Originally Posted by
StevenC
VERY LATE reply - but I wanted to say something (and make my first post!).
I bought a Tacoma about 11 years ago when I took guitar lessons at the Old Towne School of Folk Music in Chicago - and I took a lesson or two for the mando. At the time, I loved it, it was beautiful to look at, and I thought was quite loud (coming from a guitarists perspective) - I had no experience with any mandolins previously.
I paid about $800 for it.
I played a little, but then moved east and sadly, it was forgotten and put away for all this time. About 8 months ago I met a group of fellas that play music and we all live within walking distance to each others houses, so I've picked up the Bass, my Martin and Fender Telecaster, and I dusted off my old Mandolin - and it's added a great dimension to our group.
a few comments on the positive side...:
* Sound is great....I have more means these days and have played several others now including several Webers and other high end makes in the $1600 - $2400 range and the difference in sound doesn't warrant the difference in price.... although I have to say...to my ear.....the Collings MT models are outstanding - and I came close to purchasing. I am still proud at the high quality sound of my $800 mando.
* playability is great - what I mean is that the fretboard is a bit thicker than these other mando's and coming from the guitar world it means to me that I can hit the notes and chords easily, action is great....this thin is just easy and fun to play, and maybe since I am now used to it, other mandolins (outside the Collings) were not as easy to me.
* it looks 'different'...and I like that.
a few negatives too:
* it does go out of tune FAST if humidity changes (now I find myself thinking about those carbon fiber models - haven't played one though!)
* finish is a problem - over the 10 years or so, the finish has cracked and bubbled, I brought it to a luthier and they told me it's cosmetic, refinishing would reduce the value, and recommneded I don't refinish it. They even told me it sounded great and they were impressed (this is a very well known luthier in the northeast).
* tuning pegs are a bit of problem - they are all very tight and hard to turn (and a professional set up did not fix this)...and two pegs slip - adding to the keeping it tune problem...but when I get them 'just right' they stay.
* a few times when I've hit the strings REALLY hard in a lead break - the G-strings have crossed on me - this has been annoying, but has only happened twice, maybe three times ....some have said this may be because it's a flat top and as such the strings after the bridge aren't at a severe angle like they are with an archtop, which may make them more prone to that movement...I don't know.
* I don't like the tailpiece as someone else had mentioned - 4 hooks means doubling up the strings - that cand and should be changed - maybe that is a cause of the string cross over too?
* I find the sound plenty loud enough when I'm jamming with my group and they are using accoustics, when they switch to their electrics I have a problem - I tried/am trying the Dean Markley pick up that you attach with putty - it works, but is very sensitive - touch the wire and it picks up the sound (not good) and the plug itself is problematic - I am considering other options (maybe that fishman that goes under the strings?).
as a note - I am not a blue-grass player, I play folk music, rock and roll, some Irish and Old Time....examples include:
Beatles, Greatful Dead, John Cougar, Rod Stewart, Eagles, Marshall Tucker, Led Zeppelin,
and lots of traditional American and Irish music.
overall, I love the mandolin, sounds good, easy to play, a few problems but I guess everything has it's pluses and minuses.
hope that helps.
Steve.
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