What Is Your Favorite Mandolin?

[Barry Wilson]

Sorry my twisted humour killed the thread. I just giggle to myself everytime I see these seagulls LOL

[mandroid]

Among my favorites I've managed to own ..

1922 A4. Lebeda Jazzica F5. Mix CF A5 w-Pickup. And the Hodson D'jangolin.

My Nylon String Wooden Head Uke Banjo Is Nice too . as is the Vega 8 string
'Little Wonder' .

[Rush Burkhardt]

Since '69 I have been the caretaker for one of the first Randy Wood conversions. I've been fortunate enough to play (and even own) many fine mandolins, and been given opportunities to own many including a few Loars. Where I could, I've indulged myself and bought when the temptation was great, and my MAS was a full song. In 2010, I crossed paths with the Loar/Griffith A5, and, thanks to Stan Werbin, played it for quite sometime. Were I in the right financial position (no worries; at the time the asking price was $342K) I would like to own it. The sound is quite unique (dark, full tones; capable of sweet, quiet melodies and a banjo-crushing chop, where desired: yes. I'm a bluegrasser) and the handling worked well for me. I'm trying to believe that the provenance wasn't an influence. I have, since, been in search of an instrument of similar sound and feel.

[Charles E.]

A couple of years ago I had a chance to play a Heiden F-5, a Gilchrist F-5 and a Montleone back to back and the Heiden blew the other two out of the water. The hair on the back of my neck was standing up when I played it, it was magical. The sound still haunts me.

[jerrymartin]

It's nice to reminisce...

In 1969, I splurged on a new Gibson A-50, whose 'voice' became my standard of how a mandolin should sound. In 1989, Peter Ostroushko gave some workshops at Homestead Pickin' Parlor (near my home), and only two players signed up for the Intermediate Mandolin - one of them was me. In a quiet moment, Peter asked to try out my A-50, and handed me his venerable Gibson A-2. When I started playing, my jaw fell open so fast it would've put a dent in the floor if it hadn't been attached. Where was all that extra sound (what I now know as 'tone') coming from? I *really* didn't want to give it back to him, but, y'know...

I mentioned that instrument to him a year or two ago, and he said he had traded it back to Norman Blake, from whom he had obtained it in the first place. My reaction might've had something to do with the stark contrast between Peter's Gibson and mine, but that's about the most intensely pleasurable experience I've ever had playing a mandolin.

I also got to strum an amazing mandocello at Mandolin Symposium some years ago - I think it was converted from a very ornate Gibson guitar and had mucho mojo, though I can't recall what model it was. Very flashy, but delivered exquisite tone. (Sigh.)

Jerry M.

[Winfield]

I'm pretty fond of the Red Diamond these days.

[yankees1]

Ellis F5 that I now have ! A close second is the A5 Ellis that I also have !

[JeffD]

My favorite right now is my mandolinetto. Small, light as air, compact music machine. I am squeezing a lot of tunes out of it these days.

[Capt. E]

Right now it is my cherry 1920 Gibson A-2. It is getting better every day. I doubt anyone has played it for 50 years at least until I found it.

[NewKid]

My Phoenix Bluegrass. Man it feels good to finally put the word "my" before that name.

[colorado_al]

Of all of the mandolins I've owned, my Eastman MD805D is the best, though my MD505 is also pretty great, especially for the money. I picked it up for just over $300.

Of all the mandolins I've played? That is a tough one. I spent an afternoon in Greg Boyd's place about 18 months ago and he let me play so many fantastic mandolins. Of all of the great mandolins that I played, the one that really stood out to me was a used Collings MT2. It just had such a full sound and was clean and crisp, and it was so easy to play that it almost played itself. That day I played mandolins that were 3-4x the price of the Collings and they were fantastic too, but something about the MT2 just sang to me.
Unfortunately for me, a used Collings is still way above my pay grade, or I would have taken it home that day.

I'll tell you this though, when I do have that kind of money to spend, I'm making a pilgrimage to Missoula and Greg's place to play everything he has again. (and to do some more fly-fishing!)

[Bob Clark]

My Phoenix Bluegrass. Man it feels good to finally put the word "my" before that name.

Hey NewKid, I know just how you feel. I absolutely adore my new Phoenix Neoclassical. I have never played anything quite like it!

