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Thread: The inferior mandolin

  1. #1

    Default The inferior mandolin

    Yesterday I got out my Michael Kelly Festival just to see if the action was how I remembered it. I played it for ten minutes and was reminded how decent the tone and playability is. Put it down on my desk top and broke out my Arches kit build. Way better.

    Played out last night and my mandolin was in the house by the front door where I put it down after coming home. My MK was right there in front of me. Played it all afternoon. Enjoyed playing it. Reflected on how we get jaded owning really good instruments. The fact was I had a good time with my import. Only after retrieving the Arches and playing them side by side did the MKs shortcomings stick out.

    I guess the point is if your mandolin is well set up, you can have a ball on a modest instrument. We forget that sometimes. Sure, save up for that upgrade, but don't forget to have fun in the meantime.
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    Default Re: The inferior mandolin

    I don't care what name is on the headstock - if it plays well and sounds decent, I'm ready to play!

  4. #3
    Registered User Rodney Riley's Avatar
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    Default Re: The inferior mandolin

    Yep, practice song sets with my Weber. But play my Godin in front of the crowds.

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    Lurkist dhergert's Avatar
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    Default Re: The inferior mandolin

    Yup. I still am really glad for my MK. Yes, I prefer to play my F-9 and I do prefer its tone. But the MK is simply a great sounding and playing backup mandolin that I wouldn't hesitate to play on stage in the rain or in a sandstorm. And unless I feel extremely safe in where I am going and how I will get there, it is my travel mandolin. It does exactly what I need it to do.
    -- Don

    "Music: A minor auditory irritation occasionally characterized as pleasant."
    "It is a lot more fun to make music than it is to argue about it."


    2002 Gibson F-9
    2016 MK LFSTB
    1975 Suzuki taterbug (plus many other noisemakers)
    [About how I tune my mandolins]
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    Registered User Dave Fultz's Avatar
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    Default Re: The inferior mandolin

    A few months ago I picked up an M110 Johnson oval hole at Sam Ash. It sounded ok, and was only $69. I took it home cleaned it, and restrung and intonated it. It actually sounds ok, and plays ok. I just wanted a boat instrument. I was surprised.

    It sits on a stand by the easy chair, and I play it daily. The other live in their cases. I play them a lot too, but are protected from the cats.

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  7. #6
    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: The inferior mandolin

    I've mentioned on here a few times,that i wish i'd kept my own MK 'Legacy' mandolin instead of trading it in for my first Lebeda mandolin. I'd really liked to have tried out 'strings 'n things' on it to see just how good i could make it sound. It was well set up as are all mandolins from TAMCO UK,so it played as well as it ever could be expected to,but it sounded a tad 'thin' toned. Different strings / bridge etc. might have worked wonders ?,
    Ivan
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    Default Re: The inferior mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by Rodney Riley View Post
    Yep, practice song sets with my Weber. But play my Godin in front of the crowds.
    Oh, how my heart breaks for unfortunate souls like this - the poor guy has to play a lowly Weber as his 'practice' mandolin . . . we better take up a collection to help the guy out!


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    formerly Philphool Phil Goodson's Avatar
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    Default Re: The inferior mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by Ivan Kelsall View Post
    I've mentioned on here a few times,that i wish i'd kept my own MK 'Legacy' mandolin instead of trading it in for my first Lebeda mandolin. I'd really liked to have tried out 'strings 'n things' on it to see just how good i could make it sound. It was well set up as are all mandolins from TAMCO UK,so it played as well as it ever could be expected to,but it sounded a tad 'thin' toned. Different strings / bridge etc. might have worked wonders ?,
    Ivan

    I think you did the right thing.
    Phil

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    My Florida is scooped pheffernan's Avatar
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    Default Re: The inferior mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by Br1ck View Post
    The fact was I had a good time with my import. Only after retrieving the Arches and playing them side by side did the MKs shortcomings stick out.
    A buddy of mine, when first getting into wine, had found what was for him a sweet spot in Australian Shiraz available for $12 a bottle. As a splurge, one night he decided to try a $25 bottle instead and was floored by it. “The problem with a 90” he said, referring to wine ratings, “is that it ruins you for 88’s.”

    I think a number of us have a similar experience as we progress through gear, from mandolin-shaped objects and decent starters through upgrades and midlevel boxes to professional grade instruments and independent builds. And like my buddy, we find at each step that it costs roughly twice as much money to achieve that 2% difference.

