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Thread: For You Budget Buyers... Got a Hundred Dollars?

  1. #1
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    Default For You Budget Buyers... Got a Hundred Dollars?



    Please listen before reading. :-) I am a rank beginner playing the mandolin, better known here as the guy who gives away a free ebook on how to set up a mandolin.

    My wife and I were preparing for our annual pilgrimage from Greater Seattle back to Cincinnati to be with family for the holidays. My mother-in-law asked me to bring a guitar and play some singalong songs at a couple of family parties. Traveling with a guitar is difficult and rather than risk damaging one of my babies I went to musiciansfriend.com for my favorite deal. That's right, $99.99 for their "Bluegrass Two-Fer," a guitar and a mandolin, shipped, for under a hundred dollars. They had an online coupon for 20% off, so I ended up spending about $80 plus tax for a guitar and the infamous Rogue mandolin.

    This is the third time I have bought this package in four years, and each time the level of quality has improved. The attached video is of the Rogue mandolin as shipped, with the only adjustment being moving the bridge to center the strings on the fretboard and intonate it. The song is "Wayfaring Stranger," which I learned from a youtube lesson and practiced for an hour.

    Please ignore my playing errors. I think the sound is pretty darned good for the price point. I still think this is a perfect starter for someone (like a youngster) who is unsure if they will practice, practice practice or give up after two lessons.

    Next up I am going to cut the nut slots and angle them correctly, change the strings out for some D'Addarios, and adjust the bridge height.

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  3. #2
    Gummy Bears and Scotch BrianWilliam's Avatar
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    Default Re: For You Budget Buyers... Got a Hundred Dollars?

    $40 mandolin! Not bad. Enjoy!

  4. #3

    Default Re: For You Budget Buyers... Got a Hundred Dollars?

    Bavo Rob... I had the same results with your ebook way back when and the youngster that got his hands on it ended up winning a talent night at his school with the instrument singing and playing the rogue mandolin you show here just 3 weeks later. (the boy is extremely gifted no doubt, however had zero experience with the mandolin prior to getting his hand on the rogue, but the key is that the setup makes a WORLD of difference!)
    Blessings,
    Kip...

    If you think you can or think you can't... you're likely right!

    Eastman MD515, amid many guitars and a dulcimer.

  5. #4

    Default Re: For You Budget Buyers... Got a Hundred Dollars?

    Leave 'em both at your mother-in-law's house so you don't have to buy again next year. (Not the point of your post, I know.)

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    fishing with my mando darrylicshon's Avatar
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    Default Re: For You Budget Buyers... Got a Hundred Dollars?

    Hi i just wanted to say i used your ebook and it really helped me with setup , i knew how to setup a electric guitar but there alot different from a mandolin. I see your going to Cincinnati i use to live there years ago that's where i started playing music , it's a small world, thanks again for your ebook.
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    Default Re: For You Budget Buyers... Got a Hundred Dollars?

    That is a totally crazy deal. It is hard to believe that you could get 2 instruments for $80-$100. Regardless of the quality, it boggles the mind. Sounds like they could be a great pair for travel, the beach, campfire, ski area parking lot, etc.
    I travel with a Martin LX1E 3/4 guitar that I bought used for $200, and a Kentucky KM-675 that I picked up for $300 and I thought that was cheap. That's 5 times the cost of the Rogue combo.

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    Default Re: For You Budget Buyers... Got a Hundred Dollars?

    Quote Originally Posted by colorado_al View Post
    That is a totally crazy deal. It is hard to believe that you could get 2 instruments for $80-$100. Regardless of the quality, it boggles the mind. Sounds like they could be a great pair for travel, the beach, campfire, ski area parking lot, etc.
    I travel with a Martin LX1E 3/4 guitar that I bought used for $200, and a Kentucky KM-675 that I picked up for $300 and I thought that was cheap. That's 5 times the cost of the Rogue combo.
    I'll do another quicky video on the guitar in a day or two. The guitar is very good - a great campfire/travel guitar. And, yes, I am leaving the combo at the in-law's house when I go back to Seattle. :-)

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    Default Re: For You Budget Buyers... Got a Hundred Dollars?

    And even more stupefying, is that they sell the mandolin for $60 and the guitar for $85 if you buy them separately. It's like you buy the guitar and get a free mandolin with this deal. Not that I imagine they compete quality-wise with much else, but still, for situations where you don't want to bring your expensive mandolin or guitar along, they could be just great! Toss them in the back of the car and head up to the ski hill and don't worry about them freezing. Bring them to the condo or hotel and jam for a while and have fun.

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    Gummy Bears and Scotch BrianWilliam's Avatar
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    Default Re: For You Budget Buyers... Got a Hundred Dollars?


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    Gummy Bears and Scotch BrianWilliam's Avatar
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    Default Re: For You Budget Buyers... Got a Hundred Dollars?

    Do these instruments have truss rods?

