Yes, another newbie needing advice

[SO_ILL_MANDO]

First, I love this website and this forum. They're really incredible and a tremendous resource. Second, I'm so impressed with the level of knowledge of the forum members. Glad to be a part of such a passionate group. Finally, I need to tap into some of that knowledge. I live in the sticks with no dealer of decent mandolin for miles. I'm three hours from a big city. So, my purchase is going to be made online without hearing the actual instrument first (I know, big leap of faith). I've researched many models and watched a gazillion videos of mandolin models I'm partial to.

My first mandolin was a Washburn. I'd like a new mandolin and I'm willing to drop more than I paid for my first. But my burning question is this: should I buy a new Eastman or Kentucky or pay a bit more for a well used (and likely well marked) entry level Weber or Gibson (or comparable brandl)?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[pheffernan]

But my burning question is this: should I buy a new Eastman or Kentucky or pay a bit more for a well used (and likely well marked) entry level Weber or Gibson (or comparable brandl)?

I'm a big proponent of buying used unless the instrument you want otherwise does not exist in nature. Used mandolins are one of the few things in life believed possibly to increase in quality while they depreciate in price. Particularly on distance purchases, where you don't have a chance to play them first, a used mandolin appropriately priced offers a certain amount of protection, as the depreciation has already been taken out and you don't figure to lose (outside of transaction and shipping fees) if it doesn't prove to be a keeper.

[SO_ILL_MANDO]

Economics! See, I didn't consider that. That's why you guys are the best. Thanks for the insight phefferman. Great advice!

[Br1ck]

I've always advocated for buying the best instrument you can afford, especially if you have been playing long enough to know you're in it for the long haul, but your not being able to try a variety makes for perhaps a more conservative approach, and for someone just learning, the setup is more important than the tone.

I have two mandolins. My Silverangel I bought used for $1400, and a Michael Kelly blowout special I bought cheap just to learn setup work on. The SA is a superior instrument in every way, but I play the MK about as much. It has a bright tone I just like to hear often.

I started out with an Eastman MD 505 that was nice enough to get me hooked, and it was bought from one of our sponsors, so the setup was great. If I had bought the Michael Kelly from the big box store first, who knows if I would be playing mando now. It was horrible out of the box.

Now, if you have the money, buying a nicer mandolin from a sponsor isn't a bad idea either. I have found working up the ladder with either Eastman or Kentucky is very incremental , with a big improvement at the Masterbuilt level with Kentucky or the 815 with Eastman.

Give the Sponsors a call. They have helped many in the same boat make a decision, and are far more knowledgable than I.

[Eric F.]

Where in southern Illinois are you? Mayberry Music in Jonesboro occasionally has some good mandolins in stock. Last time I was there they had a nice-sounding used Breedlove A. I know Clyde was thinking of renewing his Weber dealership. They just can't sell enough to meet the requirements for Gibson dealers.

To the original question, I definitely advocate getting the bast mandolin. you can. So if a used Weber or Gibson fits in your budget, I say go for it.

[Northwest Steve]

What is your budget? do you have a preference of nut width, neck shape (V more U shape), fretboard (flat, radius or either), A or F5 style?

[SO_ILL_MANDO]

Great suggestions. I really like the idea of giving a sponsor a shot first.

[SO_ILL_MANDO]

I prefer the scroll to the A and I play bluegrass almost exclusively. I've been to Mayberry Music in the past, but I didn't see any mandos. He has a great selection of guitars. If I get that way, I'll give him a look. Thanks for the suggestion Eric F.

[Dave Sheets]

Another brand to watch for is Flatiron, there is a basic flatiron A in the classifieds currently for $900. I have no financial interest in this, and can't speak to the condition of this particular instrument, but I own an example of this model and have been happy with it for years.

Best of luck with your purchase, whatever you chose!

[allenhopkins]

You should look at as many mandolins as you can, play 'em all, and pick the one you like the best. The economics of depreciation, resale value, market fluctuations etc. are really only relevant if you're planning to sell or trade the mandolin. If you get a good mandolin, new or used, you may be playing it for years before you decide to trade it on a better one.

Personally, I love a well-used instrument, and don't worry about the dings and scratches. Others want to keep the "showroom new" look. A used instrument will get more "use" from you, which will no doubt add some wear to what's already there.

If you find a mandolin, new or used, that you really like, I'd buy that one.

[Randi Gormley]

Well, there's always the ol' mandolin roadtrip. If you have the time/inclination/ability, you might want to take a vacation and drive around to stores that do carry mandolins. Just a thought.

All but two of the instruments I own were bought used and they play just as nicely as the new ones I bought. My main instrument for years was my strad-o-lin (which is a year older than I am) and the instrument I play 99 percent of the time is from 1923. Certainly a used instrument is a relevant choice to anybody looking to upgrade for a reasonable payout. my 2 cents.

