Seagull S8 Mandolin SG, Burnt Amber Burnt Umber

I waited to do this review until I had broken myself in on this fine instrument, and I love it. I learned to play on a pretty basic entry-level mandolin, and decided to upgrade. By now I am getting pretty comfortable with the inevitable differences (it's a bit slimmer than my first one), but even the first time I played it, I was amazed at the much higher tone quality. The sound stands out above all, but the workmanship and particularly the finish, which looks hand-rubbed, are superb.

This is not your typical mandolin. It feels solid and robust, and plays like it should cost several hundred dollars more than it does.Don't think of this as an A style mando, it's its own thing. Unless can spend $1200+ on something else, spend $400 on this. I don't think you'll regret it.

This is a beautiful small mandolin, very nicely made. My only real problem was that it did not come set up well, with such high action that it was almost unplayable. Don't buy unless you have a knowledgable repair shop nearby. The string height at nut was over 6mm, and the neck was a bit twisted. After the shop lowered the nut & bridge and adjusted the truss rod under the neck, it's a whole new instrument and plays beautifully! String height under top string at nut is now a bit over 2mm.Also, don't buy a case until after you receive it - it came with one after all! If not, you can order a Seagull case from Guitar Center; the regular cases are too wide.

Damaged out of the box. Action was ridiculously high. Unplayable. Would have needed a lot of setup. But fantastic woodwork.

I really love Seagull guitars, so I was excited to try their mandolin. I'm really disappointed with the quality. I'll start by saying it's beautiful - really a stunning looking instrument. The sound is pretty nice; definitely not as punchy as a classic A-style mandolin, and if you compare them side-by-side, you can easily see that the Seagull is substantially thinner and more narrow; there's a lot of body lost. The sound is nice, though, so that part ends up being personal preference. Unfortunately, the build quality is far less than I expected. I noticed extra glue around the pick guard, and on further inspection, the whole piece is pulling away from the body of the guitar. This is before any playing. There are also visible imperfections along the neck of the guitar; cosmetic, but the combination of these makes me question the rest of the build quality, especially for the parts I can't see. If you're in this price range, I would recommend looking at The Loar, Kentucky, Eastman, or something similar.

I'm surprised that Seagull was able to pull this off. I've never ordered an instrument from Amazon, and frankly had my doubts, but I figured I could set it up to suit me, if I had to. The price was way less than buying from the Seagull people, and the set up is perfect. The tension of the strings is a little different, so that will take some getting used to, but the sustain is phenomenal. None of my other mandolins can match it. It's really easy to play and sounds great. I have one of Seagull's guitars, and I love it. They do good work.

Arrived earlier than expected. It came with a padded case and is even prettier than pictured. It has a great sound, even from this absolute beginner.

This is an amazing sounding mandolin for the money, made by Canadian craftsmen. I couldn't ask for better sound or build quality for the price. I wouldn't hesitate to purchase again. Highly recommended!