Care to help a youngin'?

[jpsy422]

Im looking to get one (acoustic electric) and have no clue where to start.

i want something introductory (as i dont know how to play) but something i can use to perform. I made the mistake of buying a 3-400 dollar guitar and i used it a ton until i got good, then it was almost like the guitar couldn't keep up with what i wanted to do and i kinda lost interest. i dont want to have that problem again.

ill try to answer all of the questions i think you are going to ask.

I guess i wanna spend around 4-600, but im not confined to that price range, but i dont wanna spend toooooo much.

Ill be playing mostly bluegrass and jazz (or a combination of the two) i.e. nickel creek, bela fleck, jazz mandolin project, scofield, stuff like that

Ill be at college with this.

I already have amps (both an electric and an acoustic amp)

i have never played before aside from a few times where i learned a couple chords real quick to fill a spot in a song or two with some local groups that needed someone to play.

any suggestions?

[Greenmando]

I have a near new Epiphone MM30-E I was going to relist in the classifieds.

[jpsy422]

well, i hate to sound like a stickler, but i dont really know anything about it (or any mondos for that matter...)so id like to get some background as to what i need to look for when looking for a mondo/trying one out.

[grsnovi]

jpsy -

There are several lengthy threads on the board that argue to death the points one needs to look for when considering an instrument for less than $1000 (for example). Until you're sure of what is out there, I would suggest that you look locally - play a few instruments, find one that trips your trigger and go for it.

You're not going to buy the instrument of a lifetime in the $4 to $600 dollar range, so expect to learn on in, grow to a point where you'll want something better.

You'll want: solid wood, straight neck, good fret work (no buzzing) and from the sounds of it, probably an f-style.

[Dioptase]

My hearty reccomendation would be to buy a Mid Missouri and add a pickup. As Grsnovi said, you're not going to find an instrument to last a lifetime in that price bracket.. though if you go a few hundred dollars higher, and aren't stuck on appearances, you might find one that satisfies.

But within your price range, a Mid Mo seems to be unbeatable. You can find them used around 300$, and they have a variety of wood backs to choose from. Walnut, Rosewood, Maple, Mahahony. Cool little instruments that should retain value when you decide to sell them... and of good enough quality that you may decide to keep them even after you upgrade.

American made, solid tone, solid worksmanship... Great instrument to learn on, great instrument to pick even when you've advanced. But won't have the volume to carry you through many other instruments acoustically. But then again, you want a pickup as well...
...I don't think you'll find a better instrument for the price.
Micah

[peterbc]

I'd say probably not an F-style since you're just paying for a scroll, but F-holes are probably the way to go (I think, for bluegrass and jazz). Though to contradict myself, I have played a few Michael Kelly mandolins that were really pretty good, but I'd agree that you should try to play a few instruments (as many as possible) and grab the one you like.

Peter

[jpsy422]

thanks guys, it is true what they say about the bluegrass community: they aint the prettiest bunch, but they sure are the nicest ;)


ill run a search for a thread on beginners mandos. id like to try out a lot here, but to be honest, there really arent too many places around me here in the NW burbs of chicago to try em out.

can anyone recommend some places in the chicago (or columbus) area that knows what they are doing?

[mandodude]

jpsy,

Sorry to say, but it's "slim pickins" with regard to stores where you can try a whole bunch of mandos here in Chicagoland. You might look at Guitar Works in Evanston... see what they got. Other than that, it's a pretty long drive to Elderly in Lansing, Michigan (being an Ohio State guy, though, you probably wanna stay out of "Spartan Country," huh?). Oh, there's also Front Porch Music over in Valporaiso, Indiana... never visited myself, but they do have a website.

I was in Guitar Center on Cicero Avenue, down in Burbank, the other day (just down the street from Midway Airport)... they had a used electric/acoustic Fender A-style w/ f-holes hanging on the wall - might be what you're looking for... give 'em a call before you drive all the way down there!

Happy hunting!

Mandodude

BTW - I play trumpet, too - BIG Miles fan! - cool signature line, my friend!

