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View Full Version : Poe Mandolins vs. others



jljohn
Feb-03-2016, 4:01pm
I occasionally see Poe mandolins (A-5 & F-5 styles) for sale, and I'm wondering how they compare to other popular or small shop mid-priced instruments. Has anyone played one that can comment versus Collings, Pava, Gibson, Weber, etc?

Thanks!

Steve-o
Feb-03-2016, 10:03pm
Jlj,

I’ll try to answer, since I own both an A5 and F5 Poe (full disclosure – my F5 is currently in the classifieds). I also own an A5 Ellis and A5 Arches and have played various Collings and Weber mandolins at Elderly. I’ve played a couple F5 Gibsons but not up against any of my mandos.

I’d say Andy Poe’s build quality is generally better than similarly mid-priced mandos. Fit and finish are excellent (both mine are varnish finish), and I’d say comparable to Collings. Andy’s inlays and custom features are superior to most. Not the perfection of an Ellis, but close. The neck is a rounded V shape (chunkier than most), similar to a Collings. Andy has some great pics on his web site: www.poestrings.com

Volume & tone: Both my Poes have a big voice and strong percussive chop. Out of a dozen mandos I’ve owned, they rate #1 and #2 in volume. Tonally, they are quite different, presumably due to the wood – the A5 has an Engelmann top and the F5 top is red spruce (adi?). Both have a “modern” sound with strong mids and trebles, but not that growly low end that some of the Gibsons have. The Engelmann A5 sounds warmer and richer – more like my Ellis. I find my A5 more suitable for ITM, old-time, etc., and my F5 better for bluegrass. In general, I’d say the sound is most like a Collings.

Cheers,

renoyd
Feb-03-2016, 10:40pm
On a trip to Fiddlers Green I tried most of the many mandolins on the walls, old and current Gibsons, Collings, Ellis, Pava, and others, very nice assortment and a great shop too. There was also a used Poe F and reasonably priced. That Poe really stood out, especially sound-wise. I thought it was about the best, most complex sounding mandolin of all of them, and in that group, that says a lot. I would not hesitate an instant to consider a Poe. Steve above likes them as well, though one thing he states I would diverge from - I didn't think the one I tried sounded like Collings, it sounded better and more rich than all of them that I've ever tried, IMHO.

Steve-o
Feb-04-2016, 7:03am
renoyd,

When did you make that trip to Fiddler's Green? I bought my F5 Poe from them this April. The interesting thing - it had Thomastik strings on it. Those strings really enriched the sound (and playability), but robbed from the volume. I put EXP 74s on, and they really changed the tone/volume.

jljohn
Feb-07-2016, 2:30pm
Thanks so much. This was very helpful!

cwgivens21
Feb-10-2016, 10:58am
I'll second what everyone else has been saying. Took a trip to Carter's a while ago and played just about everything they had at the time. Best instrument I played was the Distressed Master Model signed by Danny Roberts (geez, that's a good mandolin); I'd rank the '08 Poe PF5 they still have in stock in the top 5 others I played at Carter's. That includes several other Gils, Gibsons, and others. Somebody with more funds than I needs to snatch that one up.

jim simpson
Feb-10-2016, 11:01am
I'm still liking my Poe F-4 (purchased from Carter's), I used it for a set of music last weekend. I'm still trying to figure out the best way to mic it.

atbuckner21
Feb-10-2016, 11:17am
Jim,
I use a DPA D'vote live and it works great. It's pricy (my band saved up and bought one for each of us), but well worth it. I believe Audio Technica makes a similar product more affordably priced. Hope this helps!

jim simpson
Feb-10-2016, 11:30am
Jim,
I use a DPA D'vote live and it works great. It's pricy (my band saved up and bought one for each of us), but well worth it. I believe Audio Technica makes a similar product more affordably priced. Hope this helps!

I have the DPA mount and use it with the Audio Technica Pro 35 mic. I like it and have been using it on my F-hole mandolins. I clipped it above the sound hole and it picked up fine, was more an issue of having to modify my picking/wrist movement to not hit it. A band mate has a nice small mic mounted/suspended inside his guitar. It sounds good, I don't suppose that setup would work as well inside of a mandolin?

almeriastrings
Feb-10-2016, 11:30am
Jim,
I use a DPA D'vote live and it works great. It's pricy (my band saved up and bought one for each of us), but well worth it. I believe Audio Technica makes a similar product more affordably priced. Hope this helps!

They make two. The PRO35 (http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Pro35) and the ATM350 (http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ATM350). These are both really good. Technically, the ATM350 has superior specs... the actual mounting method (and mount itself) is the same. I have an ATM350 and a DPA, and honestly feel they are essentially as good as each other, in terms of mic quality. The mounting methods are quite different, however. Just to confuse things, you can mount a DPA in an AT mount, and can put a DPA capsule in an AT mount and windscreen.

CelticDude
Feb-10-2016, 2:19pm
They make two. The PRO35 (http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Pro35) and the ATM350 (http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ATM350). These are both really good. Technically, the ATM350 has superior specs... the actual mounting method (and mount itself) is the same. I have an ATM350 and a DPA, and honestly feel they are essentially as good as each other, in terms of mic quality. The mounting methods are quite different, however. Just to confuse things, you can mount a DPA in an AT mount, and can put a DPA capsule in an AT mount and windscreen.

Or you can buy just the DPA mount, and one of the AT mics, then remove the AT gooseneck from it's mount (it does take surgery that can't be undone), and epoxy it into the DPA mount. I think the DPA mount is very nice and handy, but couldn't justify the price of the full mic, so this was my compromise. Works well.

jim simpson
Feb-10-2016, 2:26pm
The clip at the end of my Pro 35's goose neck really grips solidly to the AT clip, I would have considered modifying otherwise.

almeriastrings
Feb-10-2016, 6:47pm
Reversible method:

143531

143532

Just uses one regular cable tie.

Syd R.
Mar-28-2016, 4:59pm
Long time "follower / first timecommenter.

I am the very proud owner (since mid Oct '15), of Poe #63, a Scout (Andy's first instrument since returning to full time) and I love it. Englemann top with stunning quilted maple neck, sides and back.

jljohn... I highly recommend his instruments, he was easy to work with and has such aesthetic talent !
Altho it's not an A or F , my new baby is a great mando for my Celtic needs.

My other comment was about mics... I would like to suggest BARTLETT AUDIO mics; specifically his Mando mic which is calibrated specifically for mandolin frequencies. It's a simple clip on that easily attaches to your instrument via the FF hole or the Oval hole. GREAT reviews from the acoustic world in terms of producing a natural and clean/clear,acoustic sound and a lot less $ than the DPA or AT Pro35. And, no need to alter your technique.

Go with Poe !!!

seg
Mar-28-2016, 5:16pm
144893 this 2 point was in classifieds a while back. so sweet I kept the pic.......some day!!!