What A style Oval hole mandolins to consider in $2000 range?

[John Rosett]

I played an oval hole Pomeroy A style a couple of years ago that was really good sounding. Also, Greg Boyd has a very nice Mike Black A2. I don't know the nut width.

[Jill McAuley]

If it was me I'd be all over one of those MTO's from The Mandolin Store that someone posted the links to.

[fatt-dad]

To the OP: There are oval-hole mandolins with the hybrid design and there are oval hole mandolins with the conventional design. I play a Gibson A3 (conventional design). Weber oval-hole mandolins are just made different. Some of the others too. The conventional oval-hole mandolin design does not have the fretboard elevated above the top. Standard f-hole mandolins typically have the fretboard elevated and the neck joint at the 13th to 15th fret. The conventional design has the neck joint at the 12th fret and the fretboard on the top.

Gibson (vintage), Old Wave, Mike Black make the conventional oval-hole a-model.

Decide what you want. There are differences.

f-d

[Steve L]

You might want to consider some builders from the UK. Fylde make several models that might interest you or you might commission a Taran Springwell.

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/s...gwell-Mandolin

Joe Foley in Ireland and Davy Stuart in New Zealand are worth considering too. I'm not sure what the fretboard dimensions are on all of these, but they're all worth a look.

[pheffernan]

I'd like to try this one: https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/109622#109622

[Chuck Leyda]

Welcome to the Cafe Ron. I would consider a Girouard mandolin in addition to others mentioned.

http://www.girouardmandolins.com/

Mike Black also makes excellent oval hole mandolins.

http://www.blackmandolins.com/index.html

Here's a Girouard Oval. I know Max makes some wide nut mandolins so he would be worth contacting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7NmwZyxjfI

[Jill McAuley]

If you're considering flat top mandolins like the Flatiron Pancake then might I suggest getting Andy Poe to make you one of his lovely Army-Navy pancake mandolins? With a custom build you could specify the neck width and have him make it to your exact preferred specs.

[Charles E.]

Poe mandolins......

http://www.poestrings.net/scout-mandolins

Ron, are you overwhelmed by choices yet?

[GASguy]

If you're considering flat top mandolins like the Flatiron Pancake then might I suggest getting Andy Poe to make you one of his lovely Army-Navy pancake mandolins? With a custom build you could specify the neck width and have him make it to your exact preferred specs.

Poe strings won't be accepting any orders this year, unfortunately.

I am familiar with his work because he has built ukuleles as well a ukulele / mandolin hybrids that sound like a mandolin but play with standard ukulele chord shapes and scales; I came very close to buying one of those several years ago., (mandoquin?? Maybe was the name of the hybrid instrument).

[BBarton]

GASguy -- there's a pretty nice-looking new Old Wave A-oval hole in the Classified right now for $2650 -- that would certainly be worth checking out!! Lovely quilted maple back.

[colorado_al]

Bam! Here's another used Collings MT-O, gloss top, in the classifieds with a McClung armrest and some extras. Seller is asking $2000
https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/109661#109661

[Ron McMillan]

You might want to consider some builders from the UK. Fylde make several models that might interest you or you might commission a Taran Springwell.

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/s...gwell-Mandolin

Joe Foley in Ireland and Davy Stuart in New Zealand are worth considering too. I'm not sure what the fretboard dimensions are on all of these, but they're all worth a look.

Because of exchange rates, there will probably never be a cheaper time to commission a British-made custom than now. As well as the makers mentioned above, you might want to look at Gary Nava (regular Cafe contributor), whose mandolins are beautiful, as shown by one happy customer in the video here:

[colorado_al]

Here's a good buy:
https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/109735#109735
$500 Eastman MD404 demo from the mandolin store. It isn't a Collings, but it is 1/4 the price, and they are quite good

[Denman John]

Almost a page and a half and nobody has mentioned Old Wave mandolins. Great mandolins that can be had both new or used within the range mentioned. I lucked out and picked up a Kimble oval hole within that price range a few years ago. Watch the classifieds here as a lot of nice instruments get posted.

Good luck on the hunt for your new mandolin and let us know what you decide.

[chuck3]

My Collings MT-O is my main gigging mando and it's great! As the posts above indicate, getting one for $2k is attainable.

[red7flag]

I'd like to try this one: https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/109622#109622

That Old Wave looks to be an awesome instrument. Were I looking for an A model short neck oval, I would snap that one up very quickly. NFI Bill Bussman and Gail Hester are two that can make short neck that truly emulates the Gibson originals, and in many cases surpasses them.

[Pete Martin]

Old Waves are terrific!

[mandroid]

I have one like this but 2 years newer, (if its a 1920)

https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/109783#109783

I quite like it , had it for 30 years..


I got the A4 I mentioned earlier, more like 15 years ago. now there are 2..




Dealer Posted recently, another Old wave in the Classifieds, https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/109815#109815

[colorado_al]

Here's an Old Wave oval at Carter's for $2500
https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/109815#109815

[colorado_al]

Also should check out a Morris A4
https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/108253#108253
Usually less than $1000

[Charles E.]

This Poe just arrived in the classifieds today.......

https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/110086#110086

[Jill McAuley]

Oh, that Poe is a BEAUTY! And it has a wider nut - wasn't that one of the things the OP was looking for?

[Charles E.]

Jill, I believe it is, hopefully the OP is checking in........

[pheffernan]

This Poe just arrived in the classifieds today.......

There are more images available of Poe #57 on Andy's website: http://www.poestrings.net/poe-57

[Charles E.]

Sale pending, I wonder if the OP snagged it?