When I wanted to learn mandolin I had a problem. It wasn’t getting my fingers into a closed G chord or trying to learn Whiskey Before Breakfast. It was much more basic. Where was I going to get a mandolin?
If I was choosing to learn guitar I wouldn’t have this problem. There are more guitars than guitar picks in the world. One of the main reasons I wanted to play mandolin was that I didn’t know anyone else who played. The obscurity drew me in. Nickel Creek and Union Station played often at home and during car rides. I knew the bright, quick sound and I wanted to learn to play.
I grew up in the Bay Area. Just over the hills was Berkeley. Turns out mandolins are in style there. David Grisman lives there. I looked online for acoustic shops, withdrew some lifeguarding money, and went with my brother to check out the scene.
Buying your first mandolin: in a store.
The Fifth’s String was my destination. It was a mahogany smelling corner shop. The staff was welcoming, busy refretting an old Gibson. Dreadnaughts formed the pathway to mandolins hanging on the wall. I took a Loar teardrop off the wall to try it out. It was a foreign language. I barely knew the guitar; eight strings looked blurry to me. To add to the intimidation there was a disheveled corduroy pant wearing man who moved between guitar room and mandolin corner playing intricate pieces on anything with strings. It spooked me. I didn’t want to fumble around next to someone playing so fluidly.
Some artists are teachers. After trying not to be in the same room as him, lightly strumming by myself here and there, the man asked me if he could show me a few things on the mandolin. What a relief. He played the mandolins in my price range so I could hear what they sounded like when I actually learned to play. As it turns out, he was a card holding mandolin teacher. I became his student for two years before ending our lessons to leave for college.
Typically the people working at the shop are going to do this for you if you’re a beginner. They’ll point you in the right direction, play some tunes for you to listen to. This is the reason why buying a mandolin in person is the way to go. You might even meet your teacher!
I went home that day with my first mandolin. The money I spent felt good leaving my pocket for the enigmatic investment of the mandolin.
So how much did it cost?
300 bucks. Not pocket change, but this is a musical instrument. They’re special objects. That’s how much I suggest paying for a first mandolin. The music shop set it up in-house, included a case, and Ronald White’s tab book. Plus, with a good instrument, you’ll probably be able to trade it back when you buy your next mandolin. Or you can keep it as your camping mandolin; a great thing to have.
This particular mandolin was a Loar, not a Gibson Loar of course. It was a cheap, Loar-Loar; teardrop with a flat fretboard and yellow, orange, black sunburst. I played it daily. This is natural if it’s kept in plain view. Jim, the aficionado at the store and my future teacher, convinced me to buy a stand. The extra 30 bucks was well spent. I still have that stand more than a decade later. So, buy a stand with your first mandolin. If you don’t already have one. It keeps the instrument safe, yet not hidden away in a case. No matter how much you spend on your mandolin, you’re going to get your money’s worth when you have easy access to it.
If you are wondering if spending a couple hundred on a mandolin is going to be worth it, this is what I have to say. While not professional therapy, a mandolin is pretty close. The fretboard lets your mind free and your strings sing of your inner self. It’s budget therapy with a rewarding learning curve.
After a few weeks of daily playing, I was well acquainted with my mandolin. Major scales were coming along, and I could even do a closed G with minimal buzzing. The more acquainted I got the more I didn’t like the sound of my mandolin. It didn’t sound nearly as how I wanted it to. Mandolin youtube videos were binged, so I knew that Chris Thile wasn’t playing a mandolin like I was. Where was I going to get a mandolin like that? My trouble was back. This time instead of heading over to Fifth String, I was online all the time, looking for my next up.
That’s how you could find your mandolin too! It’s always important to support your local guitar shops, but for a first mandolin, you could just go online. Your upgrade mandolin you’ll want to be in the room to play before you buy – it’s not going to cost 300 bucks.
How should you shop online for a mandolin?
