Thomann Octave Mandolin M1087

The model i purchased was the M1087, the one without a pick-up as I prefer to mic these instruments to produce a more natural sound.

This model has a banjo-style bridge which didn't bother me too much at first as I also play banjo, but after playing for a while i found the corner of the bridge uncomfortable on my hand as this is my preferred playing position. I would have preferred a guitar style bridge as on the M1087-P model, but hey, you get what you pay for.

The first I noticed when i received this mandolin is how light it felt. I have regular mandolins that feel heavier than this model. It appears to be well manufactured but using average quality components and wood. The fretwork round the sound-hole appears to have been punched out as opposed to being cut by saw and some traces of wood remained where the holes were not punched out cleanly but this is barely noticeable.

Immediately upon opening I tuned it to regular mandolin tuning G D A E and played a few chords and i was quite pleased with the overall sound and tone, except for some fret-buzz on the E string at the third fret. The neck was straight but i decided to give the truss rod a quarter turn to try and remedy this ( the allen key was included ) and I was surprised buy how loose the truss rod was. Anyway, a little tightening seemed to cure the problem and the action was still very good and the neck was still straight afterwards.

I like to play in different keys without changing styles so I use a capo a lot. I tried a regular Kyser guitar capo without any problems. The mandolin held it's tuning
right up to the 7nth fret.

The bag that came with the mandolin is average but perfect for the job. There is no point getting an expensive case for an inexpensive instrument.

I have no hesitation in recommending this instrument to beginner and experienced player alike. While it is not a very high quality instrument it is still well made and represents good value for money. I would rather take this on a gig and play the hell out of it, than worry all the time about a more expensive instrument.
If this got broken, lost or stolen I would certainly replace it with the same one.

Cheers. :-)

I wanted a replacement for a very good mid-priced mandolin that I'd had for years, but was costly to maintain. I sit in on sessions at friends' houses and in pubs, so I needed a versatile instrument that could take the knocks that happen without me worrying about it! I spent a long time looking at options and decided that a budget-priced octave mandolin would suit my needs. The best one I could find was available through Thomann, and, indeed, the M1087 is fine for the very reasonable price I paid. I am left-handed, so I will have to get it set up properly, but I have been able to change the strings over and it works, though the action is a bit too high. The build quality is very good, the fretboard is true, the body and soundboard are made of solid wood and the instrument provides a rich, loud sound which will only get better with age and playing. Remember, the price of this mandolin is about as low as it gets, so there has to be a weak link and it is the machine heads – that's why I dropped one star. I'm going to replace them when I get the instrument set up left-handed. Overall, I am very pleased I chose the Thomann M1087 octave mandolin.

I have been playing mandolin for a couple of years now and I wanted to have a go at a larger instrument in the same family. As this was the cheapest new octave mandolin I decided to go for this one, and it did not disappoint. For it's price it has a great sound, especially if you replace the strings with better quality ones. All I would say is that the tuners are a bit stiff, so fine tuning can sometimes be a slight annoyance, and the bridge feels a bit flimsy, particularly when re-stringing it. All in all though, it is a great first experience with the instrument and I would definitely recommend for beginners or if it is all you can afford!