The Acoustic Guitar Forum

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

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #16  
Old 02-07-2020, 06:03 PM
ceciltguitar ceciltguitar is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,316
Default

If you are already familiar with the guitar, you could also consider the Emerald Amicus:

https://emeraldguitars.com/product/amicus-artisan/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhsOsEJtVhk
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 02-07-2020, 11:36 PM
Shaneh Shaneh is online now
Charter Member
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 478
Default

Your best for the money as a starter is the Breedlove crossover FO. You get a good solid mandolin with the pretty shape but the o sound hole. Can be had new for less than $400. Might need a setup but mine was fine. Then if you want to upgrade it will probably be a while before you feel the need to.
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 02-09-2020, 05:21 AM
SalFromChatham's Avatar
SalFromChatham SalFromChatham is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 7,726
Default

I’ll weigh in... I was in your same shoes.

I ended up ordering an Eastman MD 304 from The Mandolin Store. Round hole.
My son bought the MD305... F holes.
I also bought a Bug Muddy M11... more mellow sound than the Eastmans, which have more CHOP

The Big Muddy is American-made by a real character... and each one has personality.

The Eastmans are also fantastic. They came with perfect setups out of the gate. I figured I’d try it out, and if I stuck with the instrument I could upgrade. I did stick with the mandolin, and my 304 has a k&k in it now too, it makes its way into about seven songs each gig.

I never felt the urge to move up. The Eastman 300 series are great.

Oh... and i can’t tell the difference between unplugged Eastman sound 304 vs 305. The 305 looks nicer I guess? Personal preference. No tonal difference to my ears.
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 02-09-2020, 11:55 AM
Chipotle Chipotle is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 2,301
Default

If you're just curious, and don't have any plans to play it a lot, go for the lower end. I know that often it's wise not to go cheap and then then have to essentially throw it away to move up, but you can probably get something decent in the $300-400 range (inexpensive new or nicer used) that will be more than adequate for plinking around, or maybe throwing a few runs into a recording to round it out.

My own experience was to buy a lower-end Washburn A-style, around $300 iirc. Plays decently, sounds like a mandolin , and has done the job just fine even for a few songs live and adding a little mandolin spice to some other recordings.

If I ever decided to get into mandolin any more than that, I don't feel I've wasted too much money if I move up.
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 02-09-2020, 12:31 PM
H165 H165 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: The Woods; OC, CA
Posts: 3,055
Default

An interesting vintage Gibson compromise.....and inexpensive to boot:


https://www.elderly.com/products/kel...style-mandolin
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old 02-09-2020, 01:22 PM
otis66 otis66 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 966
Default My Kentucky KM500

My Kentucky KM500 was delivered last week.
Awesome mandolin.
The Kentucky KM150 is recommended for beginners.
You’d be happier with The KM500 or KM
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 02-09-2020, 08:01 PM
Denny B Denny B is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Ohio
Posts: 3,136
Default

Hey, folks, I really appreciate all the info and suggestions! I've stayed pretty busy researching my options..

Other than picking or strumming some inexpensive and sometimes almost unplayable mandolins in a couple of shops, I'm a novice here...Without digging too deep, I'd like to find something of some quality that would help me start out and last for awhile if I stick with it...

Eastman seems to get some love here and other places I've looked, and I'm leaning towards an "A" style...

I've heard good things, so I'm thinking of a 304/305, or possibly spending a little more for a 504/505 model for the better tuners, gloss nitro finish and a hard bag...this seems to put me in the $500/$750 range...I'm thinking the extra $ for the 500 series would be well spent without stretching my budget too far...
__________________
"Music is much too important to be left to professionals."

Last edited by Denny B; 02-09-2020 at 08:07 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 02-09-2020, 08:13 PM
Denny B Denny B is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Ohio
Posts: 3,136
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by frankmcr View Post
F styles look cooler, but A styles don't sound any different and they are less expensive.

Both F and A styles come in either oval-hole or f-hole models. The f-hole style is generally perceived as best for bluegrass players and the oval-hole for "Celtic", folk, blues players. You can play anything on any of the styles.

A-style mandolins usually attach at the headstock. There's plenty of room. Can also attach under the fingerboard if the instrument design allows that. Here's a video (not by me):



I would recommend an Eastman A-style, either the MD 304 oval hole or the MD 305 with f-holes. I checked two highly reputable on-line dealers, and they both price both styles at $510 inc. gigbag.

