bluegrass brad - Posted - 10/28/2013:  17:16:28

Hi I would like to say I am new here and really enjoy this site!....Also i need help deciding between two mandolins.   One is the washburn m1sdl a style, and the other is a Savannah sf-100-f style

I realize that they are both cheap instruments, but funds are limited. any help would be greatly appreciated...

Ben Venuti - Posted - 10/28/2013:  18:37:47

More bang for the buck with an A style. I don't know much about cheap mandolins. I do know that Savannah mandolins aren't very good. There have been some good mandolins built by Washburn but I don't know about their low end.. I have played some very inexpensive Kentucky mandolins that were pretty good I thought for a $200 instrument. If a really good mandolin is $13,000 (and that's not close to the top) you can't expect to be getting very much for $130. What's wrong with used?

bluegrass brad - Posted - 10/28/2013:  21:16:49

Thanks Ben i will have to look into some used mandolins and see some other options before making a purchase.

mojohand40 - Posted - 10/29/2013:  06:52:32

Those are two very different mandolins...the Washburn is an oval hole and the Savannah has f holes.  Of course you can play any type of music on any type of mandolin, but if you find yourself more into Irish or Old Time, then you may like the way an Oval hole will blend in, but if you find yourself wanting to jam a little bluegrass, then the F holes may cut through a little better.

Personally, I prefer f holes, but of those two...I might be swayed to the Washburn.....Been thinking of picking one of those up for awhile. Just really like the looks of it and it seems inexpensive enough to buy it as a knock around instrument for some occasional old time stuff and blues.

Jim Yates - Posted - 10/29/2013:  11:39:27

I own a Washburn and like it very much, but it bothers me when I see an ad that says, "Washburn has been making instruments since the late 1800s."  The Washburn Company that was building instruments back then has nothing to do with the present day Washburn Company except for the name.

Similarly, the Goya guitars made by the Levin Company in Sweden were professional quality guitars, but the name has been sold and if you get a Goya guitar made after Martin bought the name, you will have a lower quality beginner's import.  I believe Martin still owns the name, but is no longer selling guitars with this brand.

Martin and Gibson, on the other hand have retained their names and there has been a continuous professional production.

Edited by - Jim Yates on 10/29/2013 11:43:18

Ben Venuti - Posted - 10/29/2013:  13:42:19

Actually there never was a "Washburn" brand. There was a Washburn line of Lyon and Healy Instruments. I hate that about Washburn trying to horn into some historical continuum--as if one existed. A lot of the old names are resurfacing --Recording King etc. but only Washburn is pretending to be an old company.

I've played Jethro's "Jethro" back in the 80's -HIS was pretty nice---does Washburn make an f holed A style mandolin in their lower end? Jethro told me that he did the Washburn endorsement because he wanted someone to make a decent mandolin that a mandolin player could afford. I hear good things about the Gretch "New Yorker" by the way. . I know people like to do this online purchase thing but I'm a big fan of holding it in my hands before I produce my wallet. These things are all different--even the best of the best and I think that if you pick it up and it feels right and is easy (or easy enough) to play and sounds nice that is what counts and you can't do that on a computer. Used is extra tricky online. Music stores used to be the way we did it. Where's Lemont Furnace? It must be warm there. Eastern Pa --NY is not out of the question. Mandolin Bros. Matt Umanoff, Retro Fret.. Western Pa. --Pittsburgh is supposed to have a very good dealer. Central PA? well who knows....oh ...Warren Newman in Harrisburg area.
There's a scam a minute on Craig's List but ,you know, buy local. You can do a search by distance on ebay and I've bought a few things person to person that way.

tooltimegrunt - Posted - 10/29/2013:  16:30:07

My advice would be spend as much as you can and more.  If you buy a cheap instrument you will want a better one soon.  I better instrument sounds and plays better and if you give up has a higher resale value.

bluegrass brad - Posted - 10/29/2013:  16:32:33

Thanks everybody for all of the good advice and the info on the washburn company I always thought that they were an old company I think I might check a couple of music stores around town and see what they have to offer before I make a online purchase...again thanks everybody for all of your help.