Newbie

[Rob Uker]

Hello,
I play a few stinged instruments (guitar, bass, ukulele...)and was thinking of trying the mandolin.
Before I take the leap and buy one I was hoping to get a few questions answered and a little general advice.
1) Are there any advantages to an F style over an A style?
2) I'm hoping to stay under $200. Can I get a good mandolin in that price range? I want to avoid buying a cheapy and upgrading in 6 months.
3)The only brands being sold in my local stores are Fender and Johnson are they okay starters?
4) Are there brands I sould avoid.
5) What books do you recommend?

[Chadmills]

Why wait for replies, all those topics are already covered in discussions on the board!
When it comes to books, the best place to look is in the music style sections relating to what you like.
Best of luck with your mandolin playing.
Tom

[Chippster]

Well, if I had $300 to spend, i'd go for a used Kentucky A model. They are a lot of 'twang for the buck'. If you must go cheaper, I'd make sure it's something that you can play. By that i mean a Johnson or Fender that has a good enough setup so you're not killing your fingers. That can cost an additional $35-$75. If you decide to keep playing, you'll likely want to get something better, and keep the old one for the beach or camping. There are tons of free lessons on the 'net, and lots of encouragement from people like me, so have fun!

[arbarnhart]

Here is a thread from just a few days back:

Best mandolin under $200

You might look at some of the Fullerton Gloucester threads also, though you may have just missed the boat on that (they are being discontinued and liquidated). But I thought I had missed it and a few returns showed up at 123 and I snagged one for about $170 delivered for an all solid wood F model.

[B. T. Walker]

Here are my opinions, in order.

1) #No. #F-styles have a scroll to hang your strap on and look cool, but they cost much, much more for an incremental, almost indistinguishable improvement in tone.

2) #No. #Mandolins cost much more than guitars, so grab your wallet if you don't want an upgrade the instant Mandolin Acquisition Syndrome (MAS) strikes. #This will happen anyway, sooner or later, regardless of what you purchase.

3) #Really no. #Try Big Muddy (until recently Mid-Missouri) as a starter which will retain it's value while you wait for MAS to strike. #Check the cafe classifieds for a good used instrument, but there will probably not be one (even used) in your price range.

4) #Fender, Epiphone, Johnson, and any of the other cheapie brands should be avoided. #I say this as a Johnson owner. #Should you get one, but sure to have it set up to save your fingers and frustration level.

5) #Get a good chord book like The Gig Bag Book of Mandolin Chords, and pick an instruction book in the style of music you like. #Elderly Instruments has a huge selection.

Good luck in your decisions. #You've already made a good one deciding to learn mandolin. #And welcome to the cafe.

Actually, I own a Fender electric 8 string - the mass produced factory model made in Korea. It's not as bad as you might imagine. It's got a nice clean action, but I had to replace the bridge. I was getting some whole steps between the frets, so I raised the bridge that it came with, and it cracked under the pressure. That's fixed now, and I put some good strings on it.

It's a lot of fun to plug it into a guitar processor and get a thousand and one sounds out of it. Of course, if you have a processor, you can make an instrument sound like a million bucks no matter how poorly it might be constructed.

Still, it plays pretty well, and I'm going to keep it.

Also, I own an Epiphone Dot Studio electric guitar, and it's an absolutely wonderful instrument on so many levels.

Almost every maker has high-end and low-end instruments.

[allenhopkins]

Hey Rob U, welcome from Flea Market Music -- recognize your screen name...

Two hundred is a low limit for mandolins. The thread cited above is a good starting place. I would suggest going used, but I don't know your location, and if there are any good shops that stock, repair and set up used instruments.

The advantage of F-style mandolins is almost entirely looks. The curls and points are solid wood, and have no acoustic benefit. Having said that, I must say that mandolinists who play bluegrass almost invariably end up with an F-model.

The less expensive brands that most seem to recommend include Fullerton, JBovier, Kentucky, and the lower ranges of Big Muddy and Eastman. I would also throw Gold Tone in there. Fenders, Rovers, Johnsons etc. get mixed reviews. It's possible, apparently, to find a "good 'un" of those brands; perhaps might be a good idea to take a mandolin-playing friend along when you shop.

Enjoy! I'm on the Cafe and Flea Market almost daily, and both have a great group of posters.

[Rob Uker]

Thanks for all of the advice. I love playing all types of instruments and am sure I'm going to love the Mandolin too.
When I was a child my Mom sold my Grandfathers Gibson F style and got paid enough for it to remodel her kitchen. I sure wish that was still around.
I think I'm going to try and save some more money and buy a better quality A style.
I've always regetted buying cheap instruments to just to see if I'm into them. I'm always into them. This time I want to try to go into this a little smarted then I have in the past.
Thanks again.
Keep posting I still have alot yo learn.

Rob

[Greg H.]

I think you'd be well advised to make the drive to Staten Island (looks roughly +-2 hours) and visit Mandolin Brothers. There you'd have to chance to try out a vast selection of mandolins in your price range (not to mention all the ones you’re going to be saving for # ). Mandolins in that price range have a great deal of variability so it's always better to go and pick the one that feels/sounds best to you. (just be forewarned, there's a great probability of spending more time and money than you planned to).

[Treblemaker]

Best Cheap Mandolin I know of is from Rover.
Same company (Saga) makes both Kentucky and Rover mandolins.
The Rover's are pretty much the same as the Kentucky's but the wood is visually less impressive looking, thus the reduced cost.
These things play great for the money.

Treblemaker