View Full Version : What about one of these as a beater?
jackofall
Dec-04-2006, 7:39am
My main mando is my Eastman. I have a Crafter that I leave in the office. I'm gonna build a kit mando in the new year, but I want to make a good enough job of that for it to become another gigging mando. I'm also planning to go shopping at Trevor's place in Brighton again soon.
Despite all that I'm left needing a cheap beater for carting around with me.
What do you guys reckon to this...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120059166476
I played the old version of this in a Hobgoblin store a year ago. It was an all-laminate thing in a nasty brown colour. It was pretty loud and bright, with mediumish action.
This newer version has a solid spruce top and a gigbag included in the price.
I've been looking about for a these in local stores to try out but haven't seen 'em.
Any thoughts?
arbarnhart
Dec-04-2006, 9:26am
If you are looking at cheap oval As, unless you are hung up on wanting it to be a flat top, you should also look at the Washburn M1SDL. Here (click) is a Cafe thread on them (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST&f=13&t=33794). You can pick up blems on the bay for around $100 US and new ones are around $200 US. I love mine and I'm a bit of a zealot, but I encourage you to search around for the opinions of others and you will be hard pressed to find a negative one. I think they compare favorably to vintage A4s.
Lee Callicutt
Dec-04-2006, 10:17am
I'm a bit of a zealot
A zealot with good cause . . . I could't be happier with mine -- too nice to be a beater -- but at a beater price with very sweet sound and playability.
Chadmills
Dec-04-2006, 12:12pm
I've got one. (Talking about the Ozark A&N model.) It's okay. #The gig bag (if that's included) is nicely shaped and well padded! The tone is quite round and bassy, not too brilliant. Not much volume. #The action needed work, some frets zinged if they didn't quite buzz. #I was a lot happier with mine before I played a carved top F5 style!
I looked into a Wasburn M1SDL. #I couldn't find a UK supplier, and all the US suppliers I looked at seemed unwilling to ship to a non-US credit card address. (I didn't notice at first that Lee is talking about the Washburn in his post.)
jackofall
Dec-04-2006, 3:39pm
Thanks for the replies, guys.
arbarnhart, for the beater I am rather looking for a flat top, as it will be mostly for folk and Celtic trad. I have one archtop and am planning on one or two more, but this one is for the folk stuff.
Chadmills, I know what you mean about people being funny about shipping on non-US cards. I've not had trouble with mandos, but some other stuff I've tried to buy I just gave up.
Maybe I'll look closer at those Gianninis from the other thread.
trevor
Dec-04-2006, 3:45pm
Rick,
Gianninis available here, but way over your £100 budget.
Red Englemann
Dec-04-2006, 4:04pm
Despite all that I'm left needing a cheap beater for carting around with me.
A $500 Eastman 504 sounds like it would work just fine. Perhaps one man's beater is another man's "loar".
Red
arbarnhart
Dec-04-2006, 5:35pm
I think the sound of a carved arch top A would be okay, but the Washburns don't have the traditional look. I would suspect that blems sold on eBay might be easier to get shipped. But if you are set on a flat top, that's no help...
Perhaps one man's beater is another man's "loar".
that's true in most things. in the States (as well as some other developed parts of the world) are so fortunate to be able to get things that we "like" and "want", but in most places some folks are happy to have anything at all to make music on. and they get to make music, when they're not simply trying to survive.
jackofall
Dec-04-2006, 6:51pm
Hi Trevor.
The budget can stretch, mate! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
What about that scale length? On your site you quote shorter than I've seen in Giannini specs elsewhere...? Is it a different model to the ones widely available?
I'm still planning to pop down again in the new year, BTW.
jackofall
Dec-04-2006, 6:53pm
Despite all that I'm left needing a cheap beater for carting around with me.
A $500 Eastman 504 sounds like it would work just fine. Perhaps one man's beater is another man's "loar".
Red
My 504 is too sweet for a beater! It's a killer!
trevor
Dec-05-2006, 7:31am
The Giannini we have has a 12.5" scale, we've only had a couple in to try them out. We we're offered another model but haven't had it yet. The importers are clueless. He brought them to show me and said,"with those strings on you won't be able to tune them up to mandolin."
When I asked if he expected me to buy them without hearing them he replied (with a frown) why not? Everybody else does!!