[Al Bergstein]

I have owned a Festival F that is my busking instrument. It's a fabulous sounding and playing instrument, though the neck is not quite up to the standards of modern Collings like necks. But if any of you find a Festival F or A, they are often quite astonishing for the low price. Great for bluegrass. Big woody tone.

One of my friends has a vintage flatiron festival that's pretty fine, but another buddy has an F5-G that trumps it. He'll get a kick out of reading this.

[Al Bergstein]

I have been playing a Heiden A lately, c. 1993. Superb instrument. Can't ask for more than this one.

[Petrus]

Sorry my twisted humour killed the thread. I just giggle to myself everytime I see these seagulls LOL

[Bill Slovin]

I'm of the mind that our taste in tone, and feel of an instrument change drastically as our technique improves and our musical interests change.

That said I love my Northfield F-5 MM but recently picked up a 1914 Gibson A-1 and for certain styles it's exactly the sound I need.

[Mark Wilson]

When I decided to upgrade from a starter mandolin my first choice had been a Collings. But reviews and comments on this sight swayed me towards choosing the Pava.

Recently I was able to get that Collings for a much needed backup. While I really like the Collings - it showed me just how special the Pava is in regards to what I prefer in sound and ease of play.

[Mike Scott]

I have owned about 10 different different mandolins (still have 3) including KM1000 and 1500, Bulldog, Silverangel and a couple of mid level Eastmen. I have played Weber, Collings, Flatiron Artist and a Gibson Master model on loan to my instructor from John R with huge frets. It was nice, but I will commit some sacrilege and say my Skip Kelley A-5 is my favorite-great tone and volume and really easy to play; followed very closely by the Silverangel. Now perhaps the Gibson was better, but hard to tell as while I was playing it, my instructor was playing my Kelley and it was hard to tell tone and volume of either at that point.

[Dick Wade]

Like many of you, I have played and owned many fine mandolins over the years. Any of you players who have been going to Grey Fox and have attended the Mandolin Meet and Greets have had some very fine instruments to sample over the years, and I am most greatful to the owners of those instruments for letting us handle and play them. Some of those mandolins I can only dream about owning, but when I get down to it I find I prefer my own Weber Yellowstone that I bought a number of years ago at the Mandolin Store when they were in Ohio. It has a cedar top and has been played nearly every day and has opened up so much that you could fall into it. This is the sound that I expect from the mandolin. I have trained myself to make the most of this instrument and get the sounds I like. I know this mando. When I have been given the chance to play some of the holy grail mandolins for shows I have done I go to my cedar top Yellowstone. If I were looking for a new instrument today I would start with another cedar top Weber.

[JeffD]

As I mentioned, early on in my mandolinning I purchased a 1923 A2 snakehead. Lucked out in a way, because the sound on it was and is much better than I could have appreciated at the time.

But the result is that while I have tried a lot of instruments, some of them amazing, and I have many an instrument I would like to have, I have never ever played any instrument that I would rather have.

[Don Grieser]

The 3 best I've played hands down are:

1. Reischman's Loar--even a clumsy oaf can get tone from that one.

2. Compton's Gilchrist F5--I hit a chop chord on that thing and it about flew out of my hands. Powerful. Never experienced anything like that.

3. Wakefield's Loar--pure raw power. It'll hurt you when you're sitting across from Frank and he's playing it to you. Just amazing the little I got to play it. Monstrous.

I think each mandolin has a certain potential built into them, but I think the 3 above have had their tone played into them.

Of course, like everyone else, I think the two I own are pretty spectacular also: Heiden & Hilburn A5s. The Heiden really has something special in terms of clarity of tone and responsiveness that I'm really enjoying. The Hilburn has its own voice that's very pleasing too.

[yankees1]

Ellis F5 hands down !

[loess]

I spent an hour with this Brentrup M23 at Gryphon a couple of summers ago. Have never experienced a more perfect union with a mando before or since then and it sounded incredible. Did not have the cash at the time but so it goes...

[Jim Hudson]

1987 Nugget A model, F holes, varnish that was wonderfully worn, just got to pick on it a little but was immediately smitten. It had that rare combination of punch, tone, responsiveness that you just don't find often. Mmmmmmmmm.

[J Mangio]

For now, my '12 Kentucky KM-1000 sounds and looks the best; so much that it

sidelined my '02 Gibson F-9, which is a tone monster.