Alfred Music Publishing 00-42870 Teach Yourself to Play Mandolin Complete Starter Pack

While the entire package is a great choice for a beginner, I was extremely disappointed in the mandolin itself and I will return it. The mandolin was scratched and nicked on the body as well as the pick guard. But most significantly, the bridge was adhered to the mandolin in a crooked manner. Obviously this would negatively impact any sounds/ music attempts by the player. Also, the bridge itself was a very rough crude wood. All in all, the instrument appeared to be defective due to the bridge.

A great starter set .I felt the mandolin was easy to tune with the cd or dvd.To my ear it sounds in tune with bright sound.This is perfect for anyone just wanting to learn a few tunes and have some fun.Or a great starting point for the budding musican.

This is a very cheaply made product. When it arrived, the box was dented and torn but it did not damage the box containing the mandolin. It looks like someone had open the box with the mandolin in it and used it because the box looks like it has been opened and the encloses were not secured correctly on the box. There were scratches on the mandolin. It looks used. However, nothing was missing. I would recommend this product for someone who is just exploring or a child exploring this instrument where if it broke you don't feel bad about it or you don't want to buy an expensive mandolin and have it damaged by a beginner or a child. The instruction is okay but you can learn more on youtube. The gig bag and picks are not that great of a quality. It needs some adjustment before you get used to it or get it to sound great. I gave it 2.5 star, it keeps popping up 3 stars, because I think it would be good for those who are just exploring or starting out and is not concern about having an excellent quality mandolin.

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this instrument. I received it as a gift and honestly didn't have the highest hopes for quality, especially since I read the reviews prior to getting a chance to play it. I have been a musician all my life, I have played guitar and bass primarily for the past 20 years, and have owned/played many varied levels of instruments, including one-off handmade custom pieces, so I typically have a pretty good idea of what to expect based on an instrument's price-point.The instrument was in pristine condition cosmetically. Not a scratch, and the protective film was still intact on the pickguard. All chrome was spotless, and defect free. As I tuned it up, I noticed that all but one of the tuning keys moved fluidly and without issue. One of them was stiff and felt as if it had grit in the gears, although it did function properly, and none of them have had any stability issues. A little dot of lithium grease (you could also use petroleum jelly, or even gear-oil, just do so SPARINGLY) and all was well.The tone of the instrument was surprisingly good. Mandolins are not very forgiving in that department, which is a product of the doubled strings. There was however a small issue with the playability. It needed a thorough setup (something I typically do to any new instrument I get anyway). The bridge was much too tall, even adjusted as far down as it would go (easily fixed with some sand paper, and a little patience). The nut slots were cut too shallow (also not a difficult fix, though it does require feeler-gauges and some form of gauged files). The intonation also needed adjusting, which was the easiest of the procedures, as mandolin's have a floating bridge (meaning it's not glued down, just held in place with string tension) for that specific purpose. Just check the intonation, slack the strings, adjust as necessary, and then re-check. After all the setup work was done (maybe an hour and a half of total work) it played beautifully. The frets were even level and properly dressed, which is not that common on entry-level instruments.As far as the accessories in the package are concerned, the tuner is tiny, accurate and convenient (it has a mode just for violin/mandolin). Even though I have piles of tuners stashed around everywhere, having one dedicated to the mando is great. The strap is about the most basic strap you can have, which is fine for me. It's not like hauling a 6-string bass around where you need thick padded straps to keep your arm from falling off. The picks were nice to have since you can never have too many. They are even a pretty decent gauge as well, so they should work for a wide range of player preferences. The book is a wealth of knowledge for beginners, and if you stick to it and work in order, by the time you finish it, you should have a solid grasp on the instrument. I haven't as-of-yet looked at the DVD or listened to the audio so I have no comment on those. The gig-bag...well, it is not going to provide a ton of protection, however it will keep dust at bay, and has a handle as well as backpack-style shoulder straps which is nice. If you are going to travel with it at all, you should really invest in at LEAST a nice gig-bag, if not a hard case.All-in-all, this is probably the best beginner instrument kit I have ever come across. If you are a beginner, or are looking to buy for a beginner, or even are a seasoned musician looking to expand your skillset to the mandolin, you really can't go wrong here. If you don't have the maintenance chops to do the setup, take it to a pro and you won't regret it. I have this mandolin hanging on my wall right next to my Ukulele and acoustic guitar and it looks right at home, easily holding it's own in the looks department.Side note: if you want a GREAT resource for the setup procedures in very fine details, send an email here ( [email protected] ) and request Rob's free full-color ebook. He's a great guy, and his ebook is an essential item for anyone wanting to make their mando sound it's best, but want to tackle it themselves.

A gift for my musical son - this has turned out to be a very good purchase. The mandolin has great tome & he loves all the extras that came with it - tuner, picks, book, strap, & case! He & his daughter entertained us with a musical duet the other evening. She got a guitar for Christmas & it was her first time playing backup. Thanks for a great product at a very good price!

Love this item package. Easy to follow videos and book. Nice starter instrument.

The mandolin is absolutely beautiful. My husband was very pleased with this gift. Well worth the money.

everything you need...