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View Full Version : I'm new. Help please.



ReneeH
May-28-2013, 11:52pm
Are these good? Kentucky km620, and a Gretsch G9310 New Yorker Supreme. i was also looking at Washburn. I cant' afford high price right now. The Gretsch is $239

Ron McMillan
May-29-2013, 12:06am
I think that almost everyone will agree that a Kentucky is your best bet. Saving a little more so that you can spend maybe $300 will mean a much better instrument, and a much better one will make it much more likely that you will (1) enjoy learning mandolin and (2) keep at it, not give up. The biggest factor in people giving up early (in my unscientific opinion) is likely a bad instrument that makes learning an unpleasant experience.

The consensus here is also that it is vital that you buy from someone who knows how to set up a mandolin correctly. FolkMusician.com, as well as being a Cafe sponsor, gets universal praise for its set up.

ron

allenhopkins
May-29-2013, 12:13am
The Kentucky KM-620 is a plywood F-model, selling around $500 discounted new. When you buy an F-model mandolin -- with the carved scroll and body points -- you're paying extra for what amounts to ornamentation. The carved features won't make it sound better. The KM-620 has a laminated spruce top, which is heat-pressed into shape. This is generally considered inferior to a carved top made of solid spruce. Kentucky mandolins are generally considered good quality, but if you're just starting out, paying hundreds of dollars more for a plywood instrument that looks a bit "fancier" may not be cost-effective.

Gretsch has just started selling a large variety of Asian-made acoustic instruments in the US. (By the way, the Kentucky's also Chinese-made, as are most entry-level instruments currently for sale.) The g9310 mandolin has a solid, though heat-pressed, top, but it's made of mahogany, which is not the preferred tone-wood for mandolin tops (spruce is). It's an A-model (no body scroll or points), and is certainly affordable. Well-set-up, it could be a decent learner instrument.

I'm assuming you're quoting the $239 price on the Gretsch from Musician's Friend, the big on-line/mail-order dealer. Be advised that MF won't do any set-up on a mandolin they sell -- one reason that they quote low prices. You might need to have a competent local instrument shop set up your instrument (properly locate the bridge and adjust its height, check and if necessary modify the nut, adjust the truss rod if needed, perhaps replace the "factory" strings), and this can add a minimum of $50 to the mandolin's cost.

Washburn is another line of Chinese-built instruments; they offer nearly a dozen different mandolin models, from basic "outfits" with a strap,gig bag and tuner for $180, to some quite nice hand-carved models. You'd have to be a bit more specific as to what model you're considering.

Overall, a few basic suggestions: solid wood is better than plywood, and if the specs don't say "solid," it's plywood. A carved solid top is better than a heat-pressed one, and there are lower-priced carved-solid-top models like the Kentucky KM-160 (around $300). No need to buy an F-model, since you pay significantly more for the fancier silhouette. Buy from a dealer who does set-ups if you can, though you may pay a bit more. Local dealers in your area may have mandolins you can try before buying, and that's basically a good thing; plus, we want these people to stay in business, don't we? If you need to buy on-line, check the Cafe sponsors (listed on the right side of the home page); these are reputable dealers, do dealer set-ups, and will be likely to steer you right.

Good luck, and let us know what mandolin you buy, and how you like it.

JEStanek
May-29-2013, 8:36am
Welcome to the Cafe! I can't add to what Allen has written.

Jamie

JeffD
May-29-2013, 8:43am
Saving a little more so that you can spend maybe $300 will mean a much better instrument, and a much better one will make it much more likely that you will (1) enjoy learning mandolin and (2) keep at it, not give up. The biggest factor in people giving up early (in my unscientific opinion) is likely a bad instrument that makes learning an unpleasant experience.


I agree with ron this is really true. Learning the mandolin can be frustrating enough without having to fight the instrument. Get the best you can, and get it set up properly. You will be much happier.