Hello I am posting here because I am looking at purchasing my first mandolin.
My background is that I played cello for about ten years (up to about 3rd cello suite proficiently), and then can play some easier songs on piano and classical guitar. I am starting to grasp musical theory.
I am mainly interested in using the mandolin I will purchase for three primary reasons. Each reason contains about equal weight and were ordered at random.
Reason: I want to eventually be able to play choro both on bandolim and on cello. I am pretty sure that since most choro is written for bandolim solos and cello and mandolin share fifths tuning that I will learn the form more quickly on a mandolin to eventually transfer that over to cello if I decide to do so. It will help me explore.
Reason: I would like to be able to transfer my classical pieces from cello to mandolin. I'd prefer not transposing all of the pieces up a fifth as it would just bother me. I would use it as a way to get a new perspective on my cello pieces.
Reason: I would like to join some jam groups of various music styles that happen in town. They are not really anything beyond amature musicians meeting up. They mainly play fiddle tunes, folk, and bluegrass. I'm sure everyone here knows what I am talking about.
Considering these three primary priorities:
I am wondering if: I should buy a used eastman A series mandolin and then a mandola as well and just play either instrument dependent upon my objective at the time.
Or if I should order a five course bandolim from Brasil. I have the opportunity to use a luthier who has a good reputation and would do it for a pretty reasonable price considering it is a handmade good. It will be significantly more expensive than purchasing a used mandolin and a used mandola here but the value for a quality instrument may outweigh that.
Will having the fifth course really throw me off considering I am already fairly "fluent" with fifths tuning from my cello playing and have some dexterity from playing guitar for a number of years? Enough of an adjustment to only want to purchase a four course instrument?
Since bandolims have a different sound from their american counterparts, would it probably be inapporpriate in a mandolin jam style setting? I think once I have more money I could buy an American instrument but would it fit in well enough for several years?
I am using music only as a hobby rather than any kind of profession so I just need to see if it would make more sense with the limited amount of time I have to:
Learn on the five course bandolim now that would be good for playing classical and choro my main intersests.
Or: Learn on a cheaper four course american mandolin and a mandola for a number of years and then hope to find a bandolim at a reasonable price in a few years? I think one of the main reasons I would not want to do this is that mandolins and mandolas have separate scale lengths so I'd rather just learn the first time. Might be easiest to just purchase one mandolin for life instead of learning separate skills and then transfering over later.
One of the main expenses in purchasing a Brazillian instrument is that the shipping and insurance is a large and sunk cost. That coupled with it being a different enough instrument from the American Mandolin is one of the reasons I am considering starting with the five course Brazilian Bandolim that is well made and paying the premium for one I will not need to upgrade ever.
Might be better to buy once now instead of multiple now and then again later. Although once I am proficient I could see myself playing bluegrass as well and would purchase an instrument dedicated to that at the time.
Further last question: It would only cost $100 to have the bandolim constructed electrically instead of acoustically. Would it make sense to have that installed if I will never be playing professionally but if later I might need to resell it.
Thank you,
I know the post is not too clear but I am trying to weigh several different possibilities.
Best,
Tom!
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