Can't say I've heard of the "tube" mandolin, but the Germans have come up with some amazing (and amusing) designs. It strikes me how different one instrument can sound in two sets of hands. I'm a fan of Guild guitars right across the board, but I'm listening carefully to the points made by folks in this thread. One phenomenon not talked about much is how sometimes a guitar sounds wonderful to the player (because of it's resonance against your body,) but may not cut it to someone standing 10 feet away. I've always tried to get someone who plays in a similar style to myself to test an instrument that I've been thinking of purchasing. It's amazing how different they sound from a different vantage point. From my experience the ones that consistantly project are Martins and Yamahas. Wonder if they're braced the same?