Mid-Mo / Big Muddy Owners

[Caleb]

I've been looking at these mandolins for the past few years on and off and find myself still interested in them. I play Old-Time, O'Carolan tunes, and other old sounds; I don't play Bluegrass at all. I can't help but think one of these mandolins would be well suited to the music I play. I'd like to hear from the owners of these mandolins. Give me the strong and weak points of the instruments. How long have you owned yours, etc. Thanks.

[Peter Kurtze]

Caleb, I've had my Mid-Mo M4 for five or six years now, and my musical interests are exactly the same as yours . . . I would heartily encourage you to give one a try! Quality materials and construction, great sound (to my ear), and it's LOUD! Playability is very good (I usually use GHS light strings), and I find the neck profile fits my hand very comfortably. And its simple, no-frills design just plain appeals to me. Hope this helps.

[SincereCorgi]

I've had mine a few years, M-4 model, and I still use it very happily as the mandolin I take to work. It's nicely-made, aesthetically simple, all solid, and I've never had an issue with it mechanically. Having said that, get used to people asking you what is is, because the body shape seems to make people think you're playing something really exotic.

The neck is fairly thick but the non-gloss finish he uses makes it feel more or less like a 'speed' neck. The fretboard is flat, which I think I actually like better than the radiused board on my Collings- i. e. hammer-ons are a cinch on my Big Muddy and a more delicate operation on the Collings. It is quite, quite loud, probably louder than almost any archtop mandolin I have tried, but the sound is a bit different; very good for Irish and classical, not really idiomatic for bluegrass (it gives you a chang instead of a chunk on chops). It is probably a little more limited in its tonal palette than a good archtop. The tailpiece is one of those cheap ones but it hasn't given me any trouble.

[Dave Weiss]

I've had mine for about a year and a half and absolutely love it. Back in November of last year I got bit by the MAS bug and ordered a "The Loar" LM400 (which I finally received in May 2010). I thought I'd like something a little fancier. The only thing "The Loar" has done for me is to make me appreciate my Big Muddy that much more... To me, the Big Muddy sounds better, feels better and is easier to play.
Last June I was attending a BG festival and had both mandolins there. The guy that was camped next to us was quite an accomplished musician and I showed him "The Loar", he played a few scales and handed it back to me and politely said, "that's pretty nice". I said "yea, but I think I prefer this one" and I handed him my Big Muddy. He gave it kind of a funny look and politely played a few scales on it. Then he sat down and played a few tunes on it (almost an hour) all the while asking me where I got it, how much etc. He really liked it. This coming from a guy that sent back an Ellis (didn't have just the right sound) and is waiting for a Brock.
I've got the Walnut wide nut model now and I'm getting a Mahogany standard neck model in the next couple of weeks. They are just simply wonderful instuments. I think Mike puts a little magic into each one.

Dave

[bratsche]

I have a MidMo M-2 that I like, but being primarily a mandola enthusiast, I have to say that I love my MidMo M-16 (spruce/morado rosewood, like a big M-4) and Big Muddy M11M (all mahogany) mandolas even more than the mandolin. They're wonderful!

SincereCorgi mentioned the necks feeling like speed necks. Well, mine all felt a little "rough-hewn" when I got them, but they feel like speed necks now, since I polished them with increasingly fine grades of MicroMesh. Perhaps Mike D has been paying more attention to neck smoothness lately - I don't know. But they can be tweaked. I have also upgraded the hardware to nicer quality. The instruments are worth it, in my opinion.

bratsche

[LawStanz]

As if on cue...

http://www.mandolincafe.com/cgi-bin/...uery=retrieval

[bmac]

The Big Muddy or an older version The Mid Missouri (same mandolin but name changed a few years ago) is a wonderful instrument for the dedicated beginner and is for many folks their one and only mandolin even though they have years of experience. I have had mine roughly 7 years and because I am legally blind it has had a really rough life banging into and falling off tables, chairs, . It finally succumbed to a broken steam pipe in the room it was kept in but it is still playable. I have never regretted my choice. I told the sales person at Mandolin Brothers on Staten Island, NY that I wanted a serious instrument for a serious beginner and this is the one he showed me first. I had no experience so I took his suggestion and purchased it. You really cannot go wrong with these... They honor their warentee without hassle I understand, but mine never needed worrentee work. I have an M1 and I don't know how much difference tone wise the various woods make,,, but mine is highly satisfactory to my needs. I play mostly blues I have a number of mandolins (no really expensive ones) and this is the one I come back to even with a sunken top from the steam damage.