[jpsy422]

awesome. Yeah, there are a couple sam Ash's around here that have a few, but the guys that work there usually dont know anything about em. cool stuff about the trumpet. I play sax and guitar and flute and a couple more instruments that are fun to play in a live setting just for sh*ts and giggles.

one more thing. is there a resource online that tells me the differences between the types of mandolins.... i dont know what you guys are talking about when you say A style and F holes and stuff.... are these different tunings? im sorry im so new to this whole strings thing (aside from guitar/bass)

thanks guys.

[mandodude]

jpsy,

A great place to start for general mando info is right here at the ol' Cafe...

Go to the Mandolin Cafe home page... look on the left-hand side and click on "Cafe Archives"... when the next page comes up, click on "FAQs"... there are questions that deal with general stuff like soundhole shapes, mando body profiles, etc. Scott did a fine job of collecting together important basic info and putting it all together in one easy-to-use area of the site! Believe me, it'll be worth your while to spend a little time in the "Cafe Archives" area - LOTS o' valuable info!

[grsnovi]

jpsy,

You might also browse the EYE CANDY area of the board.

There are a couple of basics to remember:

- A mandolin is a mandolin. There are other instruments with eight strings that are in the family, but which are tuned differently (similar to the differences between: violin, viola and cello).

- Mandolins in the 1890's were typically "Neopolitan" style ie: bowl backs

- Mandolins now fall into two basic categories: flat top/back vs: carved top/back

- Mandolins can generally be classified into two main body "styles": the "A" style vs: the "F" style. The "F" style is typically what Bluegrass players prefer and the image at the top left of this page is of the back of #an "F" style. The F's have the "scroll" on the upper/bass side of the body and generally the peg head is cut with a corresponding motif.

- The best mandolins are made of solid woods, generally a spruce top with the rest often maple. Other woods are commonly used including cedar for tops and an entire spectrum of woods for the sides, back and neck. Like anything made from wood, the choice is up to the individual builder.

- The best mandolins are usually finished with varnish or lacquer.

- Inexpensive mandolins can be made with "plywood" and finished with polyurethane. Plywood is not a good "tone wood" but with two or three plys of junk wood and an outer ply of something gorgeous, a mando made with plywood might look spectacular - in fact it might even feel spectacular. With today's CNC technology and Pacific-rim economies, building instruments that look and feel great is economically attractive for mass market. It just isn't likely to sound as good as a carefully constructed, professional-grade instrument. Thick polyurethane finishes are also going to put a damper on a solid wood mando's tone.

Spend a few minutes browsing Elderly's web site for ideas on what they have in stock and the prices. They have quite a variety.

You can purchase an inexpensive instrument (like say: a Fender) to take to college with you. It will likely allow you to fool around and learn if you want to invest more in a better instrument.

[fatt-dad]

I have a fender acoustic-electric mandolin with deluxe hard-shell case for sale. It has the apperance of an electric mandolin (i.e., like a mini-fender guitar) with tone and volume knobs and the appropriate pickguard. I am not at home to look it over, but I think it is a FM-61 and there may be some intitials afterword, like FM-61S. It is about 3 years old, very good condition (one minor knick) You can contact me at fatt-dad@richmond.com if you may be interested. I am asking $400.00. Have not put it on the cafe classifieds, but seeing this tread, thought I would mention it.

f-d

[jpsy422]

Gary,
thanks for all of the info! thats awesome! i definitly want one that looks like the one at the top of this page (F style) actually, that is the exact look that i was thinking (im guessing that is the "carved" style?")

is there a brand (like fender/ibanez guitars are good for beginners) that is the common entry level mandolin? i know that the fender sells well just because its a fender and people know the name. but as far as the mandolin community is concerned, is there one brand that is above the rest when it comes to beginner/intermediate mandos?

thanks again guys.
Joel

*PROMO*
One of the Czech builders builds a nice acoustic electric semi hollow body for $800. Hand carved all solid etc....if you can believe that price...pretty amazing.







Dennis Benjamin
Pavel Sucek Mandolins

[jpsy422]

*PROMO*
One of the Czech builders builds a nice acoustic electric semi hollow body for $800. Hand carved all solid etc....if you can believe that price...pretty amazing.







Dennis Benjamin
Pavel Sucek Mandolins
link?

im?

phone number?

E-mail?

[Ajvessey]

Check out the builder link from the front mandolincafe.com page and search for Sucek, I'm sure he has an intro in there with everything you need.