Frank, I've found the site MandoLessons, from that clip, and it seems like a great source for a beginner like me...very easy to follow and no ads...thanks for posting it...
__________________
"Music is much too important to be left to professionals."
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 02-09-2020, 08:21 PM
Denny B Denny B is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Ohio
Posts: 3,136
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chickee View Post
Spend a little more than you planned, it will make up for itself in playability and you’ll be more likely to really give a go at learning the instrument. Oh, BTW, I’m a rock guitarist. No bluegrass, new grass, true grass here. Winwood, Zevon, Clapton sort of stuff.

Hey, Chickee...I've just joined a large mandolin site recently and was delighted to see all the folks there who, like myself, lean towards music other than BG played on the mandolin...
__________________
"Music is much too important to be left to professionals."
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 02-09-2020, 10:56 PM
frankmcr frankmcr is online now
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 5,336
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Denny B View Post
Frank, I've found the site MandoLessons, from that clip, and it seems like a great source for a beginner like me...very easy to follow and no ads...thanks for posting it...
Enjoy! The world needs more mandolin players!
__________________
stai scherzando?
Reply With Quote
  #26  
Old 02-10-2020, 08:11 AM
rokdog49 rokdog49 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 13,538
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by leew3 View Post
All good advice thus far. I came to mandolin from guitar a couple years ago and love it. My gigging mandolin is a Breedlove Legacy OF, and A style with F holes that is the best of both worlds IMO. They don't make them anymore so my mention of it is merely to add weight to the A style side of the equation.

There is less detail work in the typical A style so you get more for your money. There's a lot of love for Eastman here on the AGF,and I just bought an Eastman El Rey electric mando that is too much fun! Play some to get a feel for what you might like. Enjoy the ride, it's a great little instrument!
And...if you’re in a duet with a guy (leew3) who plays one, you can be rich and famous too!
Seriously, the Mando mixed with an acoustic guitar gets a lot of mileage at gigs. I love it and we try to incorporate it as much as possible in our arrangements.
__________________
Nothing bothers me unless I let it.

Martin D18
Gibson J45
Gibson J15
Fender Copperburst Telecaster
Squier CV 50 Stratocaster
Squier CV 50 Telecaster
Reply With Quote
  #27  
Old 02-10-2020, 09:13 AM
keith.rogers's Avatar
keith.rogers keith.rogers is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,693
Default

Former Eastman (505) owner I got from the Mandolin Store. Great shop (though I just got an email they are moving from AZ to TN so not sure how much that, plus China situation impacts them now/yet).

The A series will save you money, but FWIW, there's a much bigger market for F-style models IMO/IME, so if you want to move on/up/out later on, the F will likely sell faster, especially a brand like Eastman. As my fiddling and mando days are behind me, I was able to get my money back, but it surprised me that it took a while to move the A. (It was also natural, so possibly a bit more of an odd-duck in that respect, too, but a very good friend had played a natural A, so that's what I got.)

Anyway, dittoing another point, I would stick with the f-hole models and the 14-fret joint, as that's what will be most common in almost any genre, save old-timey, or if you have a specific player to model that uses one, perhaps.
__________________
"I know in the morning that it's gonna be good, when I stick out my elbows and they don't bump wood." - Bill Kirchen
Reply With Quote
  #28  
Old 02-10-2020, 09:34 AM
Petty1818 Petty1818 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 4,556
Default

When I was first starting on mandolin, I bought an Epiphone model. It's fine for what it is but looking back, I wish I would have just waited for a used Eastman model. My friend has a 615 that she bought used for $900. It sounds incredible. If I were you I would look at either one of the 300 models if you want to save a bit or the 515/615 if you go F style.

From what I have been told, lower model Kentucky mandolins (under the 900 level) are made in a different factory and are not as good as lower priced Eastman models. At the higher end they are about the same.
Reply With Quote
  #29  
Old 02-11-2020, 01:58 PM
leew3 leew3 is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 2,953
Default

and in the FWIW department The Mandolin Store is relocating to Nashville so within a long drive for those of us in beautiful Ohio!
__________________
"I go for a lotta things that's a little too strong" J.L. Hooker
Reply With Quote
  #30  
Old 02-11-2020, 03:40 PM
Denny B Denny B is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Ohio
Posts: 3,136
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by leew3 View Post
and in the FWIW department The Mandolin Store is relocating to Nashville so within a long drive for those of us in beautiful Ohio!

I noticed that as I was checking out their website...
__________________
"Music is much too important to be left to professionals."
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 12:22 PM.


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=