My son, Ryan, started playing the violin when he was about 10. When he was 12, my brother moved to England and gave Ryan his mandolin. He immediately took to the mandolin and it became his favorite instrument.

Here is a set of reels he recorded at age 15:
http://www.soundsauce.net/themeadowlark

I recommend starting on a good used instrument that you can try out before buying.

Alice