How many of you play mandolin?

[John McGillivray]

It's my son's birthday next week (he'll be 7) and am thinking of getting him a mandolin for his birthday. I'd like to get him a guitar, but his hands are still pretty small right now and am thinking a mandolin will be a better fit for him. It would also give me an excuse to get a mandolin in the house and fool around on it when he's not playing it. It got me thinking and wonder how many others here play mandolin? Is it a difficult transition from guitar to mandolin? Would a mandolin be better for a 7 year old than a guitar? Any recommendation for a mandolin in around the $1,000 range? I know that I can get a cheapy one, but I think if you spend the extra money up front, then you get a better playing and sounding instrument and will hopefully make it more enjoyable for him.

I would probably buy used and know that Gibson and Weber make well respected mandolins. Any recommendations? Are used Larrivee mandolins out of this price range? Let me have it you mandolin fiends!!!

John

[raulb]

There are many good ones in that range. Kentucky and Eastman are two good ones that will come in below that price.

Check out the Mandolin Cafe forum for LOTS of good suggestions.

[Lawn Jockey]

Breedlove Quartz Series (oval or F) are at or below your budget.

Check some out here.

Good luck!!

[Fliss]

+1 for RaulB's suggestions.

Some other options to consider - a vintage Gibson oval hole (teens or twenties) would be a good buy in that price bracket. You could also consider some good quality flat tops such as Red Line Traveller, Big Muddy / Mid Missouri (Mid Mo), or Gypsy. You might even be able to get something like an Arches flat top for that price. There are some makers who make or have made smaller instruments for children, for example Bill Bussman (Old Wave Mandolins) recently made a half size mandolin which has been featured on Mandolin Cafe: http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=48297

As to whether a guitar or mandolin will be better for your son... I don't know, I can see advantages in both, or a ukulele. Anything that will encourage him to pick up an instrument and start making some music must surely be good

Fliss

[Misifus]

I've been playing guitar for forty-five years. About five years ago, on a whim, I bought an old mando. I found it so easy to get started on, that I bought another. Now, I'm no master on the instrument (nor on the guitar, either), but I can satisfy myself on it.

The chords can be formed by thinking of the four lowest pitched strings on the guitar, and reversing the order. The scales seemed to me, to follow a very orderly pattern.

-Raf

[JohnZ]

A seven year old doesn't need a good mandolin to start, they need a mandolin with a very good setup. It worked pretty well for Chris Thile.

[justjes]

I picked up a Kentucky A-style with F-holes, for much less than you mentioned. I think it's solid top/lam sides, althought the Saga website says all solid. They probably know better than I do very happy with playability and sound. +1 on the mandolincafe classifieds for a used one.

[Scott Rucker]

What they said...

Really, getting a 'good' one shouldn't be your prime motivation for a seven year old. Getting one that is or can be set up well should be more important. If you know how hard it is to fret a guitar with a poor setup, now double the effort.

I tried to get my twin daughters on mandolins when they were young, but they showed little to no interest. Now that they are a little older (13), they still don't like mandolin but are starting to show some interest in guitar. I think it's the cool factor.

[devellis]

I'm generally an advocate of getting the best instrument you can afford, but this situation may be an exception. You know your child and I don't so ignore anything I suggest that you know to be off the mark or irrelevant.

First, I might be concerned that it could be hard for a kid of 7 to understand how a $1000 instrument should be treated. It might be asking a lot of him to give it the care it requires. Again, you know the tendencies of your son better than I do (which would be "not at all"). If he's been around your instruments a bunch, this may be a total non-issue.

Second, JohnZ makes an excellent and very important point. Playability is going to be paramount. I think the double-strings of a mandolin would be harder for a kid than the single strings of a guitar. I really don't see mandolin as a more kid-friendly instrument. Everything is smaller (string spacing, fret spacing, scale length, etc.), but that's a mixed blessing. It takes good finger control to get the correct strings noted without deadening those that are adjacent. Also, if the strings within a course aren't tuned together, it can sound pretty terrible, although a good instrument will obviate tuner slippage as a cause. A parlor guitar might be a great option, as far as size goes; or one of the so-called "baby" guitars that Taylor and Collings, among others, make.

But if you really want to go the mandolin route, they're great instruments. I'd give priority to one that will work well with very light stringing. It might even be worthwhile to start with single-string courses as a starter, doubling them up as your son gets more hand strength and neck familiarity (although the change-over will feel weird at first). A slightly higer action with lighter strings may work better than a lower action with stiffer strings. Lighter strings, of course, will travel farther when plucked, and therefore might require a somewhat higher action. If you get an instrument with an adjustable bridge, that's no problem. If you get somethig like a Big Muddy (which is a great choice for the money), I suggest that you contact the maker, Mike Dulak, and ask about getting an extra bridge or two in different heights. He has been known to supply an extra bridge gratis for this purpose in the past, but that's just been out of graciousness on his part. You might also want to chat with him about your intended use (for your young son) and he might have suggestions about modifications that could make it more more enjoyable instrument. These are nice, simple, highly functional instruments that are priced modestly but are in no sense "cheap." They're handmade in the USA from all solid woods. They just use a very simple design, reminiscent of the old Gibson Army-Navy mandolins.

These are just suggestions form the perspective of someone with a great fondness for mandolins and guitars who has a few of each spanning a pretty substantial range of types, ages, and prices. I hope it's helpful.

[HHP]

I'm not sure I would advise any mandolin for a 7 year old. While smaller than a guitar, the double course strings may prove a bit much for 7 year old fingers.

[mtnByker]

Originally Posted by HHP

I'm not sure I would advise any mandolin for a 7 year old. While smaller than a guitar, the double course strings may prove a bit much for 7 year old fingers.

This is true, a mando has a fairly high string tension. I find playing it tougher on my fingertips than guitar.

A Uke might be a better choice.

[Wolf]

What a bout an ukulele? There pretty easy on the fingers and it's quite eazy to get a tune going in a short time.

[Tony Burns]

Yamaha makes 1/2 and 3/4 scale classicals you might want to consider around or under a hundred bucks -The Uke is a very good idea - id talk to your son about his interest level - at seven not too many kids are ready for a real instrument ( other than a toy) 9 or 10 might be a better time - but if hes mature maybe now !

[Wade Hampton]

I started playing mandolin a couple of years before I ever took up guitar, and feel that there are a lot of similarities between the instruments. One of the best values out there is the Kentucky KM-380, which is all solid wood and is really an exceptionally good-sounding design.

Something you might want to consider to help your boy get started would be to remove one string from each pair. This is what Ricky Skaggs' father did to get him started as a child. Later the full double courses can be strung on the instrument, once he's built up his calluses and hand strength.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

[JohnZ]

Originally Posted by Wolf

What a bout an ukulele? There pretty easy on the fingers and it's quite eazy to get a tune going in a short time.

The 5th's tuning of a mandolin puts it in a huge family of stringed instruments with logical chords and scales, a big advantage over a uke.