$50 vs $350 vs $4500 Mandolin
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Rogue $50- 4:53
Kentucky $350 - 7:30
Ellis $4,500- 10:18
Thank you for this, this is what I actually wanted in the video
Oh God !! Thank you !! 😘
Donald Miller bc were here to hear the comparisons
Thanks 🙏🏻
Thank fucking god
My house is full of cheap instruments. I play them all to a very amateur level and I'm happy with that. Next is a 50 quid mandolin
I like the Rogue. I got one in January and I like it. It's a little buzzy at times, but it has a pretty decent sound and it's hard to beat that price.
@@MetaDecker Did you get it set up? I have the exact same mandolin just branded as an Epiphone, set it up myself and it plays just fine
@@Christian-my4dp It was gifted to me, so it was already stringed and tuned. I raised the bridge a little and it stopped buzzing. It's still getting plenty of use
@@MetaDecker A bit of fret levelling might let you get the action lower without buzzing - but that depends whether you want to spend the money, or are confident doing it yourself. If you're enjoying it as it is, then perhaps leave it be...
I played a rogue mandolin for 2-3 years, I recommend it as a beginner
I don't even play mandolin ... why am I here
Lol.. maube you love losing my religion
because deep down you want to
I dont either, but i kinda want to now.
Hahaha! Love this!
I don’t either but I am a guitar player and love stringed instruments so that’s why I Styed
I found that what improves the most for more expensive instruments are usually not the quality of the sound, but how comfortable it is to play.
Wow I think the sound differences are distinct!
A good player can make any old cheap instrument sound great
@@mrtambourineman6107yeah, but a not great player may have a harder time playing a cheap instrument, because it's just not comfortable to play
@gustavusadolphus4344 that is also true bro - I advise anyone new to any instrument to not buy too cheap - invest a few quid in a decent guitar or mandolin or harmonica or whatever, and it will make your learning journey much more enjoyable, and probably less frustrating
@romeohio19 isnt the cheap instruments to learn how to hold and finger it? Tuning and making it sound good can all happen later amd then when get good at playing can invest in a more expensive instrument ?
Hmm, a $50 one to take to camp and play in the woods by the lake.
Ignorance is bliss. The $350 mandolin sounded the same to me as the $4,500 one.
All sounded alike to me!!!
Not ignorance; blessed. 😋
yea cause the player is worth a 350 bucks mandolin.
@@terryisaac8195 the cheap one sounded different but I liked the Kentucky the most
Ya it sounded the same but its not always about the sound.factors like playability also matters and if u noticed his fingers run really smooth on the most expensive one.there is a reason they are expensive but the price difference between them makes no sense.it's not reasonable at all so for that reason im out.
I have no clue why I clicked on this video at 3:00 am in the morning. I'm a guitar player that knows nothing about mandolins
I was listening to some folk/punk. So here I am. I love my guitar, but I love the Uke too and now I think I want one of these.
Curiosity
I played guitar on and off at an amateur level since highschool, and learned mandolin in mid twenties. I have to say, I find mandolin the most fun to play
Saaaaame
Bruh it's 3 and I'm doing the same
Today I learned that a $50 mandolin sounds 90% as good as a $4500 mandolin.
Side-by-side, maybe the $4500 one is a bit clearer or cleaner sounding, but the $50 one really does sound fine. I use some $15 Bluetooth headphones at work, and I know in direct comparison some $200 headphones I had before sounded slightly clearer, yet in daily use I forget about the difference and am completely satisfied with the cheap ones. Plus I broke the $200 ones a long time ago.
Lol exactly
Well theres only so much better any mandolin can sound lol
it's clear how you have no experience in the field nor a musical ear. not an insult, but the there are diffences. obviousluly the more you know about the instrument the better you get them
@@roccoberetti7066 I said that there were differences genius. There's about a 10% difference. If you want to talk about playability that's a completely different discussion, but in this recording there's VERY little difference in the sound produced. BTW, as of 2021 I've been. playing guitar, bass, mandolin, and piano for 35 years; but yeah, you're right, hopefully someday I'll gain some experience in "the field", whatever the fuq that means.
