Looking for new F Style Mandolin

[tooloud]

New to playing mandolin had ordered an Ibanez m700 from muscians friend it was backordered so after some reading I cancelled that order.... looking for F style mandolin under 1000......
Kentucky KM650
eastman MD515

also The mandolin store sells with pro setup any one bought from them......
any advise helpful........

[Mandowino]

I bought an MD515 from TMS and it served me very well. The folks at TMS set it up great and their customer service is top notch.

[Br1ck]

TMS is just one of the Cafe sponsors who include a setup. Buy in confidence from any of them. IMHO you lucked out not getting the Ibanez and not buying from MF.

[Gunnar]

Get the 515 from TMS you won't regret it

[ccravens]

I'll join the chorus:

1. you lucked out cancelling that Ibanez

2. either of the 2 you are thinking about, if ordered from TMS with a set-up, would be a great way to go. I advise calling and talking to them first would be a big help before you decide.

[Pittsburgh Bill]

Do not rule out A styles while new to mandolins. You will get more mandolin for the same money as an F style, unless you just have to have the “look” of a F style.

[tooloud]

I would be ok with the A style.... I have one of the 50 dollar rogue A style I've had for a few years never played it much till I just got the bug.
Now looking for a nice one.......

[Willem]

I would be ok with the A style.... I have one of the 50 dollar rogue A style I've had for a few years never played it much till I just got the bug.
Now looking for a nice one.......

Of the 2 you listed above, I would likely choose the Eastman. Though once you get up to either makers highest level instruments, I believe Kentucky edges ahead. I will also echo that Cafe sponsors will provide you a safe and great experience.
All that said, if I had an absolute cap of $1,000, this is the direction I would go. If blonds aren't your thing, he has plenty of other options. My personal opinion is that at a thousand bucks, these are very hard to beat.

https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/151736#151736

[Charles E.]

Willem beat me to it.

[CES]

Between those 2, agree, Eastman. I’ve bought twice from TMS, and had great service and set up both times. Dennis also gave very fair trade prices on mandolins in both deals.

For 1000 I’d be looking at the linked Morris, Kentucky KM 950, or used Ratliff. I got my Silverangel Econo for 900, and it’s what I’d pick out of all of those, but those are selling a bit higher these days (and deservedly so). Good luck!

[Mike Romkey]

You’ll get more bang for your buck from an A-style, as stated above. TMS provides excellent customer service, in my experience.

[Trader Todd]

I upgraded from my entry level Loar to a MD515. I don't know if I got lucky and found a great one (bought it second hand here on the classifieds) but man, it sounds and plays great for the price. The only problem was that it was a gateway mando which made me want to upgrade even higher, so I bought a Northfield. My 515 has better projection and slightly more volume than the Northfield - sounds crazy, I know. You won't regret the Eastman purchase IMHO. Good luck with the hunt.

[Doug Brock]

I upgraded from my entry level Loar to a MD515. I don't know if I got lucky and found a great one (bought it second hand here on the classifieds) but man, it sounds and plays great for the price. The only problem was that it was a gateway mando which made me want to upgrade even higher, so I bought a Northfield. My 515 has better projection and slightly more volume than the Northfield - sounds crazy, I know. You won't regret the Eastman purchase IMHO. Good luck with the hunt.

I have a 2018 Eastman MD315 and hoping for better I bought a step-up American made varnish mandolin last fall. The step up does have a richer bass, but the Eastman is louder and has a pure treble that just cuts through the other instruments I jam with. One thing I’ve noticed with my Eastman is that I can really dig into the strings hard and the mandolin responds a lot better than the more expensive mandolin does. The Eastmans can be real bargains. (I use heavy E and A strings on the Eastman (J74CM) and that helped thicken up the tone on those strings. The step up mandolin came with heavy strings (J75s) and I’ve continued to use them.)

[Eric Platt]

Both are good. While I normally like Eastman a lot, recently played a KM-650 that was really nice. Either one will be good.

[J Mangio]

The Loar LM 600 in the classifieds looks like a good deal.

[tooloud]

Taking a hard look at the MD505 A style.......

[Br1ck]

If I were considering an A style, I’d find a Kentucky 900 used. The 900, IMHO, is a significant cut above a 505. The MD 505 was my first mandolin, and it will certainly do you well as long as you stay out of stores and don’t play Collings MTs and the like. The 900 is really quite good and will last you longer if you can swing the investment. Buy last longer, I mean quell MAS longer.

[Pittsburgh Bill]

I paid $850 for a used KM 950 from the Cafe classifieds about 2 years ago. It showed no signs of having ever been played and came with original case, Cumberland Acoustic bridge, black tuning knobs, and a James tail piece.
May be the best bargain I will ever get in a mandolin and still a keeper in spite of my soon to own Stiver. I liked my previously owned Eastmans but think the Kentucky to be a cut above. Though, I cannot rule out that the up graded bridge as contributing to the difference.

[LadysSolo]

If I were considering an A style, I’d find a Kentucky 900 used. The 900, IMHO, is a significant cut above a 505. The MD 505 was my first mandolin, and it will certainly do you well as long as you stay out of stores and don’t play Collings MTs and the like. The 900 is really quite good and will last you longer if you can swing the investment. Buy last longer, I mean quell MAS longer.

Or a Kentucky KM 805 used. I am not familiar wit the 505, but the 805 punches way above its weight. if you happen onto one, grab it.

[Doug Brock]

I played an MD815/V (the new distressed model) last summer and it really impressed me, even after playing a big selection of mandolins up to $7k range (Gibson, Collings, Northfield, Webber, Ratliff, and others).

[tooloud]

Eastman MD515 on order from The Mandolin Store......