What makes a mandolin sound great? There are many elements factors include wood
used, bracing, bridge height and even strings selected. We have found that the
method in which the neck is connected to the body is a critical factor overlooked
by many mandolin buyers. All current Michael Kelly mandolins feature a dove
tail neck joint. This is the classic construction used on all of the collectable
USA made mandolins of decades ago. This design includes a large amount of contact
between the neck and the body and uses a puzzle-piece type of connectivity.
This massive neck joint is stable and allows for the best possible tone. Many
other mandolins on the market today use what is commonly called a dowel-joint
design. This lower cost construction method provides significantly less neck to
body contact and includes one or two small dowel rods that are suppose to transfer
vibration. Our experience has been that this is great inferior to a good ol'
fashion dovetail joint. In our opinion after a good quality solid spruce top
this is the second most critical element of tone. When you buy a new Michael Kelly
mandolin you get this industry best method.
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