Any Mandolin Players?

I had my eye on a very nice Eastman Bowl Back mandolin, but the store wanted $1300 for it. I thought that was too much so I declined to buy it. Well, I went back to the store yesterday . . . and it was gone! The guy I talked to said it went for $1500.

When I looked at it before, I didn’t know it was an Eastman. Had I known, I might have been more apt to buy it. And now, Eastman doesn’t make them any more — ahhh, well . . .
 
I just traded in my Yamaha Guitalele ( not played enough ) for a Rover mandolin. They retail $50-$100 USD. It is entry level and has way more frets than more expensive ones. As I explore it more and more it is giving me sounds that I can work with. You can spend upwards to 5K for a mandolin, or you start inexpensively. My first ukulele was $20, but I won’t pay under $100 for anything now that I have gotten better ( still a work in progress ). I can use permanent markers which are way cheaper than paints and come up with the same results thanks to years of painting and a desire to improve.
 
If you're interested in playing Bluegrass, I wouldn't go for a flat top mandolin. An Eastman 305 or a Kentucky 500 series would be good to look at.
 
I want a decent sounding and playing mandolin, but on of the Mandolin forums I have checked it seems to be the attitude is there is nothing decent for under 500 dollars. Is this true?
It may surprise you that there are people who feel that way about plenty of instruments.
 
I think you won't get anything fully solid until you get an Eastman 305 or Kentucky 500 or equivalent. There's also a Big Muddy or used instruments from any of those 3 makers. I have an Eastman 305 and am debating if I can justify the next real step up (Probably $3-4k since I don't like the sound of the flat tops I've tried to date).
 
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