Sorry. Just can't help myself sometime.

[Bill Kammerzell]

Made in Vietnam. Manufacturer? Alulu.
"Say what kind of mandolin is that Will?
"Well Bob it is Alulu."

Okay I'll show myself to the door.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/381547234514...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[JeffD]

It certainly is.

[allenhopkins]

"Front body-board" (assume that's the top) made of maple? Kinda odd...

[Potosimando]

Begs the question: Would you rather have 1,000 Alulus ("Aluli?) or one single unadorned Lloyd Loar?

[Bill Kammerzell]

"Front body-board" (assume that's the top) made of maple? Kinda odd...

And don't forget the "Shiny Polish."

[Bertram Henze]

One must admit that all those paintings successfully attract your attention away from that - errrhm - scroll - erhm - hook - whatever.

[Isaac Revard]

One must admit that all those paintings successfully attract your attention away from that - errrhm - scroll - erhm - hook - whatever.

Yes, isn't there an "ugliest scroll" thread somewhere?

[Bill Kammerzell]

One must admit that all those paintings successfully attract your attention away from that - errrhm - scroll - erhm - hook - whatever.

What paintings? I can't stop staring at that hook.

[Jeff Mando]

It all looks great -- "on paper!" If someone were to tell you, there is a pearl trimmed F5 copy with hardcase for sale for $200 plus $85 shipping......how can you lose, right???

Often, the same thing happens when I travel to these small towns and stumble upon a Mom and Pop music store. I look in the window and see 50 or so instruments hanging on the walls and go in and check them out. Upon closer inspection, they are all instruments that retail for $175 or less.....the wholesale cost probably being $60-75 per instrument -- in other words, their entire store stock cost them about $5 grand.......I'm always amused, when the proprietor asks, "are you looking for acoustic or electric?" And, I have to answer, "thanks, I'm good"........

Amusement or cruel joke -- you decide!

[journeybear]

Yes, isn't there an "ugliest scroll" thread somewhere?

Yeppers! This needs to be added to that.

Technically, it is an Alulu. But then, that kills the punch line, so ... never mind!

[John Soper]

That IS a lulu of a scroll!

[Bill Kammerzell]

That IS a lulu of a scroll!

And why wouldn't it be? Its Alulu!

[Bill Kammerzell]

It all looks great -- "on paper!" If someone were to tell you, there is a pearl trimmed F5 copy with hardcase for sale for $200 plus $85 shipping......how can you lose, right???

Often, the same thing happens when I travel to these small town and stumble upon a Mom and Pop music store. I look in the window and see 50 or so instruments hanging on the walls and go in and check them out. Upon closer inspection, they are all instruments that retail for $175 or less.....the wholesale cost probably being $60-75 per instrument -- in other words, their entire store stock cost them about $5 grand.......I'm always amused, when the proprietor asks, "are you looking for acoustic or electric?" And, I have to answer, "thanks, I'm good"........

Amusement or cruel joke -- you decide!

Then there are Mom and Pop Stores like this.
http://harryandjeaniewest.com/

[Miked]

I wonder how long it takes for Alulu to open up? ;-)

[Seattle]

Has anyone actually played one? The unusual wording is just, of course, a non-native English speaker trying to describe the product. The price has more to do with reduced labor costs. It doesn't look like a Loar but the scroll doesn't affect the sound.

This thread sounds like the "mean girls" club. haha

I'm not saying that it sounds good. I don't know but does anyone here actually know what it sounds like? The profit margin on a Kentucky KM-150 can't be great either but everyone loves those.

[Ray(T)]

Quote - "***Please note. Due to the estimated tool might slightly different. The estimated result will have reasonable errors. ***"

Duh..........!!!!

[G7MOF]

I bought one of these second hand in the UK (Very cheap) and the words I'd use to describe the finish and sound can't be used on this site..

[Bill Kammerzell]

Has anyone actually played one? The unusual wording is just, of course, a non-native English speaker trying to describe the product. The price has more to do with reduced labor costs. It doesn't look like a Loar but the scroll doesn't affect the sound.

This thread sounds like the "mean girls" club. haha

I'm not saying that it sounds good. I don't know but does anyone here actually know what it sounds like? The profit margin on a Kentucky KM-150 can't be great either but everyone loves those.

I found it interesting that the Nut and Saddle were made from Buffalo Bone. Water Buffalo I would guess.

[pops1]

I had a customer buy one of the highly inlaid mandolins and bring it in to make it more playable. Actually ended up sounding quite good, hope it doesn't end up with a bunch of cracks.

[Tobin]

These blingy Vietnamese mandolins have always made me wonder what they base their design on. I mean, it's obvious that they are trying to imitate an F5 shape, but it's so far from being anatomically correct that it just looks like they took a real F5 and sort of melted it. The crude hook shape, specifically, confuses me. If they know enough about F5 style mandolins to try to mimic a scroll, and they have enough talent to construct a complete instrument and do fancy inlay/paint work, surely they have enough skill to make the scroll look a little more like a scroll instead of a flabby mutant appendage? I know good tight scrolls are time consuming and take some skill, but this doesn't even seem like they know what a scroll is. Like they've never actually seen a photo of a real F5. I just wonder how much they actually know about what they're trying to imitate.

I've no idea about how they sound, but I'll bet they're a pain to tune up, what with the way the inboard G and E strings have to bend around the outboard tuning posts. Vintage Gibsons had this problem too, albeit not as extreme as I see here on this one. It really sucks trying to tune that second G string when the winding is dragging and jumping over the winding of the first G string on the post.

[Bertram Henze]

I'll bet they're a pain to tune up, what with the way the inboard G and E strings have to bend around the outboard tuning posts.

Plus, D and A strings making a sharp bend above their nut slots. You've got to love nut slot binding.

[Denny Gies]

Willkamm, there is medication for that.

[allenhopkins]

No bids yet, 14 hours left.

Interesting that this seller has several of these "pearl queen" F-styles up for sale, and this one's the lowest priced...?

[Bill Kammerzell]

Willkamm, there is medication for that.

Yes, but every one of those medications screws up the effects of a nice glass of smooth bourbon.

[jim simpson]

What is it with all of the blingy appointments, lol?