My $70 mandolin gets everyone on the dance floor. When you play a mandolin at a gig with a band they all sound good if set up correctly.
14:29 I wish I could get my Rouge intonated right. And stay in tune.
On the plus side, I don't worry about breaking it and it fits everywhere.
5:19 vs 7:58 vs 10:39 But standing in the same room I'm sure there is a much more dynamic difference. Another phenomenon I've also noticed, standing next to any mandolin player, his mandolin always sounds better than yours, regardless of cost. Thanks MandoLessons!
Strange effect; I've noticed that with my guitar too.
I can hear a big difference between the Rogue and the Kentucky, but not between the Kentucky and the Ellis.
I totally agree. I was going to say the same thing...
yep, Kentucky sounds fine to me, the Ellis doesn't sound $4000 better
Its called the law of diminishing returns. At low range prices as prices increase the quality of the product increases significantly. At higher range prices, as prices increase the quality difference diminished. Hence there is a diminishing return as prices get higher. You pay for the detail at high prices not the overall picture quality.
@@Frodo7241 You dont just pay for more detail. At a higher price what you pay for is endurance. The more expensive instruments are made out of higher quality materials, and are put together a lot more carefully so that way as a professional artist who uses your instrument four hours nightly, you want your instrument to last. Expensive instruments are investments for professionals, nothing more.
Not to mention professional artists change strings CONSTANTLY, that means there is always tension being added and removed from the neck multiple times a week, this can weaken cheaper instruments a lot faster.
Wow people sure love to complain in these comments. Thanks for putting this together, man.
it's not the cost of you weapon, it's how you wield it.
Es Axel dont go to war with a dull sword
lol.....Unless you realize that your adversary just owns a whole bunch of sharp swords and really can't swing ANY of them.
I'd say in my 40 years of music store experience that only about 5% to 10% off ALL the folks that own a guitar or mandolin can actually even play it. So guys, don't worry!!! your swords needn't be sharp. The other guys can't even play "Happy Birthday" or just keep a beat. You are safe with dull swords and probably just pointy sticks. Folks need a 200 dollar instrument and a REAL teacher. not another toy to brag about its TONE.
@@standswithfist806 the most expensive guitar i own is $500 and thats my alvarez baritone, my main guitar's are a tagima T style guitar $200 (tagima makes really good guitars for cheap) and a epiphone es 335 which i think is like $450. I definitely believe that price isnt everything! (And i dont have a lot of money to spend on guitars so i figure rather than having one super expensive guitar and not being able to repair it having a couple cheaper guitars that play and sound good is more valuable.)
Ive been playing solo off and on and in bands for 10 years since i was 9.
@@THEHICKISslick you aremy HERO!!! a rare thinking individual. I've done fretted instument repair since before electricity(mild exageration) and you are spot on in your thinking. Plus you won't wear out your frets by having several gtrs instead of one expensive one that gets its frets worn down.
I played a gig with very serious session guys 2 weeks ago on a Squier strat I bought at a pawn shop for 18 dollars. None of the other players said a thing or noticed. they would have whined if there were tuning or tone issues.
My favorite working acoustic is a solid top Yamaha. (one of the newer ones 2017) It is fantastic. Best wishes. Your Epi probably already plays and sounds better than most gibsons but here is an easy up-grade to make it just as valuable:
Simply tape 15 one hundred dollar bills to the headstock. lol
ooh Matron!
"I'll play a bit of this mandolin"
Me: phew!
Him: plays one stroke then talks for a million years again!
Very interesting video. The Rogue jamming starts out at 4:50, the Kentucky at 7:28, and the Ellis at 10:17. Sustain and punch is great for all the mandos. The poster's fave is the Ellis. Tonally it sits between the contenders, with a nod to the brighter sounding Rogue. Amazing that the bottom dollar instrument can hold a candle to these much higher cost models.
The " Design " is all that's saving it
Totally disagree. The Rogue doesn’t sound very mandolin-like to me. It doesn’t have that sharp, distinctive sound that got me interested in the instrument (maybe it has to do with its strings, in comparison to the higher-end mandolins’ strings, also).
