Earlier in the thread,I've suggested the Martins being considered would probably be good deals; I stand by that; Martin's mandolins are excellent;they just aren't Gibson clones.
Mid-Missouri / Big Muddy has a great rep, so I wouldn't hesitate in recommending them, they go for very reasonable prices, new or used. Again, they're not Gibson clones, so not for every taste long term, but certainly fine for anyone new to mando; they should be similar to the vintage Martins.
There are some other smaller name builders of less pricey mandos; I'd suggest checking the Mandolin Cafe; there's a builder database, as well as classifieds, and discussions of builders in the forum.
Howard Morris makes very reasonably priced carved A & F styles, as do a few others in the US whose names don't pop out, but the Cafe is a good source for recommendations. As for larger, factory makers, Breedlove's lower end are very reasonable for the quality, made in Oregon, and available through major retailers, such as Guitar Center.
As noted, a vintage Stradolin can be a great bargain, as can some vintage Kays(or Stromberg-Voisinet), and Kalamazoo(by Gibson)'s, among others.