Mando Question

...some of the Eastmans I have tried (not recently though) had very narrow nut and string spacings - this may be a good thing or a bad thing depending on what Mr WV likes.

Keith

After a lot of research, about six months ago, I took a chance and bought the £750 Jimmy Moon mandolin from youtube for £350 - it was new, not a scratch on it. I hadn't tried it first and went on the fact that his reputation for guitars is excellent. I'd recommend one. I was worried that it may have that harshness that mandolins sometimes have but it didn't. I played the E string at the third fret and this wonderful tone came out.

All a matter of taste and the usual recommendation of 'try it first' is the best I've heard - and makes sense.

I got into a conversation with the Scottish mandolinist Dagger Gordon when I was looking to buy his book and he told me a story of having an old Gibson (the holy grail) and of never really bonding with it - even though the reputation was there. He went to the Acoustic Music Company in Brighton and tried their top of the range mandolins -  and bought a Collings entry level mandolin (expensive, but not as expensive as some) that he thought was the best one in the shop - even though it was not the most expensive.

I hesitate spending money on musical instruments as the disappointment is great if you make a bad decision - pleased with the Jimmy Moon though.

Hope it helps
Martin 

I haven't played any Eastmans, but I used to see a lot of discussion about them when I was a regular on the Mandolin Cafe forum. General opinion seemed to be that the quality was good for the price. It might be worth keeping in mind that Eastman mandolins tend to be arch tops, in the style of American bluegrass instruments, whereas the British handmade mandos in the same price range are usually (more or less) flat tops. Carved top mandolins tend to be more expensive, which might be why there is a perception that Eastmans are lower quality than similarly-priced hand-made flat tops.

Personally, I'd think of it more in terms of the sound. In my experience, flat tops tend to sound a bit fuller, but often without the bell-like trebles that a good arch top will have. Arch tops will often have a punchier sound (one of the reasons why bluegrass players tend to like them).

Thanks everyone for the info. He has decided he doesn't want to pay more than £3-400 and does want an arched one for bluegrass. He's ok with the narrow nut so if a used Eastman comes up he may go for it.

I think I'd prefer the Ashbury or used Moon/Fylde for myself, but I'll stick to learning how to play the tenor guitar for now so a mando for me will be quite a ways off.