5:19
7:57
10:37
THANK YOU
Thank you! This was painful to watch... way too much talking
I bought to of the Rogue mandolins on sale for around $50. Gave then to my grandchildren. Something to start with....
Looks like a good player, and a good set-up luthier job, can make a cheap mandolin sound danged good!
Exactly right!
fr
I had a good luthier set up a student flinthill. Made a world of difference. It is a maple/spruce construction and now I am so happy with it. Might be my last one I will ever need.
@Phillip Kirkwood Agree with you completely. Plastic is almost exactly how I would describe the sound of the Rouge. I bought the Rouge and learned to play on it. That was about all it was good for. It is simply awful sounding. When I moved into the intermediate skill range, I purchased a 500$ Kentucky Saga with an oval sound hole. Similar to the one in the video but no F holes and much nicer looking amber finish.
They're mandolins....they can only sound so good to begin with.
The Ellis has less projection but a razor sharp fret bite so there is no slop or rattle on the string when plucked. A very easy to listen to sound. The Kentucky had very focused presence. I own a Epiphone from 1979 and it reminds me of the Kentucky but I think it mellowed out with age. Thank you for this video and nice sound set up, good audio.
Enjoying your beginner lessons. Paused to watch this, and was pleased that you recommended the Kentucky mandolin. Have owned that for about a month and using it to learn with your videos. Glad to know I chose wisely!
That Ellis sure stands head and shoulders above the other two. I can hear the clarity and definition in the notes and it rings beautifully. Keep playin. Im a guitarist and I love my Martin dc15E. Smooth as butter. God bless
I've had a Rogue for about 15 years and a similar quality one for about 75 that has a pickup with tone and volume controls. I read on some website about making my own bridges for them. I had the same issue you had with yours - mine were really unplayable. I made the first bridges out of maple, just field cut some parts from a maple branch, dried the rough blanks in the microwave then did the fit-up. I was very impressed with the outcome. I've since made a bridge for the Rogue from purple heart wood, very tough. My homemade bridges are not adjustable but both mandos hold tune and intonation is spot on. For a guy who mainly plays for his own enjoyment, they're just fine. If I can dig up the info on making bridges, I'll post it here, it was really not hard to do.
Thank you for going to this effort, I enjoy rewatching this video occasionally; watching you play and listening to your comparisons. Good job!
I got my Rogue 100a for 10 bucks today. It's my first mandolin, and it's really fun!
Dang, das cheap
If you've been practicing then you must be coming along now, 12 months gone. Good on you.
I have the same one, only thing I don't like about it is no truss rod
@@MericaBack2backWWChampions yeah mine broke after like a month and the neck came clean off. It was fun, but the build quality was awful.
You can here the clear differences with the final having an amazing mid range tone (bass for a Mandy). Very interesting review. I have the rogue my wife got me since I am a guitar player. It’s playable, but the neck is moving. Was looking for a little better one with a pickup possibly. Thanks for the knowledge.
Nice video! That cheaper mandolin sounded pretty good for only a 40 buck mandolin.😰 I had an old mandolin that was actually my uncles, that I shared with my siblings that pretty much had the same neck and body as the mandolins you are showing. Certainly wasn't as good sounding. I finally upgraded and got a $600 mandolin a few years ago for my birthday from Sweetwater's and I just love it!😍
I only came here to find a slicer for my carrots...
I always find the slicers when searching for the instrument. Touché
lol
You can press them through the strings.
Too damn funny
HA HA!!!
after many hours of thought I went with a 600 dollar mandolin for my first. the reason being i loved the sound and thought that would encourage me to keep playing it and not give up.
best decition really. if you dont have fun, you dont want to play/ dont look forward to it
I went the other way several years ago when I bought my first mandolin. After having played guitar, bass, and piano for years I should have known better.
My cheap mandolin was under $100. It was very frustrating for a number of different reasons. However, I really enjoy mandolin in general and I’ve always loved the sound of mandolins.
