I'm thinking about upgrading from my vinage (meaning "old and beat-up") Kay mandolin and would appreciate some advice that is specific to ITM (as opposed to Bluegrass or whatever Nickel Creek is doing these days).
So... Celtic mando-pickers...
What maker / manufacturer trips your trigger? Why?
Are there certain physical characteristics that make a mando more or less suited to ITM? (Body size, shape, top shape, thickness? Sound hole shape?)
Which (in your learned opinion) should be avoided at all cost?
Would a Mandola be a better choice? (I've already have a zouk and would prefer not to have too much overlap, if you know what I mean...)
And speaking of cost... I'm interested in spending a few (or very few) hundred dollars and don't really want to pay for a wedding-cake instrument dripping with mother-of-pearl, etc. What do you think?
my son had a 3/4 size Eatman violin that was very nice for the $$$..he just went to a full size, tried an Eastman and a Denti, and he chose the Denti...the Eastman 4/4 was very nice also.
I wished I lived in the US , well thats where most the Gibson mandolins are . . . you ought to be spoilt for choice. I 've got a Kay mandolin also, and I think its great, but just like you I need sumat better. I've seen a nice Gibson on Ebay which I'm keeping a close eye on. And with the $ / £ rates us brits can get . . . well we can't go wrong really !!
If you mean a mandola in US parlance, which is tuned CGDA, then you would be making life a little difficult for yourself - but it's your choice.
If you mean a mandola in British parlance, which is really an *octave mandolin*, tuned GDAE, the same as Irish tenor banjo, there is not much difference between it and the bouzouki, other than scale length. I would go for a mandolin, if only for variety's sake - but I *would* say that, being a mandolin player.
i have two gibson a models, a teens and a 20's loar era. the 20's one is brighter and cuts through nicely, the earlier one is mellower sounding but still has good volume. haven't had the pleasure of trying any of those specifically made for irish music although a freind has one coming from davy stuart.
All the Irish big guns seem to be getting them made by Joe Foley of Dublin. These are top quility instruments with excellent workmanship and are fitted with a great pick up system.
You will probably want a round hole, A style mandolin. Lots of players use flat tops, but a carved top would be nice, but more expensive. Why not have Doug make you one, sounds like he did a good job on your zouk? Weber makes some nice ones, but they are close to $1000. Take a look at the "Mandolin Cafe" web site clasified section. They have a nice selection of used mandolins for sale.
Lucky to live in the USA, if you want to see the range of what's out there then go to http://www.mandolincafe.com/builders.html for handmade stuff or Ihttp://www.elderly.com/new_instruments/90N.htm for factory type mando's. Most people appear to go for the flat back types but I think some ot the gibson style A and F models can work easily as well.
Michael Kelly and Eastman are two of the names that appear to produce good, relatively cheap mandolins.
I have a couple of friends who are very happy with their Weber mandolins made in Montana. http://www.soundtoearth.com/index.htm. I've played one as well and they have a beautiful rich tone, deep but bright. The workmanship is beautiful as well. I notice their prices aren't listed on their site but I know my friends that own them didn't sell the farm to get them. Maybe Will could speak to them as well seeing as they're in his neck of the woods?
Almost any decent mandolin can be used for ITM and since there is no one player who makes his instrument sound so much better that we all just have to have it, all of the above recommendations are good. Personally I like older A model oval hole Gibsons but I play an F5 because that is what I have. I just bought a Weber Bighorn (an oval hole two point mandolin) that is starting to sound very good for ITM.
If you are interested in Webers there are two good sources: http://www.gregboyd.com/ is the largest seller of Webers or at least the one that the Mandolincafe people like the best and http://www.sprucetreemusic.com/newmiscinst.html which is among the friendliest and the place I bought mine.
An old Gibson oval hole sounds great, but a mandolin with f holes should project better, other things being equal. The best ITM mandolin player I know, Paul Kelly, plays an f style and Simon Mayor dislikes oval hole mandolins. My choices would be an A style with a carved top with either an oval hole or f holes depending on which sounded the best to me.
