Mandolin Buyer's Guide
5 Tips For Buying a Mandolin
Considering buying your first mandolin? If so, the sheer number of mandolin types, brands, and price ranges may be somewhat daunting.
I have purchased two mandolins so far, and made a few mistakes in the process. In this article I will share what I learned so that you can avoid the pitfalls and buy a mandolin you will be happy with.
Below you will find 5 easy tips to help you make an informed purchase.
Image Courtesy of: plenty.r., on Flickr
Great Gift Idea:
Give the gift of music this Christmas
What Type of Mandolin Should I Buy
Mandolins come in a wide variety of types or styles including A-style, F-style, bowl- back and solid body electric types.
A-style and F-style mandolins are by far the most popular types. The A-style mandolin is a simple oval shaped instrument. The F-style is the mandolin with the fancy scroll (pictured to the right). All things being equal there is little or no difference between the two tonally. The only advantage of the F-style mandolin is that the scroll provides a convienient place to attach your strap.
With regards to sound the major consideration is the shape of the sound holes. You will find mandolins with either f holes similar to the violin, or an oval sound hole at the base of the fret board. Mandolins with f shaped sound holes offer a crisp clear sound favored by bluegrass musicians. Instruments with oval sound holes provide a rich mellow tone preferred by many Celtic musicians.
Bowl-back mandolins are popular with baroque players and are often seen at renaissance fairs. Bowl-back mandolins are also frequently used by classical musicians.
Solid body electric mandolins are a perfect fit for the guitarist looking to increase their range.
Tip #1 Spend As Much As You Are Able
This may sound like a salesman's trick but I assure you it is not. When I bought my first mandolin I was enticed by the $39.99 special. What a fiasco! For my $39.99 I ended up with a dull sounding laminated mandolin with a hard sound deadening lacquered finish, an action too high to play comfortably, and a bridge that could not easily be adjusted low enough to fix the problems with the string height. Learning to play on an inferior mandolin can be very discouraging not to mention hard on your fingers. I can guarantee you will be happier and more likely to continue practicing if you purchase a quality entry level, all solid wood mandolin.
***Top Pick*** Entry Level Mandolin The Rover RM 50
I know it doesn't make much sense to shell out thousands of dollars for a top of the line mandolin when you are just beginning to play...
I was pleasantly surprised when I tried out this mandolin. The Rover RM 50 looks good and sounds better; with good set-up it will make a great playing entry level instrument.
Rover RM-50 Affordable Entry Level Mandolin at a Great Price
This entry level mandolin comes with a solid spruce top and solid maple back and sides.
The Rover RM 50 mandolin sports a mahogany neck attached to the body with a traditional dove-tail joint, bound rosewood finger board, compensated bridge, and beautiful abalone inlay all features you would expect to find on much more expensive mandolins.
You will be hard pressed to find a better entry level mandolin for the money.
See more mandolins for sale...
Tip #2 For Best Value Buy An A-Style Mandolin
Get The Most For Your Money When Buying Your Mandolin
The goal when purchasing a mandolin, is to get the best instrument you can for the money you have to spend.
As I mentioned before, all things being equal there is no tonal difference between A-style and F-Style mandolins. F-style mandolins look really cool, but you are simply paying a lot of extra money for fancy scroll work that adds nothing to the sound. If you are not really adamant about having the F-style scroll, you can save a lot of money and end up with a better instrument.
The quality of the instrument does influence the sound so I recommend investing your money in a higher quality A-style Mandolin.
Image Courtesy of: Jana Obscura, on Flickr
Best Mandolin Under $350 Kentucky KM-250
Simply put the Kentucky KM-250 Artist A-model is the very best mandolin I have played in this price range. With all of the high end features I have a hard time calling this an entry level mandolin, but the price is definitely entry level. You could spend a lot more money on a mandolin that will not match this one in quality.