[colorado_al]

If you're in So Il, you owe it to yourself to take a day trip to Nashville and play a bunch of mandolins. You don't really need to buy anything there, but get yourself a mandolin education on the cheap. Go to Carters and tell them that you would like some help with a mandolin, and play every one that you can that is up to double your budget. Include A models as well, even though you like F. This will still give you a great idea of what each brand and model feels and sounds like. You'll have a wide selection to play and then you can keep a lookout for used ones on the cafe website and other places.
Then go to Corner Music and do some of the same. They have new Eastman & Breedlove and some other lower end imports. That will give you an idea of what a new Eastman may be like and you can keep an eye out for one used.
If while you're in Nashville, you play something that really is what you're looking/listening for, and you can afford it, buy it!
If not, keep notes of what you like and keep your eyes open for a used one.
If you can give us an idea of your budget, we could give you some leads to follow up on.
Best of luck in your search!
Al

[Steve Ostrander]

should I buy a new Eastman or Kentucky or pay a bit more for a well used (and likely well marked) entry level Weber or Gibson (or comparable brandl)?

That's the 64-dollar question, isn't it? It's possible you might not hear a huge difference b/t Eastman and KY vs. Weber or Gibson. If that's the case, buy the entry-level instrument! The only way to tell is to listen to and preferably play as many as possible. I think most of us would agree that you would not be sorry if you bought a Gibson or a Weber, but whether you can justify the extra $$ is something only you can decide.

[RandyC]

The best thing to do is play a bunch of Mandolins in your price range. I just bought a mandolin over the weekend. I went in with my heart set on a Kentucky. I played a couple and liked them. Then I asked what else they had in the same price range. They brought out what they had. As soon as I played the Eastman I knew that was the one I wanted.

[Loubrava]

Well most of us have probably been down that road. To me there more than the "sound" of an expensive (for me) mando the neck shape, fingerboard, frets and how it played weighed into my decision. Could you get a $800 mando that sounds as good as a 4K probably but your not going to get an $800 that plays and sounds like a 4K mando. Like others have said go play some expensive ones see what you think, after I played a couple of 4K mandos I was hooked & bought a used one from a site sponser for about 60% of what it cost new. Oh and I did have to road trip it to try out mandos had a great time doing & would do again. Good luck in your search !
Lou

[Lane Pryce]

Good solid advice from these folks. You can get a great lil A style that will play and sound much better than a cheap F. If you must have an F look at the Eastman MD315 and 415. Setup is everything. MD515 is a grand or better. The only difference between the 615 and 815 is color of the hardware, finish and top wood. New or used you are over a grand. The A style is your friend. Just saying. Lp

[hatta]

I've been really, really happy with my used Eastman 615. It's enough mandolin to keep me happy for years to come.

[Lane Pryce]

I've been really, really happy with my used Eastman 615. It's enough mandolin to keep me happy for years to come.

I had a very early 615. Different animal compared to the new ones. #40; purchased it from Steve Perry. Clubby large V profile neck and a varnish finish. Heavy too. It was ok at first. Took a killer setup to get it right. I'm looking at a 615 now. It's a good one. 5 or six years old. If we can agree on money I'll bring it home. Those lil frets I don't like. Once you get a feel for banjo wire nothing else will do. Lp

[SO_ILL_MANDO]

Thanks everyone for ypur suggestions. Looks like I need to take a road trip and play some mandolin! I'll keep you updated on my journey.

[itstooloudMike]

I had a beautiful Eastman 815 for quite a while. It played OK, but never really sounded the way I wanted. It was too thin sounding, and just didn't have the high-quality tone that I heard from pro players. I also didn't like the narrow frets at all. I ended up selling the Eastman, and found a nice used Weber Bitteroot-A. The Weber is a whole different level of mandolin. It plays fantastic, with wide frets and a radius fret-board. And the tone is just awesome. Warm, full, and loud. You can find used Weber A-style mandolins often for under $1500, and sometimes even less. Weber makes a truly pro-level instrument, that will last a lifetime. I had to mentally adjust from the F-type to the A-type, but it wasn't hard. For me, I will always take tone and playability over appearance. I may someday look into getting an F-style Weber, but for now I'm a happy camper. The extra $1000 for a scroll is a stretch for me, and I'm just not convinced it's worth it.

[04Bravo]

I recently upgraded from an Eastman F-style to a Phoenix two-point, and I can vouch for all the very wise counsel shared by these folks.

First of all, play everything you can get your hands on. It's a little like love, when you find the right one, you know it and there's no second-guessing. Second, pay attention to the details: there are design differences between mando makers (and different models offered by the same maker) that may become important to you -- things such as nut width, fretboard radius, fretboard length, neck shape, to name a few. I'm not saying that you should get crazy over this, but it's something you may want to keep in mind when you start to find what instruments work for you and what don't. That's how I figured out that I really liked a 1 3/16" nut with a V-neck. Third, there can be quite a bit of variability between mandolins, even the same make and model; I tried nearly half-a-dozen Collings MT's in one sitting and they all sounded a little bit different, some I liked better than others. Fourth, be open-minded in terms of body style. When I bought the Eastman, I was dead-set on getting an F-style, 'cuz I thought that's what you had to have to play bluegrass. Took a while -- and playing other instruments -- to figure out that style, if anything, was 'way down the list of what was important to me.

Once I figured out what I liked, I could've gone with a used instrument -- as has already been noted, the beauty of going the used route is that you can often get a really nice mandolin that's well beyond what a new one in your price range would run. I knew that I'd wanted a Phoenix, but used ones don't pop up all that often, so I went new. Sure enough, a couple of used ones showed up on the MandolinCafe Classifieds within a week of my taking delivery of the new axe, but I have absolutely no regrets (just a bigger dent in the credit card).