Re: Very cheap mandolas
What is being sold is double-strung ukulele, or taropatch. These are not -- repeat, not -- normally designed for steel strings. Note the "tie" bridge, for example. Also, isn't the scale a bit long for what you want?
I'd be a bit suspicious of a $100 instrument, even though it claims solid wood construction, being built sturdily enough to take steel strings. Taropatch bridges, even on expensive makes like Martin, have shown a propensity to tear off the tops to which they're glued. My Regal 'patch has a replacement Martin tiple bridge, glued on some time in its distant past history.
I like the recommendation above, to shorten your current instrument's scale with a capo, and de-tune it with slightly heavier strings so that it's CGDA at the first or second fret. My semi-informed take on the instrument in question, is that it's a pretty high risk to be tuned CGDA with even light steel strings.
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
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