NMD: Breedlove Premier OF Mandolin

Yesterday, just one day after NGD, it was New Mandolin Day. The Breedlove Premier OF mandolin I'd ordered on trade arrived via FedEx, after an interminable week and a half without a mandolin in the house.

I unpacked it, tuned it up, played a chord - and I'm pretty sure I heard a choir of angels sing. Okay, that's a slight exaggeration, but it sounded *fantastic*. I played some chords, scales, arpeggios, and tunes, and continued to be very impressed. It's a clear upgrade over the Eastman, and by far the best-sounding mando I've ever played.

That actually isn't saying much, as I've played very few good-quality mandolins. The problem is finding a music store that actually stocks an inventory of decent instruments. Guitar Center and guitar and band instrument-oriented music stores usually have a few mandos on the wall - but they're usually cheap instruments that are poorly set up.

I've just recently found a music store in Reading that sells and services good-quality acoustic instruments (guitars, mandolins, fiddles,etc.) To get a *great* selection of mandolin inventory, I'd have to go to Mandolin Brothers in Staten Island. That would be a cool trip, and maybe I'll get there one day - but it would be a full day trip, and I just haven't had the time.

The other alternative, which is what I've used, is online. The Mandolin Store is widely regarded as very reputable, and that's my experience. They'll ship you anything you want, and they accept returns or trades. Yes, of course it's better to actually play an instrument before buying. But I've done plenty of research before ordering, and it's worked out.

Back to my Breedlove. I've had it for a day now, and I'm *extremely* pleased. I already mentioned that I love how it sounds, which was my hope. A pleasant surprise is that I also find it easier to play than the Eastman - some passages that I sometimes struggled with on the Eastman, I'm finding that I can play much more cleanly. The Eastman has a 1 3/32" nut, which I think is standard, and I never regarded it as too narrow. The Breedlove has a slightly wider 1 3/16" nut, and I notice the difference in a good way.

I'm happy, and I think this is a keeper. Though Darling Wife shakes her head and says, "You always love an instrument when you first get it." And she's right, only time will tell. But my only desire now is to play the instruments I have.