Another question

[YMSBfan]

Ive been reading through the posts here frequently lately. There seems to be alot of suggestions for a newbie. The #1 seems to be to play or find someone with the instrument and check it out before buying.

What if neither of these was really a option to you and you know basically nothing about the instruments. How then would you go about finding the best mandolin for your money? Local stores carry Austin and Woods Instruments.

Ive used reviews Ive found on you tube but some of those have poor sound quaility. Plus Im sure anyone playing through a mic will have a little diffrent sound than if they didnt depending on what they are playing that mic through. The Mandolin Store has some mp3 files on most of their's but honestly most of theirs is out of my price range.

Ive danced around the ideas of alot of mandolins since I started this search. Right now today, the front runners in price range are.....

$500 range
Rover RM-75
Kentucky KM-630
The Loar LM-500

$750 range
The Loar LM-600
Kentucky KM-805
Kentucky KM-855

$1000 range(highly unlikely but a possiblity)
The Loar LM-700
Eastman MD615
Kentucky KM-1000

......Im not really looking for suggestions on these models the $750 range is the ideal ones, but in case of unexpected life situations Im still checking out a little cheaper model. Plus in case of a lil extra Ive been looking at ones a little higher. My question is how to find honest reviews of these instruments and the overall tone. Im really thinking about adding a tone guard to any instrument I pick.

Thanks again
-J.

[MikeEdgerton]

One of the hardest things for new players to get a handle on is that an A style mandolin is cheaper than an F style mandolin and thus you can get a better instrument for less if you look at the A models. Check out the Kentucky KM-505 at the mandolin store. Lot's of bang for the buck.

[Jim Garber]

Mike has a good point about the a-models.

IMHO if your only option is to buy sight unseen, then buy from a reputable dealer and make an educated guess. Those dealers will honor a reasonable approval period and you can try it in your home for usually a couple of days.

At the level you are talking you should be able to get a decent playing mandolin that will get you started. You will not get the ultimate one and figure that you will move up at some point. You might pay a little more thru a dealer than say eBay, but you willm also have an instrument set up properly and the aforementioned approval period.

Bear in mind that even with the approval, should you decide you hate the instrument you will prob have to pay the shipping back to the dealer.

[Ed Goist]

One of the hardest things for new players to get a handle on is that an A style mandolin is cheaper than an F style mandolin and thus you can get a better instrument for less if you look at the A models. Check out the Kentucky KM-505 at the mandolin store. Lot's of bang for the buck.

There is also a used KM-505 that just hit the classifieds today (NFI).

I'll preface the following comment by admitting that I have a strong aesthetic preference for A-style mandolins to begin with...It seems to me that an F-style body shape is an 'option' that should only be considered when one's target purchase price is over $1,000 (and perhaps well over $1,000)...

IMO, the scroll accounts for such a large percentage of any purchase price under $1,000, that one ends-up paying more for the scroll than for the actual 'tone and playability' components of the mandolin.

I know, I know, but folks want the scroll...

[Steve Ostrander]

As you might expect, the $1000 class that you list are better instruments. I would pick the km-1000 If I had to choose but couldn't play one first. I'd also add the km-900 to that list.

Having said that, I agree with Mike that you should check out the Kentucky km-505. A lot of bang for the buck there. I have one for a back-up mando, but I actually play it a lot.

All of the mandos you listed are F-style. If you just gotta have an F, that's OK, but as Mike said, you'll get more for your money in an A-style.

I've been coveting the km-900 lately, can't wait to play one.

[YMSBfan]

Any suggestions on where I can get sound bites to get a idea of the tone Id be getting? Thats the main thing Im looking for right now. If not sound bites just somewhere where I can get non-bias reviews. Is there a mandolin buyers guide anywhere online? Of course I think any written review bias or not can lead someone like me down a rocky road. Just because a tone I might prefer might not be a tone you would.

-J.

[George R. Lane]

Go to the Mandolin Store and listen to the sound bytes there. The 505 the have for sale sounds pretty good.

[MikeEdgerton]

Any suggestions on where I can get sound bites to get a idea of the tone Id be getting? Thats the main thing Im looking for right now. If not sound bites just somewhere where I can get non-bias reviews. Is there a mandolin buyers guide anywhere online? Of course I think any written review bias or not can lead someone like me down a rocky road. Just because a tone I might prefer might not be a tone you would.

The best reviews you'll find are right here among the players and you really can't go wrong dealing with the folks that support this site. That's not meant to be beating our own drum, it's true. This is the mandolin community online.

[Mandolin Mick]

I have a Kentucky KM-855 which I bought for $700. Great mandolin for the money!:)

[Jim Garber]

Ive used reviews Ive found on you tube but some of those have poor sound quaility. Plus Im sure anyone playing through a mic will have a little different sound than if they didnt depending on what they are playing that mic through.


Any suggestions on where I can get sound bites to get a idea of the tone Id be getting? Thats the main thing Im looking for right now.

Huh...personally I agree with your first opinion -- you can;t really tell all that much from the sound bites or videos. And, as for unbiased opinions, you are here. That is what you are asking for and people are giving yopu their opinions.

[Andy Fielding]

I've played all the instruments you've listed—most, more than one of 'em.

