rexsblues - Posted - 11/27/2019:  12:41:43

Hey all. First post here on the forum.

The only mandolin I've owned is one of those $50 Rogue mandolins, which i quickly grew to hate. I play acoustic guitar and clawhammer banjo, and am blessed to work at a music store in Nashville where I'm surrounded by the best mandolins money can buy.

I'm ready to buy a real mandolin, and have been very impressed with the Eastmans I've come across. Particularly the Eastman MD-515, which I thought sounded great. I've also come across a Flatiron Festival for sale online, and I know it's one of the import models, but it appears to be of pretty high quality. Carved top, all solid, etc. How do these compare? Are they at a pretty similar level quality-wise? Thanks!

MandoTom2 - Posted - 11/27/2019:  15:13:00

Support that music store you work at...

Don't buy online unless you have to...

I have also been blessed to work at smaller, family-owned music stores...

Support them!

The on-line nonsense is putting regular music stores out of business...

MandoTom2, 11/27/2019

rexsblues - Posted - 11/27/2019:  15:54:16

quote:

---

Originally posted by MandoTom2

Support that music store you work at...

Don't buy online unless you have to...

I have also been blessed to work at smaller, family-owned music stores...

Support them!

The on-line nonsense is putting regular music stores out of business...

MandoTom2, 11/27/2019

---

Unfortunately we're an almost exclusively high-end shop, I believe the most affordable mandolin currently on the wall is $4500. This would be a purchase from another family-owned music store, just in a different state. 

Robert - Posted - 11/27/2019:  16:20:44

Buy local if you can. Eastman is hard to beat.

MandoTom2 - Posted - 11/27/2019:  18:14:48

Gotcha...

I was always in the same boat...

Robert is right on the Eastmans...

They had 'em at Music Folk in St. Louis when I was there...

All good...

Tom