With a hand carved and graduated solid spruce top, hand carved flamed maple back and sides and high-gloss nitrocellulose lacquer finish this mandolin is a thing of beauty. The Kentucky KM-250 Artist A-model also features a rosewood finger board with mother-of-pearl position markers, mother-of -pearl inlayed peg head, and high quality Gotoh Tuners. With the look feel and sound of a higher priced instrument the Kentucky KM-250 is an excellent value.
See more mandolins for sale...
Top Of The Line Kentucky Mandolins - In Stock On Amazon
No matter how you measure it the Kentucky KM-900 is a top-end mandolin, offering great quality and sound at a great price.
The Kentucky KM-900 A-style equivalent of the KM-1000 listed above, featuring the same top quality fit and finish.
Tip #3 Play, Play, Play
Before you buy your mandolin, you need to visit your local music shops and play as many mandolins as you can get your hands on.
Try the different types and brands, listen to the sound, and look at the fit and finish. If you find a mandolin in your price range that looks and sounds good buy it. The tonal quality of mandolins even those of the same brand and model vary widely especially at the entry level.
Image Courtesy of:Katie@!, on Flickr
Tip #4 It Is Possible To Find A Good Values Buying Online
Points To Consider When Buying A Mandolin Online
Yes, you can purchase a good quality mandolin online. I purchased my second mandolin online and I have been very happy with it. Online musical instrument dealers don't have the same overhead as brick and mortar stores so in general their instruments are cheaper. Online dealers often provide a wider variety of mandolins than your local musical instrument dealer.
There are a couple of things to consider when buying a mandolin online. Not all online dealers set-up your mandolin for you in fact, most do not. Plan on $75-$125 for a professional set up once you receive your mandolin. The dealer from whom I purchased my mandolin did do the set-up and it was spot on. If you purchase your mandolin online you will not get the chance to play or hear it before buying so it is luck of the draw. Ask the dealer to pick the best of the lot many will.
Do your homework; consider the pitfalls, add in the possible extra costs and if it still looks like a good value buy it.
Tip #5 Get A Professional Set-Up For Your New Mandolin
No matter if you buy your mandolin from the local musical instrument shop, or online plan on laying out the money for a professional set-up.
A well set-up mandolin is much easier and more enjoyable to play, making any money spent on the set-up money well spent. Trust me your fingers will thank you.
Image Courtesy of: Ken_Mayer, on Flickr
Did You Purchase A New Mandolin? - Here are a few mandolin video lessons to get you started.
Resource For The Beginning Mandolinist - Mandolin Accessories Make Great Stocking Stuffers
I have been teaching myself to play the mandolin; in the process I have tried many books, a couple of mandolin tuners, and several mandolin straps, below you will find a few of my favorites. Books are great tools for learning to play but I would suggest taking a lesson or two as well just to set a good foundation. Trust me bad habits are hard to unlearn.
Enjoy Your New Mandolin
When you purchase your mandolin the door has been opened to a fun and rewarding hobby. Remember to have fun and keep playing. One last tip, beware of MAS (Mandolin Acquisition Syndrome) it can strike anywhere anytime and can be somewhat expensive cure.
A Special Thanks from The Mandolin Buyer's Guide
To all the folks that have helped me out.
Thank you to the Fisher Family Singers blog, for the fine post about "The Mandolin Buyer's Guide".
Thanks for visiting I hope you found this page helpful. If I missed something please let me know.
Tell Me What You Think Of The Mandolin Buyers Guide - Good bad or otherwise.
I know nothing about mandolins, or at least I used to know nothing. Excellent lens. Well written and informative.
I never would have considered purchasing a Mandolin online! Wow! Clearly the savings would be a great enticement. I adore stringed instruments and the Mandolin, like a baby grand, is just so beautiful. It is often a work of art! Beautifully written with excellent advice. Time to turn on some music :)
Great presentation and very useful info for those looking to purchase a mandolin.
You brought back good memories of my dad playing a mandolin. I have no idea what kind it was. He tried to teach me to play it but I was hopeless. Good advice about learning to play on a good quality mandolin.
