from around $300 up to near $40,000

I also say Buy Used. You can find very decent mandolins for under $200 if you are careful. I just sold one of my long-time beaters on ebay for only $175. It is an A body, laminated top, but with great tone, low action, flat fretboard. It came with a strap, an armrest and a gig-bag, perfectly set-up with new strings. They are out there. There are nice 50-80 year old Strad-O-Lins selling for under $200 occasionally.

[JeffD]

Big Muddy is kind of an under appreciated hero. Well I know I under appreciated them. Until I tried one and loved it.

A mandolin of that quality of build, IMO, in an arch top, would blow the OPs budget.

There are lots of good, reeeeeally well build flat tops out there that don't (I don't think) get enough recognition. More than a few newbies jump to the arch top for no particular reason but that is what they know about. And we recommend arch tops, often before knowing what kind of music the newbie is pursuing.

Kentucky, The Loar, Eastman - yea they are great, and well serve their price points - as long as you have consciously decided it has to be an arch top.

[Mike Barber]

I wonder what they guy went with? The OP was almost 3 years ago.

[Mark Wilson]

I wonder what they guy went with? The OP was almost 3 years ago.

Good catch

[multidon]

He hasn't made a post since August of 2012.

[pelone]

I love it!!! A guy goes through mental turmoil, anguish and indecision about buying a mandolin!!! Has his heart set on an F model and wants to stay under 200-----under two hundred. Gads----a fee for a moderate hotel is over two hundred. So he is all worked up about staying under 200---the equivalent of two fill ups at the local gas station for his SUV. He will burn through two fill ups and have little to show for it as he putts around town. Yet--he cannot pull the trigger on an instrument that will give him hours of enjoyment, recreation and fun and is likely to be passed on to his heirs. I have grown to loath these guys--he is the one goofus that shows up at an instrument show, strums a G chord and then starts to bargain down the price. God protect me from these dopes. If you cannot at least jump in and buy an instrument--then learn some basics and set your bar higher---take up the banjo.

[allenhopkins]

Ease up a bit -- to some people (not me any more, but once) $200 is a significant expense for what is probably "discretionary recreation." What I found a bit difficult to reconcile is looking for an F-model at that price, since at the low end of the food chain, the scroll etc. is definitely "for show and not for dough."

Yeah, I'd like a 50¢ cheeseburger, a $2.50 haircut and a $10 pair of sneakers, too. Even better, I'd like to be the age I was when I could get all those things.

[Folkmusician.com]

The newest SF-200 mandolins are actually not too bad after "extensive" setup. We are not talking about a bit of filing and scooting the bridge around. The latest versions are all solid and sound ok. I haven't seen a better F-style at the price point. Still, you would do much better with an A-style for the same price. It sounds like you may be set on the F-stlye. That is fine, but plan on spending more for something acceptible. The lowest priced F-Style I would personally recommend is The Loar LM-520. If this is beyond your budget, I would go with an A-style. No exceptions.

If you need to keep the price down, an RM-50 is an all carved, solid wood mandolin for under $200. If your friend can do a good setup and change the strings for you, you can come out well under $200.

[JeffD]

He hasn't made a post since August of 2012.

I know. But his points were as relevant to day as back then. And so were our recent responses, albeit to each other.

[haggardphunk]

I really love my Eastman MD 305.

I loved mine too.

That said, go on INSTAgram and search the hashtag #mandolin. You will know the cheap plywood mandolins in people's videos INSTAntly (see what i did there?). They really just sound like toys and if you take playing the music instrument even a little bit seriously you will be left wanting way more and trying to sell off your cheap mandolin for a fraction of what you paid for it.

Save up the extra few hundred bucks and get an Eastman, Kentucky, or The Loar. I prefer them in that order but its all a preference thing. And you don't need an F style.

[Mark Wilson]

Ease up a bit -- to some people (not me any more, but once) $200 is a significant expense for what is probably "discretionary recreation." What I found a bit difficult to reconcile is looking for an F-model at that price, since at the low end of the food chain, the scroll etc. is definitely "for show and not for dough."

Yeah, I'd like a 50¢ cheeseburger, a $2.50 haircut and a $10 pair of sneakers, too. Even better, I'd like to be the age I was when I could get all those things.

When I first went looking for a mandolin, $200 was my budget.

I could afford more but at the time thats all I could imagine spending. After spending time with one I went thru a serious recalibration re cost and worth. So it doesn't surprise me to see folks wanting an F style for $200 when it's their first time around.

It would be more surprising to me to see someone wanting to spend 2-3K for their first mandolin.

Our local CL stays littered with $200 mandolins for $50 -$100. Not sure if they've moved on to a better mandolin or decided it wasn't as easy as it looked. Either way that mandolin served it's purpose

[mandroid]

In Looking for the site to make the web link above I discovered a Model Big Muddy Makes in the US, selling at at $440

http://www.bigmuddymandolin.com/store/mm-8-mini-mo