Lots of folks want to get their hands on a mandolin, cheaply, without paying a premium for an instrument that they’re not sure they’ll use. The idea of owning and playing a mandolin appeals to them, but they don’t want to commit to it fully until they’re sure about it.
So if you want an inexpensive mandolin, you have two choices: get a great deal on a used mandolin, or find and buy a new mandolin cheap!
Find a used mandolin for sale
There are a lot of used mandolins collecting dust in peoples’ closets and attics. You can find them for sale at online classifides listings like CraigsList, or at auction sites like eBay.
Bowl-Back (Neopolitan) Mandolin.
Due to the intricacy of the workmanship and the high-quality materials (like ivory tuning pegs and inlaid top plates), people assume that these instruments are worth quite a bit more than they actually are. In fact, these old mandolins are a glut on the market, and it’s difficult to get rid of them for what seems to be a fair price.
So, you could probably buy one of these old bowl-back mandolins in any highly-populated area quite easily. But I think you’d be disappointed with your purchase. These style mandolins just don’t have the same sort of playability of a modern F-Style mandolin. Furthermore, they’re unsuitable for playing in an ensemble becasue they’re not loud enough.
So, getting a mandolin cheap is possible if you go the used instrument route, but you’ll probably get one that you’re not really satisfied with. And that brings us to the cheap, new instruments:
Get a new, cheap mandolin
There are brand-new mandolins being sold these days for less than $75 dollars, delivered. These cheap mandolins are lacking in just about every area, but if you just want to dip your toe in and test the waters, they’re definitely the way to go.
If you want a halfway decent instrument that’s still under $200 dollars, check out the Rogue RM100F; it delivers a good blend of performance and economy.
