morgan monroe mva-1 question

[ballynally]

This mando seems to tick the right boxes for me; looks, material, sound (sound sample at mandolin hut). I've checked out the Morgan Monroe website, and it doesn't appear anywhere. Most of them are mahogany based, as opposed to the flamed maple one i've seen. Further info reveals a limited edition ( some mention 20?).Some shops sell them and i've seen them in Ebay too. Question: if they are good instruments AND of limited production, why would they sell for the 500$ they're asking ? Does anybody know anything about them? I can't seem to find any more info than the normal, run of the mill sales pitch from stores.I was looking at an Eastman 504 on a previous thread, and this MM mando is in the ballpark, i'd say

[Jill McAuley]

I would go for the Eastman before the Morgan Monroe, hands down. Do a search for Morgan Monroe here and then do one for Eastman - I'll wager you'll find a lot more positive feedback for the Eastmans. Just because they're in the same price range doesn't mean that they're in the same ballpark.

Cheers,
Jill

[ballynally]

thanks for that. In ballpark i just meant specs, price etc. I'm obviously interested in other peoples opinions. And yes, some players have positives about the Eastman 504.Some prefer Kentuckys. Some...etc. i have none for the Morgan Monroe. I'm now looking at a Bovier A4. The ballpark might just be getting crowdier.

[mandroid]

Individual instruments vary, even though the same brand and model , keep that in mind ,

.. go play a bunch .. live.

you should realize, Imports are marked up several times as they go thru the food chain.

[allenhopkins]

Morgan Monroe instruments don't get the support on the Cafe that other Asian makes -- Eastman, Kentucky, The Loar, JBovier, Trinity College -- seem to have. They seem to almost always be great-looking instruments: attractively finished and inlaid. There is a Morgan Monroe social group (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/group.php?groupid=124) of generally satisfied owners; you might look around there.

"Amen" to what Mandroid said. What we may think about a mandolin brand in general shouldn't govern your search for a specific instrument. Hands-on is the best guide. One of the reasons that Asian imports took over the low- to mid-priced market over the last 35 years, is that they were built with a great deal of attention to appearance. Beside the shiny imports, our old Harmony and Kay instruments looked plain and amateurish. Some import brands, and I think especially of Morgan Monroe and Michael Kelly, are really attractively finished and ornamented; a solid US brand like Big Muddy appears much less glamorous. But the proof of the pudding is when the mandolin's in your hands and you can hear what it sounds like and feel what it plays like.