Mandolin for beginner

[Rschultz]

I’ve been playing guitar for 20+ years. I’m probably an above average guitarist, but no where near pro level. I lead music at my church. I’d like to get a mandolin and start learning, for an occasional song here and there. And I’d like to get one with a pickup in it. I saw one on guitatcenter.com for $200, had what looked like a single coil with tone and volume knobs built in.

So what am I looking for in terms of construction? And also what are the different pickup options?

[fatt-dad]

Rule of thumb. Mandolins cost twice as much as guitars. A $200 mandolin is the quality point of a $100 guitar.

Mandolins get their horsepower from the arching of the top. Some of the cheap mandolins have a pressed top - i.e., not carved at all! To get a solid wood, arched and carved top mandolin is a different price point then you'll see in a $200 mandolin. Consider Kentucky or Eastman and look for the actual words, carved top and solid wood.

Welcome!

f-d

[Seter]

If your church band is playing in a fairly noisy environment and you're using magnetic pickups anyway, you might consider going with a solid body, of which there are an assortment of options. For acoustic-electric it's also the same options as guitars, piezo pickups or microphones.

[Rschultz]

It's hard to ignore the Ibanez 510E, for <$200. I like the idea of a single coil, I could go clean or mix in some distortion. So a $200 mandolin is like $100 guitar... and I would NEVER ever ever buy one. So I get how crazy that sounds, but my budget isn't much and it would at least get me playing one to see if I can make something of it. I'm in no hurry, but talk me out of it if that is just a horrible idea.

[Zach Wilson]

What type of music do you want to play on your new mandolin?

This could greatly affect your purchase decision.

If you want a bluegrass sound (like Bill Monroe) you'll want to find an archtop with F holes for sure. Nothing else.

But if like me you are going to play a more folk or Indie or contemporary worship sound you could expand your search with flat top mandolins, which you could get more band for your buck.

Good luck!

[allenhopkins]

If you want a magnetic pickup -- and you're comfortable with a sound much like a small, trebly electric guitar, rather than a mandolin -- I guess you could do worse than the Ibanez. It's all plywood, pressed rather than carved top, but that's less relevant if you're mainly going to play it through an amp.

My overall advice would be to get a decent-sounding, solid-wood mandolin, like the Kentucky KM-150 or the Rover RM-50; the Kentucky has a carved top/back, while the cheaper Rover's are heat-pressed. Then get a piezo-electric pickup, rather than a magnetic one, to amplify the mandolin; you'll get a more "mandolin-y" sound.

But if you're OK with the mag-pickup sound, and get the Ibanez, just make sure it's properly set up -- that the bridge height and location are correct, the truss rod doesn't need adjustment, the nut's properly slotted and the right height, and that you get new strings (steel windings on the wound strings, for the right interaction with the magnetic pickup). Not a lot of preparatory shop attention gets devoted to the cheaper mandolins (or any cheap instrument, for that matter), and with mandolins, set-up is crucial.

[Rschultz]

My overall advice would be to get a decent-sounding, solid-wood mandolin, like the Kentucky KM-150 or the Rover RM-50; the Kentucky has a carved top/back, while the cheaper Rover's are heat-pressed. Then get a piezo-electric pickup, rather than a magnetic one, to amplify the mandolin; you'll get a more "mandolin-y" sound.

I can see the wisdom in this. It will be a while before I'm ready to plug in. There is a KM-140 on my local CL for $200, with case. I could always add a Baggs Radius later if I wanted.

Thanks for the advice!

[Rodney Riley]

I’ve been using a Godin A-8 at church for around 15?!?! years now. Besides resetting the neck right after I got it to lower the action a little. And glueing a brace that started splitting. Only thing it’s needed has been around 20-25 sets of strings and 20 or so nine volt batteries.

[allenhopkins]

...There is a KM-140 on my local CL for $200, with case. I could always add a Baggs Radius later if I wanted...

Glad to help. That's a good price on the KM-140; just so you know, it does have a solid wood top (good), but unlike the KM-150 it's heat-pressed rather than carved. Similar to the Rover RM-50 I also mentioned. The KM-140 has plywood back and sides, but that's not too relevant to its acoustic qualities.

I think that a decent entry-level mandolin, with a piezo pickup, will give you more of a "mandolin sound" amplified, than one with a magnetic pickup. It may be a little more feedback-sensitive, but if you have a decent mixer as part of your church sound system, there are EQ adjustments that minimize that problem.

[JeffD]

From what I have heard the conventional wisdom was (and maybe still is to some extent) that mandolins with built in electrics were to attract guitar players, where built in electrics was part of the culture. The electrics were often second rate because more than likely an experienced mandolin player wasn't going to buy it anyway, and the acoustic wasn't great because what the heck the buyer is going to plug in anyway.

I am sure there are exceptions, but I agree with Allen that one could probably do better quality wise getting a good acoustic, and modifying it with quality electrics later if desired.

[Bob A]

You're not a beginner, you're an experienced musician. Seriously consider getting the right tool for the job. If you settle for bottom-of-the-barrel instrument, you will find it inadequate in tone and playability, which will prevent you from adequately expressing yourself through it. Disappointment may follow, leaving you with a poor quality mandolin that you will not want to play.

