new to the mandolin - have lots of ???

[Sugarb]

Hello I am looking to purchase a mandolin to learn on and don't know what direction to go!! There isn't a place around me that I am aware of that I could go to and see them, touch them and ask about them. A friend told me that Kentucky is the best make. When I look them up there are so many #'s such as KM-140,150,160,505 etc. what are the differences and which is best for a beginner. The F style is beutiful too how do they differ other than looks? The more I look the more makes(manufacturer) I find, is there another make I should be considering? Some say they come set up, so if I purchase a new one might I have to have something done to it before I can play it? So many questions nowhere to turn!?!?!? If anyone can help I would be forever greatful!! Thanks...

[AlanN]

This site is a marvel. Most all of your questions have been discussed here over the years. Use the search function, can't go wrong. With that said, Eastman mandolins get lots of positive chatter, check them out.

[bigbike]

I too am new to mandolins and extend a welcome. I AM NOT new to accoustic instruments, so here is my recommendations. Go with the best you can afford. Which means if you can get a solid wood instrument and not a laminate (basically a pressboard) type instrument. Now having said that almost every instrument sold new below the $300 price point is going to be laminate. Sure they have a pretty exterior, but internally they just don't hold up. The tops are what caves in under the extreme pressure of the mandolin strings.

I have an old -think 50 or so-laminate mandolin that was given to me with a caved in top. I was able to remove the top, stabilize the cave in and then put the top back on. It plays "okay" but tonally is not like a quality instrument. I also have a banjolin (about 90 years old) that is a quality instrument but because of heel problems is unplayable above the 5th fret (heel failure causes the strings to be so far off the fretboard), but once I get that fixed it will definately have a good tone to it.

If you are good with tools, glue and have time, consider one of the mandolin kits that are available for right around $100-$150. These are made of good wood, and depending on how you construct and finish it will be worth many times what you paid. The kits need to sanded and angles checked but generally are not that bad and you will have a decent instrument that can last you for your lifetime. If after building you decide you are not that interested in mandolin (blasphemy I know) you generally can get back out of it what you have in it. More than what I can say for the $200 pressboard instrument you bought mail order and try to resell on ebay for $36 plus shipping.

If you have a store or pawn shop mean you, go in and try playing or just strumming a mandolin. Try fingering a couple of chords. The action should be low and the play easy. No string buzzing.

Shop for a quality used instrument. Go to yard sales. Look over carefully before you buy. Quality instruments are not going to be cheap but are the best bargain.

[allenhopkins]

Sugarb, where are you located? What kind of music do you intend to play? What's your budget for buying a mandolin?

Answering these three questions will help immensely. If you're near a decent instrument dealer, you can try a variety of instruments and get many of your questions answered. If you want to play bluegrass, Celtic, jazz, old-time, choro, or a particular genre of music, that will help direct you toward certain types of mandolin. And obviously, if you have $250 to spend, you probably shouldn't head for a Gibson, Collings or Weber showroom, but should be looking at imported mandolins that you can afford.

With regard to your questions: Kentucky is a line of Asian-made instruments imported by Saga. They get good marks here as decent low-end to mid-range instruments. The higher the number, the higher the price and the better the quality. Some Kentuckies have an "S" suffix after the number, indicating they're made of solid wood, which is generally acoustically better than the plywood most low-end instrument are made from.

F-style mandolins are more expensive for the same quality of materials, due to the additional work involved in carving the scroll and points on the body. Most of the difference is in appearance rather than sound, though you can get a good argument going here about whether F-styles sound better or different than A-styles (the basic, oval-shaped mandolin).

Good things have been said on the Cafe about Rover instruments (another Saga import, I believe), and I've had decent personal experience with Gold Tone as well. All these brands are made in Asia, and you will find that most beginner-level mandolins are Asian imports.

As to set-up: where you buy the mandolin makes quite a difference. Big on-line and catalog retailers like Musicians' Friend don't do any adjustment of the instruments they sell; they get them shipped to their warehouse, then repackage them and ship them to you when you buy. As a result, they offer low prices, but you may have to pay to get your instrument professionally set up (bridge location, bridge height, truss rod adjustment, check of frets, nut, tailpiece etc.) when it's delivered to you. Other more specialized sellers like Elderly Instruments, Mandolin Store, etc., do set-up on the mandolin before they ship it to you. Local dealers that don't do a lot of mandolin business, like Guitar Center, also often don't try to set up the instruments they sell. Your best alternative, IMHO, is to find a nearby dealer who sells enough mandolins to have an inventory you can test-drive, and who also has a repair/set-up facility to handle needed adjustments and fixes. Such shops are worth patronizing and supporting.

Good luck! Keep the questions coming, use your internet connection to find a dealer you can visit, play as many instruments in your price range as you can, bring a mandolin-playing friend along (if you have one) for support and advice, and don't be overwhelmed by what's out there. Everyone starts somewhere, and everyone makes a few false steps along the way, but persistence and acquiring more information, will result in a wonderful outcome.

[mandroid]

Along Allen's Line, ...

No Idea of which large city with a decent music store to suggest to go to try something .

the Kalahari would be a tough place to find a mandolin store. (try Cape Town, SA ?)

but there are several dealers prominently displayed down the right side of the Home Page.
to digitally visit, email, call on the phone , etc.
getting the first one dealer set up, or at least one that the prior owner has done same,
keeps the manual effort of making the notes holding string down against the frets
a reasonable effort.

And unlike the Pharaoh's Library of Ancient Alexandria, the past threads and archives,

here,

are fully digitized , .. welcome.

:popcorn:

[Canister]

I'm new to the mandolin too. If you have to buy on-line; I bought my Kentucky from Janet Davis Music. (A supporter of the Cafe) I told them what I wanted and they did a great job of set up for me. I'm lucky to have someone to teach me. He gave rave reviews on their work. The A is cheaper than the F as I'm sure you have been reading about. My choice in the Kentucky line for a good starter would be the 505. I'm sure others have different suggestions. Good luck.

[JeffD]

Now there is a good suggestion. Check out the vendors advertising on this site, and talk with them about the different models. Can't hurt to get another perspective.

[Sugarb]

Thank you all for your helpful comments, they have been a great help!! Does anyone have an opinion on folkmusician.com as a mando retailer??

[rgray]

Check out http://www.mandozine.com/resources/buysguide/ for a one-stop shopping source of basic mandolin info.

[extramusical.com]

All the Kentucky models you mentioned have been played successfully to learn on, you double in price when going from the KM-150 to the KM-505, The KM-150 is an all solid instrument with deluxe tuners and can be delivered for around $200 the 505 is about $400 and at that price point you might want to check out the F-style MM-100-SB by Morgan Monroe for about $350

Sounds like your doing your research. Keep up the good work.

Forgot to mention the Rover RM-75 that can be had for around $350, as well, it is Rovers best selling model and is a F-style.

[Sugarb]

Hey everyone I finally made my decision!! I got a Knetucky KM-254, I ordered it from Robert at folkmusician.com. He was a great help too. Thanks so much for all the advice it was a big help. Now I just can't wait to get my hot little hands on it!!!