The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Other Musical Instruments

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 12-16-2007, 09:27 AM
california91207 california91207 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 409
Default Need a Mandolin Suggestion

I'd like to learn to play the mandolin. Can anyone suggest a good mandolin to start with? Also, any lesson book or DVD recommendations?
__________________
In order of age....
'67 Guild D-44 - Bought it New!
'67 Yamaha FG-230 12 - Also Bought New
'78 Guild X-175
'96 Guild JF-65 12
'00 Santa Cruz Vintage Southerner
'01 Guild Goldtop Bluesbird
'06 Taylor T5 Cocobolo
'07 Taylor Custom DN Brazilian


Take it easy, but take it!
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 12-16-2007, 09:30 AM
rgregg48 rgregg48 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky
Posts: 3,773
Default

what is the most you are willing to spend on your first mandolin?

i have some suggestions , but do you want el cheapo , or just something
that is reasonable?

Rick
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 12-16-2007, 09:36 AM
Bruce E Bruce E is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Jenison Michigan
Posts: 729
Default

Maybe something like these:
http://elderly.com/new_instruments/items/MD504C.htm
http://elderly.com/new_instruments/items/KM505.htm

Look around on the Elderly Instruments site. IMO you need to spend around this much to get a decent starter mandolin. Don't go for the Musicians Friend deal where you get both a flattop guitar and a mandolin for less than a Franklin. And don't be pulled in by those who would have you believe you need to spend $5K to $6K for an "entry level" instrument. That's *****. Only get an F model mandolin if you really, really like that style. The scrolls and points cost a lot of money and do absolutely nothing for the sound or playability.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 12-16-2007, 09:52 AM
biggs2 biggs2 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 649
Default

What type of music will you be playing? Bluegrass players seem to like F-style mandolins for the bark and projection while folk and celtic players mostly use A-style mandos. But you can pretty much play any style of music on any mando. I have an inexpensive Michael Kelly F-style and a Breedlove K body mando. The K body seems to be farily versatile. Bruce does make a good point in that F-styles are more expensive and depending on your needs may not be necessary.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 12-16-2007, 09:55 AM
california91207 california91207 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 409
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by rgregg48 View Post
what is the most you are willing to spend on your first mandolin?

i have some suggestions , but do you want el cheapo , or just something
that is reasonable?

Rick
Thanks Rick, definitely not an el cheapo. Something that is ideally reasonable and that I can enjoy starting out.

Biggs -- primarily bluegrass and a little folk.
__________________
In order of age....
'67 Guild D-44 - Bought it New!
'67 Yamaha FG-230 12 - Also Bought New
'78 Guild X-175
'96 Guild JF-65 12
'00 Santa Cruz Vintage Southerner
'01 Guild Goldtop Bluesbird
'06 Taylor T5 Cocobolo
'07 Taylor Custom DN Brazilian


Take it easy, but take it!

Last edited by california91207; 12-16-2007 at 10:01 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 12-16-2007, 10:00 AM
HHP HHP is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 29,351
Default

Take a look at a Kentucky A style. They sound good, can be set up well, and are good enough to take you to a point where you can decide if you want and need something better.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 12-16-2007, 11:32 AM
PhilT PhilT is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Colorado
Posts: 143
Default

The Kentucky mandos are good bang for the buck-sound pretty good and can be setup to play nicely. Also, the Mid-Missouri mandolins are a good choice for an entry level instrument (I think they changed their name recently.)
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 12-16-2007, 11:34 AM
MissouriPicker MissouriPicker is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Missouri
Posts: 2,642
Default

You might look for a used one. I found a Kent, sold by J.C Pennys and Montgomery Wards back in the 60's. Think I paid $35 for it, but that included two sets of guitar strings..lol...The sound is decent, but great for learning to play. It's construction reminds me of some of those Gibsons that were overbuilt back then........I swear to God that it's as solid as an oak table..lol...Great as a pancake flipper too.
__________________
NEW SONGS on Reverbnation
http://www.reverbnation.com/larrygarrett

