The mandocello is nicely made, and is competitively priced. I'd recommend it for anyone wanting the look of a mediaeval instrument. But it isn't perfect. The neck is very thick with a "D" profile, probably OK if you have larger hands but I had to get a local luthier shave the 'shoulders'. Also the action is very high, needing significant force to fret, it's away at the moment having the bridge re-shaped/replaced to lower the action. But I've bought several instruments from Thomann before and while most have needed local setup, the competitive prices still make for a good deal.