A good rule of thumb is to look for an instrument that is better than you are. It's also useful to buy a used instrument; let someone else pay for the depreciation

[The Man from Knobber.]

Of all instruments, and I know this to be true, the mandolin is the one where the more you spend the greater the difference in sound quality and playing experience.
On guitars I tend to take a Pete Townsend attitude, it's the players hands that make the difference between an average sound and a great one. With bass I have found that it's the amp that makes the sound rather than the instrument oftentimes.
But mandolin? It's apples and oranges, spend the money!
You won't regret it!

[Rschultz]

There is a KM-252 on eBay for $100 right now, without a bridge. Worth the risk and effort? They go for $350 new. A bridge is probably ~$50?

[rcc56]

Mandolin bridges start at around $20 for a cheapie. The best bridges will cost over $50. If you're willing to take the ebay risk and can either fit a bridge yourself or know somebody who can fit one for $50 or less, it sounds like you would do ok.

The low-end electric mandolins I have recently seen were quite poorly made and would need a lot of set up to play in tune. I would avoid them-- they are little more than toys.

[Rschultz]

What about The Loar?

[itstooloudMike]

Hi OP, I see you are in Knoxville. Me too. Welcome to the Cafe'. As others have advised, don't set your sights too low, and end up with an instrument that will end up in a closet. I saw a Rover RM75 in Knoxville CL for $325 with hard case. This one would be worth looking at, but doesn't get you a pickup. I also saw an Ovation Celebrity MCS-148 with hard case in Atlanta for $350. The Rover will give you more of a real mandolin feel and sound, while the Ovation will give you a decent pickup/preamp system for that "plugged in sound". I recommend you stretch your budget up a little, to between $300 and $400, to get a decent starter mandolin. I'm a long time guitar player, and my first mandolin ($125) was a terrible pressed-top Kentucky that sounded like a toy, and was pretty much unplayable. I almost gave up because of that instrument. Don't go that route. You'll be much better served, and thank yourself, for spending a little more.

[B381]

Hi OP, I see you are in Knoxville. Me too. Welcome to the Cafe'. As others have advised, don't set your sights too low, and end up with an instrument that will end up in a closet. I saw a Rover RM75 in Knoxville CL for $325 with hard case. This one would be worth looking at, but doesn't get you a pickup. I also saw an Ovation Celebrity MCS-148 with hard case in Atlanta for $350. The Rover will give you more of a real mandolin feel and sound, while the Ovation will give you a decent pickup/preamp system for that "plugged in sound". I recommend you stretch your budget up a little, to between $300 and $400, to get a decent starter mandolin. I'm a long time guitar player, and my first mandolin ($125) was a terrible pressed-top Kentucky that sounded like a toy, and was pretty much unplayable. I almost gave up because of that instrument. Don't go that route. You'll be much better served, and thank yourself, for spending a little more.

Link for it.....like the color.

https://knoxville.craigslist.org/msg...703258425.html

[Rschultz]

Yeah I’ve been thinking about that Rover, if I can sell an amp to scratch up some funds��

Thanks for the ideas!

[Prophetsnake]

i've owned a KM 252. That's an excellent instrument. You can get a decent bridge for less than 20$. Be sure you learn how to mount it, or get a good luthier to do it for you.

Here's a guy fitting one. It's not the method I use, but it's easy, doesn't involve making jigs and is good enough if you take your time and think about what you're doing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naG9-kxodXU

[Rschultz]

Any thoughts on a Michael Kelly? A couple on Reverb for ~$325-ish.

[Folkmusician.com]

It partly depends on which model and the year.

Note: the Fishman One system in these needs work to the fit of the pickup (inside a routed channel in the bridge) to perform well. If you get one that has been setup well and someone has already dealt with the pickup, they are not bad.

I was the largest seller of MK mandolins for many years.

[itstooloudMike]

Every M-K I have ever picked up has sounded cheap and thin. I would not personally recommend one at any price. At $300+ there are definitely many better alternatives. You might look for a used Big Muddy. Those are great playing and very good sounding mandolins, for not a lot of money. I see them for under $400 quite often.

[Br1ck]

If you pick up a MK right out of the box, if it was anything like mine, I'd agree with the cheap and thin comment. But after fitting the bridge properly, cutting the nut slots, or better yet, making a new bone nut, and leveling and dressing the frets, they are in the ballpark with their counterparts.

I make a point of playing lower end Kentuckys and Eastmans just because I think they are a great value, but you can make a MK into a decent mandolin. Mine is my camper go to.

[Rschultz]

Been revisiting this thread from 5 years ago. A new guy joined our church music team, plays a Seagul S8 EQ... nice sound. Probably a UST, has volume and tone controls. It's been cutting in and out so I brought it home (I don't play mandolin) to look at if I could fix it. I think one of the pots are sticky.

Anyway, got me thinking again about learning mandolin, would want one with a pickup. I have installed a lot of guitar pickups of all different types. How difficult is it to add a pickup to a mandolin? Or should I just buy one with it already installed?

[Pappyrich]

K&K makes a mandolin pickup that is relatively easy to install. If you have installed guitar pickups, it should not be a problem for you.