First Mandolin Purchase for Teen?

[gwnorth]

My son is soon to be 16 and is an avid musician. He's been playing guitar for about 5 years and is trying to get a rock band off the ground. He's also been playing clarinet in his school band for 4 years and has recently started learning piano as he is interested in song writing/composition. He has expressed an interest in adding a mandolin to his growing collection of instruments. He had an opportunity to play around with one for a performance and quickly became enamoured (to be honest he loves most stringed instruments and would also like to learn violin lol). We'd like to buy him one for Christmas so I've started doing some research and quickly realized that there was more to it than it seemed. I'm hoping for some guidance in directing our search. For now it will just be something he plays around with on his own. He reads music and has a good ear as well so I'd also love some advice on resources for self-teaching.

His taste in music is diverse but with regards to the mandolin he is mostly interested in playing traditional folk and classical music. He's not interested in bluegrass. The idea of being able to play classical violin music on the mandolin really appeals to him. While he is a serious musician, he is only 16 so I don't want to pay a fortune for an instrument but I'd like one that is good enough quality that he'd be able to get some money for it if he wanted to upgrade in the future. Can we get a good quality instrument for $500 Canadian or so? I'll have him try out a few first and see what he likes but I'd like to narrow down the parameters a bit. The choices from retailers in our area are fairly narrow. Not too many carry mandolins and those that do don't have much variety.

I know we should be looking for a solid spruce top and I assume an A style. Beyond that I'm not sure if we should be looking at oval or ff holes and if it should have an arch top or not. Also if anyone can point me in the direction of some reputable manufacturers in that price range I would appreciate it. I know about Easton, Kentucky, and Gibson of course. I've stumbled across Sawchyn though that may be out of our price range. He has several Godin guitars, but I don't think their mandolins or the Seagull ones are quite what we're looking for. The major retailer in our area also carries Gold Tone, Trinity, Gretsch, Epiphone and Denver.

Thanks

[Denman John]

These are excellent mandolins that I think would cover your son's requirements ~ and it's Canadian! http://www.folkwaymusic.com/new-inst...mandolin-0517/

Watch the classifieds here to give you an idea of what's out there and the prices.

[Eric F.]

Sawchyns have a good reputation, but they are also twice the budget here. For $500 Canadian, I'd look at a Kentucky 250. You might be able to score a used flattop in your price range, but otherwise I think you'd do well with the Kentucky.

You can play any type of music on any type of mandolin, so I wouldn't get hung up on arched vs. flat or f holes vs. oval. It's his first instrument. Look for the best quality you can get at your price. Yes, solid woods and carved are better. And yes, you'll likely do better with an A than F because of the cost.

You might do better ordering from one of the Cafe sponsors than going to a big box retailer. Mandolins need to be set up for playability, and places like Guitar Center don't tend to do that.

For teaching himself, look at www.mandolessons.com. That might be a good place to start.

[Capt. E]

Know that violins and mandolins are tuned exactly the same, so learning one will help with the other. One of the biggest differences is that a mandolin has frets and a violin does not. I have also heard that the most difficult aspect of playing the violin is learning to use the bow. I found the mandolin much easier that guitar when I started to learn.

[gwnorth]

@Denman John, thanks for your reply. Your link is to Sawchyn which while I think would be great, the Beaver Tail is listed at $999 at a retailer near me which is more than I'm willing to pay.

[gwnorth]

@ Eric F., thanks for the feedback. There is a retailer near me that has the Kentucky KM-505 for $599.00 CAD$. Do you think this is a good price?

[gwnorth]

@ Capt. E, the one time my son played a mandolin it was actually with a bow! The fact that the tuning is the same as a violin is a great draw for him as he likes that he'll be able to play both traditional fiddle and classical violin music on it.

[William Smith]

@ Capt. E, the one time my son played a mandolin it was actually with a bow! The fact that the tuning is the same as a violin is a great draw for him as he likes that he'll be able to play both traditional fiddle and classical violin music on it.

If it was me I'd for sure try and get one with all solid wood no laminates! I know Kentucky,The Loar,eastmen, have solid wood mandolins rather cheap and they also have the oval and F hole options so I'd start there and do some research.

[Artmusic]

Hello gwnorth,

I started playing the mandolin a few weeks ago. Like your son, I play different instruments : piano and harp for several years and guitar and ukulele for several month.
I was looking for a mandolin to play trad/Irish tunes and classical music. The folks, here, advised me on the Eastman 304.
I have to say that I am very happy with it. I started playing Bach and am learning lots of Irish tunes. The sound is great, the neck is very confortable. For my first mandolin, it's the best choice I could have made.
Soon, I will received several picks to get the best sound with my mando.
Hope I could help 😊

[Marcus CA]

While he is a serious musician, he is only 16 so I don't want to pay a fortune for an instrument but I'd like one that is good enough quality that he'd be able to get some money for it if he wanted to upgrade in the future. Can we get a good quality instrument for $500 Canadian or so? I'll have him try out a few first and see what he likes but I'd like to narrow down the parameters a bit.

