Newbie here, green as the day is long

[Damnation Gulch]

Hi, I’m a newbie to the board and I have a tried and true / oldie but a goodie question for you elders. I’ve been playing mandolin for about three years and really enjoy it as my next to main instrument (I’ve been playing guitar for 24 years). I took to the mandolin fairly quickly as it seems only to be a matter of chord and scale variations to playing guitar. Sure Thile, Grisman, Marshall are my main cats and I know very little beyond that besides, Watson, Flatt and Scruggs. Heres the question:

I’ve been playing a Rogue A style and it seems fine to me although I know there are much better mandolin’s than this (like in a box of Cracker Jacks). I cant see paying two or five thousand dollars for a mandolin even though I own a $2200 Jackson guitar (not what I paid). I would like to buy something I wouldn’t have to replace again and it seems the bottom line around here (I’ve been lurking) is you cant beat a Gibson (F5 and A9’s seem to be popular choices). I’m willing to spend $800 (who knows, in the future I may make the big leap) and was wondering between Michael Moore, Morgan Monroe, Kentucky and these Mid Missouri’s I’ve seen ya’ll talk about (but have never heard of or seen), which is the best, or are they all ####? They seem to vary by a couple of hundred dollars and if a $500 dollar Kentucky is better than a $800 Michael Moore I would appreciate any help you can give. Right now I have my eye on the discontinued Michael Kelly “Phoenix” model…

[Frank Russell]

Mr. Gulch - At $800, you're getting pretty close to the price of a used Gibson A9. I got one from the Cafe classifieds for not much more than that, and it's the best money I've spent on a mando so far. By the way, Michael Moore is the documentary filmmaker, unless I'm mistaken, you're looking at Michael Kelly. I've played or owned all the mandolins you mentioned, wished I'd waited and spent a couple hundred more on an A9. Also, you're in the ballpark for a used Weber Absaroka, another good choice. Hope this helps. Frank

[GVD]

Whooeeee somebody's gonna blow a gasket now. Just mentioning A9's, F9's, Morgan Monroes and Michael Kelly's is usually enough to get somebody riled up. But now you're putting Michael Moore's name in the mix? Why not just throw gasoline on a fire? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

GVD

[earthsave]

I'd agree with Frank (frussell). A used A9, Flatiron Performer A, or Weber Absaroka could be had for between $800-$1000.

[jiffyfeet]

Your $800 is enough for a used Weber, Breedlove, Rigel or several other mandos that are in a different league than the ones you mentioned. If it were my money, I would definitely try for one of the American made mandos, they will be far better than the ones you list, and will keep you happy a lot longer.

[Damnation Gulch]

"By the way, Michael Moore is the documentary filmmaker, unless I'm mistaken, you're looking at Michael Kelly"

LOL! Yes sir! Sorry about that and thanks for all the tips fellas...I've noticed theres a lot more talk about Kentuckys and what not in the "looking for information" forum. Anyway, I'm going to head to a few shops and look around before jumping into anything...

[jim simpson]

I've seen one of them Michael Moore mandolins. They seem to be more popular in France, he uses liberal amounts of glue and his work is a little sloppy but he seems to have his audience!

[Darin&Bea]

Oh, man. Reading here, I now KNOW my Fender's a really cheap knockoff. lol. Well, if nothing else, we haven't spent an arm and a leg on something we'll probably beat half to death before mastering it, so...:laugh:

[steve in tampa]

Those Michael Moore mandos also suffer from an irritatingly whiney tone...

[neal]

But they intonate properly and do have a true sound......oh oh, a thread on liberal vs conservative. I'll stop if you will. (but yes, a little whiney)

[rhetoric]

Michael Moore mandolins? Can't say I like them. The body is kinda fat and they have no neck. They are loud, that's for sure, but they just don't ring true.

[ira]

damnation= what kind of music do you play on the mando,? that will be a big help in assisting you in choosing a new mando. midmo is a great deal, but not for the bg player, michael kelly has great reviews from owners if you require a bg mando. kentucky only seems to be happening at the high end, and mm gets mixed reviews. the a9 is a great deal on a relatively high end mando, and a rigel a is also a great deal, especially used. for an all around mando, folks talk about the breedlove quartz, and then there is weber- i am a big fan of the hyalite, especially if you are going to amp it. my favorite mando in the relatively newer models is a bridger, but you would need to go up some in cost for a used one of those. hope that is helpful for a start, tell us about your music, and more help will come.

[Damnation Gulch]

Well I’m kind of split down the middle when it comes to influences and genres. I listen to a lot of Free, Rory Gallagher, Blackfoot, Firebird, etc… but also like The Chieftains, Old And In The Way, Chris Thile, Edgar Meyer, etc…

The things I’ve recorded get mixed reactions. Some say it sounds like “mountain music” (whatever that means) others say it sounds Celtic. My drummer thinks I listened to John Paul Jones’ work in Zeppelin too much…LOL! I guess I’m looking for an all around mandolin, but as I get older I can see myself leaning towards bluegrass / delta blues more (I just cut a delta blues EP). I also like to mix the mandolin with a duclimer to get varied sounds. I used the Rogue for all my recordings and I thought it sounded pretty good, so I guess I need to play a $10,000 mandolin to see the difference.

I’ll also admit that I’m leaning towards an F style mando as they look classier to me. Im sure that will have the purists around here sick…LOL!

[ira]

breedlove quartz used- is definitely a , kind of, f - style in your price range (and folks say they are quite versatile), and again the michael kelly is loved by those who play em. flat top/oval holess won't get you much chop for your bg tunes.