Researching beginner

[Sweetpea44]

I'm just starting out and learning about mandolins. I'm teaching myself how to play guitar (starting with cords) and would love to pick up a mandolin as well. I'm just starting out, but I don't want anything "junky." I'm willing to pay more for a "good quality" mandolin, even though I'm a beginner. Do you all have any thoughts on the different brands? I've been reading about the Michael Kelly, Breedlove, Mid-Mo, Johnson, and Kentucky. Are there any you would definitely purchase, or any to stay away from? Also, what are somethings I should be looking out for when reading reviews from the makers? Should anything be a "red flag"? Any help on the topic would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

~Sweetpea44

[Jim Broyles]

Welcome sweetpea. The different types of mandolins are each best suited for different types of music due to inherent tonal characteristics. As a general rule, the oval hole (or round hole) type is a warmer , mellower instrument and is great for celtic and similar styles. Bluegrass sounds best on an F hole instrument. You can get f holes in an A (teardrop shape) style, or an F (with an ornamental scroll) style. Most grassers prefer an F style, probably because that is what Bill Monroe and most of those who came after him play or played.
What type of music do you want to play and what is your budget?
You can learn a lot by searching this forum. Try 'beginner' or one of the manufacturers as a keyword. There are a lot of threads on this topic, and opinions run the gamut as well.
If you can't find what you want in a search, a red flag would be the word "select" in a mandolin's wood description. It usually means plywood.

[John Flynn]

Depends on what you want to play and what you want to pay. A few basics:

A-style (non-scroll) mandos are generally a better deal in that price range.

Oval holes, especially flat-tops are better for old-time, folk music and just learning to play. Nothing wrong with that, but probably not the best for bluegrass.

If you hanker to play bluegrass, go with an arch-top with F-holes.

Save some money for a good professional setup by an experienced mando luthier. It's worth it, no matter what you buy.

Brands you mentioned, strictly MHO:

Michael Kelly - OK for the money. Nice looking. Play OK. Most sound a little dead to me, although I have heard they improve with setups and playing time, yadda, yadda. I would pass.

Breedlove - Nice mandolins, a little weighted to the treble side. Play great. Non-traditional styling, if you are OK with that sort of thing. I would be happy to own one.

Mid-Mo - Great value for the money in an oval flat-top. Company is out of business, but might be back in business, we don't know. I would be happy to own one.

Johnson - No opinion. Not interested in the least.

Kentucky - I have played some great ones and some just OK ones. I know some good players who play out with them. I think the 380S with a good setup is good buy.

Also consider, based on your tastes and budget: Rigel (used if you can find one) and Eastman.

[mandroid]

I have a Martin Backpacker mandolin, I rather like it. theyre well made.
I keep waffling in getting the steel string backpacker guitar to go with it ,
as a go with you anywhere combination.. real bulkiness savings is of course in
the guitar version.

[anchorman86]

There are some good deals on the Rover RM-75 on EBay right now, which is an all-solid F-style from the same company that makes Kentuckys. With a good setup they sound incredible for the price range.

[otterly2k]

Sweetpea- if you can give a sense of the price range you can manage, it would help provide recommendations.

Another general tip-- if at all possible, find places where you can get your hands on some instruments and play them. There are some great starter mandos out there at reasonable prices... but you might not know which ones they are just by the brand and model number. There can be a lot of variability from instrument to instrument. I think this is especially true of the mass produced mandos like Kentucky, and Kelly. So this makes buying a entry level mando from a distance (e.g. online ordering) a bit of a gamble.

It's a little less of a gamble if you are working with a known retailer (there are some great ones who advertise here and/or who participate on this site) ... many will include setup (making sure the intonation is right, action is good, bridge and nut set up properly, etc.), and many will play them for you and let you know which one they think is the best sounding.

The Classified ads here are a great source of used instruments from members of this community. Of course, there is always some risk in doing business this way. However, most people here (when there have been threads on this topic) have said that their experiences with the Classifieds have been overwhelmingly positive (mine have). Good communication is key.

[steelarts]

Just sticking in my two-penny worth. I made the mistake in the beginning of buying a cheap mandolin 'just to see if I liked it'. Well I did and the thing fell to bits after 3 months. Moral of the story.....buy cheap, pay twice! If you can afford it go for a better instrument and you'll be happy you did. I just upgraded from an Ozark to a second-hand Eastman 615. What a piece of kit! It walks all over my old instrument. It was around 3 months old so it had a few playing marks on it but apart from that I got an excellent mandolin for nearly £200 cheaper than the new price. So it pays to shop around.

My opinion on 'back packers' (fwiw) is that's where they should stay...in the backpack! Firstly, a mandolin is small enough to carry anyway, so what the hell is the point? And secondly, I heard one of the Martin back-packer guitars at a folk club recently. The guy playing it was a fabulous guitarist but no matter how well he played it still sounded like s***.

all the best
Steelarts

[Sweetpea44]

Thanks for all the advice! To answer a question, I was thinking of going up to $500 on my first mandolin. I don't want something that will fall apart on me, or something that I might "out grow" quickly. Is that a good estimate or something reasonable to consider?

My Mom has an old (very old) Raffaele Calace mandolin that was my great-grandmother's. It's not in playable condition (missing strings, incorrect action, cracks, etc) and I had some local shops look at it. It has the oval hole and round back, but basically just nice to look at.

When I go into a store, should I ask if they will include setup (making sure the intonation is right, action is good, bridge and nut set up properly, etc.), or is that usually understood when taking a product off the shelf? And, with that in mind, am I correct to assume that getting a mandolin from a smaller local store is better than a large music chain where the workers may not even know how to play a mandolin? Thanks again for all the advice!

~Sweetpea44

[mandroid]

FWIW, If You drive a car everywhere , a mandolin is small, if you are packing the bicycle with camping gear and spending a few months traveling with a full sized mandolin in a wooden hardshell case , for protection , one has a different sense of Big/Small.

on the home front has me favoring the Pegasus case and its full sized contents..

[otterly2k]

'pea-
At that price point, I don't think you can do better than a used Mid-Mo, unless your interest is purely bluegrass. In which case, look for a good Kentucky A with solid woods, or perhaps a lower end Eastman. Still, no matter what, it's a good idea to play some in person. You may stumble on a great sounding factory made instrument of a different brand... they do exist, it's just inconsistent. And no, don't assume that setup is part of the sale when you go into a store...definintely ask, and see if they'll "throw it in". If you have access to a locally owned acoustic instruments store, by all means, go there and not to a chain store that is mostly about electric guitars and sound gear.