Mandolin

ToneControl

I bought a cheap mandolin once, from ebay, collect from a shop. I found there was a high action caused by a neck defect.

More happily, I own a Fender mando-strat, which is a lot of fun

prowla

I'm going to be making a frankenmando from a half-sized guitar; I plan to convert it to an 8-string and it'll be like the top 4 strings of a guitar in pairs, with a capo on the 5th fret.

ToneControl

Have you ever tried a tenor guitar?

drofluf

@prowla sounds like you’re making an octave mandolin 

BigLicks67

I've had 2 an Ozark cheapo and an F shaped Loar. Strangely the Ozark cheapo was much easier to play and I had that for quite a long time. The Loar was a bastard to play and was moved on pretty sharpish. If you settle on a cheap mandolin then have it set up before you take it home, it may make things easier in the long run.

stimpsonslostson

I play Mandolin too. I stumbled across one with a hard case in a Cash Converters & thought I’d try it out. 
It’s become my travel instrument of choice- even in the hard case it takes up very little room. 
Im not very good at it, but it’s a nice diversion when I get frustrated by my lack of skill on guitar. 

My tremolo picking has improved immensely since I got it! 
Www.mandolessons.com is a great resource. 

Heres an inspirational video:

https://youtu.be/88q9syere0Q

Basher

stimpsonslostson said:

Heres an inspirational video:

Chris Thile is an absolute monster musician - a stunning player!
I went to a show of his in a club in Manchester a few years ago. It was just him and the mandolin and I was absolutely riveted throughout.