Tanglewood Union Mandolins
Three Tanglewood Union mandolins from £189 to £349. Pick a linden or spruce top, acoustic or plugged in, for folk, bluegrass and Celtic playing.
Union mandolinsTanglewood TWMTWR Union Teardrop Mandolin, Wine RedLinden top · Linden£189.00In stock
Union mandolinsTanglewood TWMTBKPE Union Teardrop Mandolin, BlackLinden top · Linden · Under Saddle Pickup£229.00In stock
Union mandolinsTanglewood TWMFVSE Union Scroll Cutaway MandolinSpruce top · Linden · Under Saddle Pickup£349.00In stock
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Choosing a Mandolin from the Union Series
A mandolin is a small, eight string instrument tuned in pairs, and its bright, chiming voice sits at the heart of folk, bluegrass and Celtic music. The Tanglewood Union mandolin series has three models, priced from £189 to £349, which makes this mandolin instrument range simple to browse.
The three models
The Tanglewood TWMTWR Mandolin costs £189 and has a linden top. It is a plain acoustic, a sensible choice for a first mandolin or for playing at home. Next is the Tanglewood TWMTBKPE Mandolin at £229, also with a linden top, but with electronics fitted so you can plug in. At the top of the range, the Tanglewood TWMFVSE Mandolin costs £349, with a spruce top and electronics.
Linden or spruce?
Spruce is a classic soundboard wood, usually associated with a clear, open voice that responds well to light and heavy picking alike. Linden is a lighter, softer wood, and it helps keep the price friendly on the first two models. If your budget stretches, the spruce model is the one to try. If you want to learn first and upgrade later, linden is a fine start.
Acoustic or electro?
- Acoustic only: the TWMTWR, at £189, for practice and sessions.
- With electronics: the TWMTBKPE and the TWMFVSE, for stages, amps and recording.
Things to buy with it
Mandolin players will want a clip tuner, and a mandolin tuner is easy to find on our Tuners and Capos page. You can also add spare sets from Guitar Strings, and a bag from Guitar Gig Bags.
Learning the mandolin
The mandolin is tuned in fifths, like a violin, so the fingering patterns are neat and repeat across the strings. That makes it a good instrument for learning scales, and chord shapes are small and quick to pick up. Because the neck is narrow and the strings come in pairs, new players often take a week or two to feel comfortable pressing both strings together. Short, regular practice is the best way through that stage, and all three models here are good instruments to learn on.
The Union name is shared with a wider folk family. If you play banjo as well, see the Tanglewood Union banjos, or browse the full Mandolins category. Larger sizes such as an octave mandolin or a tenor mandolin are not shown in this series. Every order includes free UK delivery.