Applause MAE148 Roundback Acoustic/Electric Mandolin  

Comments about Applause MAE148 Roundback Acoustic/Electric Mandolin:

I've had mine for 8 years now. Here's the gig: the design of these does put a heavy string tension on the bridge and, after 5 years, the bridge did start lifting. My tech fixed and reset it, he had to pull it off altogether and reanchor it. It turns out the soundboard on the applause is solid spruce, not laminate, probably the same as the production Ovation. Pros: great, unique sound, acoustic grows on you, electric needs some EQ tweeking to get good sound, thinner neck than trad mandolin, fun to play and looks great, of course, the helicopter plastic back is tough as nails. Cons: factory set up isn't great, tuners are okay but not the best, and some bridge/nut adjustment will improve playability a lot. In all - a great deal but get it set up professionally. It will play much better. For the price - a great deal.

Comments about Applause MAE148 Roundback Acoustic/Electric Mandolin:

I ordered this instrument for my husband as a gift for our 40th Anniversary. He has not put it down since it arrived. He stated the mandoli n was in pristine shape and arrived within a few days of ordering. He was impressed with the sound and tone as opposed to the other mandolins he owns. He further stated that the quality and workmanship was excellent. He like it so well that I ordered him the Applause Acoustic-Electric Guitar. Now he has to decide which he wants to play first. You can bet that Music 123 will continue to receive my business in the future.

Comments about Applause MAE148 Roundback Acoustic/Electric Mandolin:

I shopped and researched the internet for 6 months before I bought this Applause mandolin. Both the ovation and applause are similar. I have been playing mandolin from mid 70>s and have owned many acoustic and electric mandolins(Gibson, Martin, Fender, and many others and this one totally blows them away. Why? The ovation sound system. Loud, throaty, and much, much, more! Look into this one! You will not be disappointed!

Comments about Applause MAE148 Roundback Acoustic/Electric Mandolin:

I have been teaching myself to play mandolin for the past year now. This is the 3rd one I have purchased. I absolutely love the sound quality I get with my applause both plugged in and acoustic. I have been plugging it into a small fender can amp they work wonderful together. The neck is a little bit narrower and was hard to get use to at first. I love the look and I love the feel. I let my niece try out mine she went home and ordered her own.

Comments about Applause MAE148 Roundback Acoustic/Electric Mandolin:

This mandolin is easy to play, has great sound, and I love having it be acoustic/electric, so I can play it under any conditions. I have had an Ovation 12-string guitar before and loved it, so when it came to a mandolin, I went to Ovation first. The price is right, the instrument is virtually indestructible, and it is just plain fun.

Comments about Applause MAE148 Roundback Acoustic/Electric Mandolin:

Just recieved it, drop shipped from the manufacturer(it took 3 business days). It's heavier than my A style mandolin, and the set up is good. The neck is just a smidgen narrower than I'm used to, but not that much. Overall quality is good, however there is a small flaw where the fingerboard meets the nut. Sound is very good and very adjustable for both tone and volume. I'm playing mine through an acoustic amp and I like the sound reproduction a lot. Make no mistake however, this does not sound like a traditional A or F style mandolin. I'm going to use mine in a band and I wanted the miniature guitar/mandolin sound. If you are looking for a more traditional mandolin sound, this is not the place to look. All in all I like it a lot, it fits the niche for what I'm doing.