I'd have to put in my vote for the KM-1000. I think it's unique in your list because I feel it's the only one that would give you the kind of authentic "woody" sound often associated with Gibson mandolins. To many people, it's how mandolins are supposed to sound, vs. the "generic" sound that most other instruments produce at that price and below.

The KM-1000's created quite a buzz when they came out because they brought this special tone within a lot more people's reach. And as Steve Ostrander said, if you're not "hooked" (heh) on an F-style body, the (A-style) KM-900 is definitely worth considering too. It has the same tonal qualities for less dough.

I agree that it's a good idea to listen to The Mandolin Store's samples. That's a great resource. For example, compare the KM-900/1000 to the Eastman models (all of which sound similar, varying mostly in decoration). They're all good-sounding instruments, but you'll probably hear the KMs's extra "woodiness", which many of us find more pleasing and expressive.

Keep in mind that the KM-1000 and KM-900 have flat fingerboards, like the classic Gibsons they emulate. Some people prefer the more modern radiused (slightly rounded) fingerboards, which are supposed to be more ergonomic. I like either style—but if possible, you should try both so you can feel the difference.

BTW, I have no financial interest in Kentucky instruments (I don't even own one right now, though I'd like to). But I can appreciate the value of those particular models.

Enjoy your hunt! Cheers, Andy

[YMSBfan]

Id say from what Ive heard on you tube and the mandolin store. The Loar LM-600 is the favorite. Mainly because....

1. Its in my orginal planned budget.
2. I like the sound Ive heard from both resources.
3. It still allows a little cap room to get my girlfriend something.
4. Folk Musician carries it! Robert has been great in answering my "other" questions.

Bottom line will be exactly the amount of money we have left over from a nest egg arriving. As well as who has them in stock, Ive decided this instrument will be coming from one of the sponsor's preferably Folk Musician. However, with a couple weeks almost a month still to wait that could change. Im doing as much research as possible because I'll be making this purchase off reviews, word of mouth and clips I can find. If The Loar isnt available Im not sure which direction I will be going. That was a major point of this thread looking for as many resources as possible to make the final decision so I wont be disappointed with the end purchase.

-J.

[Capt. E]

For a beginner with little or no mandolin experience, playing before buying doesn't have a lot of utility. Better to have someone who is at least an intermediate player play them for you and give their opinion. Otherwise, buy from one of the fine sellers that advertise here on the Cafe. They will treat you right and give great customer support. I am lucky to live in Austin where Fiddlers Green Music Shop is located (best acoustic music store in Texas in my opinion).

My opinion is you should look at the Kentucky KM 505. I really don't think you can get a better mandolin for the money. Kentucky makes a very good line of instruments. It is an A style, but plays better than most F styles selling for twice the price. You can always plan on getting an F style with the scroll down the road and keep the 505 as your second instrument (You WILL want a second instrument!).

[JeffD]

Whatever you get, within reason, you are going to enjoy until you outgrow it. I am not sure the fine distinctions matter as much as getting the instrument and having at it. Further down the road you may develop certain tone preferences and playing preferences that will guide your choice of the next mandolin. But until then, don't get paralysis by analysis.

[Andy Fielding]

...My opinion is you should look at the Kentucky KM 505. I really don't think you can get a better mandolin for the money. Kentucky makes a very good line of instruments. It is an A style, but plays better than most F styles selling for twice the price. You can always plan on getting an F style with the scroll down the road and keep the 505 as your second instrument (You WILL want a second instrument!).
I agree. The KM-505 is hand-carved, has a very good sound, has a radiused ebony fingerboard (which most people consider the best kind). It's also nice-looking (http://www.12fret.com/new/Kentucky_KM-505_mandolin_pg.html) without being ostentatious. It's not a pro-level instrument, but I think it's a great value and would serve you quite well as an intermediate player.

I've played the "The Loars", and while the LM-700 is decent, I found the 600 and below disappointing. The company tries hard to convince people they're making authentic Gibson copies at bargain prices, but that's far from the truth.

In the under-$1000 price range, it's especially important that as much of your money as possible goes into a mandolin's sound quality. If you insist on an F-style's fancier, more time-consuming body construction—which doesn't affect sound quality at all—a lot of your limited dough is sidetracked into decoration. (Besides, in that price range, it's kind of like putting a Rolls Royce hood ornament on your Volkswagen, know what I mean?) You'll get a lot more instrument with an A-style, and no one who understands music should think any less of you for knowing what your priorities are.

[D C Blood]

I strongly recommend "The Loar" LM-400, A model...sounds as good as their F models, and doesn't have the "baseball bat" size neck. The couple I've tried sound and feel great. Check with Big Joe's Guitarworks store, in Madison, Tn. He can provide a great setup and all the little extras to make your purchase a very happy one. (NFI)...

[Andy Fielding]

I strongly recommend "The Loar" LM-400, A model...sounds as good as their F models...
Well, yes, as I explained, adding a scroll and point to a mandolin body doesn't make it sound any better—and if you don't plan to spend much to start with, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to trade sound quality for decoration.

I won't disagree with D C Blood about how the Loars sound; that's just a matter of personal preference. But if you play some Loars, I hope you'll also play some similarly-priced mandos (e.g. Kentuckys) so you'll have something to compare them to.