Also they apparently demand a pretty good used instrument price in the classified ads of this site.

[bratsche]

As if on cue...

http://www.mandolincafe.com/cgi-bin/...uery=retrieval

Oohh, what a pretty back on that Big Muddy! Looks like a "Big M"!

bratsche

[Caleb]

These are all wonderful replies and I appreciate the input. I think one of these might be what I need (as if I really need one...Ha!). That one in the Classifieds right now looks great.

[8ch(pl)]

There is an M-4 listed in the Classifieds for $350. Worth every cent. It being a Big Muddy and not a Mid Missouri means it is less than 5 or 6 years old. This has been the used sale price range for a number of years.

I have had an M-4 for 10 years and when it came time to buy a second instrument I bought an M-1. I play them both. I consider myself to be a serious Amateur Musician, perform in Church Worship band and in a group that performs for Seniors. I also belong to a Folk Music Society.

the Mid Missouri has served me well. I get a lot of compliments on the sound. i consider it to be among the best instruments in it's price range.

[bratsche]

It's funny, but remembering way back to before I ever got my first MidMo, it seemed like there were a significant amount of people on these boards doing their level best to diminish or pooh-pooh them, with terms like "entry level", "beginner instrument", "homely", "plain jane", and so on. I even saw them described by at least one person as "ugly"! The nicest thing these people could manage to say was that a MidMo would be easily resellable - in a year or so, when you would certainly want to upgrade to something "better".

But I liked what I saw in the pictures (to me, the rather almond-like shape was what the quintessential mando body looked like in my mind's eye anyway, and I dislike bling and glossy finishes). There was also a more quiet but determined group of MidMo defenders here, as well, and in retrospect, I'm sure glad I listened to the latter group as well as my better judgment, and never let myself be dissuaded. Over the years, I have grown and matured with these instruments, and they, in turn, are maturing with me. When I'm gone, I'm sure they'll be well-seasoned and will make some other musicians (possibly ones not even born yet) quite delighted. My only regret was for the one MidMo M-11 that I re-sold, in a moment of weakness. These are well worth every penny I spent, and more.

bratsche

[8ch(pl)]

One thing I would add is that I believe an arm rest is an important accessory for a Mid Missouri. I found that the matte finish on my M-4 got grubby looking from arm contact over the years. I refinished the top in a semi-gloss lacquer and installed an armrest. got one for the M-1 as well.

I also made pickguards for both, from Hardwood. Clear plastic stick on ones would also serve.

[Goodin]

M-4 owner here. I use it as my backpacking/camping mandolin. i play mostly trad. irish music, and it is perfect for this style. very loud and clear notes with lots of depth and character. for the money this is the very best mandolin you can buy, without a doubt.

the construction is a bit weak though, so you will need to give it extra attention than a carved top. it needs to stay well humidified. i recommend keeping it stored in its case with a humidifier at all times. i took mine out to the desert last year without the case and when i got back to TN it had some cracks and separations at the back binding. another friend who owns one also has separation issues.

[Peter Kurtze]

the construction is a bit weak though . . .

As they say, YMMV . . . my experience has been different. My M4 has proven extremely sturdy, and if anything seems less susceptible to changes in humidity than my other instruments. I do keep them all in cases, in a room that's humidified during the heating season, and I've never taken any of them to the desert. Pretty sure my backpacking days are over !

[8ch(pl)]

I find that my M-1 is more susceptable to humidity change than the M-4. I believe the Mahogany more readily absorbs moisture than the Rosewood.