I'm in the camp favoring round-hole mandos for ITM. Good choices in the lower price range include Mid-Missouri (well-made, good value flat top instruments) and the older Flatiron flat-top models (copies of Gibson Army-Navy style, fairly plentiful and inexpensive used). I have a Flatiron 2M which is great. The Trinity College (Asian-made) Celtic-style mandolin is good for the money, nice tone and loud. Michael Kelly (also Asian-made) now have inexpensive copies of the old Gibson round-hole A and F-style mandolins--those look good, but I haven't heard them.
I have bought a mandolin and octave mandolin from Moon Guitars in Glasgow. www.moonguitars.co.uk
Superb workmanship and excellent service and customer care.
I've been impressed by Jimmy Moon's instruments too(those I've tried), Luke. I might even treat myself to one soon. They are good quality and not too expensive-yet. Jimmy's a nice guy too.
Mandolin Suggestions - Makers, Styles, Physical Characteristics, etc...
Mandolin Suggestions - Makers, Styles, Physical Characteristics, etc...
I'm thinking about upgrading from my vinage (meaning "old and beat-up") Kay mandolin and would appreciate some advice that is specific to ITM (as opposed to Bluegrass or whatever Nickel Creek is doing these days).
So... Celtic mando-pickers...
What maker / manufacturer trips your trigger? Why?
Are there certain physical characteristics that make a mando more or less suited to ITM? (Body size, shape, top shape, thickness? Sound hole shape?)
Which (in your learned opinion) should be avoided at all cost?
Would a Mandola be a better choice? (I've already have a zouk and would prefer not to have too much overlap, if you know what I mean...)
And speaking of cost... I'm interested in spending a few (or very few) hundred dollars and don't really want to pay for a wedding-cake instrument dripping with mother-of-pearl, etc. What do you think?
Schy
# Posted on November 30th 2004 by Schy
Re: Mandolin Suggestions - Makers, Styles, Physical Characteristics, etc...
Check out the Eastman "A" style mandolins
http://www.eastmanstrings.com/eastmanmandolins/models/md605.html
my son had a 3/4 size Eatman violin that was very nice for the $$$..he just went to a full size, tried an Eastman and a Denti, and he chose the Denti...the Eastman 4/4 was very nice also.
# Posted on November 30th 2004 by Sunnybear
Re: Mandolin Suggestions - Makers, Styles, Physical Characteristics, etc...
I wished I lived in the US , well thats where most the Gibson mandolins are . . . you ought to be spoilt for choice. I 've got a Kay mandolin also, and I think its great, but just like you I need sumat better. I've seen a nice Gibson on Ebay which I'm keeping a close eye on. And with the $ / £ rates us brits can get . . . well we can't go wrong really !!
# Posted on November 30th 2004 by Justintime
Re: Mandolin Suggestions - Makers, Styles, Physical Characteristics, etc...
"Would a Mandola be a better choice?"
If you mean a mandola in US parlance, which is tuned CGDA, then you would be making life a little difficult for yourself - but it's your choice.
If you mean a mandola in British parlance, which is really an *octave mandolin*, tuned GDAE, the same as Irish tenor banjo, there is not much difference between it and the bouzouki, other than scale length. I would go for a mandolin, if only for variety's sake - but I *would* say that, being a mandolin player.
# Posted on November 30th 2004 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Mandolin Suggestions - Makers, Styles, Physical Characteristics, etc...
i have two gibson a models, a teens and a 20's loar era. the 20's one is brighter and cuts through nicely, the earlier one is mellower sounding but still has good volume. haven't had the pleasure of trying any of those specifically made for irish music although a freind has one coming from davy stuart.
# Posted on November 30th 2004 by Dont
Re: Mandolin Suggestions - Makers, Styles, Physical Characteristics, etc...
All the Irish big guns seem to be getting them made by Joe Foley of Dublin. These are top quility instruments with excellent workmanship and are fitted with a great pick up system.
# Posted on November 30th 2004 by compaqjohn
Re: Mandolin Suggestions - Makers, Styles, Physical Characteristics, etc...
