5 Tuneful (and Affordable) Mandolin Reviews – Up Your Bluegrass Game in 2024

Kentucky as a brand is generally considered to be synonymous with value in the mandolin world. They’re especially popular among bluegrass players, giving them exactly the sound quality and features they’re looking for without having to pay an arm and a leg to get it—the ideal compromise for an advanced student or budding professional on a budget.

The KM-256 occupies the same basic space in the market as the LM-520 from The Loar below. Both are a step above entry-level instruments but not quite at the professional level, both in terms of the features and the price. The KM-256 is a bit cheaper, in large part because it utilizes a more standard A-style body—an easier shape to produce overall, especially when you’re talking about a hand-carved instrument.

In my experience you’ll get a higher quality level for the money from an A-style mandolin than an F-style.

That rule definitely holds true in this case.

The extra money you’ll pay for the LM-520 is pretty much because of the different shape. If that’s not an important factor for you, you’ll get more bang for your buck with the Kentucky—both are solid instruments with a great sound.

This is a relatively new model from Kentucky, and though it seems to live up to previous models in terms of quality, it hasn’t been field tested as extensively as some of the other options on this list.

Having said that, though, Kentucky has a reputation for build quality and durability, and there’s no reason to believe this mandolin would be an exception.

Our experts loved it.

It’s built in the same facility that produces the company’s top-tier instruments and utilizes the same hand carving techniques—one hallmark of a quality instrument.

In terms of the tonewoods, it uses a traditional pairing of a spruce top with maple back and sides. The overall tone is very pleasing to the ear. It’s crisp and bright on the articulations with good projection and an underlying warmth. They use a good combination of materials for the neck and fingerboard, as well, and the action is smooth and consistent throughout the range.

This Kentucky mandolin also offers more finish and accessory options than other mandolins. You’ll get your choice of three attractive finishes, and can add a case for a bit more money—a nice option for the beginner who doesn’t have a case already.

Are you a complete beginner?

This mandolin might cost more than you’re looking to spend—but for the level of quality you get, it’s an incredible value. You’d have to spend twice as much or more to get an instrument that’s noticeably better. If you want an instrument that both looks and sounds stage-worthy without breaking the bank, this mandolin from Kentucky is a winner.

Features:

• Body: Carved maple
• Top: Carved Sitka spruce
• Neck: Slim maple with East Indian rosewood fingerboard
• Frets: 20, nickel silver
• Bridge: Rosewood, vintage-style
• Hardware: Nickel-plated tailpiece, nickel-plated Gotoh tuners with removable buttons
• Finish options: Transparent amber, transparent brown, sunburst

Donner is a relatively new company, as instrument makers go. They were founded in 2012 with an aim to provide new, innovative designs of familiar instruments and music equipment. They’ve become best known for their line of mini effects pedals, but this isn’t the only offering in their catalog. Their array of string instruments includes guitars, violins, ukuleles, and mandolins, all of which are made to the same high standards and with the same eye toward innovation as their electric guitar accessories.

The DML-1 mandolin that’s the centerpiece of this package is still what you’d consider to be a beginner mandolin.

However…

The quality of the materials and construction is certainly higher than what you might expect from most entry level mandolins. Most notably, it uses solid African mahogany for the construction of both the body and the neck, as opposed to the laminate you’re more likely to find on many cheap mandolins.

You can both hear and feel the difference when you compare this model to other mandolins in the price range. It has a richer, deeper tone than many beginner instruments, though it doesn’t lose the bright edge you want from a mandolin that helps it cut through an ensemble.

This is also a smooth-playing instrument. Here’s why:

This is partially thanks to the design of the neck, which uses a “C” shape that’s designed to fit better into the player’s hand than other styles. It also uses an adjustable truss rod on the inside of the neck, which combines with the bridge for an incredibly smooth and fast-playing action across the instrument’s range.

The only complaint we’ve heard about the action on this instrument is that it’s a bit high out of the box for a beginner’s fingers, but this is a quick adjustment you can have made in minutes at any music shop.

