A-9 for bluegrass, ect

[ironlionzion]

I was concidering trading in my micheal kelly legacy deluxe and a trumpet and a conga drum that i have and getting a A-9.personnally all i really care for is a bluegrass sound and i was wondering if the a-9 could offer me this. i was also concidering a collings MT but they are a little more expensive. any thoughts or commments would be great. ( i am looking for an A style so i can convert it to a left handed instrument...i am a lefty)
thank you all so much
~Steve

[jim simpson]

Steve,
I think you will probably like the A9 if your looking for the bluegrass sound. I have one that I picked up recently and was very impressed with it's loud dry chop - classic bluegrass! It does sound different from my F5 models but in a good way.

[Darren Kern]

In a word, yes. While I was very impressed with the like model Collings, the one I played didn't have as much of that bluegrass sound I was looking for. A little more mellow.

[ironlionzion]

sadly i am unable to play most of the instruments that i buy cause i am lefty. for instance my current MK that ive been playing for a year had to be mail ordered and when i got it i very excited cause it was huge upgrade but now im starting to think it sounds dull and metallic (even after a proper setup) so once again i am in the market for another instrument that i will most likly buy without playing.
~Steve

[ab4usa]

Steve,

As a fellow lefty (in my right mind)I can understand your plight. When I was looking for a builder who would do a lefty, one of them (with a 3 year waiting list) suggested I look for a used, older Collings MT-2. He said he thought they installed the bracing oposite of the generally accepted way of doing it on the earlier models. You could then have lomeone change the nut and bridge.

[Professor PT]

I just recently upgraded from an MK to an F-9. The 9 series has the dry, woody bluegrass tone "right out of the box." That's what impressed me: there's no waiting for the 9 series to "open up." They sound good from the start. I wouldn't hesitate to trade up to one.

[Landgrass]

I just upgraded from a Kentucky 620 and man, what a difference. The A9 is just as descibed here....loud, woody with that nice Bluegrass chop. I'm totally sold.

[250sc]

Professor PT,

You might not have to wait for it to break in but I'd bet after playing it for a few years it will continue to get better.

I was in the same position of wanting a good, inexpensive A model about 8 months ago and the A9 was definatly a contender but for my style (I don't play bluegrass exclusively)I chose the Collings.

My opinion is they are both great instruments, just different from each other.

[Professor PT]

I'm sure it will continue to get better. The point I was making was that with the 9 series, and probably Collings( never played one ), you get a great sound right away whereas I've read countless posts regarding new mandolins where people say something like, "I'm sure with some hard playing over the next year or two, it'll sound great!" The "break-in" time certainly varies from instrument to instrument, but for me, the Gibson came alive immediately.

[ironlionzion]

i was also wondering how hard it would be to convert this to a left handed instrument. i have had cheapo mandolins conveted for me in the past but being a broke college student i have to choose what i do very carefully. is there anything to do with bracing or is it just the nut and the bridge, i already have an ebony bridge that siminoff cut lefty for me and i fit on my MK...would i be able to use this on the A-9. thank you all
~Steve

[mmukav]

The A9 should be a wonderful bluegrass instrument for you. I've never played the Collings, so I can't judge, but from what I've heard they are also fine mandos.

You should be able to use the other bridge, but it will need to be fitted properly to the A9 top. And all you'll need is to have the nut changed out to lefty. Might as well have them put in a bone nut while you're at it.

I own a F9 as well as an A9, love them both, they play great, tone is great, and the A9 I've had for over 2 years just gets better sounding as it goes along.

[peterbc]

You might be able to put the lefty saddle on the (hopefully already fitted) bridge of the new mandolin.

[straight-a]

I've had an A-9 for over a year now and it just continues to get better. It was nice from the start but with playing it has really opened up! It will stand up to any banjo, guitar with no problem and I never have to pound it. In my opinion, you can't go wrong with a good A-9.

[Leftyman]

Ironlionzion -I bet deep down what you really want is an F5,being a bluegrass man.The A9 and the collings MT are great mandolins but they are a compromise.There is an answer if you can wait,Howard Morris makes F5's for just under a $1000.Which is in the same price range as an A9,Collings are more than that.I put in a order last week for a left handed F5.Read the 'morris mandolins thread there are some nice pictures of his F5's,or email me if you are interested and i will give you details how to contact Howard.

[ironlionzion]

i would defintly be into that. if you could ive me his information that would be great. thank very very much
~Steve

[Professor PT]

Ah, yes, but the real question is tone. I haven't played a Morris, but I'm skeptical about it sounding better than a Gibson.

[OlderThanWillie]

As I have posted previously, the Gibson midwest sales manager told me that both the F9 & the A9 start out with the same F9 top. Those that are placed on the A models are trimmed to the A shape. Thus, their sounds are similar. The F model has basically the same interior space as the A model. The big difference is the extra solid wood that goes into the points & the scroll. Some maintain that the extra wood contributes nothing to the sound.

All the A models I have heard sound great in a Bluegrass setting.

[Leftyman]

professor All I can say is that I already own a Morris A4 even with a oval hole.it has an amazing warm woody sound,even on open strings,friends that have played it,remark on how for an oval hole it has such a bluegrass sound.Iam assured by Mark Lane and others who own Morris F5's that the morris F5 has a strong bluegrass sound. with lots of projection.
The point I was making in my post was as a lefty where can you get a left handed F5 handmade in the USA for under a $1000.Correct me if Iam wrong but I bet our friend 'Ironlionzion'could not even buy a left handed F9! the compromise for left handers will always be buy a standard 'A'(9) replace the bridge and change the nut.If big Joe is listening how come we can't buy a gibson mandolin in the uk? Are we not worthy!

[luckylarue]

ironlion,

Mike Marshall sez, "It's the driver, not the car."

A nice A model will suit your Bluegrass needs as well as any F if you put in the time for practice and study and immerse yourself in the genre. Good luck!

[ab4usa]

Steve,

Have you looked at the builders forum? Looks like there is a lefty top and bottom available from two different builders. Maybe you should buy them both and find a local luthier to finish the work!

[Darren Kern]

Just FYI, there are two A9s on ebay right now with a "buy now" option of $1050. In the post Guitar Center era of the Gibson 9 series, this is a very good price. One is like new and the other is listed as brand new. Couple of F9s on ebay right now as well.

[J. Mark Lane]

I see my name mentioned here. It's nice to be famous.

Just to be clear, yes, I think my Morris has a nice tone, and it is imo very superior to most if not all of the mass-produced imports I have played. (Of course, there are countless examples that I have not played...I've never played an Eastman, for example.) But I don't think I ever said it was superior to a Gibson. That said, I have played some Gibsons (including some that are supposed to be great ones) that I wouldn't trade my Morris for. Every instrument is different, obviously, and not all Gibsons are great (or even good) instruments.

Whatever. Just to be clear....

Mark

[luckylarue]

Is that famous or infamous?!?

[straight-a]

According to Joe Vest and Charlie Derrington the A-9 is made to the same specs as a Master Model when it comes to the top and air chamber. The big differences are the wood selections (grain), appointments, finish, bindings, etc. This was discussed about a year ago in another thread but I can't recall the subject/title of it.

[TomServo]

My father in law plays an A9, my wife plays a Collings MF. The A9 is great for bluegrass. Real dry, woody sounds, lots of volume. When I bought the MF, we took along the A9 to compare, and it compared very favorably.