The mandolin is small, tuned like a violin and instantly recognisable in bluegrass, folk, Celtic and Americana music. It is also an instrument where the cheapest options can be genuinely hard to play, with high action and tuners that slip. To find the best mandolin for beginners, focus on playability and a carved top rather than looks. Below are eight proven mandolins from brands mandolin teachers trust, with the trade-offs of each, a comparison table and practical advice on setup, strings and accessories.
A-style vs F-style, and why carved tops matter
A-style mandolins have a simple teardrop body. They are easier and cheaper to build, so at any price you get more instrument for your money. F-style mandolins have the ornate scroll and body points made famous by Bill Monroe. The scroll is mostly cosmetic and adds cost, so for a beginner an A-style is usually the better value.
Top construction matters more than body shape. A carved solid top, usually spruce, vibrates freely and gives the strong chop and clear single notes mandolins are known for. Budget laminate or pressed tops are cheaper and tougher but sound thinner. You will also see two sound-hole styles: an oval hole gives a warmer, sweeter tone suited to folk and Celtic music, while f-holes give the punchy, focused bark of bluegrass.
Our picks for the best mandolin for beginners
Kentucky KM-150
The Kentucky KM-150 is the mandolin most often recommended to serious beginners. It is an all-solid, carved A-model with f-holes, which gives it a genuine bluegrass voice and a tone that improves as it is played in. Kentucky has a long reputation for well-made entry instruments.
Best for: committed beginners who want an instrument they will not outgrow for years.
- Pros: all-solid carved construction, real bluegrass tone, good resale value.
- Cons: sits in the upper-budget band, more than a casual try-out requires.
Kentucky KM-140
The Kentucky KM-140 is the KM-150’s more affordable sibling, with a solid carved spruce top on an A-model body. It keeps much of the carved-top response that makes Kentucky popular while lowering the entry price.
Best for: beginners who want a carved top without stretching to the KM-150.
- Pros: solid carved spruce top, trusted brand, strong value.
- Cons: back and sides are not as resonant as the all-solid KM-150.
Eastman MD305
The Eastman MD305 is an A-style mandolin from a maker known for hand-carved solid-wood instruments at accessible prices. Its tone is warm and balanced. Many teachers point to Eastman as the step where a beginner instrument starts to sound like a pro one.
Best for: adult learners who value tone and craftsmanship.
- Pros: hand-carved solid woods, rich tone, excellent build quality.
- Cons: costs more than most starter mandolins; plain looks will not suit everyone.
Eastman MD315
The Eastman MD315 brings the classic F-style scroll body with f-holes and includes a padded gig bag. It is one of the more affordable ways to get an F-style from a respected carving workshop, so it suits players who want the bluegrass look and the sound to match.
Best for: bluegrass-focused beginners who want an F-style.
- Pros: F-style body and f-hole bark, quality carved construction, gig bag included.
- Cons: F-style styling adds cost without making it easier to play.
The Loar LM-110 Honey Creek
The The Loar LM-110 Honey Creek is an A-style mandolin with a carved solid spruce top, and this listing bundles it with a strap and other starter accessories. The Loar focuses on vintage-style carved mandolins, and the Honey Creek line is its entry point.
Best for: beginners who want a carved top plus accessories in one purchase.
- Pros: carved solid spruce top, vintage look, useful bundle.
- Cons: may need a setup to lower the action for the most comfortable playing.
Ibanez M510
The Ibanez M510 is a budget A-style mandolin with laminate construction and a sunburst finish. It is a low-risk first instrument for testing the waters, and Ibanez quality control is generally better than no-name kits at similar prices.
Best for: curious beginners and kids on a tight budget.
- Pros: affordable, recognisable brand, durable laminate body.
- Cons: thinner tone than a carved top; a setup makes a big difference.
Washburn M1S Americana
The Washburn M1S from the Americana series is an A-style mandolin in tobacco sunburst. It sits in the budget band and offers a familiar brand and simple, traditional styling for players who want something better than a toy without a big outlay.
Best for: budget-minded folk and Americana beginners.
- Pros: affordable, classic look, established maker.
- Cons: not a carved solid top, so it lacks the projection of the Kentucky or Eastman picks.
Fender PM-180E
The Fender PM-180E is an acoustic-electric mandolin that comes with a gig bag, so you can plug into an amp or PA for jams, church bands or open mics. It is a practical pick for guitarists adding mandolin to their live setup.
Best for: players who need to plug in from the start.
- Pros: built-in pickup, gig bag, trusted brand support.
- Cons: pure acoustic tone is not its focus; costs more than a non-electric equivalent.
Comparison table
| Product | Best for | Key feature |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky KM-150 | Committed beginners | All-solid carved A-model |
| Kentucky KM-140 | Value carved-top buyers | Solid carved spruce top |
| Eastman MD305 | Tone-focused adults | Hand-carved solid woods |
| Eastman MD315 | Bluegrass F-style fans | F-style body with f-holes |
| The Loar LM-110 | All-in-one buyers | Carved top plus bundle |
| Ibanez M510 | Tight budgets and kids | Low-cost laminate A-style |
| Washburn M1S | Budget folk players | Traditional A-style styling |
| Fender PM-180E | Live and jam players | Built-in pickup |
How to choose
Prioritise playability. Mandolins have eight strings in four doubled courses under fairly high tension, so pressing them down is harder than on a guitar. High action makes it painful. Whatever you buy, a professional setup that lowers the action and adjusts the bridge is one of the best investments you can make, and it often turns a budget mandolin into a pleasant one.
Pick a carved top if you can. If your budget reaches the Kentucky KM-140 or above, a carved solid top will sound and respond noticeably better than a pressed or laminate top, and you will be less likely to need an upgrade within a year.
Match the sound hole to the style. F-holes suit bluegrass chop chords. Oval holes suit folk, Celtic and singer-songwriter music. For general learning, either works.
Size for kids. Mandolins are compact enough that most children from around eight can manage a full-size instrument; the challenge is finger strength, not reach. Lighter-gauge strings can help young players.
Accessories and care
Budget for a clip-on tuner (mandolins drift out of tune as the doubled strings settle), a medium-thick pick, spare strings, a strap and a case or gig bag. Our best guitar tuners guide covers clip-on models that work well on mandolin. Carved solid tops are sensitive to dry air, so in air-conditioned or heated rooms a soundhole or case humidifier helps prevent cracks; see our roundup of the best guitar humidifiers, most of which also suit mandolins.
Because the mandolin is tuned in fifths like a violin, fiddle tunes transfer directly between the two. If you are weighing up options for a young musician, compare our guides to the best beginner violins and the best banjos for beginners, the mandolin’s natural partner in bluegrass.
FAQ
Is mandolin easier to learn than guitar?
In some ways. The small neck and tuning in fifths make scales and chord shapes logical, and many chords need only two or three fingers. However, the doubled strings take more finger pressure, so expect a few weeks of sore fingertips.
Should a beginner buy an A-style or F-style mandolin?
An A-style is usually the smarter buy because the simpler body costs less to make, so more of your budget goes into the top, tuners and setup. F-style mandolins mainly add looks; choose one only if the classic bluegrass styling matters to you.
How often should mandolin strings be changed?
For regular players, every two to three months is a sensible guide, or sooner if the strings sound dull, feel rough or will not stay in tune. Changing one string at a time helps keep the floating bridge in its correct position.
