fao-cunk

[Jinder]

how is that Epi EL-OO working out? I just took delivery of an Epi F-style mandolin, so much fun for so little money!

[jefleppard]

how is that Epi EL-OO working out? I just took delivery of an Epi F-style mandolin' date=' so much fun for so little money![/quote']

 

i love it. very unique tone. snappy, even tone across all strings and quite loud for an 00. the intonation is bothering me a bit - it pull sharp around the 6th, 7th fret. the tech at the shop said little could be done as the scale is too short and there is no room to play with the saddle. he found a happy spot for me where the intonation is alright up to the fifth. i put an element in it and it sounds lovely live. i'm not a slide player, but the tone begs me to do so. it is bright, snappy and springy. i find this body size alot of fun as i am so used to the jumbo, AJ style - this is a whole new world for me. only 220cdn, as well. about 100 pounds? well worth it.

[Thermionik]

Jinder - is that F-style the one with the real scrolly headstock, and big loopy-bout, cut-away and f-holes. I think it was called an M-50? Looked a lot like the Lloyd Loar mandolins Gibson made. How does it sound, I recall it being a fun thing to play but I have never had the pleasure of playing the original F5, so I don't know how they compare.....

[Jinder]

cunk, that sounds great! I must try one out sometime. A friend of mine has a Legend L-00 and I live the size and shape. Obviously the Epi is a different prospect to a Legend, but I would be very interested to try one.

 

Nik, it is indeed! I think the model number is MM-50. It is a great instrument, I ordered it direct from Gibson and had the opportunity to A/B the MM-50 with a Gibson F5 in the showroom, and, oddly, I preferred the tone of the MM-50...which was handy, as the F5 retails at well over £10,000. The Gibson undoubtedly had a little more attention to detail applied to the finish, but both are jaw-droppingly beautiful instruments. The Epi comes with a beautiful case, too. The only significant differences I could detect were the far east manufacture and laminated (but beautifully flamed) Maple back and sides of the Epi. I have no idea how much difference laminated back and sides make to a Mandolin though!

 

In comparison, the F5 sounded full but with a muted top end and less volume than I would ideally like from a Mandolin. I'm sure this would shake out with a change of strings and some firm playing in, but the Epi was warm, bright, projecting, loud and very touch sensitive right off the rack, and mine arrived fully set up by Gibson's in-house luthier, and plays and intonates brilliantly. Happy days!

[Jerry K]

I have one of those Epiphone EL-00's. If you haven't already, replace the plastic saddle with the standard sized tusq saddle. Sand it to the same height, drops right in, slightly shorter than the slot, but who cares. It's like a completely different guitar. I added John Pierce New Medium strings and tightened up the truss rod, and it sounds way, way better than out of the box. I like it and play it quite a bit because (a) it was inexpensive and I can leave it out and not worry too much about it getting knocked down by a dog or something, ( I managed to get the setup on this guitar just right and it is probably the most playable guitar I own. Alas, the tone is nowhere near the same universe as my standard Bubinga Blues King or CJ-165 or any Gibson. Laminated back and sides and the spruce top, though solid, is probably of lower quality than a Gibson. The funky tone can work in some situations, but lately I often find myself taking out a better guitar.

 

I played it for someone recently (did not play any Gibsons side by side) and the person remarked on how nice the guitar sounded!

[Thermionik]

Jinder - funny you should comment on laminates for the sides and back. Way I figure it is your clothes and body damp them so much they don't produce much sound of their own anyway, and a good, rigid laminate should reflect the soundboard generated stuff out better too.

 

I got me a Martin D-18 clone with laminates, but a solid top. Stood it next to a real D-18 in a studio and they sounded different - on the stands..... Soon as we picked them up and played them, they sounded pretty similar. So I bought me a fifties D-18 clone from the late eighties that sounds pretty much like the original - for £10, because Hohner from the Cor-Tek factory are rubbish. Huh. We compared the two side by side, and the Hohner was so exact a copy, well..... Martin could have sued. Even down to the total bracing layout, right down to that little cloth thing on the cross-over.

 

Never knew those F5's were that dear - wow, makes the Epi look a shed-load better, and I googled MM-50 and you are right, you could pass it of as an F5 quite easily. I guess I should have bitten when the Epi was dangled in front of me, but I have too many string driven things already..... nah - only kidding!

[Red 333]

I have one of those Epiphone EL-00's. If you haven't already' date=' replace the plastic saddle with the standard sized tusq saddle. Sand it to the same height, drops right in, slightly shorter than the slot, but who cares. It's like a completely different guitar... The funky tone can work in some situations, but lately I often find myself taking out a better guitar.[/quote']

 

I replaced the saddle on mine, too. It did make a big difference. Like you, I find that the Epiphone EL00 has a funky, boxy tone. It sounds old-timey. I don't think it sounds a lot like the The Gibson versions I've played in shops, which seemed to me to have richer voices. I don't have a lot of experience with those, to say definitely, though. I will say that the Epi is fun to play. It's the perfect size for sitting with in an an armchair. It has a nice neck, good action, and is reasonably well made.

 

Red 333

[Red 333]

I have one of those Epiphone EL-00's. If you haven't already' date=' replace the plastic saddle with the standard sized tusq saddle. Sand it to the same height, drops right in, slightly shorter than the slot, but who cares. It's like a completely different guitar... The funky tone can work in some situations, but lately I often find myself taking out a better guitar.[/quote']

 

I replaced the saddle on mine, too. It did make a big difference. Like you, I find that the Epiphone EL00 has a funky, boxy tone. It sounds old-timey. I don't think it sounds a lot like the The Gibson versions I've played in shops, which seemed to me to have richer voices. I don't have a lot of experience with those, to say definitely, though. I will say that the Epi is fun to play. It's the perfect size for sitting with in an an armchair. It has a nice neck, good action, and is reasonably well made.

 

Red 333

[jefleppard]

cunk' date=' that sounds great! I must try one out sometime. A friend of mine has a Legend L-00 and I live the size and shape. Obviously the Epi is a different prospect to a Legend, but I would be very interested to try one.

 

quote']

 

often times, the epi is the bastard brother of the real gibby thing, however in the case of this particular oo (and some/most masterbilts) this one does not pale greatly in comparison. i played it side by side with a blues king and found it to stand its own for the most part. the guitar is a riot to play and does not compress under heavy strumming. i have tweaked the truss rod to eliminate buzz and added 13 guage strings. the rw fingerboard is smooth and the frets are well done. i can live with the intonation if i stick to cowboy chords. the finish is outstanding - it looks like its royalty other half. i'll just buy a pork pie hat and segue into my tom waits imitation and life will be good!

jinder, you might find such a guitar size adds a nice and different voice to your trio, much like your mandolin will.

 

jerryk and red333, i will try that. thanks! my tech said the same thing. i'll let you know how it goes.

[zombywoof]

Our local Mom & Pop store has one of those Epi F- style mandolins in with the fancy headstock and yeah, it was alot of fun to play. I will be stopping by there Friday and that one may be coming home with me.