Michael Kelly

[mgap]

I have found a Michael Kelly Legacy Flame mandolin for sale and I am considering buying it. I know that they have not been in business for long time (15 years) and I don't know if they are made in the USA or not.

So, I am wondering if any of you fine mandolin cafe folks could give me their opinions on this mandolin. What this Mandolin should sell for, and what to watch out for. There is one down side and that is I will not be able to test it out. I live a hundred miles from any place to test any mandolin. Except for a pawn shop.

Mike

[pheffernan]

There are some threads in the archives:

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...ighlight=Flame

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...ighlight=Flame

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...ighlight=Flame

[DataNick]

55 Threads: http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/se...archid=4412191

[allenhopkins]

Michael Kelly instruments are Asian-made. They're very nice to look at. If you peruse the linked threads you'll find many Cafe´-ers think there are better mandolins for the money.

If you're planning to spend more than, say, $5-600 for a mandolin, I'd bite the bullet for the hundred-mile trip, if it meant visiting a dealer that had a decent selection to try out. As to alternative brands -- assuming you have to have an F-model mandolin -- I'd look at Kentucky, Loar, Rover RM-75, Eastman, JBovier. All Asian-made, but that's what's available in that price range.

Or check the Cafe´classifieds for a good used solid wood, hand-carved instrument.

[Steve Ostrander]

What Allen said. His advice is, as usual, spot-on.

[mandobassman]

The biggest problem with MK is you never know what quality you will get. Some are decent, some are awful. For that reason I would NEVER buy a Michael Kelly without trying it out. There are Cafe members who have had some good comments about MK, however I have owed two of them and have played two others. All of them were junk. The first I bought new without trying it and when I received it I thought it sounded thin and compressed. I chalked it up to being new (I had never bought new before). After a year, it still sounded like junk and I sold it. Not sure what prompted me to buy the second one (moment of insanity at a Bluegrass Festival), but it wasn't much better. The other two I played were even worse. Thin, metallic bright tone with no low end at all. They make them look pretty but you can most likely do much better.

What makes you say they're out of business? They are not and their mandolins have always been made in China.

[mgap]

Thank you everyone for your responses. Very eye opening. It is a must to give them a try before I buy, or have a return guarantee.

Larry- Sorry for the mis-statement. What I meant was that MK has not been in business but for a short time, only 15 years.

Mike

[mandobassman]

I reread you text and realized I misread it.
If you really have no choice but to buy without trying it, you're better off buying from one of the Cafe sponsors (Mandolin Store, Folkmusician.com). They can help you get the best mandolin you can within your price range. Plus, they will do a excellent setup, which is extremely important.

[Kevin Briggs]

I'll chime in too and say that I would go with an A style in that price range. The only thing buying a F style will get you is more adornments. Also, like Allen wrote, a used mandolin in the Cafe classifieds is a smart option.

Here's one:
http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/73312

Or, here's a new F style in your range:
http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/73305

Or, here's a handmade American A style:
http://shawneecreekwoodworks.sharepo...ndPricing.aspx

Good luck!

[Tobin]

The biggest problem with MK is you never know what quality you will get. Some are decent, some are awful. For that reason I would NEVER buy a Michael Kelly without trying it out. There are Cafe members who have had some good comments about MK, however I have owed two of them and have played two others. All of them were junk. The first I bought new without trying it and when I received it I thought it sounded thin and compressed. I chalked it up to being new (I had never bought new before). After a year, it still sounded like junk and I sold it. Not sure what prompted me to buy the second one (moment of insanity at a Bluegrass Festival), but it wasn't much better. The other two I played were even worse. Thin, metallic bright tone with no low end at all. They make them look pretty but you can most likely do much better.

What makes you say they're out of business? They are not and their mandolins have always been made in China.

Actually, the earlier Michael Kelly mandolins were made in South Korea, not China. Or at least, so sayeth the label on mine. Their move to China has only been in the last few years (I bought mine new in 2008, I think).

But I do agree on the "thin and compressed" tone. I tried everything I could to get some tone and volume out of mine. It just wasn't going to happen. There are better mandolins out there in this price range.

[Wolfmanbob]

I've played a few Kelly's. Putting it nicely, I'd keep looking. And try to play what you buy before making the purchace.

[dusty miller]

I like my Michael Kelly but I like the sound of my Kentucky more and that is a cheaper priced mandolin. Try a couple of different brands and see what you like.

