Help with purchasing my first mandolin

[unbridledv]

Hi folks... I'm looking for your opinions about which would be a great first. My choices are between the Kentuckys, the Eastman (305 or 315) and any other suggestions you may have? I do not care for The Loar... I have seen some with bad quality. I would use it to play at home, with friends or when traveling to visit grandkids. My budget is $700 tops. Thanks ahead of time for your help!

[atbuckner21]

I would say go for and A-style, as you can get better quality for a cheaper price. If you want a carved top you have a lot of options, if you are looking for a flattop you can check out Big Muddy Mandolins. They are wonderful and great quality. Hope this helps!

[Northwest Steve]

I can recommend the Eastman 305 (I would choose the 305 over the 315 as you gain nothing but a scroll and save the money when you are ready to upgrade). This was my first mandolin and is just about a year old. I sold this to a Ann to use as a backup and for students - if it is in the same condition as when I had it, it was set up well played easy and sounded very good with lots of sustain.
http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/83162

Lots of options with Kentucky mandolins in that price. If you could find a good used 900 (regular frets and flat fret board) or a 950 (bigger frets and radius fret board) within your budget I would strongly recommend them. I upgraded to a Kentucky 1050 (a 950 with a scroll) and it is a very nice mandolin.

If you search there are many positive recommendations for the newer J Bovier mandolins as well.

There was a flat top mandolin made my Sonny Morris in Oregon brand new for $595 in the classifieds. I looked but do not see it now, but he might have another if you contact him.

[Mandoplumb]

I think that if you'll be satisfied with an A style there are quite a few in your budget.I haven't seen any quality issues with the loar except set-up which will likely be with any in your price unless you buy from a dealer that does set-ups. They will cost a few dollars more than on line stores but unless you know mandolins and how to set them up it is dollars well spent. I bought a The Loar for it's tone but you couldn't play it till it was worked on.

[JeffD]

I would say go for and A-style, as you can get better quality for a cheaper price. If you want a carved top you have a lot of options, if you are looking for a flattop you can check out Big Muddy Mandolins. They are wonderful and great quality. Hope this helps!

I agree. The Kentuckys, Eastmans, and the The Loars are all arch tops. If that is what you want, wonderful. But you might want to consider a flat top. Might just suit your needs. More bang for the buck, if the arch top is not particularly important to you.

[unbridledv]

OMG, Northwest Steve, I was actually in touch with Ann about that Eastman... small world! I wasn't quite ready to buy then but have a better handle on this now! Thanks!

[unbridledv]

Thanks, JeffD, I am a fan of the arch tops though Many thanks!

[JeffD]

I am too.

[dwc]

I know you said that the upper range of your budget is $700, and I respect that; however, sometimes if you can stretch your budget just a little you can get a far superior instrument. The Kentucky KM 900 runs around $900 and would be a really excellent choice. All of the newer upper range Kentucky's I have played have been excellent instruments and the KM 900 is a pretty sizable step up from any of the lower range Kentucky's. if you buy from someone like Robert at Folkmusician or The Mandolin Store, all the better (NFI in any of this).

Assuming $700 is the upper range, then lower level Kentucky's and Eastman mandolins are probably your best bet. I think an A shape with F holes is a very versatile mandolin. I have played a bunch of Eastman mandolins and there doesn't seem (to me) to be much correlation between higher end models and better sound. I have played 305s that sound fantastic and upper end models that don't. If you can play a bunch of Eastman mandolins and pick the best one, regardless of model number and price, that would probably be your best best bet in the sub $700 range.

Failing that, you are going to have to rely on the store you buy from. Again, I recommend going to someone like Folkmusician and/or The Mandolin Store and asking them to pick one and do a full setup.

Any of these three options will provide you with a nice, shiny new mandolin. If you decide to buy used, you can definitely get a deal, but you might have to be patient. You could probably eventually find a KM 900 in the $700 range., but it will be a waiting game.

Big Muddy (formerly Mid Missouri) mandolins get a lot of support on this forum, and for good reason, they are well-made American mandolins that sell for reasonable prices, although they are not as prevalent on the used market as they were several years ago, and they have raised prices on new instruments. They are still a very good value, but not quite the bargain they once were, still a Big Muddy M-1 or M-4, or even M-11 is a very solid instrument. But, and this is important, these are flat top mandolins and they will have a different sound that a carved top mandolin with F holes.

[Michael Bridges]

Give a serious look at J Bovier's offerings. The A5T is a quality instrument all the way, and completely within your budget.I'd put mine up against the 900/950 and be very comfortable. If you can forego the scroll and curlies, you can get more for less.

[darrylicshon]

There is a J Bovier F5-T on ebay $659 buy it now , it isn't mine i don't plan on selling mine
http://www.ebay.com/itm/JBOVIER-F5-T...item3f4600f594