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Thread: Good first mandolin under 200 dollars

  1. #1

    Default Good first mandolin under 200 dollars

    Hello all newbie here,I wanna learn how to play the mandolin I think it's cool,
    I been learning guitar for the past 6 months I stink but iam haveing fun.
    And I think I will have fun with the mandolin so what's a good one
    I have a epiphone les Paul plus top pro,and I was thinking about geting
    The epiphone mandolin is this a good idea

  2. #2
    Registered User mandobassman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Good first mandolin under 200 dollars

    Not really! Epiphone has made some fine guitars over the years, but not so much with mandolins. Under $200 is a tall order if you're looking for something "good", but this one is a good place to start.
    http://www.folkmusician.com/Rover-RM...tinfo/RM%2D50/
    Folkmusician is a Cafe sponsor with a excellent reputation for customer service and a superb mandolin setup. It's a fine mandolin to start with in that price range.
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  3. #3
    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: Good first mandolin under 200 dollars

    No. Get this Kentucky KM-150 with decent shop set-up; spend the extra $50. All solid woods, decent hardware, and you'd pay $50 for a pro set-up in any case.

    Option #2 would be a Rover RM-50 which is also all solid woods, and significantly under your $200 budget. Also comes with shop set-up.

    Just because I've used links to Elderly Instruments, doesn't mean you should buy from them, though they are reputable and do set up the mandolins they sell -- something that Musician's Friend, Guitar Center et. al. don't do as a rule. Look for solid woods (not plywood), shop set-up (important!), dealer that has a favorable Cafe´track record.

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  5. #4

    Default Re: Good first mandolin under 200 dollars

    If you like vintage instruments, there are many Harmony, Stella, and Kay mandolins that are nice and sell for well under $200 on eBay. Many are solid wood.

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    Default Re: Good first mandolin under 200 dollars

    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff Mando View Post
    ... many Harmony, Stella, and Kay mandolins that are nice and sell for well under $200 ...
    Uhmm... except that quality & condition would be unknown and somewhat suspect, at least without a hands-on try-out. Fair chance that they'd need an extra hundred or two in repair and/or setup, if not an actual neck re-set.

    Personally, I'd love an asymmetrical '30s or so Kay (the inspiration for Breedlove's K body shape, I'm sure), but am prepared to do a bunch of work that I don't think the OP is looking to take on.
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    Mandolin Dreams Unlimited MysTiK PiKn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Good first mandolin under 200 dollars

    Seems I always recommend buy USED, and in the 100 ballpark. Mainly because you are thinking it's cool - and you can try it out, get some experience, and then sell it for what you paid for it.

    Then, with some experience, a year or two down the road, and more guitar experience also, and having made contact with other people in the game; make an educated decision. If you buy new, you are setting yourself up to pay depreciation - translation, you will be selling a used instrument. For a starter, keep cost down, no stress, low risk - just make sure it's playable. Take you experienced friend with you for better results. And learn how to do your own setups, if you are at all so inclined. Then you will know.
    There's a free setup book by Rob Meldrum <<<< search, for that. Also see www.frets.com.
    At 100 bucks, you will transcend the beginners stuff, and likely recover investment later, when you are ready to spend some serious money on the real thing, or something like it.
    If you REALLY WANT a new one - read Allen Hopkins post again. Shop around. It's easy and educational. Buying new might give you a better outlook on future success. So spending 2-300 maybe not so bad. Either way, it's not a huge outlay - depends how YOU see it. Do what's right for you.

    I also agree w Ed - those old things can have more problems than you can imagine - if you learn about setups, you will learn how to see and fix or estimate potential problems. It's a pretty big hobby, that can take many directions as you gather experience.

    Kijiji, ebay, craiglist - there are a million of them at $100. You want something that plays well, so you can play it without fighting it. Sound is secondary in the beginners stage. Same with guitar. But it's all fun, no matter what. Also, your ego is a detour you discover later - hahaha - that's also a lot of fun. beware the dark side. Just have fun with the whole scene. With a clear motive, you will do fine.

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  9. #7

    Default Re: Good first mandolin under 200 dollars

    If you keep your eyes open you might be able to find a Kentucky 150 used for $200. Those are hard to beat for a starter and should last you a long time.

