Just about to buy a mandolin (first time)

[Epiphany]

I recently got interested in learning to play the Mandolin. One of the first things I noticed was the many styles and varieties they come in. My question is if I was looking to use it for Classical songs and possible Rock, which type should I get?

Thanks in advance.

[Jim Broyles]

If you can try several mandolins of varying styles, you should be able to pick the one you like for its feel and sound. Generally, f holes are for bluegrass, round/oval holes are for other styles, but it is subject to taste. The fancy stuff like scrolls and points add anywhere from nothing at all to extremely little to the sound of a mandolin.

[mandroid]

Nice archtop A styles that have the neck joining the body at the octave or more , 12th or 14th fret are usually with F holes , the easy access to playing chords up the neck benefits playability.
if I had to cut down to one, an A5 type would be my pick .. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[mythicfish]

Two schools of thought:
1. Buy the cheapest one possible. Little lost if you lose interest.
2. Buy the most expensive one you can afford. High resale value if you lose interest.
If you don't lose interest, you will - eventually - know which instrument is right for your style of playing. Despite the well meaning recommendations of the Mandolin Cafe Community (AKA "Perfect" Strangers) this decision can (and perhaps should) take a few years.

Enjoy the ride
Curt

[mandolooter]

Hey Will, where ya at? It might be a good idea to see what the players in your area recommend store wise. Some places just have a mando or two on the wall and dont know a thing about em and some stores really cater to the mandolin crowd and have experienced and knowledgeable sale folks to help ya with your decision. Even with no experience having a few different mandolins from cheap to a good reasonable priced and properly setup mid level mandolin in your hands to strum a bit could help ya a lot with your decision.

Two schools of thought:
1. Buy the cheapest one possible. Little lost if you lose interest.
2. Buy the most expensive one you can afford. High resale value if you lose interest.
Im not sure either of these 2 options is ideal. The cheapest one will probably be poorly set up to play and could have a multitude of problems a newbie wouldn't even realize existed, while the most expensive ya can afford could very well be a top of the line premier brand pushing $25,000.000, that, while out of this world nice might actually be more mando than you'll ever need for a lifetime of picking. Their are lots of mandos out there with lots of different sounds and the one that captures your ear as "perfect" might be another fellows "dud". Im sure you'll get plenty of advice...weigh it all out and find some mandolins locally to get some hands on time and the decision will be easier. Everyone here dreams of having the perfect mandolin and lots of us started right where your at!
This I totally agree on...


Enjoy the ride

[Jon Hall]

What's your budget? If you're playing rock I assume you want a pickup?

[gnelson651]

Classical and Rock seem like too different extremes and worlds apart.

For classical, I like an A style oval hole. For the purist, a bowlback #is usually desired. However, this would be too weak sounding for Rock.

For Rock, an electric mandolin would probably be best, something you can amp. Mandobird IV comes to mind which is a four string emando.

To combine both, then a compromise of an acoustic/electric f-hole. But there is a sacrifice in that most acoustic/electrics seem weak either acoustically or electrically.

The other avenue would be an F-hole acoustic that is miked when playing Rock.

[mrmando]

Get a Rigel! Ideal for rock with a hot piezo pickup, but unplugged it's not a bad choice for classical.

[Soupy1957]

What everyone is saying is: it depends on your taste and what you want to do with it....

My advice: There aren't THAT many Dobro players at the local "Jams"....why not be different?!
-Soupy1957

P.S.: In the last 10 years, Mando players are becoming as much "a dime a dozen" as "guitar players have been, since Woodstock.