What makes a quality mandolin

On my mind balance is the main test. A good mandolin gives you what it's got anywhere you put your finger down, does not prefer bass or treble open or up ten neck,even smooth all over. Feb, pm 8. Re: What makes a good mandolin I think its who, not what. What's on second. Who is on first?

I don't know. Third base. Feb, pm 9. Re: What makes a good mandolin a good picker Feb, pm Re: What makes a good mandolin I think of it in three main categories: 1. If you can't play it all evening, then it's not really a practical musical instrument.

It must have enough dynamic range and versatility that it rewards you for playing it all evening. A balance in the tone produced which is appropriate to what you want to play, and with whom. Maybe it sounds like the instruments played by your musical inspirations. Maybe it sounds completely different. Generally, if you have items 1 and 2, you will have 3 as well for some subset of mandolin players.

That is to say, if you make an instrument which plays easily and comfortably, and responds to the player's touch with depth and complexity, someone will learn to like its tone. Predicting what an instrument is going to sound like is tricky, and something I've been enjoying working with lately. Forums New posts Trending Search forums. What's new New posts New media New media comments Latest activity. Media New media New comments Search media. Merch Shop. Members Current visitors. Log in Register.

Search only containers. Search titles only. Search Advanced search…. New posts. Search forums. Log in. Change style. Contact us. Close Menu. Click Here. Home Forums Instruments Acoustic Instruments. JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. What Makes A Good Mandolin? Thread starter Jason Start date Jan 19, Jason Member.

Messages Afternoon all, I've been playing guitar for over 20 years and have occasionally played mandolin on stage and in the studio but never really known what makes a good one My daughter will be six soon and I thought that a mandolin would be a good way of introducing her to all things stringed and if it's just a short stop she can pass it on to her sister and maybe I'll have a reasonable instrument to hold on to in the end So, to be at the benefit of all your experience What's to look out for?

What should I avoid? Cheers, J. Rob Sharer Muso-Luthier. Messages 2, Solid woods, my man, solid woods. That, plus a canny hominid sticking it together. Have a look at the offerings from Eastman, if you're looking for high quality at a low price.

Check out Big Muddy Mandolins. These were formerly sold as "Mid Missouri Mandolin Co". They are all solid woods, no frills, no plywood. Made in Missouri. These simple flat-top mandos sound and play great. They offer an optional wide fingerboard and a few other upgrades but even their most basic models play and sound great. Messages 1, The only thing to note about this mandolin is that it does not come with a case or any extra goodies, like a tuner or any picks.

The sound of the Rogue is not outstanding, but to the untrained ear it will sound pretty good considering the price. It lacks the glassy highs and a throaty mid-range of expensive options, but it will still sound like an great student instrument.

One word of advice we have for cheaper mandolins is that using a heavier gauge of string can help to make it sound more full, though it will make the mandolin a bit more challenging to play. As far as quality is concerned, the mandolin comes with a surprisingly high level of quality control. For the price the Rogue RMA is a great mandolin.

Ibanez is arguably the company that changed the reputation of Asian made instruments. A little-known fact about that company is that for a period of time they were producing electric archtops that were easily on par with the equivalent Gibson models being produced at the time, some of which were actually endorsed by some of the most famous jazz musicians in the world.

Just as surprising given their reputation, the company has also produced its fair share of great mandolins. For a period of time they were even endorsed by Bill Monroe , who is considered to be the father of Bluegrass.

While the company may have changed the direction of its line of folk instruments to cater more towards beginners it is still producing quality instruments for the price range. This mandolin is made completely from laminated woods, which unfortunately does limit the total resonance and frequency response of the instrument.

However, it is made from mahogany and spruce with the spruce being the top wood and the mahogany being used on the back and sides. The main thing to note about Ibanez mandolins when compared to cheaper mandolins is that Ibanez uses a better quality of hardware. The tuners will hold the strings better, and the quality control is more likely to catch defects. This mandolin also features a compensated bridge, which is an incredibly important feature because it helps to ensure that the instrument is well intonated.

You can buy after-market bridges, but fitting a bridge to an arched instrument requires a bit of elbow grease. The bridge has to be in perfect contact with the top, which requires a lot of careful sanding. On its own merits this mandolin has the potential to sound competent. Which is still a substantial expense, but is still relatively feasible for most musicians.

One common problem at this price range is an improper setup at the nut. The tuners are also better than a cheaper instrument, so while this instrument is more expensive than other options you can be assured that the hardware itself will be better than a bottom of the barrel mandolin. Also, this mandolin does come with a truss rod. Gretsch is inarguably a force to be reckoned with in the world of instruments.

Something that a lot of musicians may not know about Gretsch is that the company has actually produced a wide variety of instruments. Their recent Roots series is not just an attempt to cash in on the recent Americana and roots music boom, the whole series is actually a relaunch of the designs that they pioneered decades ago.

The company made highly respected banjos and archtop guitars, and even mandolins. The tuners are reported to work just as well as any other beginner instrument in this price tear, and the bridge is also compensated. The bridge is also a clamshell configuration, making string changes less of a hassle.

Lastly, another notable feature of this mandolin is that it features built in electronics. This makes the mandolin a significantly more viable option for gigging musicians who are looking to introduce the mandolin into their bag of tricks. The Gretsch G New Yorker Mandolin has a lot of utility for gigging musicians who are looking to add the mandolin into their set without breaking the bank.