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    Default Re: For You Budget Buyers... Got a Hundred Dollars?

    The guitar has a truss rod, the mandolin does not. The guitar is laminate sides and back, solid spruce top. The mandolin is all laminate. And it was awesome putting them in the trunk of a car at 35 degrees and not worrying about it affecting them.

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    Worlds ok-ist mando playr Zach Wilson's Avatar
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    Default Re: For You Budget Buyers... Got a Hundred Dollars?

    Seattle?!?! I'm in Covington south of there by, I don't know, 25 miles. Do you work on/set up mandos?

    Zach Wilson
    Last edited by Zach Wilson; Dec-21-2015 at 9:16am. Reason: Type-o

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    Default Re: For You Budget Buyers... Got a Hundred Dollars?

    What impressed me most on the vidio is THAT MANDOLIN IS IN TUNE !!! Most cheep mandolins don't sound in tune no matter what you do. Just shows what a knowledgeable person can do on a set up.

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  17. #14

    Default Re: For You Budget Buyers... Got a Hundred Dollars?

    Just shared this with husband who is in favor of having an expendable guitar for his work; looks like I'll soon be the owner of the mandolin half of the pair. Now, to get my hands on this eBook of which you speak...

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    Default Re: For You Budget Buyers... Got a Hundred Dollars?

    Quote Originally Posted by Viola View Post
    Just shared this with husband who is in favor of having an expendable guitar for his work; looks like I'll soon be the owner of the mandolin half of the pair. Now, to get my hands on this eBook of which you speak...
    Viola, when you email me, mention that you are getting the two-fer and I will email you some notes on setting up your husband's guitar. You should buy some strings for each instrument, too.

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    Default Re: For You Budget Buyers... Got a Hundred Dollars?

    Hi Zach,

    If you need a setup I'd be happy to help. Did you try the ebook?

    Rob

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    Worlds ok-ist mando playr Zach Wilson's Avatar
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    Default Re: For You Budget Buyers... Got a Hundred Dollars?

    I just sent you an email. Thanks!

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    fishing with my mando darrylicshon's Avatar
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    Default Re: For You Budget Buyers... Got a Hundred Dollars?

    On ebay US $34.99 not sure why they want so little but what a deal
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/181969457559...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
    Ibanez 70's 524, 521, 3 511's,2 512's,513,1 514,3 80s 513's, 522
    J Bovier F5-T custom shop
    Kiso Suzuki V900,
    The Loar lm600 Cherryburst
    morgan monroe mms-5wc,ovation
    Michael Kelly Octave Mandolin
    Emandos Northfield octave tele 4, Northfield custom jem octave mandolin 5 octave strat 8
    2 Flying v 8, octave 5, Exploryer octave 8 20"
    Fender mandostrat 4,3 Epip mandobird 2,4/8, Kentucky. KM300E Eastwood mandocaster
    Gold Tone F6,Badaax doubleneck 8/6

  23. #19
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    Default Re: For You Budget Buyers... Got a Hundred Dollars?

    Here's the guitar:

    https://youtu.be/BirHNmE4xD0

    I angled the nut slots, just like you would for a mandolin. I lowered the bridge/saddle by sanding down the bottom of the saddle. I had to intonate a couple of individual strings. On a guitar you can use a file, remove the string in question, and file that string's position. If the string goes flat as you go up the fretboard, file the back side so the deflection point is moved forward. If the string goes sharp, then file the angle to move the deflection point back towards the rear of the guitar.

    Re-strung with Martin medium gauge strings. Hard to believe you get this guitar and a mandolin for a hundred dollars!

  24. #20
    fishing with my mando darrylicshon's Avatar
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    Default Re: For You Budget Buyers... Got a Hundred Dollars?

    Looks like the US $34.99 desl wad a mistake the listing has been taken down
    Ibanez 70's 524, 521, 3 511's,2 512's,513,1 514,3 80s 513's, 522
    J Bovier F5-T custom shop
    Kiso Suzuki V900,
    The Loar lm600 Cherryburst
    morgan monroe mms-5wc,ovation
    Michael Kelly Octave Mandolin
    Emandos Northfield octave tele 4, Northfield custom jem octave mandolin 5 octave strat 8
    2 Flying v 8, octave 5, Exploryer octave 8 20"
    Fender mandostrat 4,3 Epip mandobird 2,4/8, Kentucky. KM300E Eastwood mandocaster
    Gold Tone F6,Badaax doubleneck 8/6

  25. #21

    Default Re: For You Budget Buyers... Got a Hundred Dollars?

    Good find, Rob! I am a beginner mandolinist, but the sound was pretty good to me. It would be nice to compare it with a little more expensive beginner mandolin and see how they sound side- by-side. I have your e-book also, and really appreciate it. I paid a fuzz over $100 for my mandolin (a Reynolds -- I may have overpaid, not sure), and after setting it up per your book, it sounds good to my beginner ears. Thank you again.

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