Best USED Mando under $500 with Radius Fretboard: Your Picks!

[Mando&Me]

Howdy, all. I posted in repair about a J. Bouvier F-style mando of mine with a broken neck. Till it is repaired, I am dying to find a cheap replacement to play at jams.

I am not particularly picky, but I noticed I really miss having a radius fretboard. I have a cheapie Kentucky and a cheapie Epi, but neither of those have a radius neck, and I'm all thumbs when I play them. I guess I'm spoiled.

My budget is limited to below $500, max, and preferably below $300. I recently bought an expensive guitar and my reserves are low, so please don't suggest anything more expensive. This is a stop-gap measure till the good one is either fixed or replaced.

A style with f holes is fine; don't like round holed models so much.

Thanks for you thoughts,

M&M

[Br1ck]

Get yourself an Eastman then. Good enough to keep, easy enough to sell.

[Mando&Me]

Get yourself an Eastman then. Good enough to keep, easy enough to sell.

Yes, thinking either Eastman or Kentucky. I will probably end up keeping this one as a better backup than what I currently have. Do ALL Eastman mandos come with radius fretboards? Sorry for my ignorance.

Thanks.

[Northwest Steve]

Eastman or Kentucky - you will have to make sure the Kentucky has a radius fretboard. I believe all Eastman's have a radius fretboard.

[colorado_al]

I recently played and posted about this one:
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/s...305-for-192-48
I'd call and see if it is still available.
Best you will find below $300.

[Roger Moss]

Either an Eastman or an Eastman. Really how can there be another option?

[Jeff Mando]

Used (vintage) Gibson A-40 mandolins sell almost weekly on eBay for $500 or less.

[colorado_al]

Used (vintage) Gibson A-40 mandolins sell almost weekly on eBay for $500 or less.

But not with Radius Fretboard as OP asks for in the thread title

[soliver]

All Eastman's have radiused fretboards, but many of the Kentucky's in that Price range do not, save maybe the newer KM272's.

Your best bet is probably a used Eastman MD305. I've seen them go used in the $300 to $400 range. A great instrument IMHO. I've had mine for a good 3 yrs and have loved it.

[colorado_al]

Since it appears that Eastman deal I mentioned is only for local sale, my next suggestion was going to be Kentucky KM-250/KM-252/KM-256. Specifically this deal on the KM-252 for $293 with 15% off coupon code LABORDAY
https://www.musiciansfriend.com/folk...model-mandolin
but it appears to be out of stock until the end of the month.

Amazon has it in stock for $345
https://www.amazon.com/Kentucky-KM-2.../dp/B00M2YZ3TK

You'd have to do your own setup from both of those sources.

[Paul Statman]

+1 for any Eastman

[Steve L]

I seem to be one of the very few people who owns a first generation Breedlove Crossover 00 and likes it. I wouldn't have bought it for anywhere near what they were initially asking, but I got mine new when they were blowing them out for about $260. Mine has a full rich sound with good volume and I really love the neck. I have a number of other "better" mandos, but that's the one in my teaching studio and I think if you can find one for under $300 as a spare instrument, you might like it. The couple of f holed Crossovers I've heard, I didn't care for at all, FYI.

[Paul Busman]

I seem to be one of the very few people who owns a first generation Breedlove Crossover 00 and likes it. I wouldn't have bought it for anywhere near what they were initially asking, but I got mine new when they were blowing them out for about $260. Mine has a full rich sound with good volume and I really love the neck. I have a number of other "better" mandos, but that's the one in my teaching studio and I think if you can find one for under $300 as a spare instrument, you might like it. The couple of f holed Crossovers I've heard, I didn't care for at all, FYI.

I have one of those in Johnny Cash black and I really like it. However, I don't play it as often as I should, so I'm planning on selling it. OP, contact me if you might be interested.

[geoffa]

Nice looking Eastman 305 in classifieds right now with upgraded Cumberland bridge. NFI.

https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/128981#128981

[Andy Hatfield]

Played one of the breedloves recently, and it was really nice. Good neck and fingerboard.