Newbie to Mandolin

[MajorMando]

Hi everyone! I've been scouring threads and threads trying to figure out which model I should go with as my first Mando. I'm on a budget of around $200 absolute max $250. I posted a WTB ad in the classifieds. However, I was wondering what people thought about the Savannah sf-100 package on Janet Davis Music for around $240 shipped? Is it a decent starter Mando that I can grow a little bit with before the inevitable upgrade? I also play guitar so I have had my experience with less than stellar entry level instruments. Just poking in to see everyones thoughts on the sf-100 and if you have any other suggesttions. Thanks! :grin:

[Crabgrass]

Hi and welcome to the Cafe! I just went through it all a couple of months ago; my first mando on an even more limited budget. Thanks to the Cafe, I was able to make a good decision on a mando that's just fine for learning and that I'm happy with for now.

The Savannahs don't seem to get very good reviews overall; there appear to be some better choices. Couple of questions: What kind of music are you interested in playing? and Do you really want an f style?

[abuteague]

Well, I started with a free mandolin. I never did own a Kentucky or Rover, but for under $250, I think that isn't a bad place to start. Going with a retailer who will set it up for you helps a great deal at this price point. Good luck.

http://www.themandolinstore.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=8697

http://elderly.com/new_instruments/items/KM150S.htm

http://www.folkmusician.com/Kentucky-KM-150-Mandolin/productinfo/KM-150/

http://www.folkmusician.com/Rover-RM-50-Mandolin-Black/productinfo/RM-50B/

[scootergirl62]

I would have to say you might be better off looking into a Kentucky....I've heard nice things about them here. Definitely check out the site sponsers, I've only heard wonderful things about them.

[chipotle]

Check into the Kentucky. Plenty of reliable folks that sponsor here can help you in your price range.

[MajorMando]

Hi and welcome to the Cafe! I just went through it all a couple of months ago; my first mando on an even more limited budget. Thanks to the Cafe, I was able to make a good decision on a mando that's just fine for learning and that I'm happy with for now.

The Savannahs don't seem to get very good reviews overall; there appear to be some better choices. Couple of questions: What kind of music are you interested in playing? and Do you really want an f style?

I plan on playing bluegrass maybe some irish folk and really whatever garners my interest, so I'd like a versatile instrument.
I really like the looks of f style mandos but have gathered that a style gives me more value for this low price point. would you agree?

[scootergirl62]

You will definitely get more bang for your buck with an A.

[Malcolm G.]

Welcome!

Are you handy with basic wood - working?
Might try assembling a Saga A.
Mine is still one of my favorites.

[JEStanek]

Welcome to the Cafe!

The all solid Johnson MA120 is a decent mandolin if well looked over and well set up. I wouldn't recommend an F style at that price point. You can get better sound for your money by dropping the scrolls and points that won't contribute to sound like an all solid wood instrurment will.

I had a Johnson MA120 a few years ago that was set up well and had a true neck and correct frets and it was loud and sounded just fine, for what it was. You can learn on it just fine. Same can be said for a Kentucky KM150.

Honestly, the most important thing when buying a lower end mandolin is to be sure you get it from a dealer that does a real set up on it and looks it over. Also, you should have the option for easy return if when you get it, the neck isn't true or it doesn't intonate correctly. High volume inexpensive mandolins vary in quality individually rather wildly and the onus is on the dealer to set them up properly and return the bad ones to the distributor so the new player doesn't get burned. If you cut out the middle man (dealer who will do a good set up) you should have no expectation of having a playable mandolin straight out of the box.

If you're ambitious and have patience and woodworking skills the Saga A or International Violin A style kits can be built but I think the total price for the kit, the Siminoff Book, gooseneck scraper, spools, micromesh kit and stains and finishing supplies may put you close to your budget anyway. It wasn't a good option for me, impatient and I cna turn sticks into slivers with a pocket knife and that's about it.

Jamie

[Crabgrass]

A couple from Elderly Instruments. They do a fantastic setup, which is a must.

Kentucky KM-150S. A-style that gets good reviews as a starter mandolin.
A-MODEL - All solid woods: Maple back & sides, spruce top and maple neck, arch top & back, F-holes, sunburst finish. Adjustable truss rod. Dovetail neck joint. After going through our extensive shop setup and adjustment these are an excellent entry level traditional A-model mandolin; a perennial favorite. Imported from Asia. $225
http://elderly.com/new_instruments/names/kentucky-km-150s-mandolin--KM150S.htm

