Bluegrassers generally want an F-style, because that's what Bill Monroe played, and that's considered the 'real' bluegrass shape. Some time and effort has to go into making the scroll, obviously.Д«ut I think the A vs F music style thing is a little harder to pin down. (Both these 505s are A's, though.) I do think you get more for your money with an equivalently priced A-style. Mike Halloran is right on the A vs F cost thing. I'd guess they'd be similarly appointed, so I'm curious to know what you'd get for the extra cost of the Eastman. What did you choose, Mike? I'll be interested to hear your decision!

He said he thought they would play and sound very similar, but that I should judge for myself.Дo you all have any advice for me as I make the comparison between the two? This is my first ever mandolin. It's an interesting 'accident,' because these were the two I was actually comparing against each other when I called to place my order the salesman ultimately recommended the Eastman over the Kentucky based on better overall fit 'n' finish and a lifetime warranty. If I keep the Kentucky, he'll refund me the difference in price ($599 vs. He said he'd ship me an Eastman 505 (I asked him to play through the ones he had in stock and pick out the best one for me) and a return shipping label and suggested that I play both and send back the one I didn't want. I called the store and told them what had happened and he said there must have been a a mistake on their end. It arrived today - only inside the box was not an Eastman MD-505 but a Kentucky KM-505. So late last week, after a lot of research, I ordered myself an Eastman MD-505 from The Mandolin Store in Wickenburg, AZ. I could play along with her as she works through the books, and when she's older, she should have an easy time picking up the mandolin and playing along with me on guitar if she wants to. When I realized that the tuning and fingerings were the same as violin, I decided that this might be a fun instrument to have around the house, as my younger daughter is learning violin. I met fellow Forumite Chris Boone at an event at the Podium and found that he'd been bitten by the mandolin bug, too. I realized that I really like the high, pure sound of a mandolin. Not too long ago, I noticed how much new music I'd purchased that featured the mandolin (the album 'Tone Poems' with David Grisman and Tony Rice got me started down this path).

Kentucky mandolin store