I recently got a great deal (paid $500) on a used mandolin that sells for $650-700 brand new. It is all solid wood and made in Korea. It is tremendously better.
Still playing?
Still playing?
You're back man!!! What a great analysis.
Thank you Baron!
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
There are marked increases in sound, tone, harmonics etc specially on the Ellis.
Very helpful thanks. A well set-up mid range instrument seems the best way to start.
Great video. Just a critique, it would be helpful if you did a segment of all mandolins back to back during your video so we have an immediate comparison. Awesome playing!
Also, it would have been better if he did the test listener blinded, so we don’t know which is which until afterwards - that way we wouldn’t be unconsciously biased by the price of each instrument.
However, keep in mind that even in this setting, there could still be bias - on the player’s part - because he could unconsciously play his $4,500 mandolin a lot better/more comfortably - than his $50 mandolin. I don’t really know how we could correct this source if unconscious bias.
I work at a music store that specialises in acoustic instruments for folk, Americana and bluegrass and what I can tell you is that a TH-cam video with compressed audio isn't adequately gonna show the difference between these three mandolins. Not only is the difference in sound not going to come across in digital audio, but the feel of the instrument and its playability is something that can't really be communicated in a review like this. A Tom Ellis mandolin isn't just going to sound better than a Rogue, it's going to sound and play so much better that you'll never want to pick up a Rogue again. Nothing against this channel though, and I still had fun watching.
As a long time musician of over 30 years and someone with degrees in comp sci and physics, I assure you the digital audio compression for TH-cam is not significantly limiting the audio differences in instruments. This can be verified by comparing vocalists on TH-cam and clearly hearing the quality difference in their voices. An instrument like a mandolin is not low or high enough to be outside the range of what is cut off by the compression. If this were a test of speaker systems, low electronic bass, high frequency emitters, etc. it would be affected. The biggest difference is like you say, a person can't feel the play-ability of an instrument or understand the quality material differences as well from watching a video.
Feel sorry for your customers for your lack of ears. I can hear differences just fine ... especially the intonation issues on the 50 dollar one :P
The colour of the strings on the 350 vs 4500 one is also obvious as night and day...
You're too used to peddling BS that you begin to believe your own.
I have an 200 dollar guitar that has better neck action than a $4k + Gibson. I can play it all day and not get tired. Easy slides too. You are the one judging feel by a video which is the one thing you need to actually play the instrument to know. What if the more expensive Mandolin isn't a good fit ? :P
All three mandolins sounded distorted on this iPad, but the speaking voice did not. The first two mandolins sounded equally distorted and pretty much indistinguishable. The third mandolin sounded less distorted, but he might not have been playing it as forcefully-he may even have been subconsciously coddling it.
@@agnidas5816 "You're too used to peddling BS that you begin to believe your own"
Hahahaha dude that's rough, you just publicly admitted that you don't have an ear. Hope being tone deaf works out for you, at least you can't hear the fret buzz that's probably emanating off every fret on your $200 guitar lmfao
Ignoring the annoying crackling coming from this guy's mic, I felt I could hear the more pleasant sound from the 3rd, but it's so slight compared to the 2nd it could simply be on account of the greater volume. It's then possible with a real ear that the 2nd would sound even more similar, and then there's just the greater volume to consider. Well, and the off chance that its frets and action are !!Micro Adjusted!! to be *Perfect™* and _Baby Smooth®_. And then there's the fact that this guy's mic needs some work, that ought to be where the money or time goes, no offense. The rest is definitely irrelevant for actual music enjoyment, and personally I see no shame in selling the cheaper mandolin if the potential player wouldn't own one otherwise. More people should play.
Good info for new players! I just started giving a few lessons since the lockdown and everyone always asks me to recommend beginner mandos for them.
I bought one had similar problems. But for the price, I love it and music almost every day with it.
I've been looking into the KM-150, thanks to this video and another demo video you made specifically about it. It sounds great! I just ordered the KM-250--the slight upgrade from the 150--from Elderly Instruments. I have an antique bowl back mandolin that sounds great, but is difficult to play. The A-style seems the right fit for me. In the meantime, thank you for putting together informative, thorough videos.
