Anyone think this would make a good starter mandolin?

[moguy4173]

I'm thinking about bidding on this. The instrument does look to be home made, but I think with a few upgrades it might be a good starter instrument. What do you all think?

http://www.shopgoodwill.com/auctions...-21681840.html

[T.D.Nydn]

Personally,I think thats pretty nasty as all get out.you get what you pay for,can't you save up a little more money and do a little better?

[pianoman89]

I dont think I would personally mess with that one...

If you want one to tinker with you might try this...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SOLID-KENTUC...item4628552a87

[houseworker]

You'd definitely need to budget for Waverly tuners and a CA bridge as your first upgrades.

[Bill Snyder]

Walk away from that mandolin. Don't look back.

[Tom Sanderson]

Walk away from that mandolin. Don't look back.

don't walk away, RUN as fast as you can.

[Paul Busman]

I don't know... it [U]does[U] with a cords sheet (sic)
Seriously, it looks like a homebuilt hack job, and there's really no way to tell if it's playable at all from the pics.
If you're truly strapped for funds but want to check out the mandolin, lots of people have had good luck with the very inexpensive Rogue A-style, available from many sources. It will no doubt need a good setup. If you're halfway handy, you can learn to do that yourself. Cafe member Rob Meldrum has written a terrific e-book which he'll send for the asking. You won't end up with a world class mandolin, but you can end up with something perfectly adequate to learn to play on.

[Tobin]

Aside from the amateur details, the action looks very high on this, due to a very shallow neck angle. Trying to start out on an instrument like this would likely end up in failure and giving up.

I love the tailpiece cover, though! Super job with the engraving pen, especially the decorative scribble at the bottom!

[JEStanek]

This is very rustic and like Paul said aboove, no way to tell if this is playable or just a mandolin shaped object. For a little more you can get a Rogue from a known dealer and have it set up and return if the action is awful. I would personally pass on this one.

Jamie

[JeffD]

If the action is very high and can't be corrected then its a non-starter. But I cant tell from the picture. If it is or can cheaply be made playable, and sounds half way mandolinny I would go for it.

Here is what you do. You get it, set it up or get it set up, play the potatoes out of it. Get real good. Get another mandolin. Keep playing and get real good. Get real real good. Get other mandolins as we all do, but don't lose that one.

When you can just kill it, when your fingers are flying, take that mandolin to a jam where they don't know you. Pull it out, and it will set their expectations real low. Then just knock it out of the park.

Fun to watch the jaws drop.

[jim simpson]

Wow!, a copy of a Gibson Lumpy! I like the grain of the flat-sawn top.

[mandobassman]

Is it just my eyes or are those points glued on? Listen to these people. You'll be wasting your money otherwise.

[almeriastrings]

If that is your first mandolin... it will probably be your last....

It is called aversion therapy.

[multidon]

It's folk art. A wall hanger. Add a base, cord, and a shade and it would make a great bedside reading lamp.

Never try to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Disappointment is a certainty.

[Pete Jenner]

Nasty.

[moguy4173]

Ok everyone.... I already have a very nice Loar LM-500 VS mandolin, so I'm not looking to get a starter mandolin for myself. I was just thinking about finding a 'beater' mandolin that I could learn how to make improvements to with (changing tuners, better bridge) and even tinkering with it to see if could make it playable. I had no grand expectations of it being a "hidden treasure". Yes, the mandolin definitely has some issues, that's easy to see. But I thought that maybe I could fix it up enough to give it to a kid or someone who can't afford an instrument.

With all that being said, the final bid for the mandolin went well over what I could afford, especially one that needs that much work.

[Paul Busman]

Consider yourself lucky

[Rob Zamites]

You spared yourself some heartache, methinks. Want a beater? Get one of these:

Rogue RM-100

For $60, add Rob Meldrum's free setup e-book, and play away!

[JeffD]

Wow folks here are hard on the poor little thing. I could detect from the pictures nothing that ruled it out sound and playability wise. I agree it ain't pretty, but, well, neither am I.

Moot point now I suppose. There are a lot more mandolins that look pretty and play or sound entirely unacceptable, than the other way, so while looks are a consideration, looks may not be the biggest consideration. IMO it is rarely a deal breaker.

While a mandolin that cannot be set up well, or is not reparable - that is a deal breaker.

[Josh Levine]

It would be a good starter mandolin if you are trying to build a fire.

[JeffD]

It would be a good starter mandolin if you are trying to build a fire.

tough crowd

[Bill Snyder]

Jeff, if for no other reason than the flatsawn top I don't think it is a good purchase. The flatsawn top is MUCH more prone to crack than a quartersawn top. Flatsawn maple or cherry or birch for backs are not as big an issue as the various conifers that are used for tops.