First mandolin for a beginner

[Celt of the wood]

Hi everyone,

I've been reading for awhile and have finally decided to post. I've been talking with a friend that plays mandolin about what would be a good first mandolin. I've been looking at a few, Washburn has a nice beginners kit, and I also really like the Epiphone MM20/30 A style. My friend has given me some great recommendations, but I'm just looking for a some additional opinions before I take the plunge and buy.
Update - my budget is 500$ or less to get started. Thanks for all the replies so far

Thank you.
Celt of the Wood

[8ch(pl)]

I would recommend a used Mid Missouri (now called Big Muddy). These are well made, playable and fine sounding mandolins. If you need to sell it to upgrade or because mandolin hasn't worked out, you can recover your money.

[JEStanek]

What's your budget? 100, 200, 400, 600? #This impacts what I might recommend. #For ~200 I would recomend you get a Kentucky Km140S (solid top only)or KM150S (all solid) from a dealer like Elderly (a Café sponsor). #Those are good starter instruments and Elderly will set it up right so you can learn on it. #Also with a limited budget, you'll do better getting a mandolin that is playable and intonates correctly to start on. #Worry about what is "correct" for a genre later. #Learning comes first.

If you have ~400-800 to spend, I would recommend the used Mid Mo or even new if you have more money and really dig the mandolin. #Bucks County Folk Music in New Briton sells Big Muddy instruments so you could at leat try one there first. #They are good people. #I would also recommend a used Eastman A style from the Café classifieds - preferably an oval hole model (those end in 4, 504, 604, 804... the Fstyle models (514, 614, 814 etc) are nice but the scroll is just added price and looks that you'll need to balance out. #Their F hole A styles are also affordable used and are good instruments.

I can't comment on the models you've listed as I've never played them.

If you have over 1000 to put into it, I would recommend you visit Fred Oster's Vintage Instruments in Philly to try the Gibson ovals from the teens or the Martin flat top instruments (very different sounds but both will cover most of the stuff you've listed as being interested in) to feel those out as well. #At the very least, you can have fun trying out some vintage instruments.

Happy hunting.
Jamie

[bluesman]

Don't go with Rouge unless there is no other option--

IMO

[Dalton Maples]

Don't forget J. Bovier. Great mandolin at a reasonable price! They also have some nice A 4 and A5's in the price range you are looking.

Dalton

[Michael H Geimer]

Another vote for the Mid-Missouri / Big-Muddy mandolins. Great quality and sound without being too expensive. As well, they are desirable, so when it comes time to move up, they are fairly easy to sell.

Darling Wife has discovered just how easy it is to pick up a mandolin during her work day and play a quick tune. The Mid-mo M-0 is her chosen office axe (I took it to the office as well for several years).

- MG

[Eric F.]

You can buy the Epi or Washburn and learn just fine on it. You will likely outgrow it before too long, however. You will start to long for something made better, something more organic feeling, something that sounds - you know - good. So, I'll repeat the advice to buy a Big Muddy. They are well made, solid, fine-sounding instruments at a reasonable price.

I base this on having owned a bunch of mandolins and having played a lot more. I have a couple of instruments that cost much more than my Big Muddy M-4, but I still get a lot of pleasure from playing it.

[recon]

I've had a good experience with my Eastman. There are several in the classifieds that are near your price range NFI. There have also been some positive comments about the Kentucky 170 series on this message board. I think those are well under your $500 target. Good Luck.

[Mike Herlihy]

IMHO, the Weber Sweet Pea. Great little instrument to carry. If you stick with it (like I did), you have a great travel instrument.

[earthsave]

I would recommend a used Mid Missouri (now called Big Muddy). #These are well made, playable and fine sounding mandolins. #If you need to sell it to upgrade or because mandolin hasn't worked out, you can recover your money.

Ditto

[mdmaynard]

Been lurking for a long time, just registered today.

My first Mandolin was a fender FM-53, I loved it and it worked for me. Our house was robbed shortly have we lost our daughter to sids and they stole the Mandolin.

I did without a Mandolin for several years and then last year my children bought me a rogue "A" style. I played it for their sake but it is horrible. The tuners slip so it never stays in tune, the e string breaks about every 3rd time you change strings.

This week I found a Kentucky KM-675 for 500.00 on MandolinCafe classifieds and I am looking forward to receiving it this week.

My advice for what it is worth, save the money invest in a nicer beginner mandolin. Had the rogue been my first mandolin I would never had stuck with it and would have lost interest.

I feel weird giving such advice as I am just a noobie myself. never got past learning 2 finger chords - but I hope to change that with the kentucky.

[mandroid]

I too, you, being a Celtophile, sense you would be better served by a simple but well made flattop like the Big Muddy/ Mid Mo, than a shiny looking but not as well made pac rim archtop.

[John L]

If your friend has some experience and is willing to help, you will get more bang for your buck by buying used. If you buy right, you should be able to recoup your investment to move up once full-blown MAS kicks in (and it will).

