Talk me out of a...

[bobouz]

I think the Breedlove is 1-3/16" which is a touch wider than normal.

Yes, to my knowledge, all USA-made Breedloves are 1-3/16". Both 1-1/8” & 1-1/16” are quite common. I’ve never played a 1-1/4”, but have seen it listed in specs. A key factor to consider in all this, is that nut width is only part of the equation. As with guitars, the overall neck profile can also be a major factor in determining comfort & playability (for example, a deeper profile typically tends to balance out a narrower neck). Also keep in mind the issue of radiused vs flat fingerboards.

It might be wise to get hold of a mandolin chord chart off the internet, and go to a music store(s) to experiment with a few mandolins by repeating some simple chord changes. Perhaps one will stand out as a good match in hand - and then take some measurements!

 

[fronobulax]

Big Muddy and Guilds.

A member of SmithfieldFair used to post on LTG although they haven't been seen since 2013. Great source of practical, first hand, experience with a B50.

 

[Default]

That's why I posted that. That is such a sweet tune.

 

[Bill Ashton]

Oh! OH! You WANT this one! Be still ,my heart...

Collings MF5-O Sunburst (USED, 2010)

Collings MF5-O formerly owned by Chris Hillman. A dynamite sounding oval hole instrument with mojo, patina, and resonance to spare.

themusicemporium.com

(Remember I said I wanted an F-style oval hole...don't worry, you can have this one, I can live vicariously in your joy!)

 

[bobouz]

Oh! OH! You WANT this one! Be still ,my heart...

Collings MF5-O Sunburst (USED, 2010)

Collings MF5-O formerly owned by Chris Hillman. A dynamite sounding oval hole instrument with mojo, patina, and resonance to spare.

themusicemporium.com

Complete mando lust strikes!

 

[Bill Ashton]

OK, just to get us back on the "Chris Thiele" theme, here he is for those who don't know who-the-hell we are talking about...



Fiddle-tunes are my FAVORITE Old-Tyme/Bluegrass music, whether on fiddle, mando or guitar. Here, whe have all three!

 

[davismanLV]

We can celebrate both Chris's. Chris Thiele is an amazing player and musical talent. And that mandolin that belonged to Chris Hillman is divine!!

 

[JohnW63]

I ain't dropping the kind of cash you need to buy even a used Collings!

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Big Muddy give you a "wide" version for their necks. A whopping 1-1/4" which is that magic 1/8" wider than normal. With all the people who just can't play 1-11/16th guitar necks, but feel the 1-3/4" is perfect, it should be fine. Right?

If you're looking for someone to talk you out of buying an instrument, you came to the wrong place!

I wouldn't worry about neck width. Mando is played differently than a guitar. Mando makers just offer the "wide" necks to attract guitarists who are worried about the transition. Remember: Mando players' hands are the same size as guitar players' hands.

If you get a mando, the thin neck won't be a barrier to playing. What will matter are the set-up (Big Muddy set-up is terrific, by the way) and how you hold it.

Your instincts are exactly right: Big Muddy is a solid-wood mando for well under a grand, and you'll never find an all-solid A- or F-style for anything near that. They sound great, they play great, they look great.

By the way, you might find a used one here: www.mandolincafe.com.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Yes, to my knowledge, all USA-made Breedloves are 1-3/16". Both 1-1/8” & 1-1/16” are quite common. I’ve never played a 1-1/4”, but have seen it listed in specs. A key factor to consider in all this, is that nut width is only part of the equation. As with guitars, the overall neck profile can also be a major factor in determining comfort & playability (for example, a deeper profile typically tends to balance out a narrower neck). Also keep in mind the issue of radiused vs flat fingerboards.

It might be wise to get hold of a mandolin chord chart off the internet, and go to a music store(s) to experiment with a few mandolins by repeating some simple chord changes. Perhaps one will stand out as a good match in hand - and then take some measurements!

Most players prefer Breedlove's USA mandos to their imports. (I've never played either.)

