Can anybody recommend a nice, inexpensive mandolin to learn on? Not a complete beginner model, but not a professional model.
I just recently became obsessed with the mandolin, and now I want to learn it. I’ve seen some $80 and $100 mandolins, but I really wanted to get an opinion from someone who knows what they are doing. 
Thanks!!!
Collin
After trying out some of the $100 mandolins, I ended up going with <a href="http://www.midmomandolin.com/'>Mid-Missouri</a>. The cheapest one lists for $510 but you can find them a bit cheaper if you dig around.
I liike it a great deal, even though they advertise it as ‘no-frills’ to save money, I actually like the look of it. And they don’t coat it with varnish so the smell and feel of the wood comes through.
I have a beautiful Lonestar mandolin that I would be willing to part with for $80.00 plus shipping if you are interested. I have pictures I can e-mail from the manufacturer’s web site. I also have a padded case, picks, and a book/dvd set I will throw in. PM me if you are interested in finding out more.
I LOVE this mandolin. It is very pretty, hardwood construction, and sounds great. I just don’t have the time right now to put into learning how to play. I am working full-time and in school full-time, so I am lucky to have a chance to sleep! 
Carolyn
Washburn A-style. Great sound, not too expensive.
You might want to check out the forum at www.mandolincafe.net where this question comes up a lot, and there are exhaustive (maybe exhausting?–but who gets tired talking about instruments) discussions of the relative merits of relatively inexpensive mandos. The Mid-Missouri mandolins are mentioned frequently as quality, no-frills models that would carry a player past the beginning stage, and well-suited for Irish music. I haven’t had the chance to try one myself, but if I were looking, I think I’d head in that direction.
There is a low-end Johnson that kinda looks like a snakehead A Gibson. It has an oval hole and is A-shaped. These typically sell for under $100 and they are rather rough - however, for some reason, they sound quite good. If you find a store that has several of them, pick thru them and look for one with a fairly straight neck.
With the right strings, they really sound quite nice - especially for Irish music.
Spend a bit more money and get a Kentucky they are a bit more expensive than the previously mentioned ones but WAY better.