Ok so, I want to learn to play the mandolin. I can play guitar pretty good and I want to get a mandolin for Christmas. I have no idea about anything to do with mandolins but I think they have classes or something? There are 10 songs I want to learn over the next year, 1. Stairway to Heaven 2. Concerning Hobbits 3. You've got a friend in me 4. Lost Woods (Zelda) 5. Wet Hands (Minecraft) 6. Still alive (portal) 7. Riptide 8. Master of Puppets 9. Going to California 10. Morrowind Theme. So I need a mandolin that will work with all of these songs. My price range is pretty low (€100-€150) but I'd really appreciate any advise on picking one out. I don't know how good of one I can get with that price range but I'd really like a solid body, decent sound, one that looks awesome (don't hate me. ) and yeh. That's about it xD I know it's probably not possible but any advice is GREATLY appreciated.
I need some mandolin advice?
Your price range will be a challenge, but fortunately the kind of mandolin you'll want for that music is available today.
Mandolins come in many different varieties. The most common are the bowl-back, the flat-top and the arch-top. Of those the arch-top is the most popular. Arch-tops come in two basic shapes, the A-style and the F-style. The A style is a simple teardrop shape while the F style has lots of scrolls and points as decorations. The simpler A style is for you. Both A and F style come with a choice of two different sound hole designs, the F hole (like a violin) and the oval hole (more like a guitar). To get the tone you want for the music you've mentioned you want an oval hole.
So putting all that together you need an A-style oval-hole arch-top. Luckily these are available for your price range. More important than any particular brand is that you try to find one with as much solid wood as possible rather than laminated wood (plywood). At very least try to get a solid top as that will have the greatest influence on tone quality. Also know that mandolins, unlike guitars, never play correctly right out of the box. They need to be set up. That can be done at the shop or you can do it yourself. Instructions can be found at mandolincafe.com.
Your best bet is a Kentucky KM-140.
http://elderly.com/new_instruments/items/KM140S.htm