View Full Version : New mando questions.
keylimepie
Jun-21-2007, 1:11pm
Hello everyone,
After about a year and a half my cheap Epiphone mando is having some problems. It needs fret work and I'm afraid it will end up costing more than the instrument is worth. My parents have suggested selling it back to the store and buying a new one, so I've gotten a list of some manufacturers together and was wondering if anyone's heard anything about either the mandolins or the manufacturer in general.
Here's the list of mandolins I was looking at:
Washburn M1SDL
Fender FM52E or FM53S
Godin A8
Goldtone GM30 or GM50
These are just the brands that my local music store carries, if you have any other suggestions, they are welcome. A pickup isn't a must but it would be nice I suppose.
One last thing, if suggesting anything price is a crucial point for me, so if suggesting anything my budget is probably 400 max and that's stretching it.
arbarnhart
Jun-21-2007, 2:25pm
[...]
Here's the list of mandolins I was looking at:
Washburn M1SDL
[...]
I just sold mine and I had a hard time deciding to consider doing that because I loved that mandolin. Search around (be sure to click "and older" at the bottom of the search form) and you will find that pretty much all owners love them. They are oval A mandos and despite their small price tag they sound a lot like the vintage oval As. But they are not bluegrass mandolins (you can certainly play BG on them, but F hole mandos are generally more preferred). I sold mine only because I had committed to having just one mandolin for now (one of those "priorities in order" things) and I got one of the Gloucester solid wood F style mandos that m123 was closing out.
I've never seen anything negative here about the Washburn; the folks that own them seem to really love them. I'd really like to try one out someday, but I've never seen one in person. Based solely on the posts here I almost bought one for my first mandolin, but I just couldn't get past those solid colors. If they had one in natural, I'd have been sold. I dont' mind the black one so much, but I really couldn't warm up to the blue or red at all. So I went with a Kentucky in a burst, which I'm not crazy about either, but it'll work. To me, the ultimate mandolin is a natural finished oval hole like a Mid-Missouri or a Weber or old Martin. But to each his own on that sort of thing.
Simply based on what I've read here by these fine folks, out of the ones you listed, I'd go with the Washburn hands down. I've even seen them listed as "B stock" on Music123 for some insane prices, if you don't mind a ding or dent.
arbarnhart
Jun-21-2007, 7:29pm
I've never seen anything negative here about the Washburn; the folks that own them seem to really love them. #I'd really like to try one out someday, but I've never seen one in person. #Based solely on the posts here I almost bought one for my first mandolin, but I just couldn't get past those solid colors. #If they had one in natural, I'd have been sold. #I dont' mind the black one so much, but I really couldn't warm up to the blue or red at all. #So I went with a Kentucky in a burst, which I'm not crazy about either, but it'll work. #To me, the ultimate mandolin is a natural finished oval hole like a Mid-Missouri or a Weber or old Martin. #But to each his own on that sort of thing.
Simply based on what I've read here by these fine folks, out of the ones you listed, I'd go with the Washburn hands down. #I've even seen them listed as "B stock" on Music123 for some insane prices, if you don't mind a ding or dent.
Actually, I was corrected the other day by the owner of a blue one when I said they are solid colored (I had a black one, which is solid). Apparantly the blue and red ones are translucent and you can see the wood grain.
I sold my M1SDL for less than I paid, but didn't have to take too much of a hit (but I tweaked the setup and paying someone to do that to a new one would add a bit to the price; I had sweat equity of sorts in it). I had enough confidence in it to give the buyer an approval period and even though I replaced it with a nice F style that I will likely grow to love even more, I am actually a little sad that I sold my starter level mando. But I made a deal about keeping only one.
arbarnhart
Jun-21-2007, 7:56pm
Another thought...
As much as I like the Washburn, I wanted to remind you that Epiphone does have a lifetime limited warranty for the original owner. If you bought it new and are having trouble inside two years you might want to contact Epiphone before you buy something else.
Lee Callicutt
Jun-21-2007, 10:09pm
#If they had one in natural, I'd have been sold. #
A blonde one would be a thing of beauty!
#If they had one in natural, I'd have been sold. #
A blonde one would be a thing of beauty!
That would be really nice. I'd have to have one of those for sure. I really like the look of the Washburn, expect for the colors. I think the florentine headstock on the A-body is just killer.
mandroid
Jun-22-2007, 3:01pm
Godin A8 an electric acoustic with emphasis on the electric [ with onboard pre amp and controls] is a nice instrument to do band gigs with .
i got a used one for $400, but typically, they seem to go for about 200 more, discounted off SRP list, new.
its unlike the others, on your list, not a pac rim import.
Here's a nice oval A
http://www.straus.co.kr/am300.htm
Any Day Now
Jun-22-2007, 5:32pm
http://www.eastmanmandolins.com/
I love my eastman 615. Great, loud, awsome tone. Got for just over 800.
For an acoustic electric you might try the Michael Kelly FS-E its 700$ brand new it is F-style and has a fishman pickup.
If your going to play electric more often you might get an Ovation. My 1st mando was a celebrity, about 400$ and it sounded incredible through an acoustic amp. Not very alive for pure acoustic though.
arbarnhart
Jun-22-2007, 6:21pm
Here's a nice oval A
http://www.straus.co.kr/am300.htm
What is really interesting is that if you go over to the left and click on AM-50SDL (http://www.straus.co.kr/am50sdl.htm), you will get what appears to be the M1SDL made for another label with different wood (mahogany instead of maple for back and sides). I agrre with you - that is one nice looking A!
cooper4205
Jun-22-2007, 8:41pm
Here's a nice oval A
http://www.straus.co.kr/am300.htm
What is really interesting is that if you go over to the left and click on AM-50SDL (http://www.straus.co.kr/am50sdl.htm), you will get what appears to be the M1SDL made for another label with different wood (mahogany instead of maple for back and sides). I agrre with you - that is one nice looking A!
that factory produces some of the Fender, Washburn, Old Hickory, Oscar Schmidt, Morgan Monroe and others from what I can tell. Trevor from TAMCO said that they are also able to customize certain things for different companies specs and QC (i.e. the back wood on the M1DSL or the different headstock on the Fender F-model)
Jim Broyles
Jun-22-2007, 8:45pm
The generally accepted thinking is that the Fullerton non-Gloucesters were made there.
arbarnhart
Jun-23-2007, 6:29am
The generally accepted thinking is that the Fullerton non-Gloucesters were made there.
We are a little off the main topic here, but being a new Gloucester owner I wonder where they were made. That factory certainly seems a possible source; they do plenty of Fs and changing the fret board and finish seems to all that is required to turn one of their Fs into a Cloucester.
Jim Broyles
Jun-25-2007, 7:09pm
Yeah, and since M123 was buying the rest of them there, it would make sense that Daewon made the Gloucesters also. The thing which argues against that is what the M123 guy who posted here told us. He said that the Hammonton was the top of the line, and they wanted a no-frills Hammonton to offer at less money. The discrepancy comes in that they changed the neck joint, and did some other things completely different from the Hammonton. That plus they don't offer anything close to the Gloucester in a "Rally" mando makes me believe they were made elsewhere.
DryBones
Jun-25-2007, 7:15pm
take a look at the JBovier line. Alot of sound for under a grand.