Mandolin buying guide: A folk instrument that continues to be used in music of all genres. Here’s how to pick up a mandolin to incorporate its distinctive jangling sound into your own.
Best/Top Mandolins
Here are some of the recommended Mandolins.
Loar LM-520
F-Style Mandolin for performers. One of the best mandolins available in this price range – for the intermediate and experienced players. Solid hand-carved, fully graduated spruce top, maple back, solid maple sides.
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Gibson’s F-5L
“The Fern” Mandolin’s design is based on the original created by Lloyd Loar, and is a much sought after mandolin by the world’s best bluegrass mandolinists.
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Dean Tennessee Acoustic-Electric Mandolin
Acoustic-electric Mandolin, Budget-friendly, Easy to plug in and play.
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Rogue RM-100A Mandolin
A-Style Mandolin Sunburst. Easy-to-play neck and adjustable bridge. Great for beginners who wish to play bluegrass or any other style of music.
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Ibanez M510
A-style mandolin, spruce top Mahogany back & sides, chrome hardware, pearl dot inlay, truss rod.
Nice option for those looking for an inexpensive mandolin.
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What is a Mandolin
Mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family that is usually plucked with a plectrum or “pick”. Mandolins are available in various forms. However, the more common types include the Neapolitan or round-backed mandolin, the carved-top mandolin and the flat-backed mandolin.
As with most string instruments, the electric variant, known as the electric mandolin, is also available.
Electric mandolins are now widely used in bands, and for the more traditional mandolin sound, you can use a “pick up transducer” to amplify the acoustic mandolin sound so that it can be heard in live group settings.
Mandolin Terminology
- Scroll: Used only for cosmetic enhancements, the scroll is the bit of wood wrapped around itself on the top of the mandolin. It adds to the cost of the instrument.
- A-Style: Has a tear drop shape, lacks the scroll.
- F-Style: Sports a scroll. Not much difference in construction.
- Carved Top: The top was carved into an arched shaped, as opposed to being pressed. Has better tonal qualities.
- Pressed Top: Pressed into form by a machine, using heat and pressure. Cheaper, but generrally don’t sound as good as the carved top ones.
- Arched Back: The mandolin has an arched back (the part that faces your stomach) and not a level back. Helps to make the mandolin sound louder.
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Buying a Mandolin
How to Tune a Mandolin
The mandolin is usually tuned the same way as a violin, except that instead of 4 strings, a mandolin has 4 pairs of strings (two E Strings, 2 A Strings, 2 D Strings, and 2 G Strings), making it a bit more time consuming to get in tune.
So, if you’re a beginner who is learning to play the mandolin, tuning the mandolin may seem like a difficult task, but the good thing is that it gets easier the more you do it.
And its important to tune your mandolin regularly, because a tuned mandolin sounds a lot better and also helps you train your ear to the correct notes.
There are more methods of mandolin tuning, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Here we take a look at a few methods on how to tune a mandolin, and also will suggest a free online mandolin tuner.
This picture shows you how to tune a mandolin (in the standard GDAE tuning) using a piano. Tune the string (play each string open, you don’t have to fret) until it matches the keyboard or piano (as shown in the picture).
Recommended Digital Tuners
D’Addario NS Micro Clip-On Tuner
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Snark SN-8
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Cherub tuner-metronome
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Useful Links
KeytarHQ editorial team includes musicians who write and review products for pianists, keyboardists, guitarists & other musicians. KeytarHQ is the best online resource for information on keyboards, pianos, synths, keytars, guitars and music gear for musicians of all abilities, ages and interests.
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