Ray Dearstone #009 D1A (1999)
Skip Kelley #063 Offset Two Point (2017)
Arches #9 A Style (2005)
Bourgeois M5A (2022)
Hohner and Seydel Harmonicas (various keys)
"Heck, Jimmy Martin don't even believe in Santy Claus!"
thank you Jet....
see above
Is there another commercially available oval F mandolin between the Gretsch g9350 and the Eastman MD 514 in terms of price/quality?
Ray Dearstone #009 D1A (1999)
Skip Kelley #063 Offset Two Point (2017)
Arches #9 A Style (2005)
Bourgeois M5A (2022)
Hohner and Seydel Harmonicas (various keys)
"Heck, Jimmy Martin don't even believe in Santy Claus!"
No I've only played into a mic, used K&K and JJB contact piezo's. There are hundreds of threads on mic/pickup selection at the Equipment Forum. My choice has worked for me, but there are many other options. IMHO there is no overall "best", just what is best for each us in our own intersection of playing style, ease, elegance, economy etc.
Ray Dearstone #009 D1A (1999)
Skip Kelley #063 Offset Two Point (2017)
Arches #9 A Style (2005)
Bourgeois M5A (2022)
Hohner and Seydel Harmonicas (various keys)
"Heck, Jimmy Martin don't even believe in Santy Claus!"
Well, seeing that I started this thread with a question I guess it is fitting for me to resolve it. I took delivery of the Gretsch Park Avenue (F4 style) mando yesterday morning. Here is my "30 hours report": THIS IS A GOOD MANDOLIN. I have owned a few mandos since adding mandolin to my instruments played list in 1984. I have owned a Japanese made Ibanez 1984 model 529 (a superb instrument); a 1960's Gibson A-40; a mid-level Morgan Monroe F style; a Kentucky KM-150; a Kentucky KM-505; a Shennandoah SF-200; a The Loar $500 F mando (don't remember the model); an Eastman MD-305 and up to yesterday an Eastman MD-304 'A' style oval hole...and now this Gretsch. And as of now this is all I own. I sold the Eastman today. On to the Gretsch: The build is solid and not in any way flimsy. The neck is a tad narrower (but with a hefty V taper) than the Eastman 304 and I like it better that way. The Eastman had a 12 inch radiused fretboard and the Gretsch has a more traditional board but I find the Gretsch easier to move around on....go figure! As for sound the MD304 rang out for days...it had a very bright treble and a very deep bass for an instrument that size. But the Gretsch is more mid-rangey than the Eastman. The Eastman sounded more like a cittern or a mandola!!! The Gretsch has that mid-rangey, compressed sound that an F-style mando should have and that is what I much prefer. The mando seems overbuilt just a tad...but it does not hurt the sound. The specs say it is ALL SOLID WOOD and that it is arched rather than carved. Yet when you look inside the oval hole with a flashlight I get the sense of a sturdily carved hand made instrument. As for the sound: IT IS NOT TINNY. And I am saying that with only 30 hours of playing time on it. This will definitely open up in the next week. AS FOR THE BRIDGE WIRE HOLE:
the mando came almost in tune and with the intonation spot on. And I still have 3/4" of room before the bridge would interfere with the wire. As for the problem one of the others had with intonation I can only suspect that it was a one-off fluke as mine seems fine. It looks good, sounds good and feels good. I did take off the pickguard even though the bracket that held it was high end cosmetics the plastic itself left a lot to be desired. Besides, I prefer it without a PG so I can better implement palm-mutes. What can I say...go try one...you may buy one....and it is the only F4 type mando on the current market at a reasonable price.
this is pretty much my review of "our" mandolin, it's a lot of mando for the $ and I think that people were being way too hard on it. I have zero regrets on buying mine....glad you're happy.
Weber Black Ice F
Gretsch Vintage F Oval hole
Washburn A, Oval hole Mandola
Weber Black Ice F Octave Mandolin
I've been very satisfied the New Yorker Supreme I've played for over a year now, and look forward to trying out the Park Avenue when I get a chance to make it into London. The Gretsch Roots line is in a somewhat different mould than the Kentucky/Eastmans that get the most recommendations here in this price range it seems, and I've seen some derogatory comments about these instruments, but also very high praise from the likes of Jim Richter and luthier Marty Jacobson. Anyway congrats on your purchase and thanks for the review - sounds like a good one.
Can anyone find a link for Jim Richter's review of it?
Try this. See if it works. http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...by-Jim-Richter
Ray Dearstone #009 D1A (1999)
Skip Kelley #063 Offset Two Point (2017)
Arches #9 A Style (2005)
Bourgeois M5A (2022)
Hohner and Seydel Harmonicas (various keys)
"Heck, Jimmy Martin don't even believe in Santy Claus!"
Both of the videos in that forum thread are dead links it appears. :-(
jetsedgewick and I seem to love this model...
I have it three days now...and let me tell you that it already has surpassed the satisfaction I had with my Eastman MD304...this mando has very good potential...the sound has opened up significantly in the three days I have owned it...and let me say this without fear of correction...THE ACTION ON THIS MANDO BEATS OUT MY OLD MORGAN MONROE, KENTUCKY KM 505 AND THE ONE OR TWO (the) LOARS I HAVE OWNED....no one knows how long a mando will last...but as of now...I am very pleased....
thank you BrTex...good luck in your search....
Ray Dearstone #009 D1A (1999)
Skip Kelley #063 Offset Two Point (2017)
Arches #9 A Style (2005)
Bourgeois M5A (2022)
Hohner and Seydel Harmonicas (various keys)
"Heck, Jimmy Martin don't even believe in Santy Claus!"
I bought one of these off Reverb for $400 plus shipping. For that I think I got a great deal. Workmanship is decent, the intonation on mine was perfect, but it was a store demo model so the store may have had to fix it earlier. The sound out of my Fishman Loudbox is very "acousticy". Aesthetically its a beautiful instrument. I expected it to have a thick glossy coat like a lot of Pac-Rim mandos but the finish was comparable to an Eastman 315. Maybe I just got lucky with mine but I would highly recommend the Park Avenue. I doubt you'll find a better oval-hole F-model A/E in this price range.
Hi, they are all finished in the matte style
I started this thread and I just want to add that I have had my new Gretsch for just about over a week now...AND IT SOUNDS EVEN BETTER...it is broken in and I love it....
I'm glad you are enjoying and it is meeting your expectations. Any chance of a video to give us a sense of what it is like?
Bookmarks