Look what I just won on E-bay

[Pedal Steel Mike]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=ADME:B:BCA:US:12&Item=7355867794

[jim simpson]

Pedal Steel Mike,
At that low of a price it is worth taking the risk. I just read a review of a laminate topped archtop guitar that was very expensive (2 or so thousand) and gosh, if they can get that kind of money for a laminate top than why not. I had a lam topped octave mando (you see a few varieties on Ebay all the time, Surf City, etc.) that sounded pretty good to me. I guess not good enough cause I got rid of it.
Let us know when you get it. I don't recall reading any reviews of any of the Soarsy(sp?) line.
Jim

[Pedal Steel Mike]

I don't recall reading any reviews of any of the Soarsy(sp?) line.
This is the onlu pne I've seen. My decision to take a chance was partly based on it.

http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar....-1.html (http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data4/Soaresy/Jumbo_Archtop-1.html)

[arbarnhart]

I asked another winner about one of those and this is what that person said:


Concerning the Mandocello, as the seller descibes in the ad, it's not a flawless instrument. Mine has a wrikle in the wood on the back where the neck attaches, not a big deal. The tuners are cheap, but those should be easy to replace with some higher quality ones. If you look closely at the picture, you will notice that where the neck meets the body, the strings are off to one side. Mine is this way also. I think this is caused from the bridge not fitting as good as it could on the arched top so therefore it can slide easily and the high strings of course have more tension than the low strings. When the instrument is tuned up this causes the strings to pull to one side. Possibly making the bridge fit the top better might help this problem.
My actual playing time on this instrument has been very brief because the tailpiece line came undone shortly afer I got it tuned up. The seller did send me a new tailpiece line with instructions to tune the instrument up slowly, to allow the line to stretch, something I did not do the first time.
I have been busy with house maintenance for the past several weeks so I have not had a chance to get back to the mandocello. I have not jammed with anybody on it, but from what I recall it is comparable to an acoustic guitar for loudness. So it's not a high quality instrument but for the money it's okay. Once I get back to it and modify the bridge fit I will probably have a better idea how I like it.

[Jim M.]

The tenor guitar forum has discussed the Soares tenor guitars. General consensus seemed to be that they were pretty good for the money, kind of like the Troubador Romanian 'zouks and OMs.

[BlueMountain]

The guy who sells them seems to be nice, and he loves tenor guitars. I think its his family that makes them. I wish he'd put decent photos on his ads. I know of tenor guitar players who really like his products, which seem to be made in Portugal by people who are nowhere near as talented as the people making mandolins in China. However, I think the general trend of thinking by tenor guitar players seems to be in line with what others here have said--it can be a playable instrument, but expect to spend a couple hundred on upgrading, getting the frets dressed, etc. And then, of course, judging from the albeit terrible photos, not exactly beautiful.

[Pedal Steel Mike]

I haven't received the instrument yet, and probably won't for another week or 2, but I bought it with the expectation that I would have to do some serious tweaking.

Still, even if I have to put in 2 or 3 hundred dollars, it might turn out to be a really worthwhile thing. It could be a total bust, but the review I cited earlier indicated that after it's upgraded and properly adjusted, it will be OK.

Who knows, maybe it will eventually become a valuable collector's item on a par with a Loar or a D'Angelico guitar (I can dream can't I?)

I'll write a full report after I receive it.