I've owned a high-end, handmade mandolin of one kind or another since 1981, when I ordered a custom Steve Andersen mandolin. I've had a (pre-Gibson) Flatiron, a couple of Webers, Givens, Gibson, etc. Times have been tough since moving to NC, and I've had to sell just about everything I own, including my two mandolins. I'm now down to a '14 Gibson A that's in the shop having the top repaired, so I really have no mandolin right now, and I'm pretty unhappy about it.
Yesterday, I stopped into the one shop in my area that has a decent collection of mandolins- Weber, Breedlove, and Kentucky. Of course, the Webers and Breedloves are too expensive for me right now, but I was actually pretty impressed with the lower-end Kentucky KM-161. It's the 12 fret neck, all black one. At $250, it's something that I can work towards. So I came home and looked on ebay, and there's one company selling them for $254, with case and shipping, but they also have the KM-550, which is a really nice looking mandolin for $370. This seems like a helluva deal on a pretty nice instrument to me. I don't know, maybe they're using lead-based laquer or something.
I think that one day I'll be able to afford a good handmade instrument again, but for the time being, one of these Chinese made bad boys may be what I end up playing. Heck, Jethro sounded pretty good on that Washburn he used to play.

I posted a similar topic on the MC. I've already been chastised for thinking about buying pac-rim.
One of the things that really repels me about the cafe are the huge amount of posters there who just want to show off their collections of expensive mandolins. There's nothing wrong with having alot of nice stuff, but when you start looking down your nose at those that don't, then you're on my "fightin' side".

I told my wife I wanted this for Xmas-- http://www.mandolincafe.com/cgi-bin/classifieds/classifieds.cgi?search_and_display_db_button=on&db_id=25833&query=retrieval  
(You'll have to cut and paste the URL)

Pretty much as a joke.  But now she knows what it costs.  I probably just could have bought it and gotten away from it.  It's for sale locally to from someone with a good reputation I've actually jammed with on one occasion.

Thing is, I actually have the money in the bank and could afford it.  It's just I don't want to spend it;  I'm just sitting on what savings I have.  I just don't know if/when the ax will fall.  I might make a decent living for 20 more years or might have to start over again in a different career at 1/2 my salary any time between now in then. It's impossible to know.  I may be perfectly safe or my number may be already on the list.  Every year in August, they lay off three or four people, and every new year, a few "new" people get hired.  I really do like all the new people coming in, I like working with them and consider them my friends.  But, some year, I might be one of the ones gone in August.

I'm thinking I ought to back Ron Paul for Pres.  He's from TX and I guess they shoot pretty straight down there.  :-)

Quote :

kvk wrote :I'm thinking I ought to back Ron Paul for Pres.  He's from TX and I guess they shoot pretty straight down there.  :-)

Well, here I go, highjacking my own thread...
Not to put down the good people of Texas, but the last president from Texas hasn't really worked out that well, straight-shooter-wise.
Musicians from Texas on the other hand, they're some of the best.

No, actually I hijacked your thread but volume is low enough that it really doesn't matter, does it?

I forgot he-who-shall-not-mentioned is from TX.

Rosette,

Don't worry about what your playing, as long as your playing and enjoying yourself.  I play with a banjo player who for the longest time had a beater banjo until he finally got a custom made banjo (luthier is in Bedford County, PA).

I own a MK Firefly Flame (Pac-Rim mando bought in Feb 2004).  At the time, I probably could have afforded a mando at twice the price (but for one reason or another, I chose the Firefly).  I enjoy playing it.  Is it a high dollar mando, nope.  But it stays in tune, has fairly good volume, etc.  Plus I got to keep my fiance (now wife).

I can't remember the last time I posted at the MC.  I understand where you are coming from by getting the snobbery from the high end mando owners.  It seems like they have a very tight "click" and if you go against one, then you will get the wrath of the others.  I check there every so often and don't post (only a lurker).  What happened to Niles?  I missed that drama.

Back on point, buy what you can afford.  Get it set up right and enjoy.  Would you enjoy it as much as a high end mando, I don't know.  But you'll enjoy at least playing.

Niles did post some stuff just recently about his BGUTN book on a thread on a thread in Theory Technique forum.  That's about the only topic are I read.  There's some knowledgeable people you can learn from there.

You might check out that Glouchester in the classifieds, it's goin' for about the same price. Heard alot of good about 'em but haven't actually played one, so don't know how it'd compare to the Kentucky though the finish would be thinner I'm sure.

Quote :

duuuude wrote : You might check out that Glouchester in the classifieds, it's goin' for about the same price. Heard alot of good about 'em but haven't actually played one, so don't know how it'd compare to the Kentucky though the finish would be thinner I'm sure.

I have a Gloucester and like the nice woody sound I get out of it. I play it at bluegrass jams and festivals. I did change to an Allen cast tailpiece because I had one already. The cast tailpiece cleaned up the treble somewhat but it didn't do much for the volume.

However, although the Gloucester is a pressed top as oppose to a carved top, it plays and sound great for the money. I can't compare it to the Kentucky since I only played one that the owner replaced the top he carved himself. Now that one is good sounding and has a lot of bark.  

--Last edited by gnelson651 on 2007-11-19 18:08:25 --

So, here's an update. After my post on MC, John Sturm, who posts here too, sent me a Kentucky KM-172 free of charge. John might be embarrassed that I mention this in public, but it was a great thing for him to do, and it helped me in more ways than one.
I've got to say, this little Chinese made mandolin is at least twice as nice as I thought it would be. I'm a big fan of the teens oval hole Gibsons that this is a copy of, and it really sounds good to me. Straight out of the box from the other side of the globe, it had a strong, boomy bass. After new strings and alittle tweaking, it's really a fine mandolin. There are a few things that I need to do to it yet-the tailpiece is about 1/8" off center, and has some other problems, so I'm going to replace it and put an internal pickup in it. Also, the frets on all the Chinese stuff are tiny (have you played a Fender Squier tele lately?). Fortunately, the neck is so straight on this thing that I got the action really low with no buzzing.
I never would have believed that you could get a mandolin this nice in this price range. Thanks again to John Sturm!