Made by the same company as the Kentucky (Saga) but even cheaper, Rover RM-50 A style. This is what I got. Looks like they're out of stock right now though.
Nice all solid wood entry level mandolin features solid spruce top, solid maple back & sides, tone-bar bracing, mahogany neck w/ bound & dot-inlaid rosewood fingerboard, adjustable rosewood bridge, nickel hardware, dark finish on sides, back & neck w/ burst on the top. Imported from Asia. Following our shop setup these are an excellent value.
on order, expected arrival date unknown $149.00
http://elderly.com/new_instruments/names/rover-rm-50-a-model-mandolin--RM50.htm

If you must have an f-style, folkmusician is having a blowout sale on The Loar LM-520 F-model. Still $379 though, and you need to add in the cost of setup.
Folkmusician setup is not included. The new hand-carved LM-520 F-model mandolin is our response to players’ requests for a value priced mandolin with more stripped down appointments yet a similar sound to our best-selling Loar LM-600 and LM-400 mandolins.
The new 520 is carefully assembled in the same hand-carved workshop that gave birth to the LM-400 and 700, and have similar hand-carved, fully graduated spruce tops. The solid maple back of each instrument is also hand carved, and the solid maple sides complete the package. The maple neck has a comfortable rounded “V” profile finished with a rosewood fretboard. The compensated adjustable ebony bridge and high quality vintage-style Grover tuning machines insure that these mandolins have great intonation and stay in tune no matter how hard they are played.

Perfect for players who want a high-quality, great-sounding hand-carved mandolin but don’t need all of the bells and whistles, these minimally appointed instruments deliver the high-end tone, chop and projection the music community has come to expect from The Loar.
http://www.folkmusician.com/The-Loar-LM-520-Mandolin/productinfo/LM-520-NS/

It's going to be really hard to find something decent in an f-style at that price, even used. I didn't see anything in the MC classifieds, but you might skim through them. If you decide to go the ebay route, I'd get opinions from the folks here before you bid; lot of scary instruments on Ebay. The cafe folks are super knowledgeable and willing to help.

Hope this helps.

[Pete Summers]

Those Rover RM50's are pretty good all curved wood instruments, IF you can find them. They must sell a lot of 'em. Everybody seems to have them on back order when ever I've looked. Stores can't keep them in stock -- maybe that's an indication of their value. Or maybe Saga just doesn't earn enough at that price to make many of them :(

I finally found one on Ebay and I'm very pleased with it. It's a good sounding mandolin and plays well. I highly recommend them if you can find one -- I doubt that you'll find another model that is as good at that price. But set-up, of course, is key. If you don't buy from a store that does set-ups, you lose your cost advantage.

I started with a Rogue for $39 from Musician's Friend, set it up myself (i.e., lowered the strings at the nut and lowered the bridge, following advice given on the Cafe) and it was a decent enough instrument to learn on. Not great tone, but better than it had any right to be. It's also a good way to learn to do basic set-ups. Functional junk, but great for the price, good for education, and good as a back-up or beater instrument, IMO. :)

The Kentucky models come highly recommended on this site. The stores that advertise on the Cafe are your best buy. They have great prices and include set-up. I'm sure you'll find a couple of good options in your price range.

Good luck, and have fun with whatever you get.
:mandosmiley:

[multidon]

I think that if you're just getting started it's hard to beat a Big Muddy. Now, it is not a Bluegrass mandolin, but great for folk and Irish. As a beginner I'm not sure you will be jumping into Bluegrass right away anyway; they go at awfully fast speeds for a beginner! If you were to buy, say, a Big Muddy Mini-Mo MM-8 (it's a travel model with slightly smaller body but a full size scale) it would be a quality crafted USA made solid wood mandolin for relatively little money that would still be a good travel/folk/Irish instrument after you get a carved top A/F model down the road. There is a used one on Guitar Center's Web site right now for 179 with gig bag.

[MajorMando]

I have someone offering me a Morgan Monroe MM-200 with a case for $200... is that a good deal? Should I be weary of buying used? should I go for Folkmusician.com starter KM-150 package for $329? any and all help is appreciated.

[scootergirl62]

I don't know much about them. Doing a quick search for "Morgan Monroe vs. Kentucky came up with quite a few threads, one of them being:
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?63702-Morgan-Monroe&highlight=morgan+monroe+kentucky

Is the Morgan Monroe set up? Can you play it, or do you at least have a few days to approve it? If you have to pay to have it set up, that's an additional cost to factor in, as well as if you have a luthier nearby who can do it for you. Hopefully someone can chime in with some more concrete help.....

[Mandolin Mick]

Welcome to the Cafe!

Kentucky is a good bet for a quality mandolin at a good value. You might get a better model by buying preowned from the Classifieds here on the Cafe.

Good Luck! :mandosmiley:

[Crabgrass]

I have someone offering me a Morgan Monroe MM-200 with a case for $200... is that a good deal? Should I be weary of buying used? should I go for Folkmusician.com starter KM-150 package for $329? any and all help is appreciated.

