Hi all, I really hope you can help me.
My partner wants a mando so I want to get him one for Xmas - the only problem is that I know diddly squat about mandos other than they have strings!
All I can do is give you some examples of the music he likes and might want to play and hope for the best so here goes - he likes the following :
Kate Rushby,
Andy McKee,
Gillian Welch,
Gordon Giltrap,
The Levellers,
Show of hands,
Jacques Stotzem,
Jim moray,
Sarah McQuaid
I really hope this gives you all a good idea of what might suit him and thanks in advance ??
What is your budget?
Yooper asks a good question. Even a low-end mando can deliver a lot of enjoyment with the right set up.
Get the best mandolin you can afford. It will play easier and sound better, which will make you want to play. Learning to play an instrument involves a fair amount of frustration, which does not need to be compounded by an instrument that is hard to play and sounds crummy.
Buying used will allow you to get a better quality instrument for the same money. But buy from a reputable shop, or take someone along who knows mandolins. Get an A-style rather than an F-style; better to put money into quality construction than curly ornaments.
You can get a pretty decent instrument for $500 (Kentucky, Eastman). For $1000 or less you can get a really good instrument (vintage Gibson, vintage Martin A, A-style with very simple trim from Weber, for example). For $2000, especially on the used market, you can get a very good A-style. After that, the quality goes up slowly while price goes up fast, and you are mostly paying for ornaments and names (which I have done plenty of times).
Just my opinion.
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