Eastman vs The Loar vs Sigma vs......

[Tomate Palta]

Dear all,
i'm on the quest for a lil' upgrade but it can't be expensive, sadly (as a bass player i need to spend most of my money on bass stuff...and my rent...).
I've been playing a nice old Kay, it's all solid and looks well made, sounds really good, deep and loud. The thing is the neck joint is off, was always like that, and it makes the 11th and 12th frets unplayable, also there is quite some fore bow on the neck and i can't do more of a set up to it, and a professional repair would cost way more than the value of the instrument. So yeah, as much as i like it i have to look for something more practical.
The problem is that here in Germany there are not many options, and almost nothing on the second hand market so i'd have to get something new (which i hate, all my instruments are old) but i can't try them all since there's no shop in town with a good selection of mandos.
So i've compared what there was here and the only thing that comes close (and sometimes beats the Kay) where the Eastman, specially one MD315 that i really liked even though is the cheapest F shape of the brand, but it's still, a bit too pricey, about 900€. SO i've found The Loars on the biggest european online shop and the price (around 450€!!) plus the "all solid" sound very tempting. I was thinking on the LM590 cause it has thiner finish. Also there's this other Chinese ones(headquarters in Germany), Sigma, model SMA-6 which is all solid as well and for about 600€, which is still some money for a non pro mando player.
The question is, do you guys have experience with the Loar or Sigmas? Are they any good? Is the Eastman MD315 waaaay better than the Loar LM590, or Sigmas?
Any help would be hyper welcome.
Thanks a million!

Here a pic of my current Kay (believe me, it does sound good!!)

[colorado_al]

You will get the same sound and playability for a lot less money if you go with an A5 instead of F5 body shape.
Look for the Eastman MD-305 or MD-505.
http://www.theacousticmusicco.co.uk/...andolins-.html

I'd buy from Trevor at TAMCO, if you can,

But I found this too:
http://www.barnyard-blues.com/shop/p...5-A-Style.html

http://www.barnyard-blues.com/shop/p...5-A-Style.html

Your instrument will need a proper setup, so either buy from a seller who will do it for you, or bring it to your local shop who can do a good setup, or learn to do it yourself (not too hard).

[Tomate Palta]

Thanks a lot Colorado, highly appreciated!
Well, i know the thing about As and Fs, but somehow to my ears there's a huge difference between them. I've tried pretty much all the Eastman models on F and A (they sorta do the same on both shapes) and what i heard was just day and night, might just be the Eastmans but somehow the Fs were like 1/3 louder, deeper and fatter than the As, and i think i tried six of each. That's why i would like to go for an F shape. But then again, might just be the Eastman, my ears are weird or the room was funny. I'll have to test the As again in a different shop if i can find one. But that's why i'm very temped for the new Loars, but i just can#t find them in Berlin.
As for set up, i've been working on my uprights my self for about seven years now so it shouldn't be a problem, i know my way with wood and archtop instruments!
I will keep an eye on TAMCO for sure!

[Folkmusician.com]

I would rule out the Sigma and another vote for giving preference to TAMCO. You will be getting a properly setup mandolin from mandolin expert vs. some place that may never open the box.

And don't take this wrong, but it sounds like you are partially hearing with your eyes.

I would highly suggest having a blindfold test with someone else playing them for you. While individual instrument do vary, there really isn't a significant difference between an A and an F style. Of course the F looks great and there is nothing wrong with getting it based solely on appearance.

[colorado_al]

I would say that if you can play them and buy them locally, that is the best bet. Let your ears and fingers do the shopping, not your eyes. Every instrument is different, so it may be that you have found a gem of an Eastman F MD-315. Sounds like your local shops have a good selection of eastman. I think whichever one you think sounds best, is the one you should go with. In my experience, the Eastman is a better mandolin, and a better value than the Loar.
Let us know what you end up with!

[Tomate Palta]

Excellent!
I might even just get the Loar from Thomann and compare it side by side with the MD315 at the local shop and then just return the Loar if it's too bad, they have a "no questions asked" 30 days return policy.
I'll let ya know what happens!
Also, Colorado_al, in that page you just posted, the Barnyard Music, i found a Stanford mandolin. Anybody knows anything about them? I own a Stanford acoustic bass and it's probably the best one, most resonant i've ever played!

[Mandoplumb]

[QUOTE=Tomate Palta;1553972]Thanks a lot Colorado, highly appreciated!
Well, i know the thing about As and Fs, but somehow to my ears there's a huge difference between them. I've tried pretty much all the Eastman models on F and A (they sorta do the same on both shapes) and what i heard was just day and night, might just be the Eastmans but somehow the Fs were like 1/3 louder, deeper and fatter than the As, and i think i tried six of each. That's why i would like to go for an F shape. But then again, might just be the Eastman, my ears are weird or the room was funny. I'll have to test the As again in a different shop if i can find one. But that's why i'm very temped for the new Loars, but i just can#t find them in Berlin.
As for set up, i've been working on my uprights my self for about seven years now so it shouldn't be a problem, i know my way with wood and archtop instruments!
I will keep an eye on TAMCO for sure![/QUOTE

If there is a store near you that has several Eastman A's and F's do a blind test. Have an emplory or a picker in the store play the different ones while you have your back turned. I bet you cannot consistently tell the A's from theF's. Your eyes are affecting your ears.

[Tomate Palta]

Mandoplumb, i believe there is usually a big eyecatching thing but even before deciding on a body shape i was looking just for a better mando, regardless of the looks, and i'm sure i can't tell the difference between the As and Fs but i can tell for sure a bigger sound from a smaller sound and it might have just been those Eastman but believe me, it was insane, i actually wanted to get an A cause of the prices but then i heard the others. Of course there were a couple of Fenders and Tennessee Fs for about 400 and they didn't sound nearly as good as the cheaper A Eastmans.
I wanna think i can be pretty impartial about the sound... i hope, since i am a professional bassist and mixing tech, hope i'm not loosing my ears though, that'd be dreadful.
But you're right, i should just grab my mando friend (who actually owns an A Eastman) and check them all blind, good call!

[pops1]

Are you talking an A with ff holes or an A with an oval hole. If you play and F model with ff holes it will definitely sound different than an A with an oval hole. If both have ff holes the difference should only be the individual mandloins. I play and A with ff holes and it is the best sounding mandolin I have played. Was looking to day at several and nothing compared, that included a $7100 Collings F model.

[Mandoplumb]

Tomate Palta. I'm not suggesting you're losing your hearing, just that our minds play tricks on us at times. We think the red car is better because we like red cars. We like scrolls and points so we think the F style is better and also it's more expensive so it has to be better, right? That's why I suggested a blind comparison, nothing about you hearing. Also Pops1 brings up a good point f holes will sound very different than oval holes, not better or worse just different.

[Tomate Palta]

Tomate Palta. I'm not suggesting you're losing your hearing, just that our minds play tricks on us at times. We think the red car is better because we like red cars. We like scrolls and points so we think the F style is better and also it's more expensive so it has to be better, right? That's why I suggested a blind comparison, nothing about you hearing. Also Pops1 brings up a good point f holes will sound very different than oval holes, not better or worse just different.

Sure thing there Mandoplumb, that's why i called already my mandolin player pall to do the blind test!
They were all f holes though, except for one F shape with oval hole which sounded really nice but was around 2k, really out of my budget!
I'll let ya know what happens with the blind test, it's an interesting thing to share here i guess!