Jim, about a year ago, after much research, I picked up a Breedlove FF mandolin, and I really like it. Like you, I hadn't really been playing the
mando for that long. After I got pretty confident with playing one, I just wanted a nice stage instrument. The Breedlove delivers the goods sound-
wise, and is reasonably priced. You can also have a LR Baggs Radius pickup installed at the factory (which I did). They have them in F hole and Oval
hole models. Check the reviews, they are very favorable. By the way I have a National Tricone, Western D, two National custom artist models, and my
main stage guitar is a Gibson Gospel, so we speak the same language
Here's the F-Hole Breedlove FF that I have, and they can be had for about $1500 street price...
http://breedlovemusic.com/mandolins/...-mandolins/ff1