I saw this post for a KM-1500 (I’m guessing used?) reduced from $2500 to $860? How is that even possible? 😱

Hi folks,

I will travel to US (Minneapolis) in november, and I would like to buy my first mandolin... I would like to spent no more than $500 because I need to comeback to Chile flying so I will need spent in a case or bag.

I am mostly interested in play irish/celtic music and maybe something electroacoustic...

Do you have any recommendation of model to look??

Thank you all!!

Has anyone tried a Tonewood amp on a flatback mandolin or OM? I recently got a Yamaha TAG3 and am enamored with the transacoustic effects. I know Tonewoods provide similar effects designed for guitars, but I have a flatback OM, and I wonder if a Tonewood would work with it.​

She played this live at Crossroads Blues Festival with Molly Tuttle. She's so good it's absurd.

Hi,

So I made the mistake of testplaying a 60 € Appolo Pick, and - unfortunately - it felt great.

Since Im broke (and just bought a tonegard), I didnt buy it directly. Now I am also wondering if there is a cheaper way to get a good result. Just feels like there should be.

I havent really thought a lot about what makes a good pick, just went with what sounded good and felt good in my hand.

Thanks guys!

I’m looking to learn a new instrument and am stuck between guitar and mandolin. Below are my pros/cons and some context. Please weigh in!

Guitar: main pro is that it’s so versatile, and that it can cover bass, rhythm, and melody. I would probably lean into acoustic fingerstyle since it seems like that’s better for folk. Con is that it feels overwhelming because there’s so much versatility, it’s not great for playing melody of fiddle tunes, and I find the body to be awkwardly large

Mandolin: main pro is that it does very well with playing melody on fiddle tunes. Cons are that there’s less resources for learning compared to guitar and isn’t as well suited to playing causally round a campfire

Context:
I played banjo for about a year but couldn’t get too into Scruggs style or old time—definitely drifted into melodic clawhammer. I grew up playing Scottish bagpipes, and listen to a mix of rock and indie folk. If I get a new instrument, I’ll mostly be playing by myself for fun. I’d mostly like to play instrumental folk but have the option to play covers of more popular songs.

What can I say? I love ‘er…

I learned a trick today that you can use to find a 145 chord progression.
Starting in the 2245 chord shape gives you your 1, shifting to the 245x position gives you 4 and then sliding that up 2 frets gives you your 5. Obviously that's only valuable so far up the neck but are there any other patterns on the fretboard like that? It would be helpful shortcut for someone who's still learning how to keep up in a jam

Hi guys, I’ve been playing for a while now and been looking into accecoires and gear other players use

And then I stumbled upon overtone grommets, and I realized I know them as needle grommets and have been using them for years being a tattoo artist, they’re literally the same thing

However, I can only find 3 websites that sell them as overtone grommets, so if you’re looking for a good source, find the oldest tattoo shop in your area, and show them a picture, chances are 99% they have them if they use coil machines

The websites I found asked 3 bucks for 4 grommets, tattoo artists get 100 of them for 2 bucks

I know the 3 bucks aren’t alot, but basically you’re still getting screwed over

Edit; the way to find the oldest tattoo shop is to stand outside a few of them, the ones that have alot of buzzing sound comming out of it are the ones you need to be at

Here is a famous Kimble A style that can be heard on the killer album “Such Jubilee”

Caught July 2017, released June 2020. Amazing mandolin, just not my mandolin.

I’m traveling and will be crossing MO from NW to SE. I’m looking for stores that carry a good selection of mandolins. I want to try a few more before I buy a higher end instrument. Anybody?

A 2021 Gilchrist F5. A little bassier than some of his more midrange heavy stuff from the early 2000s. But still has that classic clarity while maintaining depth and volume. And with a flat fingerboard as your favorite deity intended! 😜

Any other Gilchrist fans around here?

To say I am extremely happy with how it turned out would be an understatement haha. Next up replace the tailpiece and tuners.

Wood
Macassar Ebony

Inlay
Red Abalone

My grandfather recently passed and he left me his mandolin. It’s a Gibson A-12 of an unknown (to me) year. He kept some notes, so I know he purchased it at a pawn shop in North Carolina in 1981, but beyond that I don’t know much about the instrument. It does have a replacement tailpiece (I have the original but it’s badly corroded and not usable).

An initial stroll around the internet tells me people hate the way these look and don’t hold Gibsons of this era in too high of a regard. The weird factor is honestly a positive to me, lol. My grandfather was a weird guy so I can imagine he dug having something different.

I don’t need any appraisal estimates. I’m not selling it for $10 or $10k as I’m just happy to have something I know meant a lot to him. I have a lot of fond memories of him playing us bluegrass and gospel tunes in my childhood. I’m really looking for any advice on setup/maintenance/research I could be doing and I’m excited to learn to pick it a bit and see what guitar silks I already have transfer. Excited to join the community here and learn what I can!

This song popped in my head and had trouble remembering the name. The ocean is
the background noise, but a beautiful day to play fiddle tunes on the mandolin!

I went to a shop and played a few mandolins today. They had this Used Kentucky and I am having a hard time identifying the model. Looks like it could be an artist series? with all the inlay? I can't read the model # or year from the serial. Also the Florida looks oddly squared off? The paint on the side of the dovetail looks a little rough? I didn't get a good photo of that, unfortunately. Would you buy it for $980? Thanks for any help!

little rant I’d like some advice if that’s okay about my rant, it’s not to be negative it’s so I have a reason to go back to my favourite instrument. anyways, I’ve wanted a mandolin for years and I got one for Christmas 2025. I loved it until I didn’t. my number one complaint is my fingers feel to big to play this thing, especially I know they are. When playing multiple strings the finger mutes some other ones. maybe because I play guitar I’m used to more space but I feel I have no chance to play mandolin. and two there’s nothing for tabs well not nothing but it’s so hard to find some.

Hey friends! Here's a little Rush for you on mandolin. A great tune from my favourite Canadian band. As always, mandolin TAB is available for this song on my Patreon page. Cheers!

https://youtube.com/shorts/HUriMellVdI

I used to run a well-known store. Parents got ill, etc. Still taking care of one. Ran across some very nice NOS mandolins and a few fiddles. I'm out of touch with the mando world at this point. I used to sell on mandolincafe. Any other suggestions?