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    Registered User Jackgaryk's Avatar
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    Default Re: Good first mandolin under 200 dollars

    Tazz...you can get a rogue mandolin from musicians friend online delivered to your door for less than 50 bucks. In the free setup e book and you tube videos by café member Rob Meldrum he actually used this rogue. I bought a couple of these when I started pickin the mandolin. after string change and setup you will have a good beginner mandolin. prices may change from time to time, just saw them on ebay for 46 bucks. another option to consider. good luck and happy pickin.

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  12. #9
    its a very very long song Jim's Avatar
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    Default Re: Good first mandolin under 200 dollars

    I would go with the Rover RM50 from a shop that does a good setup. The RM50s I've played have sounded great and played well when I finished the setup. I have a great sounding early 60s harmony but when I first got it I strung it with Martin Bluegrass strings and the top as well as Back came loose in a couple places. Tightbond (glue) and clamping was required. The tuners had to be taken apart and rebuilt too. Used is a good way to go but old Harmony, Kay and Regal are risky. An RM50 could be all the Mandolin you ever need , However, If you become a Mandolin Player you will very likely buy several more.
    Jim Richmond

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    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: Good first mandolin under 200 dollars

    1. Buying a used instrument is the way to go if you know what you're doing, or if you have an experienced and trusted friend to guide you in your purchase. If not, you can end up with a hard-to-play mandolin, and much less recourse in dealing with a private seller, or a no-warranty "as is" purchase from a dealer. If you know a good, reputable dealer, who'll stand behind the used instruments he/she sells, as well as the new ones, you're on safer ground. But, for a sub-$200 purchase where you're not likely to find a used Gibson F-5 in that price range -- and it's your first mandolin -- I'd recommend buying new -- especially since the mandolins I mentioned in Post #3 are acceptable student instruments.

    2. True, new instruments do depreciate more than used ones, their conditions being equal. But how much of a depreciation "hit" are you taking on a $200 mandolin? Fifty bucks, maybe? Now, if your budget was $2K, depreciation would be a greater concern, but in the first-mandolin market, it's pretty nominal.

    3. Agree that you can go even cheaper, like the Rogue mentioned in Post #8. But with the Kentucky or the Rover, you at least get all solid woods, which are a general improvement over the plywood Rogue. Might mean you hang on to your first mandolin a bit longer, before taking a step up into a hand-carved instrument.
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  15. #11
    fishing with my mando darrylicshon's Avatar
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    Default Re: Good first mandolin under 200 dollars

    There's nothing wrong with a $200 mandolin my first was a used ibanez A from the 70's cost $100 from a pawn shop, i got lucky it was setup great which back then i couldn't do now i can and i haven't done much to it since i bought it in 96 i still have it and it actually sounds really good. I have lots of mandos that cost from $30 up but i do tend to sell my cheaper ones alot mostly to friends i am teaching the mandolin to , but i will never sell my ibanez actually i am waiting on a oval hole from around the same period but has a different name, but was made by Ibanez, Good luck with what ever you get most important is a setup
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    Mandolin Dreams Unlimited MysTiK PiKn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Good first mandolin under 200 dollars

    If you really like epiphone, there's a relatively new F-style model - something like "mm50 e pro" which comes with a hot pickup made by Shadow (Germany), and called something like "NanoMag Quad" - it has all the electric controls built into the pick guard. But - that will cost about 5-600 new. Kinda blows the budget.
    Epi also makes mm-30 (cheapest) and mm-50, cheaper models, some '50' model had basic piezo electrics (cheap) around 2-250 used - but these are not the same as the quad pro models - google nanomag quad epiphone.

    = The Loar, LM700VS c.2013 = "The Brat"
    = G. Puglisi, "Roma" c.1907 = "Patentato" - rare archBack, canted top, oval
    = Harmony, Monterrey c.1969 = collapsed ply - parts, testing, training, firewood.


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    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Good first mandolin under 200 dollars

    Just to calibrate your expectations - a mandolin generally on average can be expected to cost about twice a guitar of comparable value. So a $200 mandolin is going to be roughly as good as a $100 guitar. There are exceptions, in both directions.

    Take a serious look at flat tops, because if you don't need that arch top sound, flatties are going to be a better made mandolin for the price. Again there are exceptions, but as a rule.

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    Loarcutus of MandoBorg DataNick's Avatar
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    Default Re: Good first mandolin under 200 dollars

    Excellent suggestions by the previous posters on this thread.

    My only comment is that isn't a "Good first mandolin under 200 dollars" a contradiction in terms?

    I would say that you could wisely acquire a serviceable mandolin for < $200 but good?