The intonation on this model is pretty solid, too. It uses open-gear tuners, with chrome plating on both the tuners and the tailpiece. These work in tandem with the truss rod and frets to make it not only smooth playing but also solidly in tune, even after an extended practice session.

It gets better…

As good as the mandolin itself is, the accessory package that comes with this instrument is equally impressive. This includes basics like extra strings and a polishing cloth, and gives you a clip-on tuner, some guitar picks for playing, and a padded gig bag perfect for transportation or storage.

While it does cost a bit more than some of the other beginner mandolins on this list, these extras and the level of craftsmanship still make it an excellent value for a player at any level of experience.

Features:

• Body: AAA African Mahogany
• Neck: C shape, AAA African Mahogany
• Tuners: Open-gear chrome-plated
• Finish: Sunburst

If you’re a professional musician, or even an advanced student, you’re probably looking for something a bit more sophisticated in its design than the entry-level models prevalent on sites like Amazon.

But are you ready to spend thousands of dollars on a top of the line instrument?

This model from The Loar is a great middle ground, offering professional details at a more widely affordable price point.

The Loar makes this instrument in the same workshop that produces their top of the line LM-700, and applies the same hand-carving techniques to the pieces of the LM-520. It uses a classic tonewood combination of maple for the back and sides and spruce for the top. The maple gives the sound a rich presence and tonal complexity, while the spruce used on the top adds brightness and punch to your notes, helping the sound project and keeping it from getting lost in the mix.

You can tell just from looking at the LM-520 that it’s a step up from entry-level mandolins. The finish is both gorgeous and impeccable, and the small aesthetic details make it a stunning instrument.

It uses the distinctive scrolled The Loar headstock, with a mother of pearl inlay for the logo that nicely complements the pearlized tuners.

It’s beautiful to say the least.

You’ll also see right away this model uses an asymmetrical F-style body shape, as opposed to the A-style instruments you might be used to seeing. While even small changes to the body of a mandolin can impact the sound, in this case it’s really more an aesthetic change than anything.

Still, this body style is a sign of a high-end instrument, largely because of the level of craftsmanship involved in the construction.

As if that’s not enough…

The difference in feel between this model and entry-level instrument is just as pronounced. The rounded “V” shape of the neck is designed to fit well into the player’s hand, and the bound, padauk fretboard is more comfortable on your fingertips, letting you really fly over the frets.

In terms of the hardware, it uses a combination of vintage Grover tuning machines with a full-adjustable, compensated ebony bridge. You’ll be able to tune more quickly and stay in tune longer thanks to these accoutrements.

There’s often a pretty big gap between the beginner’s version of an instrument and what the professionals use.

Both in terms of the price and how well the mandolin plays.

This can be frustrating for advanced students or experienced hobbyists, groups who want a higher quality level but aren’t ready to spend thousands of dollars. The Loar LM-520 fits nicely into this gap. It doesn’t have the full bells and whistles you’d find on a fully professional mandolin, but the quality is there in the sound and feel where it matters.

Features:

• Top: Hand-carved spruce
• Back and sides: Hand-carved maple
• Neck: Maple, rounded “V” profile
• Fretboard: Bound rosewood, 29 frets (13 29/32” scale)
• Bridge: Ebony, fully adjustable
• Finish: Sunburst

Here’s a traditional mandolin that’s well-built using quality materials—and all for a very affordable price, making this one of our favorite mandolins on the list for a beginning player.

It’s ideal for bluegrass-style players, though it’s certainly not limited to that genre. With its smooth action and bold sound, the RM-100A is a great choice for aspiring mandolin players of all stripes.

Let’s start with the sound.

The tone out of this little guy has some bite to it. One of the challenges with a mandolin is to balance it against typically louder instruments, like guitar and banjo, in a bluegrass ensemble. The Rogue RM-100A has a bright edge that helps it cut through other instruments, with enough projection and power behind it to make sure it’s heard in the mix.

