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View Full Version : New Mandolin Day!



JH Murray
Jul-11-2016, 8:47pm
After much searching on Ebay and Kijiji, I finally found a f hole mandolin I can be happy to call my own. My main mandolin is a Sobell style oval hole made by an Ottawa Luthier Nathan Curry. It really can ring, but can sound a bit tubby on the G string. I picked her up four years ago also on Kijiji. I've been looking to add an f hole instrument. I thought I had struck gold when I saw a Kentucky KM900 listed for $600 CDN, about $450 USD. When I saw it, I was disappointed. It was only 5 years old, but the neck was obviously warped and there was a lot of cracking around the neck joint and heel. Today I picked up a 2005 Eastman MD505 for $425CDN/$325USD. It is serial #7. It is in very good condition with very few marks on it. (I've seen mandolins in stores with more marks on them.) The frets look like they have seen very little play. And it is LOUD. My first mandolin was a Fender solid top A with f holes that had no volume, tone or sustain. This Eastman has all three. I want to give my thanks to all the contributors to this site. This website is a master class in mandolin and I have learned a lot from all of you.

My only challenge will be to explain to my dear spouse how I came to purchase another mandolin. Then again, she is visiting Florence Italy this week and she did decline my request for a mandolin from that great city as a souvenir.

MediumMando5722
Jul-11-2016, 8:58pm
Great deal on a great mando! If it sounds like my 315, I see why you're enjoying it :)

Bob Clark
Jul-11-2016, 8:58pm
. . .she did decline my request for a mandolin from that great city as a souvenir.
Unless, of course, she only led you to believe she was declining your request and will instead present you with one on her return. Hmmmm, could require some quick thinking.:grin:

Actually, congratulations on your new mandolin. I hope you really enjoy it and that your playing on it brings pleasure to many others. Why not past a picture or sound clip so we can all enjoy it with you?

Best wishes,

Bob

gtani7
Jul-12-2016, 1:22am
Congrats. Mine is from mid/late 2006, probably very similar. I paid more, of course, and now it mostly sits in the case.

Are you going to upgrade tuners, bridge, tailpiece? I think you kind of have to do the Grover or Golden age upgrade, unless both of my Eastmans somehow arrived with way below average tuners.

JH Murray
Jul-12-2016, 2:45pm
I'll need to put some fresh strings on it, try out some different picks and figure out how it sounds before I'd look at doing any upgrades. It has a very different tone from my oval hole, so I may even need to change my technique and figure out what kind of music is better suited to each instrument. Right now I know the chords & strumming are much stronger projection on the Eastman. After a few months I'll have a better idea of what it is capable of and what it might need. It is in good condition to start with, so there is no urgency. What upgrades have others done?

MediumMando5722
Jul-12-2016, 8:01pm
I just put an armrest on my 315, and it sounds and plays much better without my forearm choking the top. Also, it had light strings when I got it. I replaced them with a D'Addario 11.5-41 EJ75 set, which also improved the sound.

I can't recommend the armrest enough, though.

JH Murray
Jul-12-2016, 9:05pm
I put a set of D'Addario EJ74 strings and that really improved the tone for me as well. I may try the EJ75 set next time. I'm alternating between a Blue Chip and a Wegen pick, not sure which is the better match. This 505 hasn't been played much. Last owner had it for two years and barely put any miles on it. Time will tell. The fact it is 80% humidity today probably isn't giving me the best conditions to judge things. I think I'm melting...