Sketchy? What say you?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/F5-Style-Arc...MAAOSwOMdZTHst
Sketchy? What say you?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/F5-Style-Arc...MAAOSwOMdZTHst
Don't do it. I've seen the vids, these things sound horrible.
They also don't look very good.
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
I'm waiting for this one to come out
http://www.morganmonroe.net/mm-mc100.html
I am betting that this one is actually from Viet Nam. I see it ships from Taiwan and I have seen more than a few auctions for Antonio Tsai instruments that are shipped via Taiwan and can't remember any for instruments produced elsewhere. Not many happy actual musicians with Antonio Tsai's, especially after a year or two. They might make nice wall hangers if you like MOP.
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Just send an email to rob.meldrum@gmail.com with "mandolin setup" in the subject line and he will email you a copy of his ebook for free (free to all mandolincafe members).
My website and blog: honketyhank.com
They are indeed from Vietnam unless something big has changed.
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
If you need a cheaper mandocello, I've played one of these, and as odd as they look, and as unusual a guy as Wishnevsky is, they sound pretty good. He's actually an experienced luthier, and his personal bio harks back to the old Galax festival days when the hippies took over. The page I'm linking to merely has a video of one being played. He'll put them up on ebay from time to time himself.
Wishnevsky 'cello
thanks guys
They make some fantastic instruments in Vietnam. I've got a mandolin from there. Cost about $150. Not a high quality instrument, but plays just fine as my backup mando.
You've had a good experience; not everyone else has. The Vietnamese instruments sold on eBay can be long on "bling," short on a] properly seasoned wood, b] durable metal parts, c] inlays that stay seated in their places.
I'm told it's a cottage industry, with some craftspeople doing the woodwork, others making the metal parts, others cutting and installing the inlays. If you get one that's been properly built, you can get a real bargain. But so many of the ones on eBay seem to be "more for show than for dough," with elaborate over-the-top inlay, odd designs, and more "curb appeal" than reliable quality.
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
I've seen the videos..... stringed musical instrument shaped things being made in grass-roofed huts with dirt floors... They ship these items "in the white" to have a finish sprayed on at another location, buffed out, strung, and boxed for shipping on a slow boat across the Pacific. It's a miracle half of them arrive in a single piece without warping, twisting, or simply falling apart. This is craftsmanship twisted into a cheap facsimile of a quality musical instrument.
There was a FB Journal article about Vietnamese guitars sometime within the last couple of years. The authors were generally impressed with the craftsmanship, especially in the "higher end" guitars (maybe 400-800 bux IIRC, though I may not be), and they even bought a couple to bring home. Within a couple of months they had issues related to relatively low humidity. It's just hard to
replicate 100% humidity unless you live in a tent in Charleston, or the Everglades. Our A/C just kills them, even if the wood is seasoned properly.
Agree, look into Wishnevsky, or wait on Morgan Monroe, or go Gold Tone. They have their issues, but you at least get a limited warrantee...
I was recently fortunate to get an great deal on a Weber MC. Yes, totally different ballgame, but I'm loving it so far...and completely understand the MC itch. I beat mine down for about 10 years, but it got me in the end
Chuck
As someone who has actually played this exact instrument and wishnevskys, I’ll be happy to give my impressions.
The dragon mando became available at one of my local music stores on consignment. Some of my first impressions were it played pretty decent. Might have been set up to play that way. As for sound, nothing fantastic. A little weak on the bass, but overall once again for the price, it was decent.
Wishnevskys are good, but extremely rough. Mine was not set up at all and the frets were not dressed so go in knowing you will need someone to do some work. After that however, the instrument does sound pretty good for the price. Surprising because it’s mainly reclaimed wood.
My advice. Get a Weber Mandocello. I picked up one used for $2700 and it is amazing .
I'd sooner try this one for $125 + shipping
https://reverb.com/item/5612027-mand...-2017-sunburst
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
I've seen that one on Reverb on Craiglist here. Pondered getting it but there are enough other assorted instruments I'd like to acquire and the "ukecello" I have more or less fills the mandocello role for the time being. My Puerto Rican cuatro misadventure has sort of turned me off to extremely cheap brand new instruments. The Folkreps mandocello would be the cheapest one I'd go for, they have a solid spruce topped one for $380.
It looks like Thomann has the Folkreps mandoloncelli for less than the Folkreps site: https://www.thomannmusic.com/mandoloncelli.html
Bernie
____
Due to current budgetary restrictions the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off -- sorry about the inconvenience.
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