This is easy. You’re on this site, you know how to work the internet. Reverb, Amazon, eBay, they’re all going to have a decent mandolin for you to purchase. However, with ease, there are drawbacks. You don’t know anything about the actual instrument that you’re purchasing until it arrives at your doorstep. The seller is unknown to you. You’re not going to get a professional set up. These are all disturbing facts you’ll have to deal with. The unknown.
What if the instrument get’s damaged on it’s way to you?
Read the fine print before you buy. What are the return specs for the seller? Message the seller before you make the purchase and ask them what their operation is. Typically they are going to be very sweet and accommodating, after all, they want you to buy their product. This dialogue will create a paper trail too so you’ll have evidence to fall back on should there be a problem after you click the purchase button. You don’t need to make it seem like you’re interrogating the seller – mandolin sellers are a down to earth bunch. But this is the internet, closest to the wild west this side of the legal spectrum.
Who are you buying from?
Guitar Center was started by a used car salesman. While not inherently evil, it’s not good either. It’s not even on the moral spectrum. There’s no sole for it to be one way or the other. Buying pedals, cables, strings, even maybe an amp is fine to buy from them, but your instrument needs a story. Think of it like adopting a puppy. You can buy the bed and the toys from Walmart to save some money, but you’re not going to get your fluffy companion from the same store. New toys can always be replaced, but your dog can’t. Look into where you’re getting your mandolin.
Will your instrument require maintenance?
This question is different than “Will my mandolin arrive split in half?”. It means, will the mandolin I receive be ready to play? If you’re new to the mandolin you probably won’t know why your new mandolin sounds off when you receive it. It’s probably because it requires a little love. Ask the seller before you purchase how much affection is the instrument going to need before it plays at it’s best. Request that they string the mandolin with medium D’Addario EJ74 Phosphor Bronze Mandolin Strings on – they’re the gold standard. By asking the seller about maintenance it will leave another paper trail and you’ll get to know more of the story behind the instrument and the shop selling to you.
Buying your first mandolin is easy.
In general, buying your first mandolin is not difficult. The goal is to get your foot in the door. Don’t expect to play this instrument for years, it’s for training. You’ll always remember it, but soon you’ll be wanting to trade up.
Borrowing a mandolin
What I didn’t know when I first wanted to play mandolin, that I know now is that guitar players often have mandolins hanging around in their homes. You’ll find this out too when you get involved in the music scene. Keep your eyes and ears out when you’re hanging out with your instrumentalist friends. Maybe your buddy’s mom has one in their music room or in a closet somewhere! Seek and you will find. Once you do, ask! Depending on your relationship with the person you’re borrowing from you may have to pay them. Either way, you’ll have to prove yourself as the type of person who can be trusted with someone else’s instrument. If this can work for you, that is the way to go!
A sure-fire way of finding mandolins is by hanging out at local bluegrass or traditional jams. Almost every area has one. Facebook is a great place to search these out. These jams are full of accepting people. Sit and listen. Express your interest in the mandolin. There’s sure to be someone who will let you borrow theirs for a few minutes.
It can be hard to ask others to borrow their instrument. It’s such a valuable item, both monetarily and sentimentality. But I do believe if you ask from a humble and honest point of view, you will be met with goodness. Trust me, mandolin players want there to be more mandolin players! It’s not a competition, it’s a family.
Above all, please be responsible with other people’s instruments. My instrument has bumps and scrapes, but I did all of that myself. I remember how each happened! Don’t be the reason behind someone else’s instrument’s scratch. Especially if you don’t know them well! They’ll have a hard time forgetting. While they might not despise you, you definitely haven’t gained any trust.
Wrapping it up
If at all possible, go to a local guitar shop to find your first mandolin. You’ll meet great people and they’ll be able to help you make a great decision. Steer clear of Guitar Center, online or in-person to buy your instrument – if possible. Support your local shops! If you are buying online, be careful. But I bet you’ll be able to find an instrument to get you started. Just make sure you create a dialogue with the seller. There’s no reason to get scammed. Also, go to local jams. You’ll be able to hear awesome instruments, and maybe play a few!
MandoZen 