The Missouripicker's YouTube Channel
URL:http://www.youtube.com/user/TheMissouripicker


Gibson J100 Walnut, Gibson Hummingbird, Gibson Dove, Gibson J45TV, Gibson AJ RW, Gibson AJ Koa, Gibson Southern Jumbo, Gibson J15, Martin HD28, Alvarez MFA66SHB and many other guitars, banjos, mandolins, dobros, dulcimers, and strays.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 12-16-2007, 11:46 AM
ship of fools ship of fools is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Richmond BC
Posts: 2,395
Default

I just posted this up on another Mandoline question,but hey its free info, so here you go.
http://www.johnmcgann.com/TabReadersGuideToStandard.pdf
Ship
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 12-16-2007, 11:55 AM
martind gibsona martind gibsona is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 284
Default

Quote:
Bluegrass players seem to like F-style mandolins for the bark and projection while folk and celtic players mostly use A-style mandos.
Not quite ... bluegrass players tend to prefer mandolins with F-style holes while folk and Celtic players tend to prefer mandolins with round or oval holes. The shape of the body actually makes nearly zero difference in the sound, but the shape of the holes does. A mandolin with the F-style holes gives that percussive "bark" that the bluegrassers prefer; the round/oval holes usually yield more ring and sustain. (Although some might prefer the look, I'm convinced that the main reason bluegrassers also gravitate towards mandolins with the F-style body is that Bill Monroe played one.) There are many examples of fine, fine bluegrass players who play mandolins with the A-style (i.e. symmetric) body, the most notable probably being Tim O'Brien ... Russell Johnson is another one.

If you want to play both bluegrass AND folk, I'd steer you towards the an A-style body with F-style holes. You'll save a decent amount of $ on the instrument -- because you're not paying for all that fancy scrollwork -- while still getting the bluegrass sound you're looking for. And while you can certainly play folk on a bluegrass-style mandolin, I don't think a folk-style mandolin works nearly as well for bluegrass because it's just not going to chop very well.

Don Smith

Last edited by martind gibsona; 12-16-2007 at 12:05 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 12-16-2007, 12:20 PM
Howard Emerson Howard Emerson is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Huntington Station, New York
Posts: 7,604
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by california91207 View Post
I'd like to learn to play the mandolin. Can anyone suggest a good mandolin to start with? Also, any lesson book or DVD recommendations?
Here's a bunch from $100-300 found quickly on gbase.com

http://www.gbase.com/Stores/Gear/Gea...yword=Mandolin
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 12-16-2007, 01:03 PM
Fliss Fliss is offline
happiness
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: England
Posts: 6,252
Default

If you're looking for something that's pretty reasonable and not an "el cheapo" you could look at Eastman mandolins:

http://www.giannaviolins.com/esmando...Inventory.html

I'll second the suggestion of an A-style body with f-holes for bluegrass.

Fliss
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 12-16-2007, 02:20 PM
topographic topographic is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Ohio
Posts: 712
Default

An Eastman 615 is a killer mando.

Or a Morgan Monroe MMS-3

http://www.folkofthewood.com/page2332.htm
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 12-17-2007, 08:55 AM
smw17 smw17 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 88
Default

I just bought my first mando a couple of weeks ago-- a Kentucky KM-350. A nice little mando that plays pretty well with the set-up included in purchase price. The Eastmans are really nice for the money, but the Kentucky was a better deal for me, as I was looking for something decent to learn on.

Check out Gianna's Violins or The Mandolin Store: both have good deals and include set-ups with their mandos.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 12-17-2007, 12:41 PM
billgennaro billgennaro is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: DeLand, FL
Posts: 4,841
Default

check out the weber hyalite with the mahogany back and sides. a fine little mandolin to start on.
__________________
Bill Gennaro

"Accept your lot, whatever it may be, in ultimate humbleness. Accept in humbleness what you are, not as grounds for regret but as a living challenge."
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Other Musical Instruments

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:12 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=