While the sound is certainly important, it’s the playability of this instrument that really makes it ideal for beginners (and enjoyable to play for experienced musicians, too).

The neck is set at the perfect angle for easy, comfortable play. Even if you’ve never played a string instrument before, just pick yourself up a lesson book and you’ll be able to teach yourself on this instrument no problem.

The bridge is adjustable so you have a lot of control over the action. Some players do feel the action is set a bit high when you first get the instrument.

Especially beginners.

Most likely because they haven’t yet built up much finger strength. This is an easy adjustment, though, and they’ll do it at any music shop for pretty cheap if you don’t have the know-how to do it at home.

Once the action’s where you want it, it’s an easy instrument to play. We have the build on the neck and the nickel-plated frets to thank for that. They’re tall enough to prevent buzzing but not sharp or otherwise hard on your fingers.

Here’s the deal:

Any instrument this cheap is going to make compromises somewhere.

The main one you’ll notice on the Rogue RM-100A is the body is made of a somewhat thin plywood, instead of the thicker hardwoods used on pricier instruments. The soundboard is noticeably thinner than those on more expensive instruments. The finish is also less precise and doesn’t have quite the same deep colors as the sunburst finishes on other mandolins.

In our estimation, though, these are largely aesthetic concerns, and are minor concessions to make for the price.

The build quality is solid where it matters.

The tuners are chrome-plated and solid for maintaining the intonation, though they can be a bit stiff when you first take the instrument out of its box. Top to bottom, you’ll get way more than you paid for when you buy the RM-100A from Rogue.

Features:

• Body: Plywood/laminate
• Neck: Maple
• Fretboard: Rosewood fingerboard with nickel-plated frets
• Bridge: Simulated rosewood, adjustable
• Hardware: Chrome tuners
• Finish: Sunburst

Another option if you’re in the market for an affordable beginner mandolin that doesn’t feel cheap is the HM-3TS from Hola! Music.

It uses a classic A-style body shape with a sunburst finish and the standard 20-fret scale length, but with some extra appointments you might be surprised to find in the price point.

Let’s start with the basics.

This mandolin uses maple for the neck, top, and body of the instrument—one of the most affordable options you’ll find with an all-solid build. Maple is an attractive and tuneful wood that gives you the bright tone you want from a mandolin. It won’t project quite as much as an instrument that uses a spruce top, but the overall sound is rich and balanced, perfect for bluegrass ensembles.

It’s also one of the only beginner mandolins that makes it easy to customize the feel on your own.

Without the help of a repair technician.

The bridge is adjustable, first of all, but it also uses an adjustable truss rod. It comes with a hex key you can use on the screw above the nut to tweak the action, no extra tools or expertise required.

One thing a beginner might find frustrating about the HM-3TS is that it doesn’t come with much besides the instrument itself. The wrench for adjusting the action is the only included accessory. If you’re just starting out on the instrument, you’ll at the very least need to buy a gig bag to protect it during travel and storage.

But you will probably also need to invest in extras like a tuner and spare strings. Don’t forget to factor these extras in when you’re deciding on your budget.

The important thing is the instrument itself, though, and in that regard the HM-3TS from Hola! Music doesn’t disappoint.

It’s a very impressive mandolin considering the price. The tailpiece and tuners are chrome plated for durability and better functionality. And it has a bound fretboard, so you don’t need to worry about the frets slicing up your fingers on the sides. Players who use a pick will appreciate the addition of an ABS pickguard, as well, which protects the finish on the mandolin from being damaged while you play.

This instrument does occupy a bit of an in-between zone. It’s not the most affordable option, but it’s still comfortably priced. And while it’s still a beginner instrument, it has a few key details you’d expect on a more expensive mandolin.

Ultimately, it’s a great choice for the new player who’s looking for a bit more than what the typical entry-level instrument offers.

Features:

• Body: Maple
• Neck: Maple with walnut fingerboard
• Bridge: Rosewood, fully-adjustable and compensated
• Frets: 20, silver nickel
• Tuners: Chrome-plated, open gear
• Finish: Sunburst