Eastman MDA815 Mandola opinions

[McIrish]

I've not played the Eastman MDA815 mandola but I've played a few of the Eastman mandolins. Their mandolins felt a bit tight sound-wise and fingerboard width. The instrument just didn't breathe (if that makes any sense). I have a Weber Alder that I bought second hand that I've been using. I think I'm looking for a more focused sound than the Weber oval. It does great for strumming but doesn't pop enough on soloing, so I'm looking for a new mandola. I've been thinking of the Eastman or saving longer and getting a Collings MT mandola. The Collings is twice the price and I do know pretty much how they sound. I like Collings but I'm not sure I want to spend nearly $3k on a mandola that I currently only use twice in my shows.

Can anyone give me an opinion on the Eastman? It looks pretty nice but sound is what matters most. I see there is one in the classifieds.

[Dave Hanson]

I have a 615 mandola, it's very good, a lot better instrument than the 615 mandolin.

Dave H

[McIrish]

Thanks for the reply Dave. You have quite a few Eastman's so your opinion hold some more weight. :-)
I'm still undecided. I could get a MDA815 pretty quick or I would need to sell off a few things to get the Collings. I'm just a little worried that I'd always be looking to upgrade from the Eastman. I have instruments like that already. I'd love to get to the point where I have all "keepers" and I can stop looking in the classifieds every day. Hmmmm. Maybe I'd still look, even if I had the best. We always seem to want what we don't have, even if it isn't better. ha ha

[J-45er]

I too have toyed with the idea of getting a mandola. Companies that sell these instruments need to realize that potential customers evaluate (rightly or wrongly) their mandolins, mandolas, octaves and mandocellos by looking at youtube videos. From just what I saw on Youtube, in my opinion, the Eastman MDA815's tone did not impress. Sounded very tinny to me with little sustain. If all someone is doing is chopping chords, that might be okay. But (just from what I saw) it would take some convincing for me to believe it would be very good for slower chord melodies. From the Youtube videos I watched, the much lower priced Washburn mandola did sound better a bit better to me. Hate telling people how to run their companies, but if you want to sell a $1,500 + mandolin/mandola on the internet or by mail order, you better not be shy about putting accurate videos on line demonstrating the sound of your instruments. Believe me, I am not alone on this.

[McIrish]

J-45er,
I agree with you. Youtube is the place that everyone goes to find out what instruments sound like. The Collings MT Mandola sounded great in every video. I'm going to sell off stuff and save up for that. I wish I could find a used Collings MT mandola in HT. That would be the best. Unfortunately, I never see used ones. Either they don't make many or people feel they are worth keeping.

[jswag]

I have owned an Eastman 815 mandola for a few years. I had an oval hole Flatiron mandola, and was also looking for a different sound than the Flatiron. I think my Eastman has become a fine sounding mandola. I'm one who does believe that new instruments sound better after time and lots of playing, which was true for my Eastman. It has a much fuller, complex sound and has lost that "thin" sound that I have heard in many new Eastman's. But I also replaced the Eastman bridge with a Cumberland bridge, which (I believe) also helped improve the sound quite a bit. It's all subjective, but that's my experience!
Jeff

[Jim Nollman]

I agree that Eastman mandolins are a bit tight in sound. The few mandolas I've heard seem more open.

I was looking seriously for a mandola about 8 months ago. I had enough saved to buy a Collings if i so wished. I did most of my initial research by listening closely to the large selection of mandolas being played on Youtube. I'm sure you've also listened to the Duff, Eastmans, Washburns, a few Gibsons, and a few Collings. After that experience, I absolutely knew that, as a performer, I wanted an instrument with F-holes. One that seemed especially nice sounding was a JBovier. Check it out. I contacted Jeff Cowherd who imports them, and discovered that he was ready to sell me the very instrument i heard on Youtube for just under $2k. Maybe he still has it.

Just as I was making up my mind to make that purchase, a Bill Bussman mandola showed up in Cafe classifieds. The price was within my budget. Important to me, the owner lived within driving distance so I could actually give it a test run before pulling the trigger.

I now own it.

I must add that it's probably not what most mandola shoppers are looking for. It's a four string with a pickup and a 16 inch scale length. If i wished, it wouldn't be much work to turn it into a proper 8 string, but i haven't yet been so inclined. Right now, I have it tuned as an octave mandolin (using Thomastik "stark" octave strings).