I spent probably a couple of hundred hours researching before I bought..... the word on Morgan Monroe was not that good.

I don't like the packages. You can buy the KM-150 alone for around $220. The package costs another $100 and probably won't be the right book, case, or strap for you. Heck, you can buy a Snark tuner for $9.99. A gig bag for $20. A strap for $10-15. Not looking like a bargain to me. I'd put that extra $100 into the mando. JMO YMMV.

[scootergirl62]

Crabgrass....that price of 199 may not include a set up - did you see it on musicians friend? I don't know that they do setups before they ship, which may be why it's 50 less. Everywhere else I've seen it, it starts at 249 - http://www.themandolinhut.com/kentucky_mandolin_km_150.htm - granted you can get a snark for 9.99 and different books, but at that price, I would pay the extra 50 for setup and consider the book, tuner, picks, bag freebees.

[Crabgrass]

Crabgrass....that price of 199 may not include a set up - did you see it on musicians friend? I don't know that they do setups before they ship, which may be why it's 50 less. Everywhere else I've seen it, it starts at 249 - http://www.themandolinhut.com/kentucky_mandolin_km_150.htm - granted you can get a snark for 9.99 and different books, but at that price, I would pay the extra 50 for setup and consider the book, tuner, picks, bag freebees.

Yeah, that package looks like a better deal. The package he mentioned was $329.

[scootergirl62]

Yeah, that package looks like a better deal. The package he mentioned was $329.

Yup, it seemed a big difference. Ah, you never know what you'll find on the interwebs ;)

[MajorMando]

Unfortunately, it seems mandolinhut is out of stock. You think I should just wait til it's back in stock or should I shop arround and get the accessories elsewhere?

[scootergirl62]

You can check with the forum sponsers to see if anyone has it in stock for a comparable price. How long of a wait did mandolinhut give you? It's entirely up to you if you can wait for it for a better price.

[MajorMando]

Correction, the used mando that is being offered to me is a Morgan Monroe MAM-200 all solid Mahogony w/hardshell case for $200 shipped. It certainly is a beautiful instrument. I just need to know if this is a better value than going with a new Kentucky KM-150 w/hardcase for $270ish?

[scootergirl62]

I could not tell you that one would be a better "value" over the other. If you've had a chance to do any research around the forums, that might help with your decision. Also, as I said before - can you test drive the Morgan? Have you played any mandolins to see what you might like. Is it already set-up. Because if it's not - your monetary value just went down, because a good set up costs money.

[MajorMando]

I can't test drive the morgan. There aren't any mandolin shops in my area. The closest thing I have to anyone who knows anything about mandolin is an old high school art teacher who plays banjo. She reccomends Kentucky and to stay away from MM. So now I'm looking at the difference between KM-150 and KM-160, and then I'm having thoughts of just splurging for KM-505 and having a lifelong instrument. I haven't even played a mando yet but I have played guitar for 10+ years and I love the sound of a mando.

[MajorMando]

I'm fairly certain that I could get away with buying the 505 as long as I don't tell my wife. lol

[Crabgrass]

So now I'm looking at the difference between KM-150 and KM-160, and then I'm having thoughts of just splurging for KM-505 and having a lifelong instrument.

From what I see here on the Cafe, the chances of your first mando being a "lifelong instrument" are fairly slim unless you can afford to keep it as your "second mando" when you trade up. And if you want to play mainly bluegrass, most bluegrassers want an f-style eventually, and if you're like me, sooner rather than later (and I swore I'd never pay for that pricey strap-hanger!) :)

I'm just a newbie but what I've learned already is that you're probably going to make mistakes buying your first couple of mandos. Partly because you're not going to know what you really want until you've got a year of playing under your belt. You're going to find out if you want a wide or narrow fretboard, radiused or flat, f-style or a-style, something with "bark" or something more mellow and woody.

The other thing I've learned is not to ignore the advice of the experienced folks here (not me). They really do know what they're talking about.

The main thing with a learner mando is a great set-up and a good set of strings. I learned that here and it's true.

[scootergirl62]

I'm fairly certain that I could get away with buying the 505 as long as I don't tell my wife. lol

Lol! Well then, get the best mando you can afford for now. It definitely won't be your only but if you're willing to get a decent mando to learn on you should be ok for a little while. I can vouch for Eastman, i have a 505 - if you're in for a penny....you might look at them As well as the 300 series. They are wonderful mandos and ou'll find a lot of info here on them...at 50 more than the kentucky..... I started with a used epiphone in july and in august traded it for the Eastman and i could not be happier. Folkmusican has both - maybe a phone call and chat with them might help set you towards a decision?