I actually have an F-type Rogue... everyone says it sounds as good as any mando they've heard. Plenty of volume.. awesome tone. also keep mine in a molded foam case.
I lowered the bridge on the rogue by taping sand paper gritty side up to the top. Than rubbed the bottom of the bridge on that. A little love and new strings the rogue will play pretty good
It makes me happy to see a comparison video where you have full explanations, but point out that the examples are time stamped in the description. We need more people like you.
Thanks, I'm glad you get it!
Hi! Thanks for all the helpful info. I guess I got lucky with my Rogue I've had for 2 years now. It sounds pretty good. Paid about $40 for it and then another $40 for a good case , thinking I'd be getting a better mandolin but still using this one. Maybe someday.... :)
Glad to hear it, the Rogue can be great if it comes well set up and you certainly can't beat the price! Happy picking!
MandoLessons I have a Rogue that sounds horrible playing anything above the 4th fret. I think it's because the feet spacing was poorly measured. Does that sound right to you?
Sounds like the bridge placement is off. It's not glued in place so you can move it. It should be roughly where the center of the
f-holes are most narrow. Fine tune it by playing the 12th fret harmonic then play the 12th fret fretted note. The pitch should match. If the fretted note is sharp in pitch, then move the bridge slightly toward the tailpiece. If it sounds flat, move the bridge toward the fingerboard. do this on the E-string and the G-string. the height of the strings above the fingerboard also can affect the intonation. The gap between the bottom of the string and the top of the12th fret should be about 1/16"
Do you have a lesson for that song you demo'd the Mando's with? I really like it
I got my Rogue for $50 and what a great bang for the buck. It stays in tune and sounds great. Best bet for someone learning and not sure if it’s going to be a long term thing.
Rogue mandolin are pretty nice, there's nothing wrong with them at all 🤘😎
I actually prefer the sound of the cheapest one
There's something really charming about the twangy quality of the Rogue. I don't play, but how fun would it be to learn!
You don't need a trained ear to tell the most expensive instrument wins big..shitty recording notwithstanding...its like night and day.
I think so too. the others sound dull. Though maybe the cheap one has new strings.
@@wildmano1965 idk, the Kentucky sounds best to me
@@wildmano1965 Apparently I need to train my ears because the Rogue sounds almost identical to the other ones. And I don't think any of the possible differences make any one Mandolin better than the other.
That Ellis A5 is beautiful!
Thanks!
I started with the Rogue. It's not an amazing instrument, but its not bad. It was at a price point that let me attempt to learn the instrument without feeling too put out if I just didn't find it worth while. I've since upgraded to The Loar 310-F. I still like having the Rogue though, especially to take camping or similar. Less worries if it gets scratched or damaged and still able to play it.
Bradley Heichelbech
I went from a rocky top to a Loar 310F too and I love it.
Hi guys! I play guitar and I’m looking to get into mandolin. The Loar is the first that caught my eye and it seems priced as if it’s more quality than a cheap instrument while still being “beginner”. Would you recommend it? Thanks.
Owen Mason
Definitely, I love it, watch where you get it from because it had a cosmetic issue, but I sent it back and the next was perfect. Just buy new strings, the ones that come on them aren't the greatest.
JDailey thanks man!
Owen Mason
No problem👍
Thank You!😀 I Play Guitar and Have Been Intrigued By These Instruments Latley and Your Very Complete and Super Infomative Yet Gracious Knowlege Really Helped Myself and Im Sure Many Other's ' Who Arent Just Looking For 'Sound' Without Experience_ Blessings To You Friend🎼Peace and Tone To You Always🌈
This was amazingly helpful! Thank you!
Bought a rogue years ago. I got a good one and learned some dropkick Murphy's on it. 100% recommend it for a starter and goofing around.
Throwing some d'addario strings on the rogue makes a huge difference.
I wanna kno how to play that so bad.. that is so good man.. this is a great video...
Thanks! Lots of lessons on my website to get you going!
Mandolessons is best....
I have the Rogue version which I'm learning to play on. Thanks for demonstrating that it's at least ok.
