New user with new mandolin

[bagpipe]

Thought I'd introduce myself and my new mandolin - hopefully this is the right area?

I'm a longtime guitar player who has recently become very interested in the mandolin. I've been lurking on here for a while trying to glean as much mando information as possible. I was looking for a bargain on the Classifieds but, as usual, I ran out of patience. I went to a local store yesterday and bought a Kentucky KM-140S. That seems to be recognised here as a good starter instrument. I tried out a few mandolins at the store, both higher and lower price, but my "mandolin ear" isn't sufficiently developed yet to be able to recognise much difference between them.

Anyway, I had a blast playing it last night. I found a couple of tunes I knew on the tab section here: "Tune for a Found Harmonium" and Bachs "Prelude from 1st Cello Suite". I also found a Youtube lesson with the Celtic tune "Irish Washerwoman". I guess its just in the nature of the instrument, but those melodies are much more fun to play on the mandolin than they are on guitar. I also realise that I need a strap of some kind !

Anyway, thats about it. I'll be sticking around and hopefully learning more from everyone here, and maybe even contributing something worthwhile eventually.

[Bob Aliano]

Take a look at http://www.mandolincafe.com and http://www.mandozine.com for a wealth of tips and even TABS.

[Santiago]

Welcome to the Cafe, and to the mandolin world. Sounds like you're off to a great start with a solid instrument and some good knowledge of music that will serve you well.

[Bob Aliano]

OOPS, senior moment, forgot which group I was in when I suggest bagpipe go to the mandolin cafe, LOL. Check out mandozine though.

[PhilTod]

Welcome from a fellow newbie and also long time guitar player who also loves the mandolin! This place and the folks here are great-Enjoy Yourself!

[Coffeecup]

G'day from another relatively newbie. It looks as if you have varied music interests - with a name such as Bagpipe perhaps you would have better luck playing "Black Bear" than I am.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Welcome aboard & enjoy the ride. I play the Guitar also,but sparingly & not that well really. A fellow UK Cafe member,e-mailed me a few weeks back & he said that after playing Mandolin,playing his acoustic Guitar was a bit like trying to play a wardrobe - i have a similar perspective on that.But for you,it must be the other way around,a bit like playing a cigar box,
Saska

[bagpipe]

A fellow UK Cafe member,e-mailed me a few weeks back & he said that after playing Mandolin,playing his acoustic Guitar was a bit like trying to play a wardrobe
Good point. I played the guitar for the first time yesterday after playing the mandolin solidly for two days. Felt like playing some kinda gigantic clown guitar. Hopefully I'll get used to switching back and forth. Heres a pic of my shiny new mando:

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a76/bagpipe200/Kentucky_Mandolin/KantuckyMandolin004.jpg

[Santiago]

I find mandolin playing HELPS my guitar and vice vesa. There's a lot of idea cross pollination and not just picking and crosspicking.

[opie wan]

I've found that playing the mandolin makes me play guitar a little better as long as I remember to pick the darn thing up now and then. I'd also suggest that, at least for me, learning to build chords on the mandolin makes you review your theory and refreshes your thinking.

Also, before you give in to MAS (mandolin acquisition syndrome) remember this. I started with a little weber gallatin f style. I thought that a more expensive mandolin would be better. I bought a SUMI and compared it to many more expensive instruments. I have yet to hear one that was 15 or 20 K better in tone. One better..... after not playing the weber for 3 months I got it out, changed strings on it, and then the sumi. I sat down and played them both. I was struck by the fat tone the weber has. It has a ...... fuller range of tone (more low end) than the sumi.... and the sumi has more high end (a banjo killer). When I compared the sumi to a gibson skaggs model the sumi sounded better to me. More money doesn't mean a better mandolin. You're succumbing to buying name. Honest assessment of TONE is the best way to buy a mandolin. Always has been true with every instrument..... always will be.... Here's to pickin' and a grinnin'

[Alex Orr]

Welcome! But beware...

I started out as a budding flatpicker. Worked hard at it but struggled a bit. Bought a mandolin on a whim. That was two years ago. That poor Martin now spends a LOT of time in it's stand.

I should have known. The guy at the store I went to get my mando set-up asked me if I was new to the instrument. I told him I had never played one before but had spent several years playing guitar. He said that sounded familar. He, and many other mando players he knew started on guitar...then the mando took over :disbelief:

Mandolins...man they're addictive little buggers :mandosmiley: