2nd mandolin (for UK guys particularly)

[Jimmy16]

Hi all,

I'm new here, from Manchester, UK.

I'll cut to the chase, I'm very experienced guitar player who's always done some mandolin and gotten away with using an Ozark - which is OK for what it is and the price.

It's time to move up for gigging/recording purposes.

So, I 100% need electro. I'd prefer it factory fitted electro - a tuner would be a godsend but not essential. I've been offered an Eastman 615 (I think) for about £1200 new. I'm sure it's a great mandolin as I've got an Eastman guitar and it's great.

But how's the £500-£1000 part of the market? Everyone says Kentucky, Goldtone, Loar or Eastman. - The electros are pretty thin on the ground.

Any and all advice most welcome. Thanks

Jimmy

[Johnny60]

My son (also an experienced guitarist) recently got a really great Eastman 305 from Eagle Music in Huddersfield. It doesn’t have a pick-up, but sounds fantastic acoustically. Around £500 with gig bag, which is a bargain for that kind of tone. We compared it a The Loar that was in stock, and it left the Loar standing. This thing has punch, power, a decent bluegrass chop (if that’s your thing) and a great tone all the way up the neck.

[Jimmy16]

Thank you. That's good to know. You can always fit a pick up!

[OneChordTrick]

Both Tavy and GaryNava are UK builders and members here who make electric/acoustic mandolins. I’ve got no connection with either of them other than admiring their work.

Also Hobgoblin have an Ashbury with a fitted pick up that might be worth a look

[Ray(T)]

Hi Jimmy, I’m about 20 miles south of Manchester. Half decent mandolins are a bit thin on the ground in these parts.

It might help if you could tell us how you intend to use the mandolin and what style you’re intending to play. Straight electric solid mandolins tend not to sound that much like mandolins and hollow bodied ones with added pickups are always something of a compromise. If you’re intending to play one plugged in 95% of the time, your best bet might be something like a Godin but check out the neck profile first; its not my favourite although you may well get along with it fine.

[Martin Jonas]

Both Tavy and GaryNava are UK builders and members here who make electric/acoustic mandolins. I’ve got no connection with either of them other than admiring their work.

Also Hobgoblin have an Ashbury with a fitted pick up that might be worth a look

I'd second that.

Tavy is John Maddock -- see his website here. John is very approachable. You get a choice of 4-, 5-, or 8-string hollow-body mandolins if you want to commission -- he has a 5-string for sale right now. I haven't played his electrics, but his vintage instrument restorations are great.

Gary Nava's electrics are solid-body designs. His homepage is here.

Both should be within your budget. Have a chat with them!

Martin

[colorado_al]

Do yourself a favor and make an appointment to visit Trevor at TAMCO
http://www.theacousticmusicco.co.uk/
I know his shop is pretty far away from you, but it will be worth the trip!

[Ray(T)]

Much as I’d recommend any mandolin/acoustic guitar enthusiast to visit TAMCO, I don’t think that Trevor tends to stock the kind of thing Jimmy is looking for. Apart from that, Brighton is a pain to get to from Manchester and, unbelievably, a turn-up-&-go train ticket is likely to cost at least half of Jimmy’s budget!

[Jimmy16]

Hi guys. Firstly thank you all and I will follow all these leads particularly as Hobgoblin is so close.
In terms of use I meant electronic acoustic. Micing isn't always possible are my gigs - limited space, soundcheck time etc. The music I play is all the standard stuff - folk, bluegrass, Irish, blues and I do solo lead breaks, generally when called to by the Singer or whatever. You get the idea. Thanks again.

[Ray(T)]

If you’re going to Hobgoblin, alao have a look in Forsyth on Deansgate.

If space on stage is an issue, how about an acoustic pickup or mic on your existing mandolin? For mic, think Audio Technica or DPA but it will depend what you’re plugging into.

[Jimmy16]

THanks fellas - I have checked out the UK Luthiers and they look great but I really need a trad instrument with a pickup of some sort. My current Ozark has a piezo and is pretty basic, Chinese made and not of the best quality but it does the job, looks like a trad mandolin, I can play it acoustically, and I can plug it in. They're my main requirements, thanks all.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Hi Jimmy - I live up near Heaton Park,North M/cr. I'd go with Ray's advice - check out Forsyth's on Deansgate & Hobgoblin on Oxford Road. Forsyth's mostly have new instruments,but they occasionally have 'used' ones. Hobgoblin on the other hand,do deal in used instruments - so maybe that's your best bet.

Have you tried looking for any in the ''Gumtree'' listings ?. They sometimes have good quality instruments on their site - but they're not cheap,even as a private deal.
https://www.gumtree.com/mandolins

They currently have a Tanglewood Electro-acoustic for sale. I've owned 2 Tanglewood Guitars & the quality was excellent - maybe the Mandolins might be the same ? - https://www.gumtree.com/p/mandolins/...tic/1318136284
Ivan

[Chris Pritchett]

I have one of my early two point mandolins available (bit like a phoenix). Its got a few dings but could be re-finished. It's fitted with a McIntyre pick up. Have a look at my website for contact details.

[JeffD]

Something to consider. It has been related to me that electric/acoustic is more a part of guitar culture than mandolin culture, and that an electric/acoustic mandolin is more often than not a compromise meant to bait guitarists. The electrics are not first rate because what the heck it's for a beginner, and the acoustic is not so great because what the heck your gonna play through an amp anyway.

I have heard and generally find it reasonable that a better way to go is to get a good acoustic mandolin, and retrofit it with the decent electrics of your choice.

[Ray(T)]

Something to consider. It has been related to me that electric/acoustic is more a part of guitar culture than mandolin culture, and that an electric/acoustic mandolin is more often than not a compromise meant to bait guitarists. The electrics are not first rate because what the heck it's for a beginner, and the acoustic is not so great because what the heck your gonna play through an amp anyway.

I have heard and generally find it reasonable that a better way to go is to get a good acoustic mandolin, and retrofit it with the decent electrics of your choice.

I would agree with that. The Mcintyre pickup Chris Pritchett mantions is a decent one if fitted properly (I have one in my Holoubek) but it will need a premap. Mcintyre recommend the Baggs PADI.

[Tavy]

Something to consider. It has been related to me that electric/acoustic is more a part of guitar culture than mandolin culture, and that an electric/acoustic mandolin is more often than not a compromise meant to bait guitarists. The electrics are not first rate because what the heck it's for a beginner, and the acoustic is not so great because what the heck your gonna play through an amp anyway.

I have heard and generally find it reasonable that a better way to go is to get a good acoustic mandolin, and retrofit it with the decent electrics of your choice.

+1. Trouble is a K&K and decent pre-amp will set you back at least £200 so it takes a big chunk out of the budget Will sound very nice though! Stay well away from under saddle pickups on mandolins - they sound second best at best, horrible at worst.

[soliver]

I have been playing an Eastman 305 with a JJB Marcato pickup, run through an LR baggs Para acoustic Pre/DI... I have had very good results with that!.... if you don't mind buying used, that's a very affordable way to go and can likely stay within your budget.

Another option is one of the Eastman 600 series A styles which both have a Pickup factory installed.

[Gelsenbury]

If you go to Hobgoblin, try the Ashbury S model with pickup. Designed by Phil Davidson, it's a really nice mandolin and should be within your budget. Also remember that Hobgoblin can transfer items from any branch to your local one for you to try, at no cost and with no obligation to buy. This is useful especially for their second-hand items.

[Jimmy16]

Hi guys, seems the electro-acoustic market isn't great in the UK. It's pretty much either really low end stuff like stagg, slightly better like the Ozark I have or much higher. I don't think anything under say 300 will be an improvement over the Ozark I have - just aesthetics. There isn't a 500-800 bracket at all for electro, then you're at £1000 for an A-style Eastman with K&K pickup. If these were around on the used market I'd be interested at say £750. But there's not much on the used market either.

Thanks for all your help and wisdom.

[Tavy]

Hi guys, seems the electro-acoustic market isn't great in the UK. It's pretty much either really low end stuff like stagg, slightly better like the Ozark I have or much higher. I don't think anything under say 300 will be an improvement over the Ozark I have - just aesthetics. There isn't a 500-800 bracket at all for electro, then you're at £1000 for an A-style Eastman with K&K pickup. If these were around on the used market I'd be interested at say £750. But there's not much on the used market either.

Thanks for all your help and wisdom.

It's not just the UK: mandolins don't "do" electro-acoustic in the same way that guitars do, part of that may be down to under-saddle pickups which are ubiquitous for guitars not performing very well on mandolins (too much attack in the notes over-drives the piezo leading to lots of "quack"). So that leaves you looking at the higher end pickups. Then allow for the fact that a mandolin of equivalent standard to a guitar priced £XX will typically cost twice as much (niche market, lower volume sales, no decent instruments mass produced) and the costs add up pretty quick.

With regard to the used market you will need to be patient - keep a sharp look out for a mid-range Eastman or similar and you will easily save yourself enough to have a decent pickup fitted - but you will need to be patient and keep looking - mandolins are a minority pursuit so decent used ones don't come up that often.