[allenhopkins]

A bit of a long shot: Elderly Instruments has six Flatiron "pancake" mandolins for sale currently, ranging in price from $300 to $900. #The cheaper ones need work -- cracks to repair, etc. -- and you as a starter-outer may not want to inherit someone else's problems, and have to find a repair person who may add one or two hundred dollars to the price to put them into real good shape. #But these are fine little instruments, good for Celtic and old-time, and not to be sneezed at for bluegrass; all solid woods, made in darkest Montana back in the day. #I think these little "Gibson Army-Navy" clones are some of the neatest mid-price mandolins made in the last few decades, IMHO. #If you get a good 'un, it'll be not only a starter, but a keeper.

Here's a link to their "Vintage Instruments/Mandolin Family" page with the array of "pancakes."

[JEStanek]

Another item to consider in the sub $400 area for a handmade flat top is one of Thomas Flood's Floodtone (a review by a pleased owner is in this thread).

His info from the builders database

I've not played one but they look good and he's had several different models for sale on the classifieds over the past year or so.

Jamie

[carpenter]

There is a Kentucky 505 on the classified for 350. I own one of these and it is a fantastic mandolin. 350 is a very good buy.

Jim

[mandroid]

If you start out with a pick of the litter decent one ,
my picking buddy started out on a Lone Star,
[seen on the eye candy page]
a flat top , required a setup,
the bridge was way up there, so plenty of height to cut down..

[kartiksrinivas]

Hi all,

I have basically the same question as above - I'm looking for a beginner mandolin. All the above advice is helpful, but there are a few local instruments I've tried out I was hoping to get some feedback on - if any of you have tried these, have any general comments or know how they last in the long term.

Savannah (Johnson) SA-110 (http://www.instrumentalley.com/Produ...A-110&click=35)
Fender 52E / 53S (http://www.activemusician.com/item--EM.095-5205-032)

I've seen the former for ~$70-80, but have heard that it might actually be decent, more than what the price would suggest. I've played one briefly and it sounded alright, but I'm wondering if it has other problems I might not have seen - I've heard cheap mandolins can warp after a short time.

I'd like to try one out before buying (i.e., avoid online sight-unseen purchases), hence asking about the two above. I'm happy to get a learning instrument, then upgrade later on.

Thanks, everyone.

[drjuliushibbert]

I am also a newbie. I received an "F" style rogue for Christmas. I have played it every single day since then. While I recognize its limitations, I have not had any problems with keeping it in tune. I did have it set up locally and put new strings on it after reading this forum. Its been a great 1st mandolin for me to allow me to know if this is something I really want to continue - needless to say I am addicted now and I'm in the process of shopping for my first "real" mandolin. I plan on keeping the rogue for beach purposes. If you aren't sure that you will stick with this, in my experience the rogue was just fine.

[Bill Snyder]

kartiksrinivas,
My first mandolin was a Johnson, I think it was the MA100, basically the same thing you are looking at but with f holes. They both are all laminate instruments(basically plywood). I did some set-up work on it and it played fine. The tone was never going to impress anyone but it was very playable. I had it for five years although I did not play it much after I built my first mandolin. It was in just about as good condition when I gave it away as it was when I got it. So if you do not want to spend over $100 I would say a Johnson is not a bad choice. I think if you can save a bit more and get a solid topped Kentucky (maybe a used one) you will likely get something that sounds better.

[ApK]

Yes, the Rogues seem to be variable, but usually seem just good enough to see if you like mandolin, and addict you if you do (as someone else said, 'a gateway instrument.')
I got the 'A' when it was on sale for $30, and I just felt like I couldn't NOT try a mando at that price. It was playable and fun, it stayed in tune, with tone and intonation just bad enough make me quickly want a (slightly) better mandolin. I passed the Rogue on to my BIL who as far as I know is still having fun with it.
It seems that, unlike guitars, which have a flat spectrum from cheap to expensive with all levels of quality, mandos jump from 'too cheap' to 'very expensive' with not much in the middle ground (by my standard of 'expensive' any way).
You either take a hit or miss chance on something under $100 or spend >$300 several hundred for the beginning of unqualified 'good.'
The Kentuckys seem to be all I hear about here (since the Fullerton's disappeared) that people seem to consistantly approve of in the $100-$300 range.

ApK

[GVD]

I would recommend a used Mid Missouri (now called Big Muddy). #These are well made, playable and fine sounding mandolins. #If you need to sell it to upgrade or because mandolin hasn't worked out, you can recover your money.

As others have said you can't go wrong with a Mid Mo/Big Muddy. IMO nothing else even comes close in your price range.

GVD

[David Newton]

Shameless self promotion, but you wouldn't go wrong with this one.

[Steve Cat]

[QUOTE]

Try to find the mini-mo or equivalent big muddy. Bolt on neck and shallower and cheaper and oddly louder.

[kartiksrinivas]

Thanks for the advice & thoughts, everyone. Appreciate it.