[UsuallyPickin]

Michael Kelly, Kentucky, The Loar, and Eastman are "about" the same quality level when comparing similarly prices instruments. Kentucky may have a slightly better quality control culling. That said, all are manufactured instruments and as such there is a variance in the tone and quality from instrument to instrument. Some of each are excellent some of each are less so. They all have their adherents. So play as many mandolins as you can and then decide on the one that you like. As what you want to hear in tone and experience in feel are a personal choice. Luck... R/

[Keith Erickson]

I love my MK A+ Plus. Sounds great for the $600 bucks I've paid for it back in 2005. My only complaint is playing an Eb flat cord down next to the nut. It's a bear to do plain and simple. However I know the right man to fix this but I haven't moved on it yet. Maybe I should get this done this year. My MK is a great mandolin to take to festivals in the event it grows a pair of legs and decides to walk away.

[Alex Orr]

I've never played one that I thought was worth it's weight in kindling. That said, there are a LOT of them out there so I'm sure there must be some that are decent. In that range of price, I'd suggest looking at Kentuckys, Eastmans, and The Loar...in that order.

[mandodan1960]

Personal experience: Michael Kelly never again!!

[ccravens]

Former owner, sent it back immediately. Wouldn't recommend them to anyone. Wouldn't spend gas $ to drive and try one out. Sorry, just my opinion.

Like many have said, to buy without getting to play first, for the $ I would buy an A model from "one of the Cafe sponsors (Mandolin Store, Folkmusician.com). They can help you get the best mandolin you can within your price range. Plus, they will do a excellent setup, which is extremely important," as mandobassman said.

I played 2-3 sub $600 Eastman's last week that just blew doors off of anything comparable in price. Here's one of them (the MD305) for under $500!; no finanacial interest, etc.:

http://www.fiddlersgreenmusicshop.co....SgK0cME6.dpbs

The MD315 sounded good as well.

Otherwise, mandobassman's advice is sound.

Good luck!

[Steve Ostrander]

Michael Kelly, Kentucky, The Loar, and Eastman are "about" the same quality level when comparing similarly prices instruments.

If you are talking about fit and finish, maybe, but in terms of sound quality, I would bet on the Kentucky, The Loar, or the Eastman any day of the week. I owned two MKs and both were unremarkable.

[abuteague]

I bought one. I sent it back.
It was a mandolin, but only barely so. It did not sound or feel right. It had cosmetic issues. The frets stuck out the ends of the fretboard and caught on my fingers and clothes. It had finish issues. The finish was really really thick. The mandolin was very heavy in comparison with my US made mandolin. I do know a semi professional player who has one that is good. He says he lucked out.
T

[DataNick]

I got one and promptly put it on consignment and had most of my $$ back in a week. That being said, 2 local pros here both play and love em, and their MK mandos are not too shabby...

[mandobassman]

Actually, the earlier Michael Kelly mandolins were made in South Korea, not China. Or at least, so sayeth the label on mine. Their move to China has only been in the last few years (I bought mine new in 2008, I think).

That's interesting, because the first one I bought new in 2003 and it was made in China, according to the label. The second one I bought used and actually emailed pictures of it to Michael Kelly to determine what year is was made. They said it was one of the very first models they produced (can't remember what year), but the label on that one also said it was made in China.

[mandobassman]

You haven't told us what price range you looking at. We could offer some better suggestions if we had a price limit. However, you may notice that MK is not so popular around here.

[Steve Ostrander]

The finish was really really thick. The mandolin was very heavy in comparison with my US made mandolin.

That was my experience as well. I did play an Elegante once that I thought was OK. Not great, but OK.

[allenhopkins]

...My MK is a great mandolin to take to festivals in the event it grows a pair of legs and decides to walk away.

Now there's a recommendation: a great mandolin to own because you won't care all that much if it gets stolen.

I had a Chevy Malibu like that once.

[Ivan Kelsall]

My first mandolin was a Michael Kelly 'Legacy - solid' (solid wood,NOT ply) & it was a good mandolin for it's price. It was easily playable & was certainly good enough for me to discover that i had the talent to play mandolin. I bought it in 2005,so where the idea came from that they were out of business for 15 years,i don't know,but they were in business big time back then. As with other,even more expensive mandolins,depending on where you buy one from,it could be well set up or not. So look for a store where they will set it up for you prior to shipping. Mine was of course bought from TAMCO in the UK & came,as with all my other purchases from them,with a good set up to begin with,
Ivan