Recommend me a mandolin

[abalone at last]

go to the state of Virginia ...turn at the first back road.............

[MPrice]

Finnaly got it. I found this Epiphone MM30 for $99 Hard shell case included.
I had this little guy out of the case for two hours before over-sanding the nut and breaking the tailpiece trying to set it up myself.
The intonation was off and the action was high! I thought, how hard can it be?
That was yesterday.
Cheers!

[ducktrapper]

Took my Kentucky KM-900 in for a set up and got it back today. Terrific little axe sounds and plays great.

[brandon]

Nice flame! Looks like a tiger

[ducktrapper]

Nice flame! Looks like a tiger

Yeah it's a beauty. I think they have a winner here. 

[Nealtor]

I bought a used one on Craigslist (Mitchell).  It was a very basic model but the guy included a hard case AND most importantly he'd bought a one year warranty for it.   I Googled "how to set up a mandolin" and after following all the advice, it still buzzed on the twelfth fret.  Turns out that fret was a bit uneven.

Long story short, I remembered something about the warranty, called the seller and had him tell the warranty company to change it to my name and Guitar Center ended up giving me a $100 credit for the Mitchell which I then put toward a brand new Loar 220 VS   http://www.theloar.com/products/mandolins/mandolin-lm-220-vs

This Loar gets pretty good review everywhere I've seen for what it is.  It does play better than the Mitchell did (It should). 

It seems (from what I've read) that the F shape serves no real tonal function.  It just looks more "bluegrassy".  So I got the A shape and saved a couple hundred bucks. 

I'm happy with it... I believe the nut width is a bit more on this one than most which is also nice.

Hope you found the right one for you.

[JOYCEfromNS]

Larrivee make a pretty nice Mando 

[Caleb]

I like my Eastman 505. It's no Collings or Gibson but it has good tone and volume. Mandolins are even more finicky than guitars and most of the tone comes from the player.  The main thing is to get one that's set up well, plays easy, and hold tune: not always easy to find in the mandolin world.  I gave $400 for mine, used, about 5 years ago.  Eastman makes quality and I have no doubt this mandolin will hold up.  It's always a good player to reach for when the mandolin bug bites me from time to time.  The Mandolin Cafe's classifieds is probably the best place in the world to look for used mandolins. Most folks will give their phone number and be happy to talk it over with you too.  A very classy place.  

[bargemule]

I've spent some time perusing the Mandolin Café classifieds as I'm considering a first mando. Mostly I found pages of high end Gibsons and Collings and other models with names unknown to me, and most ranging into the multiple thousands. I had no luck finding any of the recommended starters for a couple of months of casual looking. Maybe I should just get the Larrivée... and then get divorced   

[Caleb]

I've spent some time perusing the Mandolin Café classifieds as I'm considering a first mando. Mostly I found pages of high end Gibsons and Collings and other models with names unknown to me, and most ranging into the multiple thousands. I had no luck finding any of the recommended starters for a couple of months of casual looking. Maybe I should just get the Larrivée... and then get divorced    

I just cruised over there and found this on page four of the Classifieds: http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/68855  Good instrument at a good price, and that dealer sets them up well and has a good reputation.  Very well could be the only mando you'd ever need.

[bargemule]

I just cruised over there and found this on page four of the Classifieds: http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/68855  Good instrument at a good price, and that dealer sets them up well and has a good reputation.  Very well could be the only mando you'd ever need.

Of course, what I'm looking for is the guy who bought this new for $499 and gave up on it 6 months later and sells it to me for $299!

[Caleb]

Of course, what I'm looking for is the guy who bought this new for $499 and gave up on it 6 months later and sells it to me for $299!

Watch the Classifieds everyday there. Some crazy deals come along pretty often.  And don't forget to enter the Collings contest.

[brandon]

That is a great resource. They have some nice guitars come up for sale as well. There are a couple nice breedlove mandolins on there right now.

[tulk1]

Larrivee make a pretty nice Mando 

That's the next Larrivee on my list. I have my Larry acoustics and electrics; and then there will be the mandolin.

[Dotneck]

I've spent some time perusing the Mandolin Café classifieds as I'm considering a first mando. Mostly I found pages of high end Gibsons and Collings and other models with names unknown to me, and most ranging into the multiple thousands. I had no luck finding any of the recommended starters for a couple of months of casual looking.

Just ordered an Eastman 904 from Virginia that was listed on the Mandolin Cafe classifieds for much less than 1K. Right within my somewhat conservative budget...should get it in a few days. Keeping my fingers crossed that it sounds as pretty as it looked in the pictures. This will be my starter mandolin so I'm kind of excited.  Its one of those two point jobs...

[flatlander]

Congrats Dotneck. Mandos are so fun. And the left hand pretty easy. I've decided, and started, to start practicing it again. I haven't practice and learned on it forever. I've been playing it when we gig some, but that's it. I realized I was going backwards when I put on Appalacian Swing and tried to play along with it like I used to!
If someone looking for a good mandolin at a good price I highly suggest you check out this site, and keep up with it. Being in Florida I guess they seem to get Michael Kelly "B-stock" items. I got a Legacy Deluxe F style there at a great price a few years ago. I couldn't find anything wrong with it, unless they were talking about the slightest of finish run UNDERNEATH the neck where it sticks out over the body, and it sounds really good!
It listed for well over a grand, went for around 700.00 and I paid 399.00. I also bought a Dobro there for someone as a present and same deal.
http://singnplay.com/michaelkellybstock.php
They have "B" stock and then blemished. and discontinued. I think the one I got was called blemished. Not sure what B-stock means but I do remember they were nice folks and be glad to you and you have option to send back if not happy.

[Danny]

    My friend has three mandolins. A Webber, a Michael Kelly and this one which is the most expensive. He special ordered it. Made in China and gets a lot of good reports. Sorry I forgot the name.
    It amazes me that guys with big hands can play these so well.

[broKen]

Larrivee make a pretty nice Mando 

I want one! !!! And I don't even play mandolin.   . Oops, wrong one.    that's more like it.

[Caleb]

Dan, your buddy has a Northfield: a very nice instrument.  They're partially built in a small shop somewhere in a remote part of China; then they get sent to Michigan (I think) for a final going-over, setup, etc.  Some heavy-hitter players are using those and they get very good reviews. 

[Danny]

Dan, your buddy has a Northfield: a very nice instrument.  They're partially built in a small shop somewhere in a remote part of China; then they get sent to Michigan (I think) for a final going-over, setup, etc.  Some heavy-hitter players are using those and they get very good reviews. 

That's it, Northfield.