I personally enjoyed listening to the Kentucky mandolin. Loved it’s rich sounding acoustics.🎵🎶🎵
I had a dream last night that I had a mandolin so here I am preparing to buy myself a mandolin.
I bought a pristine beautiful rogue mando with a high end case for 50 bucks plus tax. The action and setup is spot on, and when I strum it, it sounds like strings attatched to a big wet butcher block. Also when i play my tiny little humming bird fingers get all bunched up on the tiny fretboard. I think I'll let it go and search for an octave mando.
The mandolin is a small plucky instrument, whether the one in question is a fifty-dollar Rogue or sixty-thousand-dollar Lloyd Loar
@@herbertwells8757
Where are you shopping that you found a Lloyd Loar signed F-5 for $60,000?
They usually sell for twice that or more?
What is your go to mid-range mandolin with an acoustic/electric setup?
Glad I found you bro. I’ve been looking for some more tips and lessons here on You Tube and I can attest that the Rogue is fine for kindling but a killer of desire where learning to play the mandolin is the goal. I’m already a multi-instrumentalist (guitar and bass guitar almost 40 years on each and about 10-15 years on the banjo, ukulele and mandolin along with lesser time on drums, keys and harmonica and the Oud), so I figured out that the Rogue was going to be my learning how to work on a mandolin. I bought an Epiphone F-style and could not be happier...except I know one gets what they pay for...so now I’m looking at the $3,000-$5,000 range of mandolins but I need to get better as a player to justify the cash outlay and that’s why I’m glad I found you. BTW, I can attest to your assessments and advice here as being 100% the truth and conceptually applicable to most any instrument.
lol i bought that same 50$ mandolin paired with a ukulele 12 years ago. never changed the strings once and it still playes great.
20 year sound engineer here. Massive difference between all three. However, you make a 50 dollar mando sing brother.
The video was similar to the path I took. I started with a cheap $40 Rogue. My first one came with a small cave in it so they sent me another one. It played decent. I took it to a luthier for about $50, they fixed the bridge, nut, and some frets and it sounded much better. I played on the Rogue for about a year. I just bought a nice $2k instrument, the Eastman MD815V. Sweet sound and it sounds great.
Great job , I didn't know a mandolin sound so good, think I'll go buy one👍.
for $4500 I hope Tom calls just to chat every once in a while
My sentiments exactly.
Nice one Baron. Cool to see the pedal steel set up too! Dargby's next Wed! Maybe see you at the Sunday session?
To others: I have heard all these mandolins in person. Take my word, the Ellis sounds amazing. The recordings are great but you gotta be there.
Thanks for auditory comparison. Wowza
Got 2 of em. I need to play more . Thanks for inspiration
I had a Kentucky and learned on it for several years. Eventually it needed to be refretted and I decided it wasn't worth the expense.
I liked the 50 dollar one more than the 350 one, but the 4500 was a nicer sound than either. The 50 dollar one just had, for lack of a better description, a better flavor, than the 350 which sounded flatter or muddier than the other two. The rogue was bright and sharp and I like it.
Very interesting comparison, thanks for posting.
Love this video! I already play the violin and piano. I got a Goodwill guitar to play with a little, but it's huge and awkward after the violin. My nephew suggested the mandolin. It sounds like a good choice because I listened to several classical pieces I've played on the mandolin and I liked it
Thanks. Helpful video. Pay no attention to the haters.
Please don't stop....
The floating bridge on the $50 Rogue can be effectively seated to the soundboard by 'lapping' the feet of the bridge. To do this, remove the strings, place a piece of sandpaper rough side up on the soundboard, and repeatedly draw that bridge back and forth over the general area it seats at. To make the job of string removal and replacement easier, use a capo up by the nut(to keep the strings from flipping over the tuning pegs), and loosen the strings enough to slip the loops off the tailpiece. Then lap the bridge, and finally replace the strings. This will help improve tone and volume, and is really pretty easy.
onethumbpicker I was about to say. $150 to get the bridge fixed for a $40 Mandolin, grab some sandpaper and do it yourself
I Have the 1st.One,Rogue''.Has the sound Like The $4,500.00..In Real Life.My Friend One coast Him,$8,200.50,And We Played,and The sound is So much Alike,you Cant Tell who's Playing,If you Closed your Eye's While We Play'ed.I Paid $38.00,Played On Stage with Some Big Name's,not Say'ing Who.For 24 Year's,and This Mando Is Top's The Way It Came In The box...Wonderfull Mando*
@@fiddlesticksbessette398 I have played mandolin for a big Irish band. I play other instruments also. The mando is by far my favorite.