Neck width, fretboard radius, hole style, and tenth-versus-twelfth fret neck placement aren't important in a first mandolin. It takes a few years of playing to develop opinions about all that. (I'm on my fourth and have decided I like a thin neck, flat fretboard, oval hole, and tenth-fret neck placement. But it took a long time to get there.)

If you want to worry, worry about set-up — especially the nut. Set-up is a bigger issue with mandos than with guitars. A badly set-up guitar can still be playable. Not so with a mando! Your left hand, arm, and shoulder can hurt — a lot — after just a few minutes of playing. Numbness and pins and needles are also common symptoms of setupitis. Buyer beware!

Disclaimer: I'm not a pro, just a string banger. For lots of great advice from vastly experienced mandlinistas, go to www.mandolincafe.com. They have all the answers, and then some.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Here is a cool mandolin

5 strings. Where do you get those!


Here is a video of a guy playing one like it. Pretty wild through a pedal board.

Hot pickin'! Thanks! The folks at www.mandolincafe.com should be able to name lots of five-string mando makers.

Notice that it sounds more like a four-string tenor guitar. If that's the sound you're after, keep in mind that a tenor guitar is tuned like a guitar, which means you don't need to learn violin scales. So a tenor guitar might actually be what you're after. (Think of a tenor as a ukulele that sounds good.)

As has already been mentioned, those five strings are singles. Mandos usually have double strings (a.k.a. courses), which is what gives them that jangly out-of-phase sound people either love or hate.

And five string mandos are usually electric — fine for jazz, rock, and Chicago blues, but useless for bluegrass, mountain, Celtic, and Delta blues. His looks like a hollow-body, but five-string mandos are usually solid-body instruments.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

There was a Breedlove on Reverb, last night for $600. You have me thinking it may have been a Crossover listed was twice the price. Are there US and offshore versions?

Crossovers are all made in Asia. They cross over the Pacific. (Breedlove's idea of humor.)

If you're getting a Breedlove, get a US version. By all reports, they're much better instruments.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

The thing slowing me down is that if I get a new Big Muddy mandolin, the one I like is $765, add $50 for a hard case, add $40 for the 1/8in wider neck, then they can install a K&K mandolin pickup for $130. That's $985 before tax. Not chump change! But way cheaper than a lot of the nice models I've seen on Reverb. The off shore Breedlove is $600 with a nice padded case. Also approaching my comfort limit on a guitar purchase, and I know how to play one of those. But, I'm sure if I buy a low end one, I won't like the sound or the playability and it will be a waste. Buy a good one and you only buy it once.

These are the thoughts bouncing around inside my head.

Aha!

These thoughts might help:

- Mando necks are not played like guitar necks. You probably won't notice a difference between the wider and narrower neck. Makers just offer wide to attract guitarists. Likewise radiused necks. (On the other hand, if the wider neck really appeals to you, have at it! It's your axe.)

- If the Breedlove is a Crossover, it's not worth what they're asking. They're just trying to unload it without paying the cost of making a bad choice.

- JJB pickups cost less than K&Ks. (Both are good.)

- If you get an external clamp-on pickup, you won't have to pay for installation. (They look kind of gaumy, but it you want to save some money, that'll do it.)

- It's a sad fact of life: Mandos cost more than guitars for comparable instruments. Why? Even though mandos use less wood, fewer get made, so there's less economy of scale.

- On the other hand, although they can be pricey, buying a used mando online isn't as risky as buying a guitar. The bridges and necks are much more stable than a guitar's — maybe because the distance from nut to bridge is so much shorter. Whatev. If the photos look good and the seller says there are no issues, you'll probably receive a good instrument. Mine is almost a hundred years old, and the neck is still fine.

- Low-end isn't necessarily bad. My first mando was a $50 used Fender. Playing it for a year or so convinced me that I like the darn things enough to get something better. (My next was a Big Muddy.)

- Again (and I'll stop saying it after this, I promise): You'll get tons of great information at www.mandolincafe.com. It's a very friendly forum, and the folks there know mandos inside out and seven ways from Sunday. And its classifieds are the best around. If you're patient, great scores turn up.

