Need a mandolin suggestion!

[Atlantis]

OK all you mandolin players out there! I am thinking about learning to play mandolin. Can anyone help me out here and suggest a good mandolin to learn on? I've been looking at the Michael Kelly website, and these seem pretty nice. After owning Taylor guitars, I would like a solid wood instrument, no laminate.
I would like a well made instrument, it probably would be my only mandolin (unless TAS turns into MAS!).

[Jeff Mac]

I went through the same thing about a year ago. I was looking at mandolins and was up into the $2K range for solid wood. I came to my senses and ended up with a Fender A model for about $200. I asked for advice on one of these forums and the advice leaned toward Kentucky mandolins as an inexpensive but decent instrument. I was glad that is all I spent; it ain't as easy as it looks. I have fairly small hands and some of the chord stretches are all four string pairs and a challenge. The whole thing has been hard to get used to. I even stopped fooling with it for a few months, but am now back at it and making some progress. I would do the same thing again. My advice is to buy a cheap one. If you like it, upgrade. If you don't, you don't have much money in it. My dealer said that if I didn't like it, I could bring it back and they would give me my full purchase price towards something else. To my ears, there is not as much sound difference between solid wood and laminate in mandolins (I am sure that someone that knows mandolins will heartily disagree).

[cpmusic]

If you want solid wood, look at the standard Mid-Missouri mandolins. They come with solid spruce tops and back/sides of mahogany, rosewood, or maple depending on the model. They start around $350-400, which is higher than the imported models from Epiphone, Fender, etc., but the quality is higher in terms of playability and tone.

One note: They've started making some low-priced travel instruments which are cheaper but are better avoided if you can afford a regular one. These models are shallower and just don't have the same kind of tone. You can tell them by their bolt-on necks (bolts on the back of the body, like the Tacoma Chief).

Another option: Cruise music stores, pawn shops, and ebay for a used Flatiron "paddle" mando (my term). They look kinda like ping-pong paddles, but they play like a dream, they have great tone, and they're good and loud when you need them to be. They go by the names Cadet, 1N, 2N, and the like. I have a 1N (spruce over plain maple) that I bought used several years ago for just a little more than Jeff paid for his Fender. It's very plain but has incredible tone. It had not been treated kindly and has the scars to prove it, but it's still structurally sound, and all it has needed over the years was a new nut. Nicer 1N and 2N models sell for more, but not too much.

If you really want to spend less, try at least to get a solid top, and buy from a dealer who will inspect and set up as needed. A bad setup or poor neck angle will make you want to play your guitar instead.

[rubberdog]

I'm not a mandolin player, so my 2 cents is not based on a lot of experience - I have played quite a few, though.
Tacoma mandolins are all solid wood, USA made, and nicely priced. I really like their guitars (they seem Taylor influenced - a guitar shop guy told me there are former Taylor employees involved in their designing - who knows?)
Another way of testing the waters without too much $$ outlay would be a Martin Backpacker mandolin.

[John712]

I learned on an Alvarez A-400 and now play an Alvarez A-700. Both of these instruments are over 20 years old and are solid wood. The closest thing on the market now would be the Kentucky line. Buying a mandolin to learn is kind of like buying a decent guitar. With no disrespect to anybody else's opinion I recommend you spend a little more and get a "better" quality instrument. If you don't have a decent action it will be a painful and frustrating process to learn. I also like a slightly wider neck but that's a matter of personal preference. Don't be afraid of some of the vintage instruments out there. If they're well cared for they hold up well. Since the neck and body are shorter it is less susceptible to warping. I've seen some superb Martin A models out there for $400-500. You won't get a Gibson for that but used high-end mandolins usually don't bring the prices you see with used high end guitars. Good luck!

[franchelB]

Kentucky mandolins have a model that is made of all solid wood and I think FQMS.com sells it for @$250. I can't remember the model no., but I'm sure it's an A-model. Some might get "scared" that it's made in China...but it's all-solid wood!

[Atlantis]

Thankyou to all who suggested different models. I have some great info to go on now!