FiddleStick's bessette I agree. To me the Rogue sounds WAY better than the fancy 4500 one
😅 I just told him the same trick, then find your comment . Waiting on a Kentucky km 150 be here Thursday $220
3 beautiful instruments....awesome video thanks so much for sharing.....maximum respect.....
Thanks for the video.
I'm looking to buy one , but I don't want basic one .
This video helps, thanks 👍😊
I'm looking at banjolins,mandoleles etc etc on ebay,i saw some like the one you have at 45 bucks,i'm in scotland and 45 quid is the kind of number here so...........
My point as i'm watching the first few mins (3:38) you mention the bridge does not make full contact on the sound board,i do all of my own guitar repairs,and i would like a ES335 type hollow body jazz/blues type,and as you mentioned the bridge contact problem i reminded myself of a trick i learned for some other contact issue,could've been for an oil pump leak on my triumph spitfire,where you lay 400 grit wet n dry paper on thick flat glass and figure 8 sand or grind the base of the pump body flat,
using double sided tape and some wet n dry 400 grit fixed to the mando body the bridge can be pulled back and forward in 1/2" movements very straight and even to "seat " the bridge to the sound board in the proper intonated position,rather than give a luthier cash to do the same thing,as the cost would probably be more than the mandolins value and you get to hone your own luthier skills and feel good about it,unless you screw it up and make a scrap bridge,but i think the bridge is easy to replace and pretty cheap for a good lesson on how to get better tonal contact.
I want an electro-accoustic to play some led zeppelin.
john amptech good “lateral thinking” that’s how it is done by a luthier. The main emphasis has to be that you fight agains the slightest inadvertent “ rocking” of the bridge in any direction as you do the sanding. There are jigs that hold the bridge perfectly upright and steady while moving back and forth - it is easy to make such jig .
My nephew decided to steal my $600 mandolin!!! I never seen it again.! I cried like a baby. My family puts the "fun" in dysFUNctional!!! Nice playing! 💖
See the Dan Erlewine video about getting the bridge to meet the body better. Basically tape a sheet of sandpaper on the body where the bridge sits, sand the bridge on it until it matches the contour, it is easy.
Great video, and great insights!
My impression is, the more expensive it gets, the more it sounds like a guitar.
I don't get that at all
I thought that too, actually.
The cheapest one has a banjo-like quality to me... maybe I'm just dreaming.
I had the $50 dollar one and I liked it but no truss rod. It really needed an adjustment
You showed your face, so we can recognize you in public, and shout "that's the awesome mandolin player." 🤩
Just curious: do you prefer the A stylus over the F style?
If I could id give this video as many thumbs up as possible!👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻x100
Amazing how they all sound very similar. I actually like the sound of the 50 dollar one a lot.
How can i know if the mandolin i bought is ok or i have to make some adjustments? Some advice to fix a poor set up? Love your videos!
There are two lessons on setup in the Technique and Fundamentals section of my website. If it is easy and comfortable to play, and it plays in tune, there's nothing to do but play it though! Thanks for watching!
Bought a rogue A style last year for about $60 + for my son. Lowered bridge height all the way down, ajusted intonation and it stays in tune well, sounds good, and has a great loud chop. I think i got lucky with a good one. Son hasn't played it much but i have ! It's there when he's ready though.
preferred the cheapest one. it you drop it you dont begin to cry.
The Ellis was the best by far, whether it's worth the extra cost or not is up to each person
Is it possible to flip an A style mandolin lefty, like flip/swap the nut and restring it? It seems like there's not a lot of middle ground for stock leftys, either $50 Staggs or high dollar professional instruments.