 

[JohnW63]

Charlie,

I have joined the MC forum and have been watching the classifieds every day. I'm trying for find a good deal on a US made one if I can. It's a bit tough because ALL the mandolin resellers have all Eastman and Kentucky and The Loar brands to fill the under $1000 slots. All Chinese builds. I've been in contact with a seller of a US Breedlove, but she wants $800 to start plus $50 to ship. Even made a video for me ot watch and listen. The problem is I think the going market price for those is $600-$700. A guys is selling one on Face Book got $600, but he has not responded in days. Had to make a deal if they never check their Facebook stuff. I am even considering getting a USA Ovation Mandolin. I'll never be allowed in an jams with that, I'm sure.

 

[JohnW63]

I may have cast my net a bit far. I found a youtube vidoe of a guy, with MY name, playing a Fylde mandolin. Hand made out of England. I think it has a bit less brightness than a traditional mandolin and lends it self to more Irish/celtic tunes, perhaps. Their low end one, without the VAT and stuff may come in under my budget. I don't know what shipping would be. They don't sell though stores anymore so you contact them directly. They make lots of guitars too.

Here is a video of someone playing one. May are the upgraded walnut version, but I don't need to add the cost.

 

[spoox]

My National Style 1 tri-cone mandolin I bought back in '74 for $300. I also have a single cone Style 1
I got from Noah Miller on eBay. The single cone is of course louder, but the tri-cone has a bit sweeter tone.
I also have a custom Dobro mando David Flood made in in '73, and a Kay with a "Jimmy Reed" PU.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Charlie,

I have joined the MC forum and have been watching the classifieds every day. I'm trying for find a good deal on a US made one if I can. It's a bit tough because ALL the mandolin resellers have all Eastman and Kentucky and The Loar brands to fill the under $1000 slots. All Chinese builds. I've been in contact with a seller of a US Breedlove, but she wants $800 to start plus $50 to ship. Even made a video for me ot watch and listen. The problem is I think the going market price for those is $600-$700. A guys is selling one on Face Book got $600, but he has not responded in days. Had to make a deal if they never check their Facebook stuff. I am even considering getting a USA Ovation Mandolin. I'll never be allowed in an jams with that, I'm sure.

You're on the right track. Local Craig posts are also nice because you can try before you buy.

Yep, Asian mandos are flooding the planet. But good deals on good instruments do turn up. My mandos have come from Mandolin Cafe and Reverb.com. My current one (I'm one of those rare players who only needs one) is a 1920s Gibson A-Junior snakehead. It was a $500 basket case when it arrived two years ago, but a few months and a few hundred more dollars for fix-up made it a dream machine.

If that Fylde is in your budget and you like looking at it, it would be hard to beat. Brits swear by 'em. You're right, you'll be banned by the bluegrass circuit, but it'll get you a smile at any other kind of jam you find yourself in. (Except maybe a legal jam.)

And (if it matters) it should sound great — warmer and fatter than a carved-top f-hole, but what's wrong with that? Nuthin'!

Be sure to let us know when you get something. And if there isn't a picture, it didn't happen.

 

[JohnW63]

Spoox,

That must be a unique sounding mandolin!

I got an email back from Fylde. That make them all to order, so it would be a 5 month wait. With export duties and and the exchange rate, it would probably be something around $1050-$1100. I think what I will do is get a lower cost, but resellable mandolin here and if I really get into it, I'll contact them to build one and then sell the used one.

The Facebook guy finally emailed back. I asked if I could get a picture of the back, just to make sure they really had the item pictured and what shipping would be from Indiana. I suspect about $50 to ship.

 

[JohnW63]

I just sent a " Let make a deal " reply to a Mandolin Cafe guy selling one for $700 shipped that may have upgraded tuners. The wait between messages from the Facebook seller is killing me. I was afraid I would lose out on something else by someone who knows where the reply button is. One Cafe guys pointed me to one on Craigs List in LA for $750. So, that could be plan B. I sent an email to them to see how they respond.

 

[JohnW63]

The deal has been done.