Ibanez M510E-BS 4-stars Reviews

Good budget instrument

I wanted an electro mandolin, but didn’t want to spend loads as it’s not one of my main instruments.

It is good for the price and massively improved with a decent set of strings.

Versatile companion, good value

I have had this mandolin for many years now, so it’s about time I write a review about it!

The mandolin arrived in a very good state in its nice and handy hard case. I brought it to a luthier to set it up as the action was quite high and could not play barre chords. The quality of the material did not seem excellent to me (I still struggle with the tuners) but all in all in line with the price tag.

In general it is an easy to play instrument, I found myself quite comfortable from the beginning although I am mainly a guitar player. The acoustic sound is a bit thin, normal for a mandolin but probably worse than a purely acoustic model. When plugged in it sounds much better, as with a bit of gain it is easy to increase sustain and fatten a bit those high notes.

Overall it has been a faithful companion for tens of rehearsals and gigs with our band, and I definitely cannot complain of its value for the price I paid. Definitely recommended for a beginner or for someone who plays in a band! Maybe less for a purely acoustic or solo player