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Thread: No frills vs fancier mandolins

  1. #26

    Default Re: No frills vs fancier mandolins

    Quote Originally Posted by Mandobar View Post
    There is still someone at Collings who voices the mandolins "by ear", using "old school" methodologies. It's not cookie cutter, and it never was. I've asked this specific question. They rough out using CNC, but a lot of the build time is still very manual. They spend a lot of time building instruments manually, which is why you don't see a heck of a lot of Collings mandoins for sale out there right now.

    I think it's a matter of pride when people are building instruments. They want every build to sound its best.
    Thanks for this clarification. It was a long time ago that I read about the deflection measuring (which I had never heard of before). I've never had a chance to tour the Collings plant which would be an enlightening experience. For sure they produce apex instruments. Their acoustic and electric guitars are renown and unparalleled for professional working musicians, and their reliability is reflected in their used prices.

  2. #27
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: No frills vs fancier mandolins

    Quote Originally Posted by John Bertotti View Post
    Back in 2007 my dad died and left me some money. I decided to adopt a daughter, I was adopted, and buy a custom shop Martin. I wrote up my specs had our nephew who ran a mom and pop store send it in to Martin. The lady replied back with this, we already have a guitar with all those specs in production minus the inlay. It would be much less expensive and would come with the ‘37 burst. I wasn’t sold on a burst but considering the cost difference I was almost sold. I wound up with 000-18 GE with the ‘37 burst. A couple thousand less than the CS. Sometimes I wish I had the CS just for the bling but this is an exceptional sounding guitar even without all the inlay. Bling to me means nothing when it comes to tone but it sure can be nice to look at! But I always buy based on tone if I have the chance to play the instrument first. I guess I just saying don’t prejudge and instrument just because it is basic in appearance.
    If for any reason you want to add the bling contact Dave Nichols at www.custompearlinlay.com in Malone, NY.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

  3. #28
    Registered User John Bertotti's Avatar
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    Default Re: No frills vs fancier mandolins

    Thanks for the link but now that I have had it for many years I really don't want to change it. The next one however..... Isn't there almost always a next? Although I don't have the urge now I can't say it won't hit at some point.
    My avatar is of my OldWave Oval A

    Creativity is just doing something wierd and finding out others like it.

  4. #29
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: No frills vs fancier mandolins

    Quote Originally Posted by John Bertotti View Post
    Thanks for the link but now that I have had it for many years I really don't want to change it. The next one however..... Isn't there almost always a next? Although I don't have the urge now I can't say it won't hit at some point.
    Heck, I'd do it just to have a chance to visit his shop again. (assuming he's open).
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

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  6. #30
    Harley Marty
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    Default Re: No frills vs fancier mandolins

    25 years ago the guitarist in our band worked as the head luthier for one of the big guitar companies. When they developed any improvements such as new pickups they would always put them into their 2nd best model for a year before introducing the improvement to their top spec guitars. Often the slightly lower spec guitar can be superior, when it comes to electronics at least.

  7. #31
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    Default Re: No frills vs fancier mandolins

    I have a “blinged out” Ratliff R5 #784 called a “heartbreaker” with little teardrops on the fretboard and gold-colored hardware. It’s a amazing instrument. Audey,when I asked him about it in an email, said he made fewer than a dozen of them. I haven’t compared it to any of his other instruments so I have no idea if it sounds better or not.

  8. #32
    Registered User j. condino's Avatar
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    Default Re: No frills vs fancier mandolins

    Quote Originally Posted by MikeEdgerton View Post
    If for any reason you want to add the bling contact Dave Nichols at www.custompearlinlay.com in Malone, NY.
    Dave WAS the Martin custom shop for decades.

    I remember my first time visiting him as a teenager in the early 1980s and was amazed at his work and his output. He sold me my first master grade set of Koa for $35 because I couldn't afford the $40 for Brazilian rosewood!
    www.condino.com

    Crafted by hand in a workshop powered by the sun.

  9. #33
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: No frills vs fancier mandolins

    I have heard of at least one large guitar manufacturer, not one mentioned in this thread, who would grade their guitars as to sound, and then add the "bling" as per expected for each grade.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

    The entire staff
    funny....

  10. #34
    Mandolingerer Bazz Jass's Avatar
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    Default Re: No frills vs fancier mandolins

    Do vintage Gibson A oval holes sound better than vintage Gibson F oval holes?

    No. 100% no. Despite being four times the price.

    Are they worth four times the price? Yes.

    I can't find one example historically where you could pay more for a better sound.

  11. #35
    Got Buckstrips? Jerry Byers's Avatar
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    Default Re: No frills vs fancier mandolins

    Quote Originally Posted by Mandobar View Post
    Different top, side and back materials will lend different results. The same goes for different finishes. I don't think that you can make generalizations.
    I totally agree - too many generalizations about wood, finishes, and bling. I would say that, in general, a good player can make a bad instrument sound better. And a bad player with a good instrument stills sounds bad. Invest more in lessons and practice, and less with bling.

  12. #36

    Default Re: No frills vs fancier mandolins

    Just one data point but in my experience mandolins do sound better as you move up the chain. Diminishing returns are real but I don't think you pay for cosmetics alone.

    I had a 2016 Girouard Studio and now have a 2020 Girouard Concert. Both nice. The Concert is in a different league imo.
    I had a Petersen level one and then a level 4. Both nice. The level 4 was noticeably better, especially playing single notes up the neck. It was pretty easy to hear. The level one got a little thin.
    I had a nice Northfield NF5S. I would have traded it unheard for an Artist 2 bar which, to me anyway, sounds like a mando designed for a similar application but has more of everything.
    I've been able to play a number of MTs and MT2s. I haven't found the MT that I would prefer over the MT2.

    Anyhow, just one person's experience but I thought I'd put it out there as it seems to be a minority opinion!
    Girouard Concert A5
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  14. #37
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    Default Re: No frills vs fancier mandolins

    I have a Washburn SWKalphabet model that I bought 3 years ago, being a lefty I had it flipped and a new Bridge. My point is
    I like it almost as much as my Apitius J model but seriously it is a solid instrument and when I finally got it setup correctly
    will in all likelihood be one of my keepers.

  15. #38
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    Default Re: No frills vs fancier mandolins

    Chris Stanley made me a very plain-Jane A5 some 9 years ago; top bound only and just side dots and "Stanley" in pearl. It's opened up wonderfully and i've grown to like it's sound as much as anything else i've played...Smart, Red Diamond, Heiden, and '24 Loar w/Virzi. They have all led me to appreciate each one's uniqueness.

    There is also an early 2000's A9 that seems light as a feather and totally scratches my Gibson itch. Also a Washburn/L&H model C fills the classical void as well as anything i've heard.

    I remember Chris telling me about a Loar w/Virzi he once had (AKA "the shoplifted Loar") that only began to open up after playing hard for 8 hours straight.

    All that said, i'm convinced it's human nature to put a little something extra into a box that has the finest of appointments and materials, if for no other reason that it's pricier.

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