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2025 Vangoa A Style Mandolin (sunburst)
When guitar players on the internet talk about the resale value of instruments, one thing that's not mentioned as much is that, in my experience, the easiest instrument to get and then trade off or sell are inexpensive banjos and mandolins.
I think one reason is because they make perfect second instruments and a lot of guitarists are always looking for an instrument that they can apply their string instrument skills to in order to diversify their sound. Mandolins in particular can be bought for as low as 60 bucks for one that can be actually played. That's not something I could have said about a cheap mandolin in the seventies.
That being said, I have to say that I've owned half a dozen in my life from a very inexpensive Rogue to a 1910 Gibson and some in between like the 1949 Martin. In most cases the mandolins were “A Style” of which there are a variety of shapes but generally have a round or oval hole as opposed to the type that have F holes like a violin and are especially popular for bluegrass.
The companies that make inexpensive banjos and mandolins sort of come and go and there's a lot of what they call “internet brands” that distribute primarily through online sites. Vangoa instruments are one of those that have become common and as a whole their reputation is very good. This brand could be said to be on the higher end of the low end, in other words not quite as cheap as, say an older Rogue at 60 bucks (though my estimate on that one is in 1990s dollars,) but not as good as an old Gold Star, etc.
I've said in other reviews that one reason why inexpensive instruments are so good these days is because companies have had over 50 years to perfect the manufacture of inexpensive instruments. Not much changes in the design so they basically do the same thing over and over again and successive companies do the same and certain economies come into place, like CNC machining, etc and so a $100 mandolin now would be probably much better than an equivalent back in the 80s.
I remember seeing a documentary on mountain music and one of the younger players was very proud of the fact that he had built his own mandolin out of maple and it was very obvious that he understood how to make that instrument because it looked perfect. He then played it and I guess unless you're a cork sniffer or expert on bluegrass, and can say otherwise, I have to say that he built a pretty nice mandolin and it sounded great.
That's why in the case of mandolins and banjos, I don't really get into a trip of telling people that they need to spend some minimum amount, the instruments are simpler to build than guitars. I should add that all instruments require good craftsmanship.
The reason I have a Vangoa A style in my collection is that it was given to me for Christmas. Gift instruments stay in my collection for a lot of reasons but most of all they tend to have great sentimental value and the people who bought the instruments took the trouble to research it and find the best value.
This particular Vangoa costs about $140 and I don't know how it compares to other mandolins that are in the two to 300 range but it is certainly well made. In particular the action came only slightly high and I was able to bring it down by simply lowering the bridge a bit. So high marks to the company for making such a playable mandolin out of the box.
Those who have bought mandolins on the used market, particularly vintage ones, will know that finding a mandolin with excellent playing action isn't a given. The high tension of the strings alone can warp a neck within a few years.
If I were to describe the Vangoa sound, I would say it's a less refined open sound like the old Martin A. That being said, the Gibsons that I've owned in the past tended to have a smoother, richer sound, whereas the Martin reminded me of a small 12 string guitar, particularly because I play in drop tunings even on the mandolin.
I'm not that familiar with the mandolin in normal concert tuning, my preference is always to tune it to about the same tension I would a cuatro which is a 10-string instrument that's popular in the Latin American countries.
As far as those who might buy for bluegrass, which for an A style would probably be more in the realm of old timey or mountain music, they would be better off buying the type with F holes which has the type of sound and projection for that type of music.
While most Bluegrass players might prefer the f hole type, the A does have the requisites of a good mountain instrument which is a wider, richer tone and decent volume. The Vangoa projects very well and has a good decent tone. Sometimes with inexpensive mandolins you get one or the other but not both.
This review does require some description of specs and like a lot of economy mandolins are probably made of whatever the company can get a good price on but as a whole for the 2025 model, the A looks like it has a basswood body with a spruce top. The bridge is walnut and the tailpiece is competent, a more advanced player might prefer a better design but it's adequate.
One thing to remember when getting an inexpensive mandolin is that it's best to play it first because mandolins can develop bad action even in stores. There's not a lot you can do to adjust the action beyond some adjustment at the nut and bridge. If the neck has been pulled up from improper storage or not being sold for a long time in a regular guitar store, that's not something that's going to be fixed easily and certainly not worth repairing on an economy model like the Vangoa.
If you buy one online make sure it's from a company that has a good return policy like Guitar Center. The reason being is at this price range in particular, the neck that you play on is the one you're going to have to live with.
However, my impression of the mandolin is positive; it seems as good as some mandolins I had in the 80s and 90s, for the reason, like I said, that a few decades down the line the manufacturers of these inexpensive versions have gotten better and better. Also many of these inexpensive instruments are made by companies that do a lot of subcontracting and as a result are quite competent.
If you look on the internet, on Amazon for instance, you can get a mandolin that's cheaper than the Vangoa and for someone who's using it as a second or third instrument it might be better just to spend less but if you do try this brand, my guess is you’ll like it.
I should also note that this mandolin comes with a very nice gig bag and accessories.
What is definitely striking about these modern mandolins is that some of the problems that you would see in the '80s or even '90s aren't present in this new generation of inexpensive mandolins. So people have said that it's been a golden age for guitars and I think that applies to banjos and mandolins also.
Al Handa
July 12, 2026
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