Violin King ebay seller of Sam Bush copy mandolins

[nrand]

My search for a good cheap first mandolin continues and I ran across this guy on ebay selling a couple he says were purchased at the Dallas Guitar show from a private builder.
Anyone here have experience buying from this person?
The mandolin looks to be good quality but who knows.
The photos are not great and the bindings look a little rough but otherwise it looks pretty solid and is hand carved solid wood.
Anyone here know who makes these?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mandolin-hand-carved-soft-case-/390504668628?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5aebe45dd4

[Jim Garber]

I have purchased at least three bowlback cases from that seller with good results. I thought they they were pretty much importers of Asian musical products. There is nothing in the post about a local Texas luthier. I guess you have corresponded with the seller? I thought these were Asian imports as well.

If you were in the US I would say go for it and return it if it were terrible, but you are in Australia. You may find an Australian dealer who imports something or else spend a little more and get something with a brand name.

[multidon]

Violin King is a known Asian importer and just about anything they carry is probably Chinese. I doubt the Texas private builder story unless there is a town in China named "Texas". There is no real way of telling the quality of these things, so you are buying a pig in a poke. They might be great, they might be wall hangers, who really knows? Me, I would run the other way as quickly as possible. If I had an urge to buy a Chinese mandolin, I would get a Kentucky, Eastman, Rover, or Loar from a reputable dealer.

Plus, do you really think "Violin King" will ship that instrument with a professional set up? I doubt it. So assuming the thing is of high enough quality to be made playable you will have to sink that into it also.

[nrand]

.... I guess you have corresponded with the seller? I thought these were Asian imports as well.

If you were in the US I would say go for it and return it if it were terrible, but you are in Australia. You may find an Australian dealer who imports something or else spend a little more and get something with a brand name.

Thanks to you and multidon
Yes I did ask Violin King about the origin and maker and this was the answer I received.

"We bought from Dallas Guitar show.
Made by private maker."

Given his answer, your experiences and the consensus that the seller is a known importer I probably don't need to say anymore except that people never fail to surprise me....

Mid range Eastmans, Kentuckys, and The Loars are on my radar for a couple hundred more.

[stevejay]

But it does make you wonder what it sounds like anyway

[Jim Garber]

I know they don't have a sterling (meaning 100%) feedback record, but I have emailed with a woman who works there -- I don't think they are a one-person operation -- and they seem pretty reliable. I have bought from them on 3 separate occasions and they were prompt with shipping. No complaints here.

I, too, am curious about those F5s -- I see at least two in their store. I have a feeling that you do get what you pay for.

[barney 59]

I hate when they say "handmade" luthier made" "custom made" etc. and then keep it a secret who that builder is. There was a recent post about such an instrument listed on ebay and upon investigation it turned out that the builder actually was Doug Unger ---why he didn't advertise that I have no idea! Usually though it just some bull!

[greg_tsam]

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?83598-Mystery-Mandolin&highlight=Violin+King

I live pretty close to Spring. I wonder if they have any viewing options so I could run by there.

[Clement Barrera-Ng]

Yes I did ask Violin King about the origin and maker and this was the answer I received.

"We bought from Dallas Guitar show.
Made by private maker."
.

Well technically they didn't say it was made in Dallas, or even made by hand by a luthier. My guess is a private white-label factory somewhere in Asia, brought to the Dallas Guitar show in hopes of getting a branding deal with one of the big guys.

I have seen these on eBay, and must say they look pretty good (as good as any Eastman or Kentucky out there in the same price range). However, I am a bit risk averse myself, and have always opted for something more safe. YMMV of course.

[nrand]

It would be interesting to know.

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?83598-Mystery-Mandolin&highlight=Violin+King

I live pretty close to Spring. I wonder if they have any viewing options so I could run by there.

[Jim Garber]

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?83598-Mystery-Mandolin&highlight=Violin+King

I live pretty close to Spring. I wonder if they have any viewing options so I could run by there.

I have not had any difficulty contacting them. They emailed me when they got some of the cases I like in. I could just contact them and check it out

[MikeEdgerton]

These have been discussed before with at least two purchased by Cafe members. The score is one liked it, one didn't. I 'll see if I can find the threads later. The Sam Bush part cracks me up.

[nrand]

There are two ebay sellers in Spring Texas [or at least that is where the registered business address is], selling pretty much the same kind of gear. One is Violin King and the other is microscopecity
http://www.ebay.com/itm/370700352518?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
Maybe they share container costs or something like that.

