Hello! I am looking to join the mandolin world and would like to know if the Rogue RM-100A A-Style Mandolin was a good starter. Thanks!
Hello! I am looking to join the mandolin world and would like to know if the Rogue RM-100A A-Style Mandolin was a good starter. Thanks!
In general that's a fairly robust, inexpensive mandolin. The woods are probably plywood and as such tone may not be the best. But, it will probably last forever, and one good point about that is that after you graduate to more expensive mandolins, you can use this one for making music while camping and at the beach without worrying about messing up your better mandolin. So from that standpoint this isn't a waste of money.
That said, you'll probably want to get this mandolin professionally setup. Just about any mandolin for under $1000, and even over that amount sometimes, will require a good setup before it is really playable. A professional doing this for you with your first mandolin will give you the very best chance of enjoying the instrument; without such a setup, your fingers will ache unnecessarily, as will your ears, and chances are good you'll give up because of this pain. A good setup of this mandolin will probably cost you about $100, but it will be worth it.
There is some setup work you can do yourself if you are very good with wood working tools, but I'd still recommend for your first mandolin having a complete setup done professionally.
-- Don
"Music: A minor auditory irritation occasionally characterized as pleasant."
"It is a lot more fun to make music than it is to argue about it."
2002 Gibson F-9
2016 MK LFSTB
1975 Suzuki taterbug (plus many other noisemakers)
[About how I tune my mandolins]
[Our recent arrival]
If I were an absolute beginner, I would probably start with the Kentucky KM150. And it could very well end up being all the mandolin you'll ever need. Good luck with your search.
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This is a great starter mandolin. I happen to have one that I did a set up on. It has a great sound and tone to it considering it is a laminated type A body. It has no truss rod but it has not given me any issues in the time I had it. It has a low action on it and has a good feel to it. This has a gig bag and a Levy's leather strap. I will let it go for a very affordable price. I will warn you. This instrument will get very addictive and once you play a few chop chords to the point where you are comfortable with playing chop chords, you will want to upgrade to an F body with a carved top and back. For a beginning instrument, this Rogue a body is a great choice.
I'm not so rubenesque with my praise.
If you are nearly broke, ok.
Otherwise be advised, it's barely more than junk.
I ordered one once and was disgusted with what was sent to me.
Billy Packard
Gilchrist A3, 1993
Stiver Fern, 1990
Weber Fern, 2007
Gibson F4 Hybrid #1, D. Harvey 2009
Gibson 1923 A2
Numerous wonderful guitars
I'll add my .02 and agree, if you are broke, buy one, but spend more if you can. If you are serious, get something better. Check the classifieds here and buy the first Kentucky, Eastman, or Loar that comes along. You can get a very nice starter for $300 or so. You can sell it for what you paid, or keep it as a campfire instrument if you, no, when you upgrade.
Call one of our sponsors and get informed. One actually sells a Rogue, but I doubt he'll really want to sell you one.
Silverangel A
Arches F style kit
1913 Gibson A-1
If you have a Rogue budget, get the Rogue. Learn to do the setup with Rob Meldrum's ebook. Even if you get it professionally set up, which may cost quite a bit, you should know how to do some of this yourself for future tweaks and adjustments.
Put an ad in the WANTED section of the classifieds here on the Cafe. Someone out there may have a beginner mandolin that they've been meaning to sell but never got around to it.
For wooden musical fun that doesn't involve strumming, check out:
www.busmanwhistles.com
Handcrafted pennywhistles in exotic hardwoods.
No doubt, a Rogue could launch a wonderful music journey. I have a "rogue" (with a different headstock, but same mando) set up with Meldrum's clever home hacks. It's my camping instrument--sturdy and tends to stay in tune. Its thunky sound tends to work best with rhythmic chording, and makes me think of those great blues players using inexpensive laminate guitars.
Still, I would say that if your inspiration comes from any of the American mando masters, from Bill Monroe to David Benedict, you just won't get the aural or tactile feedback from a Rouge to be very helpful. Playing melody lines, double stops, or moving past the fifth fret just doesn't work all that well on mine. I would opt for a properly set up solid wood model if possible. I've not played or even heard a modern KM-150, but the view they're a real bargain is absolutely consistent on the Cafe. And the advice to look on the used market is a good one, too.
I got one, it's the only mandolin I've ever played so I don't know any better. I'm really enjoying it. Go for it.
I started on one, and don't regret it one bit. Yeah, it has that cheap laminate sound to it, but mine arrived in playable condition, and putting on new strings helped with the tone some. Was enough for me until I decided that I was going to stick with it enough to upgrade (incrementally, my next one was a Washburn M1-SDL).
Good way to test the waters and see if you are interested. Getting a good setup will help.
Jim Richmond
Go for it. Buy the Rogue and order replacement strings at the same time (I use D'Addario J74s or Martin mandolin strings). Order picks if you don't have them. Get the free mandolin setup guide by emailing me at rob.meldrum@gmail.com and put Mandolin Set Up in the subject line. Invest in less than ten dollars worth of tools and set the mandolin up. The ebook teaches you how.
You'll end up with a serviceable, playable mandolin and you'll find out whether the mandolin bug has bitten you. :-)
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