New Mandolin Hunt!!! Beginner/Intermediate.Flexible budget

[Ge23ev]

Hello Everyone
I've Been playing on my Cort CMA-150 A style which i bought for about 250 USD for about 8 months now and have made good progress so far but the instrument is giving me a really hard time with playabality since it was not set up it was my only choice at the time.
but now i feel like it time to move up to a new instrument to get my progress back on track.
I am in Toronto ON and the folks here at the cafe have suggested the 12th Fret in Danforth as the place to go to.
i need help choosing with what to look for and some suggestions before i go there to make my purchase.
some of the stuff i should say to help you better understand my situation and guide me better
This the the list of the inventory at the 12th fret
http://www.12fret.com/new-instruments/mandolins/
I play all genres with a considerable amount of folk Italian and classical so not just bluegrass.
budget is flexible i don't have a problem paying for something that i will enjoy for years to come so anywhere from 500 USD to 2000 ish.
I really want to be able to try the instrument in hand so prefer to buy in person rather than online

from what I've gathered searching so far my choices would be Eastman F style oval holes or Kentucky models .
what are your suggestions and what do you think i should have in mind before going to the store
thank you so much for your help and suggestions . greatly appreciated

[StuartE]

You may not need to spend $500-$2000 to get a more playable mandolin. Consider having a capable music store setup your Cort or, even cheaper, get Rob Meldrum's free e-book on how to set up your mando yourself.

Here's the link to request Rob's ebook.

[Martin Ohrt]

I'd second what Stuart wrote...

But if you really want a new mando (which I can fully understand ), I'd look for a nice used A-style, rather than a F - A's generally offer more sound for your money. You should find some fine used instruments in the 1000 - 2000 $ range.
To get an idea, you could take a look at the Cafe's classifieds.
And yes, for Italian and classical, I'd go for a oval hole, too, I guess. A friend of mine plays a vintage Gibson A, which provides a more "classical" sound (quite close to a modern german bowlback) than my f-hole-Mando (Which doesn't mean that I wouldn't be happy to use mine for everything).
Have you considered a bowlback? I've always thought, that they wouldn't fit in non-classical music, but Carlo Aonzo showed me the opposite

[Jr Brown]

If you are in Toronto, Elderly instruments in Lansing Michigan is under a 5 hour drive add some for the border though.
Elderly has a huge selection at that price range. I live close to them and go there often. All there used instruments also have had a superb setup job done at Elderly.
Its well worth the trip if you want to play a bunch to know you made the right decision. Good luck

[Ge23ev]

I never really connected with the instrument I have and it just doesn't get me the feeling I wish for. It's a really cheap instrument and I'm moving away from Canada to somewhere that mandolins are like unicorns so I want to change my mando to something I can keep for a few years.

[Ge23ev]

I'd second what Stuart wrote...

But if you really want a new mando (which I can fully understand ), I'd look for a nice used A-style, rather than a F - A's generally offer more sound for your money. You should find some fine used instruments in the 1000 - 2000 $ range.
To get an idea, you could take a look at the Cafe's classifieds.
And yes, for Italian and classical, I'd go for a oval hole, too, I guess. A friend of mine plays a vintage Gibson A, which provides a more "classical" sound (quite close to a modern german bowlback) than my f-hole-Mando (Which doesn't mean that I wouldn't be happy to use mine for everything).
Have you considered a bowlback? I've always thought, that they wouldn't fit in non-classical music, but Carlo Aonzo showed me the opposite

Thanks for the info. I'm moving to iran so there will be a bunch of Ouds and Barbats there which are basically big bowl back mandolins. I have considered bowl backs but they are harder to find and I think a oval hole would be more versatile than a bowl back.

[Franc Homier Lieu]

If you are in Toronto, have a look at kijiji. This, for instance, could be a great deal:

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-string-instru...ationFlag=true

[JeffD]

My first suggestion was to get your Cort set up. But I also understand, the heart wants what the heart wants.

Seriously check into flat tops as well as arch tops. The flatty won't have that iconic bluegrass sound, but it does everything else really well. Often a flatty is a better value over an arch top of the same price - in terms of build quality and materials.

[mee]

I recommend Elderly also, I have ordered from them but too far myself to go there. However if I were only 5 hours, that would definitely not be too far. But looking at that website for the 12th Frett, they carry very nice instruments and if it is close to you then you can try them and spend some time deciding before you buy. Good luck, half the fun is the hunt!

[Ge23ev]

If you are in Toronto, have a look at kijiji. This, for instance, could be a great deal:

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-string-instru...ationFlag=true

Thanks man that's a great looking mandolin. I will definitely do. BTW you know of any good instructors in Toronto area ?

[Ge23ev]

i will have this set up. but honestly the instrument doesn't hold tuning and buzzes alot and is really hard to play. so it keeps pushing me away from it and i feel like i need to change it. ive gone from practicing 4 hours a day to an hour and its getting more difficult to practice.

[Franc Homier Lieu]

Thanks man that's a great looking mandolin. I will definitely do. BTW you know of any good instructors in Toronto area ?

Afraid not. I am actually in Halifax, but Ontario kijiji often has a pretty interesting selection of mandolins that I like to window shop.

[Denman John]

The 12th Fret is an awesome store! Go in there and play everything you can and then make a decision. It's a lot easier to buy a mandolin that way than from in front of a computer screen. Happy Hunting!

