samick sm-40s

[mandotremo]

i can buy a samick sm-40s, but i am not experienced enough to judge ive its a good mando to start with. does anyone have this mando,and can tell me something more about it.
i like some more info about it.
thankz

[lucho]

I do have one of those SM40s....solid top A5 Jethro oval hole copy, really well made. Nice bright open tone but not much on the low side, and somewhat limited volume. They are no longer made by Samick but along with the more advanced SM50S F5 copy were the top of the Samick mando line.

[8ch(pl)]

I have an SM20 A style and it is a little gem. I picked the best of 3 in a local store, I went in to buy a Washburn F5 but the Samick I bought was nicer sounding for less than half the money.

[JGWoods]

I have an sm 30 oval hole A style. Very nice action, fair sound, ok tuners, I thought they cut the nut in a way that made the strings very close together, with a lot of room at the edges of the fretboard, and it limited my meager abiblity somewhat, so I bought a used Flatiron. I could have recut the nut for easier playability but then I would have had a really playable instrument that didn't sound all that great and I just didn't want to invest the time.
I loan it to folks who think they might want to play mandolin- so far they allreurned the Samick, and none of them bought their own mando so....maybe it ain't that good as an introductory instrument.
Sorry about the run on and on sentence.
best
gw

[Arto]

I have a Samick SM50S. Good workmanship and detail, has taken the time well with no structural problems. A rather thin neck that started to develop a forward bow with heavy strings (G-string 0.41 or so), so I switced back to lighter ones and all has been well ever since. I agree with Lucho: not much on the low side, and somewhat limited volume.

greetings, Arto

[G'DAE]

I've had an SM20TS for about 7 years. That's all I play. Love it. Has a laminate top, but works and sounds great!

[mandotremo]

does anyone knows, if theres a sound sample on the net of the samick, or mabye anyone can place one.

[Sellars]

I own that mando too, and I'm very pleased with it. I also agree that it somewhat lacks in low tones, but it helps using .010 or .011 strings.

I allready had a few people that told me they really liked the mandolin.

roel

[mandotremo]

hey roel youre from the netherlands, me to.
doe you now any great musicstores around amsterdam.
and the mandolin in holland is rare he.

[G'DAE]

There is some samples of Samicks in the "Mando Tasting", not sure exactly where to find it right now.

[Ryan]

I've been playing a samik sm-40 f-style since back in 01. Many a fine bluegrass jams that mando has seen. My very first mando it was. And we'll never part. I say it's a mighty fine choice. That there samik won't let you down.:laugh:

[DerTiefster]

This is an old thread, but I thought I'd mention the Japanese Epiphone BG-440 (yes, BlueGrass "A" 440Hz) like I have. It was probably made by the same factory because it looks EXACTLY like mine. My BG440 has a date stamp in it, which IIRC is 1977. Very nice mandolin, and I suspect that the Samick is similarly very nice. I found mention of this mandolin model in an aside on the strad-o-lin group and on searching found this thread.