Lots of Questions

[steffers]

Hello All,

I am interested in purchasing a new or used Mandolin. I am brand new to the Mandolin and need some guidance. I have played the violin back in elementry school so music reading and playing are not toally new to me, but the Mandolin is. I have been to all sorts of websites looking for some insight on where to start my journey of purchasing a Mandolin. Some of the information was great, but still not sure on what to do next. I looked on E-bay and it seems like every Mandolin I look into is either dirt cheep or so expensive I could only dream of owning one. I am a new be so I am sure just a nice Mandolin would suit me just fine... but what the heck brand would that be!!! LOL, if anyone could help me that would be wonderful. I am feeling a little defeated and I haven't even started playing yet. Any advice would be wonderful.

Thanks!

[Chip Booth]

Tell us more about your musical interests. There are many kinds of mandolins and some may be better suited to certain musical styles than others, though you can certainly learn on almost anything. If you have an idea of a budget that will help narrow the search as well. Your location may influence your options as well.

Also, you may do a quick search on the Cafe, the question of a first mandolin is asked almost daily and there have been many appropriate threads with lots of good information that won't require waiting for replies. Look mainly in this forum and also the Looking for Information about Mandolins forum.

My first bit of advice is that if you feel pretty certain you will stick to the mandolin, even if only for a while, spend as much as you can afford. Mandolins cost more than some other instruments to get the same level of value. Buying used can be work well since if you resell the instrument you can likely get your money back out of it. If you can, try the instrument before buying it. If not, there are some reputable dealers who sponsor the Cafe. There are also many other reputable dealers and I am sure we could point to some you might work with in your area.

Welcome to the Cafe!

[allenhopkins]

1. What kind of music are you planning to play on your mandolin?

2. Approximately how much do you want to spend -- what's the upper limit?

3. Do you have an instrument dealer in your area who has mandolins in his/her store?

4. Do you have friends who play mandolin, or can you find open-to-the-public jams/sessions where acoustic stringed instruments are played?

5. Do you expect to make millions of dollars playing mandolin (jus' kiddin')?

[steffers]

Well it looks like I left out some vital information on my first post... I guess in my initial rant I should have included all of this stuff...LOL!!

I really want to learn how to play Bluegrass.
My budget would allow at the max $250-$300
I do not have any friends that play the Mandolin. I do know where to go to catch some good ole fashion bluegrass/folk tunes!
I am located in South West Michigan, and there are some music shops around in the area. I am a little intimidated just walking in, but I might just have to get over that fear, as everyone needs to start some where!
As for the million dollar question.... WE ALL HAVE DREAMS OF MAKING A MILLION and who knows this just might be my ticket...LOL!!!

[JEStanek]

Hi Steffers and Welcome to the Cafe. I wrote a Blog piece on choosing a starter mandolin. It may offer some advice. If you answer the questions from the other guys, I bet we can narrow your choices down for you too.

Jamie

[coletrickle]

If you live in Southwest Michigan than Elderly in East Lansing should be at the top of your list as a place to stop by. In fact you are lucky that a shop with so many mandos in stock is so close!

[Chip Booth]

With that information your best bet will likely be an imported A body style mandolin with F holes rather than an oval hole. The A style body saves money over the fancier F style while not compromising the sound, so you get more tone for your money. You may like the sound of an oval hole a little more when you first play it, as they often sound deeper and more resonant and can be very pleasant to play by yourself, but for bluegrass the F hole instrument is the traditional sound, and there are bluegrass techniques such as the "chop" that generally work better on an instrument with F holes. Look for traditional wood choices, maple back and sides with a spruce top. Solid woods, especially the top, will usually provide better tone.

The Kentucky brand would be worth looking at, models such as the KM 150, 160 or 162 might fit the bill. Others will likely chime in with brand suggestions. At this price point these instruments can often greatly benefit from a good setup as well, since the are not really setup at the factory. Playablity is probably the single most important aspect when learning a new instrument.

[steffers]

Thanks so much for all the helpful tips. This truly does take the worries out of my purchase. It looks like I need to keep my eye out for a Kentucky Brand (which I was leaning towards just from my reading) with F Holes. It also sounds like I shouldn't get too attached to my first Mando (is it to early for me to start using this abreviation??LOL). It sounds like I will be purchasing a few of them before I settle into my lifer... if that's a possibility at all.

Now my next question is... what is out there for self teaching? I am on a budget so I would like to start off on my own. DVD's or Online lessons would be great for me. Once I get the hang of chords and once I find out if I can really do this, personal lessons would be my next step. When I played violin I had a ton of fun learning to play by ear, but I am sure that is not the best way to learn an instrament for real.

[LA Mando]

These are all fine suggestions. Elderly is definitely the place to go. In your price range, I concur with the solid wood suggestion, and the A style with F holes. What I'll add to this is to have someone who knows how to play a mandolin play it for you and stand in front of it and listen. Find a sound that you like in your price range. Elderly can help you get it set up as well so that it is easy to play. Definitely worth it. My first mandolin was around $200 and is a Michael Kelly A Solid. I still get a lot of playing out of it, even though I also now own one that's more expensive (once I got addicted to this wonderful instrument!). So don't just shop for a specific brand, but have it played so you can hear it. Every mando is a little different, and I've heard some MK mandos that are amazing, and others that aren't so much (to my ear). I think the same goes for many of these that are at lower price points. Best wishes to you, and let us know what you get. You really can find one that speaks to you at your price point. Good luck! Have fun!

[Alex Orr]

Now my next question is... what is out there for self teaching?

Get Mike Marshall's first Fundamentals DVD as well as Greg Horne's beginner mandolin book. They'll compliment each other well because the Marshall DVD deals a lot with ergonomics and basic things such as, how do I hold this thing, but it has little in the way of actual lessons involving scales and chords. In contrast, Horne book gives a very good overview to basic scales, styles, and musical ideas. The second Horne book (intermediate mandolin) is also excellent as is the second Marshall DVD, which is probably about as comprehensive an overview of chords as you'll ever need for mandolin.

I also advocate for a lower-end Kentucky and suggest you make sure to budget for a set-up.

Also, it can never hurt to start learning some fiddle tunes early on. I recommend Steve Kaufman's Parking Lot Pickers books. Pricey, but very well done. Can't say I care for his advanced versions of songs, but he lays out some very good beginner and intermediate versions of commonly played fiddle tunes with in-depth lessons on the accompanying CDs.

[Justus True Waldron]

As far as a starting mandolin goes, I'd also recommend a Kentucky A... worked great for me and a number of others I know.

As for making a million playing bluegrass? I'm pretty sure the number of people who have pulled that off can be counted on one hand! Good luck and welcome to the madness that is the mandolin world. Enjoy!

[Randi Gormley]

Since I don't play bluegrass, I don't know if this counts, but several other genres rely very strongly on learning by ear (as opposed to reading music from books or sheet music), so don't feel like you have to forget about ear training to concentrate on formal scales, arpeggios and whatnot. It's all good. The point is to enjoy yourself and the music you make.
Welcome to the cafe!

[Marty Henrickson]

There are many others that can answer your questions better than I, but I can tell you that you are definitely in the right place!

Enjoy the journey, and beware the MAS!