I learned a lot about buying a Mandolin, and I love the way you used your own experiences to help other people that are looking to buy one. *Blessed*
I good lens and a lot of great advise for those who are interested in taking up the mandolin.
I love reading good lenses about subjects I previously knew nothing about. Congrats on your purple star! :)
Congrats on a well-deserved Purple Star. Mandolins sound so romantic.
My mum used to play the mandolin and I enjoyed listening. I never mastered it.
Congratulations on the well deserved Purple Star Award for this lens.
Such a beautiful instrument - and I'm very happy to see there's a great lens about it. Well done and blessed! :)
Thanks. I enjoyed your lens. I didn't know there are so many types of mandolins. I love their sounds.
Thanks for the wonderful information
Thanks for the wonderful information
'Great Danes Are Enormous' I won't forget that. I am completely inspired- thank you so much. What a beautiful instrument it is.
thanks for the info :)
Mandolins = win! Thanks for the guide, pretty useful. :)
Great! This is really good information. Nice lens!
Congratulations on Lens of the Day! Well deserved and Most Excellent!
Congrats on LotD! I would love to learn to play the mandolin. Appreciated the tips.
congrats a ton......great job done....
Congrats on LOTD ... well deserved!
This is awesome and I learned so much!
Great lens!! My father plays the Mandolin, he has a beautiful f style, and I love to listen to him play! This is a super informative. Thanks for sharing!
Congratulations on LotD! We are looking for a guitar for our daughter, and your well written lens is very helpful and shares information that applies to purchasing a mandolin and other musical instuments too. Well done!
Congratulations. LENS OF THE DAY. Nothing to be sneezed at. You can of course sneeze at it if you wish, but I would rather watch the rank of this lens reach it's highest heights.
Wow amazing great lens!
Congrats on LOTD! I don't play mandolin, but a friend does, so this is something great to pass along.
Congratulations on LOTD! I love the music that comes from a Mandolin.
Congrats on LOTD! You are doing wonderful job here on Squidoo.
Congratulations on getting LOTD. It is a beautiful instrument to look at and listen to.
Delightful lens, a worthy LOTD! Blessed by a SquidAngel.
Captcha was 'brilliant' - how right it is!
Mandolins are such a lovely instrument. Very well laid out lens! Congratulations on LOTD. Well deserved!
Cool instrument! Congratulation on LOTD!
I don't play but I do love the sound! Good lens!
I love the sound of a mandolin. Thanks for sharing and congratulations!
Thanks for sharing your expertise.
The mandolin makes such a sweet sound. Thank you!
Congratulations on that purple star and LotD honors!
Great lens! My son has just begun mandolin lessons and it doing well. He is 8 yrs. old. When he isn't around I pick up his mandolin and learn the stuff he is working on. Have to say the mandolin is a great instrument and fun to play.
Excellent lens! Very informative and creative. Nice work.
- Author
@Deeringboy LM: Be careful or you will find your banjo in a corner collecting dust and you will be a full fledged mandolinist. Kudos to your son for taking up the mandolin
Great lense and congrats on the LOTD!
Great lense :)
Very good. Congratulations on LOTD.
Nice! I love the sound of the mandolin. I just don't have enough money for one right now (and I don't know how to play one). Still, this is a great guide for possible future reference! :-)
Congrats on LOTD!
This is an interesting and informative lens. Congrats on your purple star and LotD! :)
Thanks. I inherited a mandolin from my father. I am now encouraged to get it out and learn to play it.
This was very informative. My son recently started learning guitar and I am sure he wil be moving into additional string instruments. Thanks for the info!
I have always wanted to play the mandolin, this lens gives me the tools to make a better decision! Thank you!!
Great tips for buying a mandolin. My grandson has one that belonged to his great-grandfather.
Oh, and Congratulations on LotD!! :)
What a beautiful looking instrument. My hubby & son both play the guitar. Nice to have the facts about mandolins. Congratulations on this story receiving the Squidoo recognitions of both a 'Purple Star' and LOTD (Lens of the Day). Well done.
