Giannini GBSM3

[kww]

Giannini makes what appears to be a nice, midrange mandolin, the GBSM3 . I'd like to hear from the owner of a GBSM3, or anyone that has has played one. Based on price and shipping costs to me, this looks like a pretty good choice, but I'd like to hear from someone that has touched one. They are available in the States from a few places, like 8th Street Music and Music123, so I know someone in the States must have one.

[Keith Miller]

Have played both the GBSM1 and the 3 in my local shop here in Edinburgh, both are VERY good for the price. Finish is great and the sustain also good, lovely highs and lows as well the GBSM3 is a bit fancier than the 1 and uses nicer woods.
Keith

[Jim MacDaniel]

Keith -- does the difference in the top's wood in these two models make much of a difference in sound to your ears?

[glauber]

Cool, it's good to see these are showing up here in the USA. Compared to typical American mandolins, they will have brighter sound, maybe closer to the way the bowlback mandolins sound. I believe the scale is shorter too.

[kww]

I can get a GBSM1 Electo-acoustic for about $190 and a GBSM3 acoustic for about $240, each plus about $50 shipping. If the quality is equivalent, I would probably go for the cheaper one with a pickup.

[glauber]

If i remember right, i think the "1" is plywood, and the "3" solid wood. It should make little difference for the pickup, but should make a difference in the acoustic sound.

[Jim Garber]

There is also a GBSM5 which are "handcrafted by a single luthier using only select, all solid, aged woods and the finest components."

I found prices in the US for the whole line of Bandolims here.

Looks like the GBSM5 is $689 with a hard case and the acoustic electric version is $749.

Sounds like a decent deal if these are good instruments.

Jim

[glauber]

They're as good as you can find in Brazil without going to boutique luthiers. What you always have to keep in mind is that the purchasing power of the average mandolin enthusiast in the US is vastly greater than what it is in Brazil, so adjust your expectations accordingly.

[Jim Garber]

Here are the specs:
GBSM1:
• TOP: SOLID RED CEDAR;
• BACK AND SIDES: PAU-FERRO / MORADO;
• NECK: CEDAR;
• FINGERBOARD: PAU-FERRO / MORADO;
• FRETS: 19;
• MACHINE HEADS: CHROMED;
• STRINGS: STEEL;
• TOTAL LENGTH: 610mm (24 3/16”);
• SCALE LENGTH: 350mm (13 3/4”);
• NECK WIDTH AT NUT: 30mm (1 3/16”);
• BODY DEPTH: 70mm (2 3/4”);
• SUPPLIED WITH SIGNED GIANNINI BAG.

GBSM3:
• TOP: SOLID SITKA SPRUCE;
• BACK AND SIDES: PAU-FERRO / MORADO;
• NECK: CEDAR;
• FINGERBOARD: PAU-FERRO / MORADO;
• FRETS: NICKEL/SILVER ALLOY;
• MACHINE HEADS: GOLD PLATED;
• STRINGS: STEEL;
• TOTAL LENGTH: 620mm (24 7/16”);
• SCALE LENGTH: 350mm (13 3/4”);
• NECK WIDTH AT NUT: 30mm (1 3/16”);
• BODY DEPTH: 70mm (2 3/4”);
• REINFORCED NECK;
• SUPPLIED WITH SIGNED GIANNINI BAG.

GBSM-5:
* Brand New Mandolin With Limited Lifetime Warranty
* TOP: SOLID SITKA SPRUCE;
* BACK AND SIDES: SOLID ROSEWOOD;
* NECK: CEDAR;
* FINGERBOARD: PAU-FERRO / MORADO;
* FRETS: NICKEL/SILVER ALLOY;
* MACHINE HEADS: GOLD PLATED;
* STRINGS: STEEL;
* TOTAL LENGTH: 620mm (24 7/16”);
* SCALE LENGTH: 350mm (13 3/4”);
* NECK WIDTH AT NUT: 30mm(1 3/16”);
* BODY DEPTH: 70mm (2 3/4”);
* REINFORCED NECK;
* SUPPLIED WITH SIGNED GIANNINI HARD CASE.

The two lower models both have solid tops (one cedar, one sitka spruce) and a limited 3 year warranty. The style 5 is all solid woods with a limited lifetime warranty.

Jim

[kww]

The GBSM5 is reasonably priced. Music123 sells them for $749. More like $700 from Music Center Brazil, but shipping and duties are going to wipe out the lower price in a hurry. For me, the shipping is the same from Brazil as from the States, and Rio de Janeiro and New York are about the same distance. The main savings is that duties only need to be paid once.

I did find one source of real cheap mandolins: Solobuses

They look pretty, but I just have a hard time trusting a mandolin marketed for $70 by a Venezuelan bus company. Next time I'm in Caracas I'll take a look.

[Keith Miller]

Jim,
I could not tell any differance in sound between the 2 mind you my ears are not as well tuned as most of the folk here.
Keith

[Jim Garber]

I found an ebay seller with even lower prices <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/GBSM3-GIANNINI-ACOUSTIC-MANDOLIN-SOLID-SPRUCE-TOP_W0QQitemZ7412017110QQcategoryZ2385QQssPa
geNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">here</a>.

Jim

[delsbrother]

IIRC the 5 series uses (solid) 3-piece backs. I think the cheaper ones are plywood.

[mandoisland]

After listening to some Choro music by Rodrigo Lessa I startet to look for a bandolim on ebay and found the GIANNINI GBSM3, it is very nice to find this detailed thread hear. If I can save some mone I might buy one of those GIANNINI mandolins.