Is this too junky (ebay find lol)

Hey guys. I've wanted a mandola/(or) octave mandolin for a while. But I've been learning a lot of different instruments so its not worth me shelling out a lot of money. I found this extra cheap one on ebay but its a cheap ebay item. so I'm not sure if its junk or not lol. The brand is "Boheme" I did some research and I only found one on reverb that was 200 and the description was that it had a minor defect but othewrwise played well. I couldnt find any other info. So maybe you guys have some? I know cheap instruments are worse than premium. But I also play a cheap chinese tenor uke and its not that bad. So if I can save a lot of money on this mandola would be nice lol. And my only other options are hora/thomann which cost 200+ inc shipping. To this ones 120.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mandola-fla...5a2e%7Ciid%3A1

Thanks for any help

Maybe try to hold out for one with a solid top?

Those are terrible. Stay well clear of it.

Elijah, If you are looking for a good cheap mandolin try an old StradOLin like this https://ebay.us/vjaHxH

I would not get it, one reason is because the dots are not in the right place.

Several years ago when I was buying and selling instruments I got one of those in a lot of instruments I purchased. It was more than awful.

Thanks guys. I'm not overly surprised that its junk lol. But one can dream. Whats your opinion on Hora/Thomann (they are the same I think)?. Still in the low budget range. I don't expect perfection but they are all I'd be able to afford for a while if I cant find a good deal on used. At least that I know of sofar for mandola / octave mandolin.

a used eastman would be a lot better.

I’m always looking for my mandola, I play it, leave it on a bed, sofa, in another room and then I want to play again.

The wonderful thing about the instrument above is that you can hang it on the wall and five years later you know where it’ll be.

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Originally Posted by Elijah

I don't expect perfection but they are all I'd be able to afford for a while if I can't find a good deal on used. At least that I know of sofar for mandola / octave mandolin.

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The best deal I can find on the web right now, for an Eastman is $479 + $45 Shipping for a MD305 Mandolin (on Reverb)... So, if I was looking for a good Mandolin in the $150 price range, I would be looking at THIS STRADOLIN https://ebay.us/vjaHxH DON'T LET THE $29.99 STARTING BID FOOL YOU!!! This Mandolin is worth somewhere between $200 to $395 and is, more than likely, all solid woods (not laminated back & sides). This Pre-War (yes 1930's build) Strad-O-Lin is a reason there is a Stradolin Group here on Mandolin Cafe. FYI: THIS HAS AN ELEVATED FRETBOARD... something not seen on mandolins costing several times what this costs. This elevated fretboard is just one of the contributing factors why Stradolins sound more than adequate for Bluegrass. It might need set-up with new strings so expect to spend $30 on that but it's worth it.

The OP is looking for a mandola/octave mandolin.

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Originally Posted by bbcee

The OP is looking for a mandola/octave mandolin.

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Yeah, not for $120. Even the Hora's sound a little thin in the $150 to $250 range. Here's a thread with video.

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...n-Hora-M1087-P

Yea indeed, $120 is not going to get you very much. I vote for saving up a bit & getting something that you won't want to move on immediately.

My first mandolin was a Hora. I'll be kind & say it got me started ...

Actually, serious advice, I’d say that if the mandola is going to be part of your life, if you’re going to take it and work hard at becoming a good mandolinist and you’re not going to get distracted by MAS then you really need to get a good one. If you can’t find a lot of work for money then give up as much as you can give up to get that instrument. Coffee, alcohol, hard drugs, fast women/men, anything. Give it all up to become what you believe in.
Get serious about yourself.
-as that famous German model once said, ‘because I deserve it’. :))

I like my Hora mandola a lot but it's hard to fret.

Not my #1 but a very good buy I think. $120 or thereabout.

Thanks for all the good input guys, I appreciate it. My brain has been melting from over music research haha. I don't want to save up and shell out a lot of money because I'm already learning more instruments than I should so it wont get played as much as it should. Although in the future i'd like to think id get good and then it wouldnt have been a waste. I'm not sure if I'm overthinking it or not tho. This is the sound I'm going for
(both timestamped)
https://youtu.be/V6mS9XQm5JY?t=128
https://youtu.be/-w2m-TeLi6I?t=35
I'm worried that what I'm going for is basic and I could have gotten a similar result by capoing one of the guitars we have downstairs and playing high(and learn guitar instead of mando), but I'd like to think that theres this whole forum because the different instrument does in fact, sound different than a normal guitar lol. So I'm worried that I dont need a mando lol. But if I do need one for the sound I want than I'd be happy because the things are just really cool haha. And then I'd learn that any day over normal guitar. I just love the nice folky sound. That I at least think I cant get on a normal guitar?