Congratulations on LoTD. A great learning lens for sure. I can relate on how those fingers hurt with your first Mandolin. In the town where I grew up there is a store that fashions and makes Mandolins along with many more stringed instruments that you might be interested in. Their address http://www.acoustic-corner.com/ Thanks for sharing.
What beautiful instruments and excellent lens. Congrats on LOTD. Bear hugs, Frankster
At one time in the past, I owned a mandolin but don't know where it has gone since at one time, I didn't have one any more. It came from my stepfather's father homeland (Andalucia). It had a nice sound and I loved playing with it.
Nice buyer's guide though.
very nice lens. I have not seen this much information on mandolin's in one place.
I've been wondering about mandolins. I play the fiddle, and the mandolin has the same strings, right? I figure I may have a little head start.
Congratulations on LOTD. I have a friend who sells Mandolins, too!
Good and bad and otherwise. (as everything!)
Well, I am joking. Your lens is very helpful for an amateur who wants to buy an instrument to have some guidelines . I did make a mistake when I bought my guitar too, and this discouraged me from continuing to study the instrument.
However I think that, if one wants just to give a try, they should better either buy a less expensive instrument or rent one, if that is possible.
Congrats on purple star and LotD! My brother has a mandolin that I don't think he's played in years. I'm going to share your lens with him and maybe it will re-kindle his interest (by the way, I'm a newbie and this is my first comment on a lens).
Congrat's on LOTD very nice lens and good info for beginners.
Nicely done - I love any instrument with strings - used to play violin, but now play the autoharp. Congrats on receiving LOTD today.
very nice lens..
Well done, if I need a mandolin I know where to look. Really you've done good research and presented it well. See you around the galaxy...
many yeas ago ,i'm also have one like this , i like it every much .anyway good mandolin.
welcome to my website also ,Ravens Jersey
thanks for this ...i still need some useful tips on buying an instrument. Im a guitarist and already played mandolin for a short time, but the tips on string instrument like this one benefits me because i consider these tips always applicable to all string instruments. I just want to share this one tip from an old guitarman in our place. He said when you buy an instrument, take someone with you to play it for you at a distance and you will clearly see the difference between those which you consider buying. Whether that someone know how or not, but just to be able for you to hear the sound at a distance or different angle you want...i found this helpful also...but thanks for these bundles of tips.
You did a great job! We have many string instruments at our house, but no mandolin as yet. Congratulations on LOTD.
Very nice tip. Mandolin is not heart so often these days...
Very nice lens.
My cousin used to take mandolin lessons when he was younger, and I loved hearing him play. I wish more people played it today!
Nice lens. Lots of pictures, information, and resources.
I bought one of those cheap ones through ebay. Still have not learned to play it. But that is due to my procrastination. Good lens. Thanks
nice lens
This is a great lens. Didn't know really much about mandolin before
This lens is awesome!
This is my absolute favorite instrument, with the banjo being a close second! Great lens!
How odd. I was just thinking about making a lens about my dad and calling it "My Dad Played the Mandolin" and then I came across this lens. My dad was a pretty good player but although I learned the guitar, I just couldn't play the mandolin. The digital tuner would have been great for the guitar. Very nicely presented lens.
I was thinking of a Recorder or guitar for a gift
Really nice lens! Thanks for sharing what you learnt!
I wish I still had my mandolin, but I gave it away years ago. This is a very well presented guide to buying a mandolin. Blessings :)
Very nice lens and useful tips ;)
Awesome lens. I've always enjoyed the sound of the mandolin.
Enjoyed your lens, thanks for the great information!
Enjoyed your lens, thanks for the great information!
I may pick up a mandolin now! It looks like a really cool instrument and is something I feel I would enjoy playing.
thanks for the information on starting to play the mandolin. I do want to buy one soon so I will check back and watch the youtubes again.
Great lens - I need to spend more quality time with my mandolin.
I wish I'd read this 5 years ago! thanks, lots of good info.
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