Best Beginner Mandolins of 2024

Are you interested in playing one of the more off-kilter string instruments, complete with its own unique tone and feel?

The mandolin has a plucky chime-like sound, and it's a central instrument in many traditional styles of music like folk and bluegrass. In most regions, mandolins are specialty instruments that are harder to find than other stringed instruments like guitars or basses.

But fortunately, there are still tons of great mandolins out there, even for beginners who want more budget-friendly options. The Ibanez M510 Mandolin, for example, is my top choice for beginner-friendly mandolins thanks to its incredible playability given its price.

I've ranked the 7-best mandolins for beginners, so you can find the perfect one for you! Stick around after the list for a buyer's guide and FAQ section that will answer all your questions about this rare and coveted instrument.

Best Beginner Mandolins of 2024

SPECS

• A-Style Mandolin
• Spruce top, mahogany back and sides
• Purpleheart fingerboard

Ibanez, while known mostly for their various guitar and bass models, also happens to have some of the best mandolins on the market.

Ibanez creates consumer-friendly stringed instruments that prioritize fluid playability, and the M510 Mandolin is no exception. Its rosewood fretboard is smooth, with a relatively low action. This makes it easier to pull off fast riffs and intricate articulations while you play.

Beginners will appreciate the playability of the instrument, and even the most seasoned mandolin enthusiasts will appreciate its visual design. Its glossed spruce top evokes the Renaissance-era origins of the instrument. The design is simple but effective.

And I couldn't ask for a better price. I'm extremely impressed that a mandolin this playable is less than $200.

What Could Be Improved

• Some might prefer F-style

SPECS

• F-style mandolin
• Spruce top, laminated maple back and sides
• Rosewood fingerboard

The Ibanez M522 comes at a higher price point than the M510, but it's also a huge upgrade in every way that matters.

Most notably, it's an F-style mandolin. Of the two styles of mandolin (A-style and F-style), F-style mandolins are pricer and more premium. Their body shape is sought after for its beautiful visual look and enhanced comfort while playing.

F-style mandolins also tend to have richer and fuller tones thanks to a more resonant body.

Speaking of tone, the Ibanez M522has exactly that: a full, balanced tone. Combine this with Ibanez's impressive playability, and you've got a fantastic instrument that will satisfy even intermediate and advanced players.

This is probably the best beginner mandolin for those who have a budget of around $300 and value brand reputation and fluid playability.

What Could Be Improved

• Some might balk at a less-traditional manufacturer like Ibanez

SPECS

• F-style mandolin
• Spruce top, maple back and sides
• Rosewood fretboard
• Piezo bridge pickup with tone and volume control

Washburn is a time-tested company with an illustrious line of acoustic instruments that sometimes flies under the radar. They come with a unique offering for mandolin players, and it's an offering that will especially appeal to beginners.

The Washburn Americana M3E-PACK Mandolin Pack is Washburn's way of opening the door for anyone who wants to pick up a mandolin for the first time. This pack has everything- and I mean everything - that you need to start playing the mandolin.

A strap, picks, a gig bag, and even an instructional book are included in this package. And they didn't skimp on the mandolin itself either. The Washburn Americana M3E is an elegant F-style mandolin that is well-made and extremely versatile.

What really sets the M3E apart from other mandolins in its price range is its electronic components. It has a piezo bridge pickup so you can plug in for an amplified mandolin performance. Control the volume and tone with the two knobs under the pickup.

This opens up so many doors for genre-bending experimentation. You can incorporate your mandolin playing into a full band setting, and it'll be loud enough to compete with a drummer, guitarist, and bassist.

There are virtually no bands out there that combine a mandolin with a rock ensemble, so this arrangement alone will make you stand out from the get-go.

Overall, the Washburn Americana M3E-PACK Mandolin Pack comes with a versatile, quality mandolin and several useful accessories to boot. It's a fantastic way to open the door to the world of mandolin playing.

