Washburn Americana M1SD, Mandolin

Have been looking for an oval hole mandolin to add to my f style and A style Kentucky mandolins and my Fender electric mandolin. When i saw this and the price I thought I’d give it a try even if I only ended up with a wall decoration or toy for my girlfriends grandson. I didnt expect much but boy was i surprised. Fit and finish are superb. It comes with strings on but you have to mount the bridge and adjust placement for proper intonation. Plenty of you-tube videos to show you how to do it if you’re unfamiliar. Saddle is wood, nut plastic, case a cardboard box. Oval holes have a different sound than F and A styles, more sustain, some may describe as boomy although i dont think thats a fitting description. As with all new strings it takes a while for them to stretch and stay in tune. After that Ive had no problems with it drifting out of tune. The gloss black and gold hardware remind me of my Les Paul electric 6 string. I was expecting some set up but for now I’m perfectly happy. I would take this anywhere and not worry about leaving it in the car to , say, run in the store to pick up something where i wouldnt let my other mandolins out of my sight. Delivery was faster than projected. Oh…. Tuners are not the best but they get the job done and they look good. Had a slight rattle but tracked it down to a loose pick guard. Tightened a screw and rattle disappeared. I am very very satisfied with this product.

These Washburn mandolins are made in China like other inexpensive mandolin. However, the quality/bang-for-buck is all there. The mandolin I received required a bit of set up. I restrung it with a new set of GHS medium bronze strings. The bridge needed some adjustment to get it just right. Once the strings all settled in, the mandolin is fantastic. Great action, great sound. Oval hole mandolins sound a bit different from the A style f hole mandolins. It is also important to mute unplayed strings when playing certain riffs.Why get one of these import mandolins in favor of the $50 mandolins that are also out there?1) better build quality - the binding is straight and the finish is better applied as compared with those other cheaper imports. Better quality pickguard, bridge, and head.2) oval hole as opposed to f holes give different tonal dynamics. I prefer the Italian mandolin sound from this type of mandolin.3) truss rod for neck adjustments adds to better setup4) smoother functioning tuning pegs5) while the asian Washburns have come a long way from the Chicago Lyon and Healy Washburns, for me they still carry that intent and musical tradition from George Washburn.

This was a beautiful looking instrument, but the sound was disappointing. It had a strange boom to it.I have a 30 year old cheap mando that sounded better. I sent the Washburn back.

My husband loves it!

I purchased this mandolin from another vendor. I love my Washburn A-style oval hole. Like another reviewer mentioned, it is louder than an A-style with F-holes. Personally, I like the boomy tones. It has good low action but no fret noise, holds tuning very well, and is a great travel mandolin. My other mandolin is an Eastman 515 F-style. I play either willingly, depending on where I plan to play.A few modifications were made: the bridge position was adjusted and new strings were installed.

I had a $50 Rouge mandolin and sounded like crap. This mandolin is better for the beginning mandolin player like me. It sounds great and looks good. Must have it re - strung when you purchase it. Love this mandolin.