    In the process, you hopefully also achieve something of an education as to your own preferences. And the result of that education is the recognition that there is still pleasure to be found in a simple $12 bottle.
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  12. #10

    Default Re: The inferior mandolin

    The MK was my test bed for setup skills, and how I really proved to myself what a setup could do, along with fret leveling. The only things I could do now is a CA bridge and striping the finish. Would I have had at it had I paid the $500 retail they were selling for? Debatable. But I could easily lend this to someone wanting to try mandolin and know the action would not discourage them.
    Silverangel A
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  13. #11
    Registered User Eric Platt's Avatar
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    Default Re: The inferior mandolin

    My Californian oval hole is surprisingly good. Enough so that I didn't feel much guilt trading off two more expensive mandolins and keeping this one. Perfect for leaving next to the couch or taking on a trip. (Or performing outside in winter as happened last year and might again this year.) Pretty sure it was $69 from GC. There's a thread on here someplace about it.
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    Registered User Jeff Budz's Avatar
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    Default Re: The inferior mandolin

    Guitar player in my band has a MK mandolin. For years it had terrible action and old strings. He let me take it home and change the strings and adjust the bridge and truss rod. I was amazed at how nice it played and sounded. Much better than my Eastman, but not nearly as nice as my Phoenix.

  15. #13

    Default Re: The inferior mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff Budz View Post
    Guitar player in my band has a MK mandolin. For years it had terrible action and old strings. He let me take it home and change the strings and adjust the bridge and truss rod. I was amazed at how nice it played and sounded. Much better than my Eastman, but not nearly as nice as my Phoenix.
    I'll remain on my high horse regarding fret leveling, the true avenue to ultimate action. Uneven frets were the barrier to fine action on mine. And I don't know what industrial paint they put on these, but it has survived some dramatic incidents without so much as a scratch. I think the recent Eastman MD 315 might be a hair better in the tone department, but my point continues to be how a modest instrument set up well can be a source of endless amusement. But the MK is an all solid wood instrument. That is my personal line in the sand, but I'm willing to be convinced ply can work too,
    Silverangel A
    Arches F style kit
    1913 Gibson A-1

  16. #14
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: The inferior mandolin

    Even my nicest mandolins improved immensely with a refret..
    there the finger board was leveled while the frets were out...

    there was a bit of a hump in the fingerboard where the neck joined the body.

    I'm told this is fairly common..





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    Default Re: The inferior mandolin

    If I had not been a musician already for the vast majority of my life, I would have been satisfied for much longer with my The Loar LM 220. But after learning to play a little, I quickly became aware of better sound, not that The Loar sounded bad, but I wanted something that sounded better. I still have my The Loar, it is not a bad instrument.

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    Default Re: The inferior mandolin

    I bought an MK on a whim as a travel instrument, because I wasn`t comfortable lugging a guitar around. I never looked back. It`s setup beautifully and plays great. It may have it's limitations sound wise, but I`m also sure it would say the same (or worse) of me.
    I rarely leave the house without it and that opens up world of spontaneous opportunities to play, jam and even perform on stage. Typically the conversation goes; (Real Musician)I hear you have a mandolin. You should have brought it. (Me)It`s in the truck. I`ll be right back.
    Steve

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  21. #17
    Worlds ok-ist mando playr Zach Wilson's Avatar
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    Default Re: The inferior mandolin

    Everyone wanted to watch the Seahawks game last night and wanting be social I sat in the TV room and played my The Loar LM170 (totally inferior to my Weber and Flat top) quietly for a couple hours. I'm surprised how much fun I had playing it and how relaxed I was leaving it out, unattended with young children, and drunk adults running around. It's nice to have a playable, well setup beater.

    Cheers to the backup instruments!

  22. #18
    ************** Caleb's Avatar
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    Default Re: The inferior mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by LadysSolo View Post
    If I had not been a musician already for the vast majority of my life, I would have been satisfied for much longer with my The Loar LM 220. But after learning to play a little, I quickly became aware of better sound...
    Back when I was 18 and started playing guitar, all I wanted was one that had "Takamine" on the headstock. No idea why but this was my goal. I got one (all lam before solid tops became standard) and loved it for a long time. Then I started reading guitar magazines and forums and came to see my once-beloved guitar as a complete piece of junk. That was a sad loss! I ended up with a much "better" guitar (though I still have the old Tak tucked away under a bed), but I believe I'd have been better off just focusing on playing music than geeking out on specs.

    Same happened when I discovered the mandolin. I kept kicking tires and reading specs till I had to have something high-end. C'est la vie....
    ...

  23. #19

    Default Re: The inferior mandolin

    Well, really, how many hours a day can you play mandolin? I probably play for an hour four times a day. That leaves quite a lot of time left in my retirement life. There is that two hours of house and yard work, but plenty of time to obcess over instruments, those I own and those I don't (yet).

    The comment about your wanting quality mandolins after owning quality guitars is spot on.
    Silverangel A
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    1913 Gibson A-1

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    Lurkist dhergert's Avatar
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    Default Re: The inferior mandolin

    I'm sure many if not most of us have heared consummate pro musicians take a piece of junk and make it sound priceless. Let's not forget that lesson.

    It's really the touch. Someone with real interest and dedication will adjust the playing touch to the instrument, and that is what makes the biggest difference.

