My First Mandolin....

[Phillip.Poucher]

Been wanting to learn for a while but could not stomach buying a cheapo 50$ mando....so i held out and ran across this Alvarez. i dont think i got hurt i only paid $80 for it...any information would be nice about it. have no clue what i have...i own an alvarez guitar so i was sure it was at least a decent beginner instrument. from what i can see is it has one ding and is missing the pickguard...12700412700512700612700712700412700512 7006127007

[GKWilson]

Welcome to our world.

[Kowboy]

Congratulations on your new journey. The missing pickguard is probably by no mistake. Many players will remove them. They get in the way of some pickers style of playing. I know that I remove them..

[Kevin Briggs]

Congrats on the Alvarez:

I still remember the A style I had years ago. It was my third mandolin. Here was my progression:

1. No name
2. Stella
3. Alvarez
5. Morgan Monroe
6. Breedlove OF
7. Weber Bitterroot (maple/gold)
8. Pomeroy Two-Point
9. Weber Fern (custom)
10. Kentucky A900
11. Breedlove OF
12. Rigel A+
13. Morris A5

Wow. That's crazy. I generally own one at a time, so it's been a lot of swapping. Regrets? I didn't need the Morgan Monroe after buying the Alvarez. The Alvarez was better and half the cost. I shouldn't have sold the Fern, but I really needed the money. The Morris is by far the best bang for the buck out of the entire list.

[Ron McMillan]

Welcome. People will quickly tell you (and rightly so) that you should be most worried about set-up. A well set-up instrument will be more fun to play, easier to play, and less likely to be given up on. You might be lucky, and it is already in a decent state of set-up, but if string height or intonation are at fault, it'll need some tweaking for you to get the best out of it. Despite what some people seem to think, setting up a mandolin isn't rocket science, and if you do some reading around the forum you'll find out the basics.

[Kevin Briggs]

Yes, I wholeheartedly agree that the setup is essential. I have tried doing them with some success, but I at times needed a guide and didn't have one. Overall, there are a lot of things to tweak in the set up, and unless you know how to address them all you won't get the full effect.

Also, I want to warn you about Mandolin Acquisition Syndrome (MAS). This is an affliction we all have/get while we pursue the instrument(s) and musical styles we love. If you start obsessing over different or more expensive instruments, it's completely normal. It's kind of like buying a car. Every time I do I think it's cool, but I almost immediately start thinking about how long I will have it, what my next one will be like, etc. There's also the affordability factor. I can't afford a fancy sports car or big SUV with all of the Limited Edition upgrades. I prefer something fuel efficient, reasonably visually appealing, unique if possible, that doesn't need a lot of maintenance. So, I play A styles with few adornments from good builders. That's my style, at least for right now, lol.

The bottom line is, spend some time on your Alvarez. Play the heck out of it. Experiment with different strings and picks. Play it with a bunch of players who play different instruments. Have some intense practice sessions on it. Know it up and down to see what you like and don't like about it. You may love it and never move on. Or, it may lead you to what you specifically want. I will say that you probably won't find a better build in the $300-$600 range. So, don't screw around with other imports unless something knocks you out. I traded my Alvarez in for a Morgan Monroe that was twice the price and it was an inferior mandolin. I should have stuck with the Alvarez. The first time I experienced a dramatic difference in quality was when I went from the Morgan Monroe to a Breedlove. It was a different world of quality, as was the difference between my Breedlove and my Weber Fern. Unfortunately, you usually have to pay a bit for significant upgrades. So, enjoy picking on your Alvarez and save some loot for when you might get MAS!

[Denny Gies]

Well, you're in it now. Be ready for a lot of fun, frustration, sore fingers, frustration, joy,,,,,did I mention frustration? Remember, it is all good and have a lot of fun.