Hi, thank you for the video and all your awesome job. What are the gears between the strings on the headstock ? Why do you use them ?
The sound differences don't really come through on TH-cam videos, especially listened to through computer speakers. The differences are much more obvious in person. Also, besides sound, feel is important.
I agree, the sound really doesn't come through. On the other hand, I am using a 5.1 surround sound speaker set up on my computer and I can not tell the difference between the $350 one and the $4500 one.
Really? You can't hear the fullness of tone in the Ellis? The sustain? The woody quality that you just wont hear out of a Kentucky in that price range. The treble is really thin on the Kentucky as well. Don't get me wrong, i like Kentucky a lot, but there is just no comparison.
I can barely hear a difference, and if I were doing a blind comparison I doubt I could tell you which one was more expensive.
Plus you can solo up the Ellis fret board whereas on the Kentucky is a crap shoot and forget the $50 special beyond the 8th fret. Talking fretboard warping and bridge level.
computer speakers are the problem. USB powered PC headphones will let you hear the difference
The difference is extremely apparent if you know what to listen for. You can hear each instrument's wholeness increase.
Yes, the sound is what you want to be listening to...the sound of the mandolin...
Nice vid, Baron. Love that Ellis!
This is awesome Barron! There is a difference in sound definitly. What mic are you using or pick up? Your Ellis sounds “mature” compared to the tingy sound of the other two, but the Kentucky does sound rather good too. That Ellis though is a fine instrument. Good to hear and see you again. Your mando friend, Josh
Thanks Josh! I am using the same mic I use for all my lessons, a Zoom H1. I do a little bit of volume adjustment in post production, but try to keep it as natural sounding as possible.
As much as the $50 dollar one sounded almost as good as the expensive one, just remember how much TH-cam compresses audio of uploaded videos
the sound quality of the Ellis clearly surpasses the other 2. that said I'll be considering the rogue for my first. if I play it for a few years maybe I can justify the expense of something more finely built.
If you haven't bought the Rogue yet, I suggest the KM-150. If you end up not using it, it holds its value well, and you could sell it to another beginner. It is also one that you could use once you start playing advanced.
@@salmiakki_ I appreciate your reply. I ended up with The Loar 310F that I'm mostly pretty happy with. Lovin' learnin' to play mandolin.
@@afishcalledminnewawa Nice!
I have a Fender with a flourishy top. My eye went right to it, and I couldn't let it go. It was a couple hundred dollars off. I have a lot to learn, but it feels so right in my hands, and I've finished writing two songs with it. I look forward to learning from you.
Question-do the grommets north of the nut do anything to settle down the sympathetic vibrations? I downgraded from my Ratliff A to an Eastman F only due to ease of the neck/fingerboard
The Kentucky and the Ellis sound very similar
I bought the Rogue online from Musician’s Friend and learned to play it before ever touching another brand. It arrived in good condition. Later I tried a Mandolin going for several hundred dollars at a music store (the only mandolin the store had). It was not the slightest bit superior to the Rogue in any respect that I could tell. Then I went to a shop a that specializes in folk instruments and had lots of mandolins. I tried two of their least expensive, about $600, if I remember right. They sounded and felt just a little better than the Rogue, but they looked much better. In fact I loved how they looked. If I had money to burn I would have bought one just for looks, but I don’t have money to burn. I’m a professional musician, but I don’t play the mandolin professionally and probably never will.
Yeah, I love the expensive one here with the curly maple maple parts, but if I had that much money to burn on curly maple I'd buy a handmade flintlock long rifle with a carved stock.
Nice comparison. I 'm really curious about the strap you're using on the A style mando. Would you mind telling where to get one like it? Thanks
I was in Calgary for a couple of weeks and left my mandolin at home in Ontario. I bought a Rogue at a Calgary music store to play while I was there. It wasn't great, but I strung it as a high strung (octave courses on the G and D) and had some fun playing jug band tunes. I gave it to a fiddle playing friend who thought he might like to try mandolin.