    Just thinking out loud here...and I guess that "good" is relative as well, but I personally wouldn't expect to find a good mandolin for < $200 unless someone was practically giving it away...
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    Default Re: Good first mandolin under 200 dollars

    Threads like this never cease to amaze me. Note that the OP has never chimed back in or for that matter posted anything on any thread since his first and last day of posting.

    An Epihone Les Paul plus top pro is a 500 dollar guitar. To get somewhat comparable quality the OP should be looking at mandolins in the 1000 dollar range, something like Kentucky KM 900 or an Eastman 515.

    The thing I find amazing is so many guitarists who have developed good taste in instruments then want to " branch out" for "something different" and try to cheap out on the mandolin purchase. They're worried about " spending too much" and " finding out they don't like it". Well, if one takes that attitude, one would never learn any instrument in the first place.

    It is to the credit of places like Elderly and Folkmusician that they do their best to fulfill this ridiculous market demand with something decent enough to play.but the whole notion is wrongheaded.

    As a violinist originally it was somewhat easier as the price vs quality ratio is about the same for mandolins as it is for mandolins. My first good mandolin was a Mid Missouri flattop which was fine but I moved on from it.it really gave me a good start for 300 used, with Elderly set up. But to get quality comparable to my German made small workshop violin, I eventually bought my Weber Bitterroot A. Lots of differences of course but comparable materials and craftsmanship.

    Heck, if the OP (and other bargain hunting guitarists looking to branch out) would just be willing to spend AS MUCH as he did on his guitar, well, amazingly, there are lots of good choices for 500. Eastman 305 and Kentucky 200 series instruments come to mind, as well as a couple of entry level "the Loars".
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    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Good first mandolin under 200 dollars

    Quote Originally Posted by multidon View Post
    An Epihone Les Paul plus top pro is a 500 dollar guitar. To get somewhat comparable quality the OP should be looking at mandolins in the 1000 dollar range, something like Kentucky KM 900 or an Eastman 515.
    I thought that was the case but I hesitated to say because I wasn't sure.

    The thing I find amazing is so many guitarists who have developed good taste in instruments then want to " branch out" for "something different" and try to cheap out on the mandolin purchase.".
    It seems to me the very best way to "see if you are going to like it" is to borrow or rent a mandolin for a week or a month, and just see if you like it. If you do, you will be able to justify spending more money on it, and if it turns out the mandolin is not your thing you saved a whole lot more than buying even an entry level instrument. Huge bang for your buck.

    Scrolls and points, arch tops, and even ownership itself, are expensive options that may not be necessary at first.
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    Default Re: Good first mandolin under 200 dollars

    I would also recommend the Kentucky KM-150 or KM-250 (a bit better quality). Don't be afraid of used if purchased from a reliable shop (shops that advertise here on the cafe are a good place to start).
    Jammin' south of the river
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    Default Re: Good first mandolin under 200 dollars

    You get what you pay for, nothing good is ever cheap, etc. is usually pretty good advice. But at the same time, if it hadn't been for cheap mandolins, I never would have started on the mandolin. The prices shocked me and almost made me give up before I ever began. Luckily, a $62 Kentucky on eBay was my introduction: now I play a Collings. But I can guarantee that had if not been for that cheap mandolin, I'd not be playing a great mandolin today, or any mandolin at all.
    ...

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    Mandolin Dreams Unlimited MysTiK PiKn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Good first mandolin under 200 dollars

    My first guitar was a Silvertone. It cost $35. It played really well (easy) - sound was 'nice' buy kinda quiet. Mechanically it was a great beginner. My mandolin was the most expensive instrument I ever bought - and it came from Elderly with zero setup, and I had to do all that myself. Plz don't equate Elderly w FolkMusician - FM does REAL setups - I don't know what Elderly does - search for a thread named "buzzing". What it is, I wouldn't call "pro".

    = The Loar, LM700VS c.2013 = "The Brat"
    = G. Puglisi, "Roma" c.1907 = "Patentato" - rare archBack, canted top, oval
    = Harmony, Monterrey c.1969 = collapsed ply - parts, testing, training, firewood.


    "The intellect is a boring load of crawp. Aye. Next wee chune".

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    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: Good first mandolin under 200 dollars

    Mine in 1973 was under $200 spotted while passing through , on UVT-Burlington, Bulletin board

    but inflation happens . didn't have the cash but the seller saved it for me until I could save it up working, in Boston.
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