You will probably want a round hole, A style mandolin. Lots of players use flat tops, but a carved top would be nice, but more expensive. Why not have Doug make you one, sounds like he did a good job on your zouk? Weber makes some nice ones, but they are close to $1000. Take a look at the "Mandolin Cafe" web site clasified section. They have a nice selection of used mandolins for sale.
# Posted on November 30th 2004 by Don
Re: Mandolin Suggestions - Makers, Styles, Physical Characteristics, etc...
Lucky to live in the USA, if you want to see the range of what's out there then go to http://www.mandolincafe.com/builders.html for handmade stuff or Ihttp://www.elderly.com/new_instruments/90N.htm for factory type mando's. Most people appear to go for the flat back types but I think some ot the gibson style A and F models can work easily as well.
Michael Kelly and Eastman are two of the names that appear to produce good, relatively cheap mandolins.
# Posted on November 30th 2004 by Cuso
Re: Mandolin Suggestions - Makers, Styles, Physical Characteristics, etc...
I have a couple of friends who are very happy with their Weber mandolins made in Montana. http://www.soundtoearth.com/index.htm. I've played one as well and they have a beautiful rich tone, deep but bright. The workmanship is beautiful as well. I notice their prices aren't listed on their site but I know my friends that own them didn't sell the farm to get them. Maybe Will could speak to them as well seeing as they're in his neck of the woods?
# Posted on November 30th 2004 by winterhawk
Re: Mandolin Suggestions - Makers, Styles, Physical Characteristics, etc...
Almost any decent mandolin can be used for ITM and since there is no one player who makes his instrument sound so much better that we all just have to have it, all of the above recommendations are good. Personally I like older A model oval hole Gibsons but I play an F5 because that is what I have. I just bought a Weber Bighorn (an oval hole two point mandolin) that is starting to sound very good for ITM.
If you are interested in Webers there are two good sources:
http://www.gregboyd.com/ is the largest seller of Webers or at least the one that the Mandolincafe people like the best and http://www.sprucetreemusic.com/newmiscinst.html which is among the friendliest and the place I bought mine.
Mike Keyes
# Posted on November 30th 2004 by mikeyes
Re: Mandolin Suggestions - Makers, Styles, Physical Characteristics, etc...
An old Gibson oval hole sounds great, but a mandolin with f holes should project better, other things being equal. The best ITM mandolin player I know, Paul Kelly, plays an f style and Simon Mayor dislikes oval hole mandolins. My choices would be an A style with a carved top with either an oval hole or f holes depending on which sounded the best to me.
# Posted on November 30th 2004 by griffith
Re: Mandolin Suggestions - Makers, Styles, Physical Characteristics, etc...
I'm in the camp favoring round-hole mandos for ITM. Good choices in the lower price range include Mid-Missouri (well-made, good value flat top instruments) and the older Flatiron flat-top models (copies of Gibson Army-Navy style, fairly plentiful and inexpensive used). I have a Flatiron 2M which is great. The Trinity College (Asian-made) Celtic-style mandolin is good for the money, nice tone and loud. Michael Kelly (also Asian-made) now have inexpensive copies of the old Gibson round-hole A and F-style mandolins--those look good, but I haven't heard them.
# Posted on December 1st 2004 by tedium
Re: Mandolin Suggestions - Makers, Styles, Physical Characteristics, etc...
I have bought a mandolin and octave mandolin from Moon Guitars in Glasgow. www.moonguitars.co.uk
Superb workmanship and excellent service and customer care.
# Posted on December 3rd 2004 by lukegarry
Re: Mandolin Suggestions - Makers, Styles, Physical Characteristics, etc...
I have a good mandolin by Mike Vanden which I prurchased before his reputation soared. His new models are now really expensive though excellent.
http://www.vanden.co.uk/
I've been impressed by Jimmy Moon's instruments too(those I've tried), Luke. I might even treat myself to one soon. They are good quality and not too expensive-yet. Jimmy's a nice guy too.
# Posted on December 3rd 2004 by Johnny Jay
Re: Mandolin Suggestions - Makers, Styles, Physical Characteristics, etc...
Thanks so much everyone!
Schy
# Posted on December 6th 2004 by Schy