    Add to that, 99% of the audience cannot tell the difference between the tones of the best and the worst instruments.

    It is the enthusiasm, energy and showmanship of the musician that gets the attention of the audience, and the quality of the music that keeps that attention.

    In the double bass traveling musician world, especially among international musicians, the bass being played is almost always either borrowed or rented. The player almost never dictates how an instrument sounds or is setup. The successful players have to adjust their touch to the instruments they are playing.
    -- Don

    "Music: A minor auditory irritation occasionally characterized as pleasant."
    "It is a lot more fun to make music than it is to argue about it."


    2002 Gibson F-9
    2016 MK LFSTB
    1975 Suzuki taterbug (plus many other noisemakers)
    [About how I tune my mandolins]
    [Our recent arrival]

  25. #21
    Worlds ok-ist mando playr Zach Wilson's Avatar
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    Default Re: The inferior mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by dhergert View Post
    In the double bass traveling musician world, especially among international musicians, the bass being played is almost always either borrowed or rented. The player almost never dictates how an instrument sounds or is setup. The successful players have to adjust their touch to the instruments they are playing.
    It's funny you mention that.

    We had a guest at our Church play stand up bass during Christmas eve service, he's the song leaders brother and was visiting for the holidays. After the service I was talking to him about his instrument, not borrowed, he didn't know the builder, woods used, age, or even the type of strings or when they were last changed. He didn't seem to care and, in my opinion, he is amazing at his instrument!

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    Default Re: The inferior mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by Zach Wilson View Post
    It's funny you mention that.

    We had a guest at our Church play stand up bass during Christmas eve service, he's the song leaders brother and was visiting for the holidays. After the service I was talking to him about his instrument, not borrowed, he didn't know the builder, woods used, age, or even the type of strings or when they were last changed. He didn't seem to care and, in my opinion, he is amazing at his instrument!
    Strings for an upright bass are ridiculously expensive (my uncle played bass in a dance band when I was young.) They don't get changed very often for that reason.

  28. #23
    Registered User William Smith's Avatar
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    Default Re: The inferior mandolin

    Yes it is a funny thing back in 02 I bought my "one" 30's F-7 conversion! Many higher ends, in price anyway not sound have came and went "almost too many to count new and vintage!" and well I still go back to my Mutt! A 30's Gibson F-5 body with a Randy Wood 5 scale maple neck! I haven't played nothing better IMHO. It is the it factor to me. Granted she isn't an import but most would see this as an inferior mandolin because of the pedigree. So someone should be happy with what they have and not strive for something better because you may never find it!

  29. #24
    Lurkist dhergert's Avatar
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    Default Re: The inferior mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by LadysSolo View Post
    Strings for an upright bass are ridiculously expensive (my uncle played bass in a dance band when I was young.) They don't get changed very often for that reason.
    There is actually a pretty nice selection of strings for double bass. They typically range from about $50 for a deluxe set of spiral cut kevlar core wackers to $500+ for good guts. There are metal wrapped metal core strings that literally last for decades (and still sound good if kept clean). I'm using a mixed set of synthetic nylon wound E and A under deluxe wackers D and G, which together probably cost about $200 new, I expect they will last for 1 to 3 years the way I play. Yes, more expensive than most mandolin, guitar or banjo strings, but there's a lot to a bass string. D'addario, La Bella and Thomastik-Infeld are some familiar names.

    A lot of double bass players mix strings, btw. Yes, it's another obsession.
    -- Don

    "Music: A minor auditory irritation occasionally characterized as pleasant."
    "It is a lot more fun to make music than it is to argue about it."


    2002 Gibson F-9
    2016 MK LFSTB
    1975 Suzuki taterbug (plus many other noisemakers)
    [About how I tune my mandolins]
    [Our recent arrival]

  30. #25
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    Default Re: The inferior mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by dhergert View Post
    There is actually a pretty nice selection of strings for double bass. They typically range from about $50 for a deluxe set of spiral cut kevlar core wackers to $500+ for good guts. There are metal wrapped metal core strings that literally last for decades (and still sound good if kept clean). I'm using a mixed set of synthetic nylon wound E and A under deluxe wackers D and G, which together probably cost about $200 new, I expect they will last for 1 to 3 years the way I play. Yes, more expensive than most mandolin, guitar or banjo strings, but there's a lot to a bass string. D'addario, La Bella and Thomastik-Infeld are some familiar names.

    A lot of double bass players mix strings, btw. Yes, it's another obsession.
    I used to play sometimes with an upright bass player. Once I asked him about his bass: what kind it was and how long he’d had it. He said he’d had it about 12 years, and then he peeked inside the f-hole and read the maker off the label as if it were the first time (talk about making the music the priority over the instrument itself). I guess it had never occurred to him who made the thing. I asked him about how much a set of strings cost and he told me he’d never changed them.
    ...

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