What Could Be Improved

• Established players might not need all the case candy

SPECS

• A-style mandolin
• Spruce top, maple back, sides, & neck
• Padauk fingerboard

Mandolins were inspired by more primitive instruments dating all the way back to medieval times, like the lute and mandore. Their bright, plucky tone can be used to evoke sounds dating back to the Renaissance or Baroque periods.

This same tone was later repurposed in the 1920s and '30s, becoming one of the fundamental sounds of Americana styles like bluegrass and folk. As the mandolin's design has evolved over the decades, many music enthusiasts still associate it with this famously carefree period of prosperity in America.

That's where the Loar Honey Creek Mandolin comes in. It evokes a vintage Americana aesthetic more than any other budget mandolin I could find. The simple yet elegant A-style body has a classic appeal, and its "satin brownburst" color looks perfect for bluegrass and other vintage genres.

The V-shaped maple neck makes fast picking a breeze, and the strings' tone sounds like it was ripped right out of a 1920s tavern.

If you want to fiddle around on a new mandolin that will transport you right back to the golden age of folk music, then Loar Honey Creek mandolin is the perfect choice for you.

What Could Be Improved

• The Loar's F-Style Mandolin may be preferable for some

SPECS

• F-style mandolin
• Spruce top, maple back and sides
• Rosewood fretboard

Here's an F-style instrument so well designed, you could tell people you spent a thousand dollars on it and they'd believe you.

The Loar LM-310 is a hand-carved spruce and maple mandolin that puts other instruments in its price range to shame. Loar boasts this instrument's premium components like its smooth rosewood fretboard, vintage-style tuners, and adjustable bridge.

Another thing I love about this mandolin is that it comes with awesome D'addario strings, perfectly adjusted and ready to play right out of the box. It has a bright, balanced tone with really solid projection. The maple body is quite resonant.

Its V-style neck provides fluid playability as well. Put it all together and you've got a fantastic mandolin that even experienced players would be happy to try out.

It's built to last and easy to adjust, so this is not an instrument you'll have to replace in six months to a year. I always appreciate when budget-friendly instruments are actually durable, it really feels like a cheat code.

The Loar's quality mandolins are patterned after the original Lloyd Loar "The Gibson" mandolins––the holy grail of mandolins favored by none other than the father of Bluegrass himself, Bill Monroe––so it's no surprise these "beginner" mandolins offer a unique value.

This is a unique mid-budget stringed instrument that will stand out among other more common instruments like guitars or basses. Consider the Loar LM-310 if you want to stand out as well.

[Editor's note: This is my personal instrument of 10+ years and I love it. I have also never changed the strings]

What Could Be Improved

• I suppose you could opt for a real Lloyd Loar...

SPECS

• A-style mandolin
• Spruce top, maple back and sides
• Maple C-shaped neck

Recording King has a nearly 100-year-long history of creating musical odds and ends you won't find anywhere else. Their line of vintage-style instruments includes resonator guitars, banjos, and of course, mandolins.

The RAM-3 Dirty 30s A-style Mandolin is Recording King's most affordable mandolin, and its value is truly impressive. This is a no-frills mandolin with a simple design, but for only $200, that's more than fine with me.

It sports the winning combination of a spruce top with maple back and sides. The maple provides nice resonance and clarity, while spruce is known for providing great projection. It's all packaged together with a traditional 30s-style design that keeps things simple and classy.

I've found that this mandolin really shines as a travel instrument, since it's cheap, durable, and compact. I always like the option of being able to express myself musically wherever I go, but most acoustic guitars are too bulky to do that with. The Dirty '30s Mandolin is a perfect way to bring folky music into tight spaces.

There's even an internal tone bar bracing that's designed to balance out the acoustics, delivering a full and precise tone. This is definitely an impressive feature for an instrument of this price.

What Could Be Improved

• Not much could be improved for an instrument at this price point

SPECS

• A-style mandolin
• Glossed maple body
• Maple neck, rosewood fingerboard

A lot of musicians appreciate having a beater instrument (a term we use with respect––an affordable instrument that can take a beating), or one that they don't have to worry too much about damaging. The Rogue RM-100A is a perfect mandolin for a beginner who wants just that.

