Venetian Mandolin

by LoneStar Guitars

Product Details

• ASIN: B0002MSZ12
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #147,746 in Musical Instruments (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments)

Product Description

Venitian style mandolin made by LoneStar Guitars. It features a rosewood fingerboard and bridge, rosewood and sycamore back and sides, and a solid cedar top.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Good to look at - not to play, August 18, 2004

By 

MandoPlayer2be "mandoplayer2be" (Pottstown, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Venetian Mandolin

I had one of these. From the box the action was very high and hard to play. I had a shop asjust it and change out the low grade strings. The tuners aren't that nice either. The strings fall out of tune pretty fast. For a first mandolin I would recommend the Johnson solid top or Kentucky KM140S instead.

If you just want some wall art... well, this mandolin is pretty.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not for bluegrass - good for other music though, April 30, 2005

By 

B. Maloney - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Venetian Mandolin

These instruments are not suited for bluegrass, they do a great job for other european styles though. It is well suited for Italian, Gypsy & other eastern european music. I use mine for Irish traditional & it works well. They do need a little set up, I brought down the action by sanding down the bridge, it took 5 minutes & I replaced the tuning machines which took about a 1/2 hour. This is a steal for a solid top instrument & with a little care can be a great little axe.

5.0 out of 5 stars I love this mandolin!, August 28, 2008

By 

cscaipe "CeCe" (Toledo, Ohio, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Venetian Mandolin

Lonestar Venice Mandolin: I think it depends when the mandolin was made. In the early 90's, the tuners were low quality; but from 1998 until now, the Lonestar Company, acquired by LPD International in 1998, installed new quality tuners made from a high quality alloy. Mine rarely goes out of tune. Also, I am very hard on mandolins when playing and this mandolin really takes a beating from me--haven't even broken a string in 2 years. It has a wonderful sound, not too bright, not too loud, just sounds like a beautiful mandolin. Mine was set up by a professional, Mr. Rizzotti, who owns All Things Plucked Plus Music Store on Ebay--that makes all the difference. The bridge was adjusted, Mr. Rizzotti put in a bottom peg so I could hold it with a strap, and the action is fast. Personally, the set up is everything for any mandolin. When you order one of these, make sure you get a free set-up from the seller or take it to a music store that is known for working on mandos. In my area, there are none, so I bought it from someone who knows mandos. It's a great mandolin at a great price. I have no complaints about mine. It's beautiful to look at and the sound and fast action on it is great. The finish is amazing; I have not had to polish it once, it seems to retain it's shine. I cannot say enough good things, and I am complimented when I play music with others. I play many genres and it really holds it's own. I understand these mandos are hand-made in Mexico from what I read on the web. Remember though, treat your instruments with care and respect, never let anyone else touch it, and you'll avoid many repairs.