Pono MND-20 Tenor size Octave Mandolin!
I've been enjoying my Octave Mandolin made from a converted Blueridge BR-40TCE Tenor guitar. My 10 year old son has also been enjoying it and now he's reluctant to give it up.
So there was only one thing to do. Find a new octave mandolin for myself!
I considered converting my Blueridge BR-40T 4 string, just like I did with the BR-40TCE, but sometimes I really like the 4 string. Especially for blues, or accompanying other players.
So I've been looking for a new OM. I've been playing every one I come across. Many have been good, others, not-so-good, and 1 in particular was incredible! Alas, I cannot afford a Clark OM.
In Seattle, I stopped in to Dusty Strings and they had 4 OMs to try. I liked aspects of all of them, but there were some negatives too.
The one I liked the most was the Pono MD-20, but I found the terz body size to be too small for me.
A week ago I was checking out craigslist to kill time and a tenor size Pono MND-20 popped up. I called and the seller was out of town for a few days.
I called Pono/KR Strings to ask about it. Kilin Reece picked up and told me everything I wanted to know. Tenor body size, 23" scale, Spruce and Mahogany, Gloss finish. He was super helpful, even though I was looking at a used instrument that he'd sold 3 years ago. He did say I should check it out and buy it if I liked it. He also said he has a customer returned Pono MND-20H which is almost the same instrument but with a 21.5" scale that he's selling for $950. I figured I would check out the local one and if I liked the size and scale length, I'd buy it. If I felt like the shorter scale length was better, I'd buy from KR Strings.
Well I got a call from the craigslist seller today and went to check it out. He said he bought it a few years ago and never really played it, which was evident from the old strings and dust and dry fingerboard. There wasn't a scratch on it. I played it for about 20 minutes and it sounded great! (even with the old strings). The scale length and body size were exactly what I was looking for. About the same scale length and body size as the Blueridge that I've been playing for a few years. The neck is a hair wider, but the shape of it is more guitar-like than the Blueridge and I found it to be more comfortable.
We came to a mutually acceptable agreement and I bought it and brought it home!
I removed the strings and cleaned the instrument, oiled the fingerboard and bridge, and installed new strings. Besides the 4 hours away from home for my gig tonight, I've been playing it all day and loving it!
It is an easy playing instrument. The sound is rich and full when chording, and has good definition on single notes. It is also beautiful! The mahogany back and sides have lovely grain and coloration. The dark ebony binding is classy. The spruce top has a natural finish and a nice mother-of-pearl rosette. The unstained ebony fingerboard and bridge have nice grain.
I'm ordering a JJB pickup for it and I'll install it when I get back from the road in a few weeks.
I'll post some photos when I get a chance.
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Originally Posted by colorado_al
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