View Full Version : Adirondack spruce mid-mo/big muddy?
I see that Big Muddy (formerly Mid-Mo) has Adirondack spruce as an option for any of their instruments. Has anyone played one of these? Opinions?
I'm sure I'd be happy with a mahogany M11 (everyone else seems to be), but that red spruce looks awful nice, and might give it a little more punch and volume (although at my current level of chops, a little less volume might be more considerate...)
Nobody?
Well, heck...I might have to get one just to be unique....
John Flynn
Jan-25-2007, 8:50am
When I toured the former Mid-Mo "factory," I asked about that option and I got the impression they didn't do a lot of them and it was not that big a deal. Mike talked a lot about the effect on tone of different kinds of rosewood for the back and sides of the M-4's. He kept some "extra-select" rosewood on hand for special orders. But he wasn't really pushing the A. spruce.
I wish he would have a website that had sound clips of the 4 different models to compare- (M-1)mahogany,(M-2) maple,(M-3) walnut, and (m-4) rosewood.
www.folkofthewood.com has video clips for most of the Mid-Mo line, although they no longer carry Mr. Dulak's instruments.
I know I should get a better mandolin first, but that mandola sounds awfully good...
lightnbrassy
Jan-26-2007, 8:33pm
www.folkofthewood.com has video clips for most of the Mid-Mo line, although they no longer carry Mr. Dulak's instruments.
I know I should get a better mandolin first, but that mandola sounds awfully good...
You should look into a Big Muddy mandola with a mahogany top. I received one and am very pleased with the instrument, having it for a full month and a day now. The model number reads M-14-11. As you can imagine, it is warm. I am playing around with (learning) blues on the mandolin, and I when I switch to the mandola the genre seems more authentic.
Besides the pleasant tone, another thing I like about mahogany is its sturdiness, particularly when it comes to the soundboard. My Mid-Mo M-4 isn't that old but already has a few marks. The sprucetop definately needs to be more carefully handled, though I typically am gentle with instruments (just have to not get too carried away when thrashing chords http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif ).