Bluegrass Mandolin for a Newbie

[Yamaholic]

Ok I ordered the km250. Can’t wait. They didn’t have any gig bags or hard cases in so I need to find one. Thomann have a universal ABS one for Mandolins (suitable for a and f styles) that looks good for £45. Glarry do one for a similar price…any other suggestions?

[Ray(T)]

Ok I ordered the km250. Can’t wait. They didn’t have any gig bags or hard cases in so I need to find one. Thomann have a universal ABS one for Mandolins (suitable for a and f styles) that looks good for £45. Glarry do one for a similar price…any other suggestions?

It may look good for £45 but don’t forget to add shipping, VAT, carriers fees and hassle. There should be plenty of A style cases available - it’ll even fit in an F style.

[Yamaholic]

It may look good for £45 but don’t forget to add shipping, VAT, carriers fees and hassle. There should be plenty of A style cases available - it’ll even fit in an F style.

Ok £53 if you include shipping. Shipping anything from the EU under £135 is straightforward

[Ray(T)]

Ok £53 if you include shipping. Shipping anything from the EU under £135 is straightforward

Are Thoman now sorting the VAT side out for under £135 invoices? Most companies I’ve come across since brexit are either leaving it to the purchaser - i.e. you get a bill from the shipment company fot VAT and their charges - or have simply stopped supplying goods to the UK - e.g. Tonegard (you may not have heard of them but others will understandj.

[Yamaholic]

Yes They are. I bought a guitar stand off them In June and a few other bits. Took 2 weeks to be delivered but no additional duty or vat to be paid.

[Dave Hanson]

I bought an ABS case from Eagle Music in Huddersfield quite a few years ago, great case and good value, it takes either an A or F mandolin.

Dave H

[Yamaholic]

I bought an ABS case from Eagle Music in Huddersfield quite a few years ago, great case and good value, it takes either an A or F mandolin.

Dave H

I managed to find a hard foam TKL a/f case for £35 from a shop in Manc. Considering the price of the Mandolin (£275) I think thats about right

[Ray(T)]

I managed to find a hard foam TKL a/f case for £35 from a shop in Manc. Considering the price of the Mandolin (£275) I think thats about right

A rare beast indeed. (A music shop in Manchester that is!)

[Yamaholic]

Oh great and the shop that is selling the Mandolin just pulled out of the sale on me. They started the setup and realised that the fretwork was too big a job. After telling me that it was functionally sound and would be a great player and taking my money
Thats really bad form, wont be touching them again - Project Music in Exeter.

The search continues.......

[Mandoplumb]

All this is sound advice, even when there are exact opposites
The thing is Bluegrass can be played on a traditional sounding, or
A modern sounding mandolin; on an A style or a F style; with a guitar
Pick or a 1/4 inch pick; even on a Matt finish or a glossy sheen.
Bluegrass is DRIVE, not speed DRIVE!!!There is a jazz song “it don’t mean
mean a thing if it don’t have that swing.” Stealing that thought I say
“You can bet your little ass, whiteout drive it just ain’t grass”.

[Yamaholic]

I've stumbled upon a Kentucky km630, used. Serial number 09070803. Looks to be a Saga chinese made one. Are these all solid. Seller wants £400, any thoughts ?

[UsuallyPickin]

Kentucky mandolins are usually a good value and crafted of good materials for a learning student. Keep in mind that the setup on a mandolin is paramount. There is a free setup manual available here on The Cafe. Enjoy the journey. R/

[Yamaholic]

Managed to order a km252 at a good price new from Hobgoblin. Hopefully this will be a better experience.

[Yamaholic]

Jeepers this is hard work.

The Kentucky 252 turned up with the filthiest strings i've ever seen. Action was too high and the intonation was slightly flat.
Shop i bought it from very apologetic (their sister shop sent it, blah, blah) and have taken it back and will provide a replacement. In fairness it didn't play that bad, if they do a proper setup, put new strings on it and give it a wipe with a cloth it would be fine.

In the meantime i ordered the Eastman MD-415 i saw on special as well. The shop i ordered that from opened the box to do a setup on it and noticed a big chip in the headstock, it looked horrendous. So now they've offered me an Eastman MD515 for the same price, which happens to be the same price as a stock MD315.

I can return both Mandolins within 14 days so lets see where this lands ............... This is much harder work than buying a guitar !!

[Dan in NH]

Budget £$600; that would get me an Eastman MD305, which looks like a cracking instrument, but not sure its quite the sound i'm after.

Solid spruce top, solid maple back & sides, F holes, that sounds like a bluegrass mandolin to me. It's an A style, not an F style, so no scroll. Perhaps in your head it doesn't look the part of a bluegrass mandolin without a scroll.

You'll pay about £150 pounds to get that scroll on the side (that would be the Eastman MD315). Some people say they can hear a difference. I'm gonna rattle some cages when I say this, but IMO the only difference is £150 pounds and a decoration on the side.

Please don't think I'm berating you. I paid that much or more to get a AAA flame maple top on my Les Paul when I could have had a regular maple cap for less, and a Gold Top for less than that. So I totally get it, the heart wants what the heart wants.

[Dan in NH]

Ok I ordered the km250.

Ah! I play a KM-250. Nice little instrument. And at the pace my skills are progressing I imagine it will be quite some time before I outgrow it.