I guess what I'm suggesting is the same thing your post already suggests::: be patient. I also believe it's often better to buy used, and its also better to get to play an instrument before buying.

Good luck. Tell us what you end up with,

[J-45er]

Jeff's experience with the Eastman MDA815 is encouraging. I am glad he commented about his mandola opening up in time, most likely after the wood has had a chance to dry out some. Collings are always nice. They have a nice youtube video with Todd Lombardo playing one of their mandolas. (Very impressive sound, but I suspect that Mr. Lombardo is one of those musicians that can make anything sound great.) Used Collings mandolas are hard to find. Their popularity is understandable. Even when someone plays their Collings poorly on a youtube video, you always tell it's not the mandolin/mandala's fault. It sounds pretty good even when played pretty bad. They all seem to have a nice resonance. I could be wrong, but I suspect that Collings may do something to their products to speed up the "aging" process that Eastman's skip. Eastman violins may be the same way.

I also believe in buying used. I'm pretty sure that a very large percentage of mandolin sales/profits of companies like Weber and Collings come from their lower priced lines that you can buy used for well under $2000. There's just not that many people who will pay $4000+ for a mandolin. Guitars are the same way.

[Whittle]

Here's (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jODH6VcV0LQ) a video featuring the J'Bovier FM5 mandola (http://jbovier.net/2013-2/fm5-mandola/). It looks like a good alternative to the Eastman mandola, and I've heard good things about it (but have yet to play one). However the J'Bovier is more expensive I believe. At the price of a new one, you could probably find a used Collings MT mandola for a 16" scale length or a used Weber mandola with a 17" scale length with some money left over!

Adding another option to the mix, you might want to check out the work of Bayard Blaine (http://www.bayardguitars.com/). He's a builder/luthier in Fayetteville, AR and produces wonderful instruments, including A style mandolas. His fit and finish are excellent, and his prices are comparable to Weber and Collings. I've played a few of his instruments and thought they were fantastic. You could email him and see if he has anything already built that's for sale.

In any case, I recommend buying what inspires you. If your instrument inspires you, you're more likely to play it, or at least that's how it's worked for me.

[allenhopkins]

I have a 615 mandola (which I thought sounded better than the 815 to which I compared its when buying). Doesn't sound "tinny" at all, IMHO, rather "woofy" if that's a word.

Don't play it as much as I might, as the music for which I use mandola seems a bit more suited to an oval-hole sound. But the 615 is an excellent instrument, lots of presence, good "fit and finish," though the finish was quite thin and needed a bit of touch-up where my ring finger rested on the top.

If you want that f-hole sound, I think you will get good value for the price with an Eastman. Have never played or heard the JBovier, so can't compare.

[jimmy powells]

I had an Eastman 615 Mandola and it was as good as it gets. Better than their mandolins in terms of tone and all the volume you'd ever need.

Jimmy Powells
UK

[McIrish]

Thanks for all the replies. I was very tempted to buy the MDA815 that is in the classifieds but I've never personally played one and the few YouTube videos I saw didn't sell me on the sound (for my tastes). The owner is selling it at a great deal. It was very tempting. BUT....I ended up buying a Collings MT Mandola, honey colored to match my Northfield Big Mon. It arrives tomorrow. Can't wait.

[MysTiK PiKn]

That's the trouble with great instruments; once you start thinking about it seriously, there will be no peace in the universe until....

I have never played a Collings. But they keep Colling me. ~o)

I think I would like a guitar. Lyle Lovett plays one. I think it's a Texas thing.

They simply sound like they should. With no lack of horsepower. I have to stop thinking about this now.

[Pittsburgh Bill]

I recently purchased a Weber D hole dola which I like very much. My reason for the Weber vs. the Eastman was that it comes with a smaller nut. I wanted to attain as much similarity as possible to my mandolin fingerings with my left hand. I'm happy with my decision. It sounds and plays great!
.

[bootinz]

i recently bought an MDA 815 and i love it. i've got the g and c strings tuned in unison with a .15 gauge and .24 gauge respectively.

[McIrish]

I got the Collings MT Mandola. It sounds and looks great. Very big and wide open. The neck is comfortable too.
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