joven - Posted - 05/20/2015:  11:50:30

Friends, 

I would love to find a solid top, good quality mandola for under $4-$500. I have been looking at the Washburns, but the youtube do not impress me. I believe they would probably sound good. They look nice. However compared to a similarly built Washburn mandolin, they are more expensive and it is hard to find them on sale. Is there a big demand for dolas?

Any other suggestions? Would love to find a flatiron pancake one, but they are probably outside my range. Webers would be a great dola to grow into. 

bradlaird - Posted - 05/21/2015:  12:37:20

I played a Trinity College flat top mandola for a few years in the Atlanta Mandolin Society Orchestra back in the late 90s. For the bucks it served well. I think (used) you should be able to find one in the 600 range. I think they are just a little over that new. I switched to an old Gibson after a year or two and liked the tone better but the Trinity played in tune better. Never figured out why. I know this is not much help but I hate to see a post with no replies! : D

I think GoldTone has one that looks about the same, but you probably already know that.

TSSN - Posted - 05/22/2015:  04:20:11

You could also try Mid-Missouri / Big Muddy.  I picked up my M-14 for a steal ($160 maybe) at a pawn shop where they hadn't done their homework.

Shmockiebaby - Posted - 06/01/2015:  16:22:38

I got lucky last summer and picked up a Trinity College, with hardshell case, for under $400. Used, at a local music shop during my vacation. Love it. I like the deeper tone (I am tuned CGDA). It works out really well for me, because one of the local acoustic jams is anchored by two guitars and one mandolin. So I can play the mandola and fit into a different spot in the mix.

Now my real "holy grail" is the F style Weber octave mandolin I played at the Two Old Hippies store in Nashville a few weeks ago. Oh man, did that thing rumble! But to jump from $400 to $4000 just ain't in the cards for me.