[gtani7]

I would try some Kentucky and Eastmans. I prefer my KM900 over any eastmans i've tried, but that's comparing a perfectly setup and somewhat played in master model to less expensive Eastmans. The KM505's i've played were great for the money also.

There's lots of threads suggesting Morris, Bovier, possibly you might find heavily used models from other top brands under $1200: http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...-What-to-avoid

These guys recommend Girouard, Flatiron, Silver Angel and other brands i've never tried in $1.5k and up range: http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...ecommendations

[darrylicshon]

I don't want to say which mando to buy there are a lot of good mandolins in your price range, 12th fret is a good store i know a friend that has bought from them if you don't like what they have, i would do that 5 hour drive to elderly. The best thing is to play as many as you can even ones not in your price range. Plus get your cort setup it maybe a lot better after words. Everybody needs a second mando

[Loubrava]

I just upgraded from a $1200 (new retail) to a $4,000 (new retail) mando. My cost on them used were $600 & $2,000. Both were in pristine condition when I bought them and have decent set-up. There is (IMO) really no comparison between the 2 instruments. The upgraded mando plays and sounds so much better it's hard to describe. If you have a $2000 budget spend every penny of it on a used one you won't regret it. Be patient play a few different models if you can or make sure the seller offeres returns most good stores do. Good luck in your search.

[Andrew B. Carlson]

I'm in a similar boat. I'm on my middle ground mandolin. A Kentucky KM-1000. It's a lot of mandolin for the money, which means that is have to spend a lot to beat it. I've been thinking new Northfield, or used Duff.

If you can play one, try a high end Kentucky.

[Mandoplumb]

I never really connected with the instrument I have and it just doesn't get me the feeling I wish for. It's a really cheap instrument and I'm moving away from Canada to somewhere that mandolins are like unicorns so I want to change my mando to something I can keep for a few years.

You, sir have a bad case of MAS. No known cure and only treatment is another mandolin. A new mandolin will put you in remission but the time in remission varies greatly from person to person and what mandolin is acquired for treatment.

[Br1ck]

Based on my guitar experience, I'm firmly in the camp that says skip the intermediate and go for the best you can afford. The intermediate, good as they are these days, will not bring lasting satisfaction.

When I can, I'm going from my Eastman MD 505 to something of the Collings, Pava, Silverangel ilk.

The only thing that cured my lust for vintage Gibson in the end, was vintage Gibson. Yes, it was the most I've paid for a guitar by far, and really it was not banner era, but it had the tone and now I'm happy. Always get the best you can.

[Marty Jacobson]

You, sir have a bad case of MAS. No known cure and only treatment is another mandolin. A new mandolin will put you in remission but the time in remission varies greatly from person to person and what mandolin is acquired for treatment.

Yeah, but Corts are really pretty miserable, even properly set up. Sometimes if the fretboard and frets are cheesy, there's only so much you can do. You can get something quite satisfying for $1000, pretty much anything will feel like a step up. My advice would be to buy used and get a good sense of what a decent instrument feels like, but not to have so much in it that you will take a big hit when/if you sell it.

[Northwest Steve]

There are plenty of really good mandolins in your price range. find one that is easy to play and speaks to you.

As for instructors I would contact Emery Lester, he is close to you. He is a great player and can play about anything. I had a chance to meet him in June and thought he was a good instructor as well.

Good luck

[Ge23ev]

Yeah, but Corts are really pretty miserable, even properly set up. Sometimes if the fretboard and frets are cheesy, there's only so much you can do. You can get something quite satisfying for $1000, pretty much anything will feel like a step up. My advice would be to buy used and get a good sense of what a decent instrument feels like, but not to have so much in it that you will take a big hit when/if you sell it.

Thanks for your reply. Are you familiar with cort mandolins ? I have never played another instrument except the ibanez m510 which was same quality if not worse but easier to play but less tone. Do you know more about cort instruments cause I could not find anything on the web about their quality but now I'm stuck with it and if anyone can give me some info about what I've got and ways to improve it is greatly appreciate it.

[Marty Jacobson]

The best way to improve it is to get it set up properly. The problem with these, and other "basic" instruments is that they are not very responsive, so it takes more work and better technique to get good tone from them. So the fact that they are usually shipped with frets that are uneven (the one I set up was cutting up the player's hands because the fret ends were so sharp), the action being ridiculously high, and the bridge being poorly fit to the top, all contributes to an experience which is not fun for the player. The tuning machines on higher-end instruments are also less frustrating to use, so you have that to look forward to.
Leveling the frets and smoothing the edges of the frets helps a lot, and will allow you to get the bridge lower for easier playability. Fitting the bridge will help the tone a bit, and the hardest part, getting the nut slots cut to just a hair above the level of the frets, will make it as good as it can be.
I'd say enjoy it for what it is, set it up for yourself or pay the $60 to have someone competent in mandolin setup get it dialed in, and it won't be too bad. Then get some finger strength, callouses and dexterity built up while you figure out what your next step might be. In some ways, it is good practice to play an instrument with so little sustain because it will train you to keep your fingers down longer to get as much tone from it as you can. On the flip side, you can be tempted to press down too hard with your left hand, which can lead to serious injury.

[Ge23ev]

Ok , here's the update . i've decided to go to Elderly for a larger array of options and since i've been told all their instruments are pre set up in store
thanks everyone

[Br1ck]

High degree of success going to a store like Elderly. They will have something you will like.