Here is the bind: he is only 16, so it makes sense that you don't want to pay a fortune for an instrument, especially if he is going in so many musical directions (guitar, clarinet, and piano already) that he may end up spending little time on it. His current initial enthusiasm may either flourish or wane. However, if he is a serious musician, then he will be responding to the quality of the instrument, meaning that his enthusiasm for mandolin is more likely to flourish with a better instrument. A "good quality" instrument is in the ear of the beholder, and the more serious a musician somebody at any age is, the higher that bar is. At the $500 CD price range, every $100 increase will get you a noticeably better instrument, which would increase, but not guarantee, the likelihood of your son sticking with the mandolin as part of his musical journey. Financially, that can be easier said than done.

[gwnorth]

@ Marcus CA, thanks for that. I originally arrived at the $500 budget as that's a bit more than what we paid for his acoustic guitar. I've since realized that mandolins tend to be more expensive for the same quality. I'm still researching but may be a bit more flexible in my budget. I know I could probably get a better deal used but I'd rather deal with a reputable vendor than take my chances on an unknown private seller.

[J Mangio]

I would jump on the KM 900 in the
Classifieds for $400 as fast as
Possible.

[CES]

I would jump on the KM 900 in the
Classifieds for $400 as fast as
Possible.

Amen. I almost bought it just to resell it, but am probably getting a mandocello, and didn't want to have that discussion with my (extremely loving, understanding, and supportive) wife

Also, keep your eyes open for a used Big Muddy or Flatiron 1N. They're professional grade instruments, but flat topped and backed, so less expensive, despite being all solid instruments. Big Muddies pop up from 300-500 dollars periodically. Flatirons have been a bit more of late, running 500-700 in recent listings. I paid 500 for mine and feel like it was a bargain.

[gwnorth]

@J Mangio & @CES - Must be gone because I didn't see it when I checked.

[gwnorth]

Also, keep your eyes open for a used Big Muddy or Flatiron 1N. They're professional grade instruments, but flat topped and backed, so less expensive, despite being all solid instruments. Big Muddies pop up from 300-500 dollars periodically. Flatirons have been a bit more of late, running 500-700 in recent listings. I paid 500 for mine and feel like it was a bargain.

I'm going to assume your prices are in USD? I'd need to convert to CAD and add taxes, shipping, and duty (so much for NAFTA).

[Capt. E]

Of course, you couldn't go wrong with a nice used instrument that would hold its value. For example: you can find a fine Gibson A for under $1500 and you can find a 1930's vintage A-00 for $700-800 or so. I have a 1919-20 A-2 that cost me $1200 plus $150 for a set-up and a new bridge. I'll never sell it, though.
The Kentucky KM-505 is a very nice choice and $550 is a fair price. That one will also hold value.

[CES]

Yes, US dollars. NFI, but a Big Muddy M-4 just popped into the classifieds for $375 USD. I'm completely ignorant as to how much more in taxes/fees that would run you, but worth a look. If google is right, that would be $465 CD.

I'm not surprised the KM900 is gone. Almost bought it when I first saw it this morning, but the timing wasn't right...

[DataNick]

Eastman 305

[fatt-dad]

no duty between USA and Canada. NAFTA.

f-d

[sunburst]

It has been mentioned that set up is important. That cannot be over-emphasized!

Having been in the position of trying to help someone pick out a mandolin for a gift for a son... the very situation in which you find yourself, here is my advice.

Take a knowledgeable person with you to try out mandolins in the lower price ranges.
There are mandolins of good quality in your price range, but mandolins in that price range tend to be very inconsistent. I picked up and played perhaps 6 or 7 low priced mandolins in a retail store and played them a little bit. They were all so similar that price was looking like the best way to decide, then there was this one mandolin that sounded much better than all the others. That day, among those mandolins, the best one was a Kentucky A... I don't remember the model number.
Later, I tried the same thing; browsing through the low priced mandolins in the same store, and the Kentucky mandolins there at that time were no better than the others.

It is true that sound is subjective, but an experienced person, builder or player, can discern quality in the lower price range when someone of no experience may not. It is when we get into higher end mandolins that opinion and preference take over in the hunt for sound. Higher end instruments are more consistent in general, and shoppers for higher end instruments are often more experienced, have learned to know what they like. For now, simply looks for one of the better ones among the offerings.

So, if you can, do some shopping with someone experienced, don't shop for a brand or a name, look for the mandolins that stands out from others in it's price range and buy that one. You may not find it right away, but it's out there somewhere.
When you buy, if you are very lucky, you'll find "that" mandolin at a store where someone competent sets up the instruments, but it is more likely that you'll need to figure in $60 to $100 for a good set up after the purchase.

Good luck, and try to enjoy the ptocess.

[Jim]

@ Eric F., thanks for the feedback. There is a retailer near me that has the Kentucky KM-505 for $599.00 CAD$. Do you think this is a good price?

Yes, that's an OK price, and a 505 is a nice mandolin. That km900 is even better and at $400 a steal!

[red7flag]

As far as I am concerned for the type of playing your son engages in, I would recommend an Eastman 304 or 305, the 304 being oval hole and 305 being f hole. They are well made and will maintain value when and if your son decides to upgrade. I gave a 305 to my cousin a multi instrumentalist 6 or so years ago. He is still happy with it. Here is a link for a 305 with a gig bag included. Elderly is a respected Cafe dealer who will set up the instrument and treat you well, NFI. Here is the link:
https://www.elderly.com/eastman-md30...lin-gigbag.htm