[Jim Garber]

Both those sellers format their postings similarly. They may be the same company using different ebay seller IDs.

[nrand]

Both those sellers format their postings similarly. They may be the same company using different ebay seller IDs.

I was thinking along similar lines but did not want to say so. Did anyone else notice that the strings on the 'Sam Bush' model appear twisted at the tail piece? I am new to mandolins but this seems like an odd sort of practice.

[MikeEdgerton]

The older threads identified a third company name as well that these were sold under, all in the same geographic location.

[mrmando]

I have to admit I'm sorely tempted by the H5 they keep posting.

[Bernie Daniel]

I have to admit I'm sorely tempted by the H5 they keep posting.

You mean this one (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mandola-flamed-maple-body-hand-carved-/370694115361?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item564f175021)?

The wood, the carving, the finish and other workmanship seem to be good and after all it is made by a "private mandola maker" so you can't beat that -- but the price is too low to be possible?

The bridge looks clumsy and the tuners are Pings I think -- so clearly made by a Chinese private mandola maker? No mention of the scale length or any other dimensions.

[rico mando]

You mean this one (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mandola-flamed-maple-body-hand-carved-/370694115361?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item564f175021)?

The wood, the carving, the finish and other workmanship seem to be good and after all it is made by a "private mandola maker" so you can't beat that -- but the price is too low to be possible?

The bridge looks clumsy and the tuners are Pings I think -- so clearly made by a Chinese private mandola maker? No mention of the scale length or any other dimensions.

I have been watching microscopecity for some time now . I am fairly certain that mandola is a maestro model

[brunello97]

My sister used to live in Spring... I know the area pretty well. Easy enough place to hide a business or two (or three.) It is close enough to the airport that a shipping/receiving important-exporting business would be well situated. Like Quasimodo, I have a hunch that these folks are all parts of the same operation. They seem to have an interesting assortment of musical odds and sods. I bought a bowlback case from them last year that turned out to be grossly oversized but perfect for a bowl-dola I have.

I'm with Martin, the H5 looks more tempting than the Fs to me.

You have to admit that "Violin King" and "Microscope City" are pretty hep names for your front.

Mick

[Bernie Daniel]

...I am fairly certain that mandola is a maestro model

At the very least for sure! Maybe the deluxe uber maestro model :) But seriously it looks well enough made -- but for about $1K you can also pick up an Eastman MDA815 or for even less an MDA615 and I expect that they are at least comparable to this one.

One thing I don't like about the one from "Microscope City" is the fret board extension -- a tad clumsy design?

Oh and on "Microscope City". A neuron somewhere in my aging brain is flashing -- it seems to recall that was a name give to Houston at one time anyway because of the concentration of medical industries there?

[nrand]

The original listing I mentioned seems to have reappeared on microscopecity's page; now $20.00 less but with a couple of new scratches . . why this could happen I do not know - but the opening photograph is the same for both listings.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mandolin-case-flamed-maple-body-hand-carved-/370704844074?_trksid=p2046732.m2060&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3 D1%26asc%3D27%26meid%3D3903289821974659821%26pid%3 D100040%26prg%3D1011%26rk%3D2%26sd%3D380519103664% 26

and the original was:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mandolin-hand-carved-with-soft-case-/390504668628?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&nma=true&si=%2Bm6PkdjOjlXc%2Fdkwy9hk0vcfbT8%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

[Marty Jacobson]

...And a mandola, too! I'm kind of tempted. It might be OK and I really want a 'dola, but probably won't get around to building my own for another few months.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mandola-flamed-maple-body-hand-carved-/370694115361?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item564f175021

[mrmando]

One thing I don't like about the one from "Microscope City" is the fret board extension -- a tad clumsy design?
Perhaps, but OTOH it looks just like the extension on a real H5!

[Jim Garber]

Marty J: I think your mandola would be much better than that one.

[Bernie Daniel]

Perhaps, but OTOH it looks just like the extension on a real H5!

Yeah its the same idea --but the Loar H-5's were rounded in the corner (1924 H-5) -- looks a bit more finished to my eye.

[flairbzzt]

Now sold by Houstonbrass (Spring, Texas)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/171008403066?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

And Maestro case (Vanderbilt, Texas)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221202804342?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Look nice but??? I asked who made the F-style- they responded "Maestro". Follow up question regarding country of manufacture (China or Korea) has gone unanswered...:confused: