Originally Posted by
CES
A style references the teardrop body shape without the scroll and points, F styles has the ornamental scroll and points. Either of those styles may have F shaped sound holes (there are 2 of them running vertically on either side of the bridge like on your Loar) or an oval or d shaped sound hole, which is typically one round or oval shaped hole right under the fingerboard extension in the midline of the mandolin (like those seen in the all lady photo above).
Instruments with F holes, whether they’re A or F shaped, tend to project their sound more and “cut through” the mix when playing with others, which is why they’re preferred for bluegrass. Instruments with oval holes, regardless of A or F shaped bodies, tend to have a little more sustain and a little more bass. They can be very loud, but don’t project as well as an F hole instrument, especially if they’re flat rather than carve topped. I learned this lesson when I took a Flatiron 1N to a jam with mostly grassers, because it was my “best” mandolin at the time. That flatiron was LOUD, but didn’t have the projection or cut that my Kentucky F style F hole instrument had. It was one of those, “oh, so THAT’S what they mean when they talk about F vs oval hole” moments, where I could hear and experience the difference. I took the Kentucky to all future such gatherings.
I agree with others that you can significantly change the volume and tone of your mandolin by experimenting with picks and strings until your violin sells. Try monel, silk and steel, nickel bronze, and bronze. They all have a slightly different tone than the typically bright sounding phosphor bronze strings that come stock on most mandolins.
Also, another oval hole option to consider is the Martin Style A mandos, which have cant tops (like many bowl backs) but flat backs. They have a slightly short (13 inch) scale than your Loar, and can be really sweet sounding instruments. They’re typically not as highly regarded as Gibson mandolins, but there are good ones out there, and they tend to be a little less expensive ($700 +/-). I bought one as a relatively inexpensive impulse buy a couple of years ago. It was a 1974 model (look older than that if you check these out). I liked my Flatiron 1N better, but my daughter loves the shorter scale and lower string tension, so she has the Martin now. My Martin is also not as loud as the Flatiron, so it’s a good apartment practice instrument for her.
Good luck in your search, and I agree that it’s probably best if you can wait to buy until you have the chance to play a few different styles. There aren’t many stores that offer such a wide variety, so taking Eugene up on his offer to try a few of his may be your best bet outside of a road trip to Nashville to hit Gruhn’s, Carter’s, etc. Hope this helps!
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