You can get a decently playable mandolin somewhat near your price range: Rover RM-50 solid top mandolin $149. If you want a mandola or an octave mandolin, not much available, even used, for less than triple what you're thinking of.

What you seem to be after is a particular sound. My suggestion would be to haunt all the instrument dealers within reach, play whatever mandolin-family instruments they have in stock, and get an understanding of what sounds like what, and what's closest to the sound you're seeking. There's a certain vagueness in your description, which leads me to think that you should spend a few minutes playing a mandola, or an octave mandolin, to make sure that's what you want -- before you spend even $120 on an instrument that may not meet your needs.

Thanks for the advice. I apologies for my vagueness, its because I'm not really sure myself haha. My problem with all my over research is I get a lot of mixed messages. I'll watch one video and be wow'ed by the amazing unique sound of the instrument and then go and read some other thing and have guys saying its just an acoustic tuned differently lol. My life would be a lot easier if I wanted a mandolin I just feel like they are too high pitched to be a main strumming instrument. I'd be interested in learning to play leads also if I get one but the primary goal is strumming. I read somewhere that you can get strings and tune a mandolin like a mandola and have it not suck which could be an option if I try/get a mandolin and like it but wish it was a bit lower pitch for strumming.

I can at least do some research and try to see if theres anywhere local I can go try something. But the chances of that are pretty low where I live seems to be a musically boring area all I have is a guitar center and a few tiny music stores with normal guitars and stuff lol. I know our guitar center has mandolins at least.

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Originally Posted by Elijah

Thanks guys. I'm not overly surprised that its junk lol. But one can dream. Whats your opinion on Hora/Thomann (they are the same I think)?. Still in the low budget range. I don't expect perfection but they are all I'd be able to afford for a while if I cant find a good deal on used. At least that I know of sofar for mandola / octave mandolin.

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Hora and Thomann are not the same company, but they do work together - Thomann sells some Hora instruments. I visited the Hora workshop in Romania and bought a Domra which is nice and plays nicely but I did have to bring the bridge down a bit. Thomann is just a reseller of other brands based in Germany, and so their quality is variable.

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Originally Posted by Elijah

Thanks for the advice. I apologies for my vagueness, its because I'm not really sure myself haha. My problem with all my over research is I get a lot of mixed messages. I'll watch one video and be wow'ed by the amazing unique sound of the instrument and then go and read some other thing and have guys saying its just an acoustic tuned differently lol. My life would be a lot easier if I wanted a mandolin I just feel like they are too high pitched to be a main strumming instrument. I'd be interested in learning to play leads also if I get one but the primary goal is strumming. I read somewhere that you can get strings and tune a mandolin like a mandola and have it not suck which could be an option if I try/get a mandolin and like it but wish it was a bit lower pitch for strumming.

I can at least do some research and try to see if theres anywhere local I can go try something. But the chances of that are pretty low where I live seems to be a musically boring area all I have is a guitar center and a few tiny music stores with normal guitars and stuff lol. I know our guitar center has mandolins at least.

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There is always a shortage of Mandolas because just about every mandolin player who has been playing for a year eventually thinks about getting a mandola & there are far fewer mandolas being produced than mandolins... hence the shortage of mandolas.

An option that you might consider is a tenor (4 string) guitar. Also, I prefer vintage to new although that sometimes gets expensive.

I realize you are chasing the Unicorn Dream of a mandola but I also realize you are not going to fall in love with the sound of a Modern Chinese Goldtone, Eastman or Rover or even a Hora.

If you want to fall in love with a sound in the $150 price range, nothing will do it better than a Stradolin but I have never seen a Stradolin mandola... that's why I suggest a tenor guitar.

If you're interested in a tenor guitar and don't want to spend a ton, Kala makes a nice one for around $200 if you order direct from the factory. Mine came well set up and sounds nice. It's well worth the cost.