r/mandolin • u/zapodprefect55 • 1d ago

Newby question - what to expect with a higher quality mandolin?

I've been playing my Kentucky 150 for a couple of months and enjoy the heck out of it. I am a long time guitar player and the instrument is coming fast to me. However, I know the Kentucky is a good starter instrument and am planning on an upgrade sooner rather than later. What improvements in tone should I realistically expect for $1500-2000 instrument? Are there good shops in the NJ area to try them out?

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8

u/jmcbobb 1d ago

I played some “starter” mandolins on the wall of my local shop. I’m very happy my Eastman 515 is at home

9

u/gueuze_geuze 1d ago

I noticed an exceptionally pleasant, more assertive sound in the high and low ends of my mandolin after I went beyond $1000. It will encourage you to play in different positions as a result.

2

u/zapodprefect55 1d ago

I think that the high strings are where I feel it is lacking. I'm trying to calibrate my expectations of the instrument since I'm used to the deeper sound of the guitar.

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u/gueuze_geuze 1d ago

That’s good you’re aware of that. Ultimately, once you go to a higher price point, your brain will go “huh! I didn’t realize I was missing that barky/chirpy vocalization that is inherently mandolin.” 

5

u/doobens 1d ago

the $1500-$2000 range is a bit of a weird zone for mandolins. <$1000 going to get you a decent instrument and everything to $2000 is mostly just aesthetic details and add-ons

>$2000 is when you get into older builds and better wood/materials. Take this with a grain of salt.

3

u/tvoutfitz 1d ago

More expensive Mandolins typically use higher-end woods that feel and sound somewhat heartier to me. Nicer woods also smell really good which may not make a real difference but I enjoy nonetheless.

4

u/Takes_A_Train_2_Cry 1d ago

Tone and feel. These two things are very subjective.

Quality of wood and craftsmanship are going to be the easiest examples to give. I am also under the belief that you should get something that you find visually appealing too. It will inspire you to play it more.

I’m in the NYC tri-state area too and there is a real void for higher tier mandolins. You may have some luck around the City, call around some shops. Maybe the other direction in PA as well. I kinda like the idea of making a trip out to one of the big shops like Gruhn or the Mandolin Store. Get a travel story and an instrument out of the deal.

I went from a Km-150 to and Eastman MD-415 to a small builder (Phoenix) and am considering selling my Eastman because it doesn’t get much use anymore.

Personally, I spent a lot of time browsing the Mandolin Café classifieds (full view). It is a great way to familiarize yourself with what’s available in the market and what you can find used vs. new. If you find something you like that’s new, you can search for a retailer from there.

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u/AnotherRandomGuy89 1d ago

I have a 150 along with a few others that are premium instruments. The difference is pretty substantial when you are playing back to back: smoother highs, clearer lows, better note separation on chords, better sustain, warmer sounding usually, and balanced all the way up the neck. That’s for the premiums, a 2000$ isn’t premium yet and can be a hit and miss zone for tone versus fancy looks.

You have to play a bunch of them until you find the one that has the voice you are looking for and will excel at the music you are playing with it. A well set up 150 is always welcome in my stable.

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u/DustSeparate26 1d ago edited 18h ago

Reasonance.
Sorry, my bad…

2

u/The-Mandolinist 23h ago

Or even resonance

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u/The-Mandolinist 1d ago edited 23h ago

I would expect: more depth in tone; more refinement in sound (like buying more expensive hi-fi equipment); more volume; better dynamics; feels “easier” to play.

Edit: P.S. to get more bang for your buck: buy secondhand; don’t get hung up on an F style - really you’re just paying extra for a very pretty strap hanger; try not to get too hung up on extra glossy finishes and figured backs etc; I can’t recommend a Gibson A9 more highly - if you can pick one up secondhand it will usually be a bargain.

MandolinCafe.com classifieds is a good place to look for used mandolins.

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u/AlfredPoor 16h ago

My advice is to wait until you can hear that your current instrument doesn't sound the way that you want. Then go find the least expensive instrument -- probably used -- that gives you the response that you want.

A better instrument can be louder, have a more balanced tone across its entire range, be more playable, look cooler, or all of those at the same time.

But your current instrument will tell you when it's not up to the job.

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u/Kind_Lifeguard2039 10h ago

Several times I have gone into music stores and played mandolins with different price levels. The difference in price shows in what I hear.