Buying my first mandolin (I really need help!)

[Jacobs]

I really want to start playing mandolin and I almost have enough money to buy my first one. I found a store nearby and they proposed two, the first is the Savannah F-hole 100-VS which has a selling price of R 1,695.00, ($169).

The other is the Savannah oval shaped sound hole model 110 TOSB selling price is R 1,795.00 ($179). It is a lot more expensive here in South Africa!

Firstly, Oval or F hole? I like Irish music, folk music, stuff like Mumford and also bluegrass. I heard very contradicting stuff on this subject so I really need your help to decide.

Only the mandolins is included in the price so what should I buy extra?

Lastly, these two mandolins is the only two that I can find within my budget and since I never even played I don't know if I will even like it as much as I think. Should I settle for it or are they really bad? The more expensive ones are more than double their price.
Thanks!

(I can also get a Fender’s FM-53S Electric Mandolin for R3200 ($320))

[Jacobs]

I also got a reply from an online shop for a Washburn M1k package for R1970 ($197), which pushes the options to four

[lflngpicker]

Hi Jacobs, If I were you, I would try to find an older Kentucky KM-180s on Ebay. Otherwise, see if you can find a used but recently made Kentucky Km-150. You should be able to find one used for around your price. There are also a number of vintage mandolins that can be good starters for closer to $100. I am sure that some of the more knowledgeable players than myself will also give you advice. Good luck and enjoy the pursuit!

[lflngpicker]

Here is an example of what I was talking about

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kentucky-KM-...item27e79df6d3

[PaulBills]

The Ozark beginners mandolin sounds lovely, and if it's set up properly plays like a dream too, mine was £129 GBP

[Randi Gormley]

There isn't really a requirement for a specific mandolin for a specific genre, just common practice and tradition. So don't think that you need to buy, say, an F-model for bluegrass, a bowlback for classical or an oval hole for celtic, although once you get hooked, you might end up with all of them. What you need is a good all-around instrument to learn on and, at that price point, it's important to get it set up properly. So, oval or f-hole, scroll and points or smooth, flat-face, arched top or wide fretboard is mostly what you feel comfortable purchasing and what's available. Whatever you get, you'll probably need a new set of strings. A case is nice and protects the instrument from damage. Picks are usually used but it's fun to experiment on size and hardness so you can pick them up wherever. A lot of people get a beginner's book or bookmark YouTube lessons. Hanging around the café here will give you more opinions on stuff you never knew existed than you can even imagine right now, but really all you need is a playable instrument.

Speaking of playable, you'll hear about "set-up" a lot. It's how you get an instrument modified to make it easy to use. It has to do with string height above the fretboard and placement of the bridge and correct spacing at the nut and that kind of thing so you don't think you're using one of those mandolins that slice vegetables. Rob Meldrum offers a free download to café people on how to set up a mandolin correctly. While a high-end instrument sounds better with a good set-up, setting up a less expensive instrument correctly may mean the difference between sticking with mandolin or using it as a dust-collector under the bed. If you're nervous about doing that kind of tinkering on your own (I am, frankly, even with my $49 Rogue), it pays to check with your local music store to see if anybody there does setups or if they know someone in the area who does them on mandolins (it's a different thing than setting up a guitar). Depending on where you're located, there should be someone on the café who might be able to help you find a luthier or be near enough to compare info.

[multidon]

Oval holes are preferred for Irish and folk but f holes for bluegrass. If you are dabbling I would recommend f holes as they are more versatile. You can play anything on anything though. If you try playing bluegrass on an oval hole you risk getting cited by the BPD (Bluegrass Police Department). They might let you off with just a warning the first time!

The best beginner package without a doubt is the Kentucky KM 150. Elderly instruments sells a beginners package with case book tuner etc. for 299 and actually 269 US dollars with their 10 percent off promotion. I know for a fact they ship internationally but don't know how much that costs. The reason the KM 150 is so good is it's all carved solid woods and comes with the shop set up. Set up on a mandolin is critical.

That being said, concerning the four choices you presented, I would go with the Washburn. It is the only one with a solid wood top. The other 3 are all laminate and would not be likely to sound good. The price you are being quoted is fair. The Fender and Savannah prices seem high. And I doubt there is set up included on any of those four. Unless the store you are buying from includes it. You can do it yourself. There is a free e book on how to set up a mandolin available from Cafe member Rob Meldrum. Contact him if interested. Good luck.

[pheffernan]

You might consider PMing Pasha Alden, a board regular from South Africa. And another South African poster Gsouth started a similar thread in November: http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...irst-Mandolin).

[bart mcneil]

Extra stuff:

An electric tuner is useful especially if you are going to play with others. Google "mandolin tuning" and you can tune from your computer if you wish.

Three extra sets of strings. Medium weight seems to be the preference for general playing. The strings which come on your mando may be of poor quality and you will want to change them as soon as you break a string to a better set, Any set commonly available is probably good for your needs.

a strap is probably not necessary but you will want one 'cause everybody does,,,, I wouldn't spend a lot of money on one. In fact I use a boot lace for a couple of mine. I have a leather strap but only use it on my resonator mando as it is heavy..

You will want a wire cutter for cutting string ends off. small cheap ones are fine.

frets.com is, in my opinion, the best site for learning how to set up and work on your mandolin. excellent for trouble shooting problems and adjusting your mandolin. Use it for learning how to install strings... It is not as simple as you think.

If you don't want a case you may want a cheap gig bag which you can carey or store your mando in when going someplace, If wrapped in a towel it will offer some protection inside the gig bag,

I am probably forgetting something but this should get you started... It is easy to buy stuff you will never need, so be cautious if money is scarce.

[Pasha Alden]

Good luck with finding your mandolin. We were all there once, looking for our mandolin. Hope you find that mandolin with kindred spirit soon.