New member looking to buy a decent starter mandolin.

[jwk1977]

Hello everyone!! I'm obviously new on here and am looking to buy my first mandolin. Would like to spend between $150 and $250. I just got back from guitar center and almost bought a Gretsch New Yorker supreme which is all solid mahogany. I thought it sounded quite a bit better than the standard one with spruce top and laminate sides and back. I was all set to buy it but the salesman was so incompetent and unprofessional I had to walk out of the store. I'm mainly a ukulele player but want to try out a mandolin. I'm a good reliable buyer and have the same screen name on Ukulele Underground and EBay. Let me know what you have or suggest for me.

Thanks, Jason

[chasray]

If you could squeeze another $50 into your budget....

[rubydubyr]

l have the Gretsch New Yorker Deluxe 9320, very nice sound, with an electric pickup. I'm really enjoying it. If you're wanting to spend $250 or less, then the Gretsch seems to be the best bang for the buck at that price.

[JeffD]

You are not going to get a whole lot for your budget. Question: if you knew for certain you were going to love the mandolin, would you be willing to spend more money?

If that is the case, I might consider renting or borrowing from a friend, for a week or a month. See if you like it. If you absolutely love it, then you might be able to justify more money (we all spend exorbitantly on that which we love), and if you don't, well you saved at least that much.

[rubydubyr]

Personally, I don't think of my Gretsch as "not a whole lot", thank you very much. It has a beautiful tone, and is quite easy to play since it was setup professionally.

[JeffD]

Well I stepped in it now.

I played one, a Gretsch New Yorker, used, but the store set it up. I don't remember the store, maybe a Guitar Center. I do remember I liked the mandolin. I don't remember what it was going for. For a mandolin under $250 its maybe the exception that proves the rule?

[Caleb]

As long as the Gretsch plays easily and holds tune (in other words is "set up" well), it'd make a fine mandolin. I've seen some in GC and like them. The main thing is to get one that works and get busy learning to play. You'll end up with another one anyway (hang around here and you'll see) so the first one doesn't matter that much.

[roysboy]

This is without question what I'd suggest also . I think that if you could play the NEW km-150 shown in the video you'd hear the tone difference over the Gretsch immediately .

[rubydubyr]

no worries Jeff, its all good

[Mandoplumb]

I have played one all mahogany mandolin, think it was a Bean Blossom,I recommended it to a friend so I wouldn't have buy it, I already have too many mandolins. Anyway my point is OP say it sounded better to him. Better is opinion but in my limited experience with mahogany mandolins it most defiantly sounded different, if that is what he likes that is what he should start with.

[Nashville]

My first mandolin cost $25 in a pawn shop. It was some horrible, no name, Korean, tear drop shaped mandolin that should never have been made. What a waste of natural resources!

But I learned how to play basic chords, strum a few songs, pick a couple tunes. It was worth the $25. Of course, that was a full day's wages...

[JeffD]

Where my heart goes is to those beginners who purchase an obviously compromised mandolin, needing a lot of work. Those that struggle with insanely high action and horrible intonation, with super human endurance and effort, not knowing it needn't be that hard. Those that give up, and we never hear from them.

Of course it happens all the time, with guitars probably 10X as much. Still, I have been discouraged by many things in life, and given up on quite a few. Its hard.

[Northwest Steve]

I would second the Kentucky 150. I bought one before Xmas for a travel/camping mandolin. Have not played it much but is a very nice mandolin. I do not see how you could go wrong with one as a starter. I bought it from Elderly and the set-up was great and ready to go when I opened the box. I am sure the Mandolin store would be the same. Be aware most mandolins you buy that do not come from a really good shop that properly sets them up will need a set-up and will add to the price. There happens to be a used 150 in the classifieds, you might talk him into splitting the shipping??
http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/83197

[JeffD]

Jwk are you sure you want an arch top. A flat top may something to consider. Generally more mandolin for the same dollar. Does everything you want a mandolin to do. Just a thought.

[jwk1977]

Jwk are you sure you want an arch top. A flat top may something to consider. Generally more mandolin for the same dollar. Does everything you want a mandolin to do. Just a thought.

I'm not dead set on an arch top, just like the looks. Out of the 3 I've tried I liked the look and sound of the ones with archtop/f holes over one that had a larger center sound hole and I assume it was a flattop.

[allenhopkins]

Several used Kentuckies in your price range in the current Cafe´classifieds.