MIX mandolin reflection

[Perry]

Six years later and still loving mine. I'd even have to say it might be the one piece of musical gear that I have gotten the most use out of. And I've bought some gear over the last 30 years

I had stainless steel frets installed when it need a refret. But after all these years my only reference point is mine. Anybody in the NY metro area own a Mix?

[JeffD]

After six years, where does it wear? How would it look, feel, sound, compared to a brand new one of the same model?

[Ron McMillan]

I'm about as far from NY as you can get, living in North Thailand. I've had my A4 for about 21 months, and it continues to be a joy to play. I play it a LOT, and there is only minor fret wear to report, meaning it probably has another two or three years to go before needing a re-fret.

My next one will have EVO Gold 37080 fretwire.

Oh, and ZERO signs of wear anywhere on the body or neck. These things are TOUGH - and sound great.

ron

[Perry]

After six years, where does it wear? How would it look, feel, sound, compared to a brand new one of the same model?

It looks the same as the day I got it except for the tarnish on the James tailpiece....the frets wore so I got stainless steel frets a couple of years ago and they don't. The auto body shop smell finally went away It was a good smell though not entirely unpleasant.

The sound has developed I think but as noted I've yet to play another carbon fiber mandolin. Tonally it seems to be less fickle then a wooden mandolin but it does have its moods. Tuning wise it's a rock.

I have a very early one #5; would like to play another for comparison. Mine has the chunky neck but I like it.....my V neck mandolins take getting used to after playing the carbon fiber.

[mandroid]

One thing I found, living in the Oregon humidity competitor to NOLA, is the wood in the fingerboard swells
when it is not Summer , and the higher frets come up as a result, so Last summer while it was dry out.

I let the wood absorb to saturation, brass horn/trumpet valve, 'Bore-Oil. and Its been OK since.

[Peter Mix]

I left the prototype carbon fiber F5 in the back of the car from 5am until 8pm one day when it was 37 below zero. I had an 8pm gig and got to the Matterhorn in Stowe with just enough time to run into the club and on stage, shed my coat, plug in and hope that I was in tune.

After 15 hours at 37 below, the mando was too cold to hold onto comfortably, but it was still at concert pitch!

That prototype is in Beijing currently, but I would bet that when it returns it will look as good as the day we finished it in 2007 except that the frets will need dressing. Maybe it will need buffing, but that's another reason I like lacquer finishes- they're tough and relatively easy to repair if need be.

[Ron McMillan]

One thing I found, living in the Oregon humidity competitor to NOLA, is the wood in the fingerboard swells
when it is not Summer , and the higher frets come up as a result, so Last summer while it was dry out.

I let the wood absorb to saturation, brass horn/trumpet valve, 'Bore-Oil. and Its been OK since.

Humidity and quite extremely high temperatures are the norm where I am. Thanks for the tip to keep an eye on the fretboard and on using oil to help preserve the wood.

[Paul F]

I have a Mix and a Rainsong carbon graphite guitar, and these are the instruments I leave out (no fear of damage due to temperature or humitidy), so they are the instruments that get the most use. The sound of either are not my favorite, but when I need to play without a chance to tuneup (it happens), these are the tools of choice. I agree about the chunky neck, but it is not a significant obstacle. Did later models have thinner neck profiles?

[JeffD]

A question that should be obvious but I find myself unable to answer. Is there a reason the fretboard is wood? Why could it not be carbon fiber as well?

[Ron McMillan]

A question that should be obvious but I find myself unable to answer. Is there a reason the fretboard is wood? Why could it not be carbon fiber as well?

How come the most obvious questions are the ones that never pop into my head? Now you've got me curious, too. Maybe Peter Mix will tell us.....


ron

[Peter Mix]

Having spent many years in the production of fine carved mandolins, I am most comfortable with ebony fingerboards. I love how they feel and sound, I know how to deal with them as time goes along and frets wear or other issues arise. A composite fingerboard begs so many questions in these regards that I chose to go with ebony.

[Ron McMillan]

Talk about suffering a Homer Simpson DOH moment

Sometimes the obvious questions that don't occur to me are just the most stupid ones. I didn't consider refretting.

[JeffD]

Speaking from an ignorance so complete its a wonder I can dress myself, but...

Could not a carbon fiber fretboard be made as one piece? The frets an integral part of the shape of the fretboard, not a separate material?

How would carbon fiber frets wear in comparision? When they inevitably do, would it not be easier to just replace the whole fretboard with a new one piece fretboard?

[Peter Mix]

Speaking from an ignorance so complete its a wonder I can dress myself, but...

Could not a carbon fiber fretboard be made as one piece? The frets an integral part of the shape of the fretboard, not a separate material?

How would carbon fiber frets wear in comparision? When they inevitably do, would it not be easier to just replace the whole fretboard with a new one piece fretboard?

A carbon fiber fingerboard could be fabricated, but it would be quite expensive to mold and it's doubtful that it would successful. Fret-wear would be a major question as would tone. Replacing the fingerboard would be a great deal of work and you would have to refinish the neck.

All in all, wood fingerboards present advantages that most luthiers would prefer IMHO.

[Tim2723]

It's still the mandolin I leave around the house for my every day practicing.
It's rock solid, stable and basically indestructible. I just lay it down on the kitchen counter when the phone rings or the kids call. Heck after a late gig last night I just left it in my car overnight.

I still think it's a fantastic utility mandolin; perfect for the crossover guitar player who tinkers with mandolins plugged in onstage. A great festival and travel mandolin too.

It really shines as a plugged-in instrument but more then holds its own unplugged.

And funny; among non-mando enthusiasts it draws more oohs and ahhs then my nice looking wooden mandos

After two plus years it's still in tune

Curiously, those are nearly word-for-word the comments I make most often about my Ovation.

[lenf12]

Curiously, those are nearly word-for-word the comments I make most often about my Ovation.

With the caveat that a MIX mandolin sounds like a mandolin. The Ovation, not so much.............

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[TheBlindBard]

--just mildly curious. Do they make any mix mandolins with a neck similar to an eastman MD305? I rather like hte slim and thin necks. Going back to my other mandolin feels so weird because the neck is really thick.

[Tim2723]

With the caveat that a MIX mandolin sounds like a mandolin. The Ovation, not so much.............

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

You can say the same when comparing a bowl back to an arch-top. You'd think they were different instruments that should have different names. You're comparing a mandolin/guitar hybrid with a conventional mandolin design made from unconventional materials. The Ovation and Mix don't sound the same nor should they. But they do share some useful characteristics outside their sound. What if they all sounded exactly the same? What would we have to talk about?

[Ron McMillan]

I have no experience of the Ovations, but the one thing that strikes me more and more, the longer I own and play my Mix A4? Just how darn good it sounds. Maybe it's opening up. (Joke Alert)

ron