mandolin buying

I bought a rogue mandolin for $30.00 , my first mandolin on e bay from musicians friend- that was less than a year ago- I'm far from an expert , but learned to pick out just about any song that I can think of- Have learned a few cords in the last few weeks-For the price and sound if your thinking about a first mandolin , this one is great for a beginner- One thing to keep in mind - Strings are of the most importance- I replaced the strings with d-addario j67 nickle wound . You can get them from the Fret store right here on okay for about $4.95 plus a few bucks shipping- that will improve the sound a 100 percent- The next thing is a good tuner- I had one for a guitar prior to the mandolin, but its almost a must buy- you can also find them here on okay for about $20.00 My second mandolin was a hohner a style, bought right here on okay- It was about three times the money - and didn't sound as good as the rogue, that I re-stringed. I ordered a set of d-addario j67 nickle wound strings , now it sounds just as good or maybe a tad better. They both have a good sound , tone wise , they sound a little different- I've played guitar for a number of years and have found the mandolin is easier to pick for me , but right now its a little harder to chord- , but if you want to find out if the mandolin is your thing. A $50.00 investment is pretty small-any way I love mine hope this might be of some help for you to decide-