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Found an old thread on this topic from 2008. Unless things have changed, it is not looking good for picking up an Eastman over at their bargain basement showroom across the street from Tiannamen...

Thanks, Eastman seems like my best bet. i will see what I can find when I get there. On a different site, I was talking to some American expats in China who said, you can buy decent Chinese...

I will be there on business for at least a year. I know for a fact that there are quality mandolins to be had in China. Sadly, it is a little difficult to buy the highest quality made, because a lot...

Can I ask what you paid for it?

The Supertone you linked to says it plays okay in the first position, which I assume means it is out of tune past the fourth or fifth fret. I have another inexpensive mandolin with a similar bridge...

I like it because the wood is nice and the seller says the luthier held on to it for 30 years.

Usually a good sign.

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I have been using it for years. Great app. If you google, you can find lots midi files of fiddle tunes that will play in Band In a Box. It will save you the time of programming them yourself.

Then why does it effect the value so much? This looks like a good refinishing job to me.

Can someone explain to me what effect a refinishing job has on a mandolin's tone?

Also, I wonder what this mandolin is worth. I put a bid on it, but not an aggressive one.
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Is this a good deal? Sounds like a decent sounding instrument on youtube. The list price is much higher, though I know that can be meaningless. There is a lot of MK B stock on ebay, making me wonder...

I guess the question I should have asked was, how do you fix a crack like that without bringing it to a shop?

I like this mandolin on Ebay, and I can probably pick it up for $100. The back is cracked (see picture). Is it possible for me to repair it myself?
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I checked out this model on Youtube. I like it. What's it worth?
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With this particular mandolin, the price tag of 800,000 won was on the sticker. I am sure they would have been happy to sell it for that price to any nationality, including another red-blooded...

I am sure there are decent mandolins to be bought somewhere in Korea, but I tried one that had a price tag of 800,000 won (about $730 USD) and it couldn't hold a candle to my $150 Regal. The $40...

Just got back from Nakwon Arcade where I walked around and played a few mandolins. I heard from a friend that there are some nice Washburns to be found there that aren't too expensive, but everything...

I like the attitude of this instrument. The previous owner definitely had a distinctive personality...negative or postive I don't know. What is this worth?
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The foreigner community in Korea is tight-knit and we look out for each other by habit. We have to.

The place you want to go is Nakwon Arcade in Insadong. On the subway you want to go to Jongno-3-ga. It's two stops from Seoul Station. Get out at exit 4 or 5 -- I forget which, but its the stairs,...

The last Michael Kelly mandolin I played sounded like a guitar with mandolin strings on it -- not at all unpleasant, just not very high-and-lonesome to my ear.

If you are into ebay, you can buy a...

Interesting links, thanks. In Seoul, most of the music shops are located in one area (like 48th street in New York). There are literally hundreds of small shops in one very large building called the...

Samick is indeed the world's largest instrument manufacturer. Cort is also a huge Korean manufacturer. Both make reasonably priced middle of the line instruments. Neither of them makes a mandolin...

If you look at the pictures carefully, there are clear imperfections and inconsistencies in the wood grain that lead me to believe that it is a solid wood instrument. It looks like real maple to me....

What looks to be a solid maple mandolin from the pacific rim. Maestro is a student line owned by Gibson and manufactured no place in particular. From what I read, a lot of the proceeds from the...

15 bids and five days to go. I have a funny feeling that it plays well. Worst case scenario, it's a refinish with a new bridge, etc. I like the alligator case, which was probably borrowed off of a...