Moon beam mandolins

[Eric Selinger]

Does anyone have any experience with Moon Beam mandolins? Sure are pretty--but how do they sound? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[Chris Biorkman]

I think the builder got called out a while back for touting his own product under a different screen name.

[recklessmando]

Yup, check out that thread from a year or two ago. It was a doozy. I think there's probably a reason that I haven't heard anybody here claim to be the proud owner of one.

[LateBloomer]

I've played a couple of Moon Beams - the neck is too wide for my (female) hands. The ones I played were pretty early (# 7 and #9 I believe) and were not as loud as some others in the same price range.
LateBloomer

[Spruce]

Steve Gilchrist says "they are great mandolins" (http://www.moonbeammandolins.com/testimonials.html)...

Can't get a better endorsement that that....

[Ed Goist]

I stumbled across references to this builder while I was researching my current two-point build. Looks like he makes a decent looking 'Florentine Style 2 Point', and lists plenty of glowing testimonials on a rather elaborate website (with lot of marketing-related content, IMO). The strong marketing bent of the website turned me off, and since I had already decided on my builder (Jason Harshbarger of Highland Strings), I saw no reason to ask for feedback about Moon Beam mandolins at the time.

However, it does seem quite strange that there hasn't been ANY reference to these mandolins (other than someone noting an e-bay listing this past summer) on the Cafe since 2007 (?!).

Anyone have any recent experience, observations, or comments?

[Bill Van Liere]

Unfortunate for the builder, whenever a question about Moonbeam mandolins comes up most of the comments are not about the instrument but about the builder's marketing actions.

Not recent experience but a few years back I tried out a Moonbeam at Elderly Instruments. I picked it up because it was a cool looking green color. Honestly the color was my favorite thing that I remember about the instrument. It sounded pretty good, nice woody tone actually, not the kind of volume that knocked ya on the head but seemed to be made decently well.

[Willie Poole]

On their web site, in my opinion, the sample of mandolin playing doesn`t do the mandolin any justice, the style is good but I don`t think the tone of the mandolin is anything special....I know computer speakers aren`t a good reference....Comparing that sound to some of the U Tubes that show up on here from time to time is what I based my decision on....BUT...My taste is probably a lot different from many other pickers....I DON`T THINK THEY SOUND A BIT LIKE A GIL....

[Pdewalt]

I happened upon his father's quilt shop in Branson MO about six weeks ago, where I saw one of his mandolin in the store window. It was a left-hand model, which I couldn't play, however, I managed to clumsily strum a few chords on it and was impressed.

His father, who is left-handed (it was his mando) played a few tunes for me and I was completely smitten by the beautiful tone. Full, deep, punchy, great sustain - filled the entire store with sound, and this was a store with quilts hanging everywhere.

On the basis of that, I contacted Glenn and he's building a custom three point jazz mandolin for me now. Three points are not one of his standard models, so this is a true custom job from the bottom up.

I've since come on here and see that there may possibly have been issues with him, or somebody associated with his business, shilling here in the past. Well, if that's the worst of his misbehaviors, that's not really sufficient to cause concern, for me anyway.

Frankly, considering the price for a custom made mandolin these days, Moon beams are a good deal.

[Spruce]

Welcome to the forum Pdewalt, and luck with your purchase....