At barely over $100, it's just about the cheapest mandolin you can find that's still playable. Amazingly, it's actually not a bad instrument at all. The Maple neck and rosewood fingerboard make for fast and smooth playing.

One of the things you have to worry about with ultra-budget instruments like this is intonation. Cheaper instruments often don't stay in tune well due to subpar tuners, neck setup, or string action. But fortunately, the RM-100A has chrome tuners that do a great job of keeping the instrument in tune.

If you are interested in playing mandolin but aren't totally sure if it's the instrument for you, then this is the lowest investment way to see if you like playing the instrument. Alternatively, if you already have a mandolin, you could buy this one as a travel mandolin, one that you can throw around a bit or let friends try out.

What Could Be Improved

• The cheapest is never going to be the very best

Best Beginner Mandolins Buyer's Guide

This section of the article will give you a general overview of how to choose the best beginner-friendly mandolin. No matter which instrument you go with, it's a good idea to keep the following considerations in mind.

Budget

Especially for beginners, the instrument's price is going to be a big consideration. While some mandolins can cost thousands of dollars, every instrument on this list is less than $500.

You can find totally serviceable mandolins for as low as $150, with $300 being a good average price for an entry-level mandolin.

Body Style

A-style and F-style are the two types of mandolins, named for their slightly differing body shapes. F-style mandolins are considered to be more premium, as they have more intricate body shapes and tend to be more resonant.

That said, A-style mandolins appeal to those who like a simple, classic design. Both styles of mandolin are valid, and the best one for you ultimately comes down to personal preference.

Body style is mostly an aesthetic choice, and it's not nearly as important as the instrument's sound quality, durability, or intonation.

Tone

The tone is probably the most important factor in deciding whether a mandolin is the right fit for you. While mandolins all have a bright, shimmery, almost chime-like tone, there's a good amount of tonal variation from mandolin to mandolin.

Do you want one with more low end? One with a more balanced tone? What about one that is more plucky? The best way to find out what you like is to play them in person before you buy them.

But if this isn't an option, you can always look up demonstration videos of a mandolin so you get a feel for how it performs.

Additional Features & Accessories

Some mandolins come with additional products to sweeten the deal. The Washburn Americana M3E, for example, comes with a strap, gig back, picks, and a learner's manual. While these things are not essential, they definitely help make your playing experience more convenient.

As far as additional features, the Washburn is leading the pack there as well. It has electronic components so you can amp up and play. This is not very common for mandolins, as most of them are solely acoustic instruments.

While the overall quality of the mandolin is the most important aspect, sometimes additional features like this can be the deciding factor between two instruments that are otherwise evenly matched.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What types of music are best suited for the mandolin?

Mandolins take inspiration from medieval instruments like the lute, and they've been played in several regions and time periods throughout the world.

Their sound is typically associated with folk, bluegrass, blues, and traditional Celtic music. They also sound great in country and rockabilly tunes.

As I always say, however, these are merely suggestions. Music is all about experimentation, so play around with your mandolin and try it in any genre you can think of!

How does a mandolin differ from an acoustic guitar?

A mandolin has four pairings of two strings that are each tuned to the same note. This gives the instrument a much pluckier tone than an acoustic guitar. It tends to have a strong and fast attack, with a defined high end.

It's also better suited for playing individual notes rather than chords. So mandolins are a great choice if you want to give your melodies a unique flair.

How is a mandolin tuned?

Mandolins are typically tuned to G-D-A-E, with each pair of strings tuned to the same pitch. Sometimes there will be slight tonal variations between the string pairings, which makes each note sound more full and textured.

It adds to the mandolin's unique tonal characteristics.

In Conclusion

I hope you've enjoyed this introduction to the world of the mandolin! This is an instrument with a rich history and even richer tone.

If you still find yourself wondering which mandolin you'll like best, I can once again recommend the Ibanez M510 Mandolin. It's low-investment, and it has great reviews thanks to its impressive overall value.

A rare instrument like the mandolin will help you express yourself in a way that is individual to you. Why not see for yourself how fun it can be to play one of these awesome instruments? Thanks for reading!