Beginner Celtic Trad Mandolin

[Hemi-Powered Drone]

I know that there have been hundreds, if not thousands, of threads asking about mandolins that would be good for beginners. Well, here's another thread looking for a beginner(READ-Cheap) mandolin. Most of the threads seem to be for people looking at F-types and/or for bluegrass. I'm not really interested in bluegrass, and I believe that aesthetically an F-type wouldn't fit, as what I want to get a mandolin for is celtic traditional as well as classical. Any suggestions?

[allenhopkins]

How cheap is "cheap"? I'd suggest an oval-hole instrument, either flat-top, canted-top, or a lower-end carved-top such as Kentucky sells. Trinity College and Gold Tone sell solid-top oval-hole mandolins for less than $500, Asian imports, decent quality. The US-made Big Muddy M-0 can be found for a similar price. If you want a carved-top, the Kentucky KM-160 and -170 series instruments are solid woods (avoid plywood if possible), and available for less than $300.

Classical players, as a rule, tend to prefer bowl-backs, but these are less suitable (again, as a rule) for Celtic playing. You can play any kind of music on any style of mandolin, but you'll find more bluegrassers playing carved-top, f-hole mandolins, more classical players playing bowl-backs, and more Celtic players playing oval-hole instruments.

As all Cafe-ers will tell you, make sure you get a good set-up -- bridge height and location, nut slotting, truss rod adjustment if needed, fret height inspection and leveling if needed. Some sellers do this, some just send mandolins along as they're received from the factory.

[multidon]

Allen has already given you great advice but allow me to add my 2 cents. There are no rules per say in Celtic but the oval hole flat top has become associated with it. The Big Muddy is a good choice. Another good one that Allen left out is Floodtone. Thomas Flood makes canted-top oval hole flats that are based on the design of old Martins. I have one and Celtic, Old Time, and classical all sound great on it! They are amazing values. Thomas handcrafts them one at a time, build and finish are top notch, and the price is incredible at around 300-400 dollars. This is the one he has for sale right now (NFI):

http://www.mandolincafe.com/cgi-bin/classifieds/classifieds.cgi

This particular one might not be for you because it is the shorter 13 inch scale. Mine is similar to this but the traditional 14 inch scale. But 300 dollars for solid wood, luthier made in America, and great sound? What's not to love?

[Perry]

I would get the best instrument I could afford without regard to whether it is an F hole or an oval hole. It's the technique and not the hole that counts.

[Loretta Callahan]

I just love my Big Muddy. I have the M4, but have played some of the other models, and the tone is always outstanding. I think something like a Muddy, or an round hole instrument might be good for a beginner playing Celtic/Irish Trad or classical because the sound is so sweet for the player. I love my F Hole mandolins as well ... they seem to project the sound out more. When I want to play just for my ears, it's almost always the Muddy.

[rgray]

Put some figures to your "cheap" price range. Pass on the F-style and your beginner mandolin player ears won't care too much about sound hole shape.

[mandroid]

Loud enough sessions and I'd offer a melody banjo as a suggestion. 4 string, mandolin scale.

doubling the ITB, an octave higher.

[Jim MacDaniel]

Can't go wrong with these used options in the classifieds right now:
Eastman 504 carved-top for $450 (classifieds listing # 53011)
Floodtone @ $300 (# 52781)
Redline Traveler flat-top for $300 (# 52641)

Great values for a new US-made flat-top from Steve Smith at Redline:
Two different mohogany Travelers at $650 each, one with a black top (classifieds listing # 52775), and one with a natural top (# 52776). These are great instruments with a loyal following here in the forums.

<NFI dislcaimer for all referenced items above>