very first mandolin

[countessk]

Hey all. I am interested in buying my first mandolin and am looking for a little advice...I would like to spend around two-hundred dollars and am hoping that you all might be able to tell me how to get the most for my money. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks ~

[olgraypat]

Since nobody else has responded, I will jump in. If you will search the archives, here you will find a lot of discussion by people in your situation. To summarize, as best as I can:
1. Buy an A style. You will get more bang for the buck.
2. Consider a used instrument--look here on the classifieds, but be very cafreful of ebay.
3. Perhaps if you can go a little higher you can afford a Mid-Missouri, which seems to be the consensus best starter instrument (quality, but no frills). You might find one used here in the classifieds.
4. If the above doesn't work, be sure to go somewhere and try oout a lot of different instruments. Get the feel for what plays well and feels well for you. There is a lot of variation in instruments in your price range.
5. Either buy from a good dealer who can set it up properly for you or go to someone who can do that--it will make a lot of difference.
6. Brands I would look at in your price range: Epiphone, Kentucky, Washburn. If it were me and I could work it out, I would buy an Ibanez A style which I played in a small shop in Asheville NC. It played like butter, and it was listed for $199. But that's no guarantee that they all would. Don't buy a Johnson.
7. If possible in your price range, you want one that's solid wood--as opposed to laminates.
8. There's a guy here named Fatt-Dad and he has a web-site and sometimes he has some for sale used in your price range. Try his web-site--somebody can give you the address if you can't find it on your own. Try the "search" option here.
9. I've probably left something important out, but that's all I can think of at the moment, pm me if you want more info about the Ibanez

[Eric F.]

Very tough price point. To get the most for your money, buy an A style. Do not be tempted by the scroll. You might try contacting Dennis at the Mandolin Store. People are raving about his service, and he recently started selling a basic A model in your price range. Good luck!

[8STRINGR]

Hello,

Kentucky A models aren't bad. It was my second mandolin, moving up from a Stard-O-Lin twenty years ago. Now, I've owned an "F" for some time. A few years ago, I bought a Kentucky A for my son who loves it. Price wise, they're pretty good in your range, maybe $100 more than what your planning on spending but that varies from place to place. I'd price around due to the fact that I've seen Kentucky Artist A's in one store for maybe $200 plus and then find the same exact model in another for almost double. I agree as well with the above posts to look into someone here on the board that would be willing to work with you. Who knows, check the "Classifieds" here and you might be surprized to what you might find. Good Luck!

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif # #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/coffee.gif

[jesseb]

I'd also recommend checking out the Kentucky's. It's funny, I have a Kentucky KM250S that I keep at work
for just noodling around and after a good set up about 1 year ago, I find it's a joy to play. Plays like butter and
really sounds great..and it's loud. Great bark and can cut
thru in a jam. Probably cause it's there all the time, but I almost like playing it over my more $$ mando that gets pampered treatment. My KY rarely gets put in a case and the older the strings get, the better it sounds. This is one instrument I will never sell.

[VictorLouis]

I've played two examples of the KM-180S, IIRC, and they seemed to be ahead of the like models from Epiphone, Fender, etc. that are all around town.