Since there's new enough activity on our newbie group to warrant a shout-out on the Cafe front page...it seems introductions are in order. Who are you? What type of mando do you play (what's its name )? What style of play are you into? How long have you been playing? To break the ice, I'm Chris. I play a Morgan Monroe MVF-1 (named Maybelle - after Maybelle Carter) and primarily try to play bluegrass, old time, fiddle tunes. Been playing since November 2011.
Hello! My name is Kelly (Nanaimo is the city in which I live). I am new, really new as of last Friday, to the mandolin. As I have recently retired, last Aug., I now have time to dedicate to learning to play the instrument that has been tugging at me for a long time. I have an Eastman MD605. I like all types of music, from celtic, folk, classical, to bluegrass.
Hi my name is Scott and I live in a the little town of Oldenburg, Indiana. I started playing mandolin at the tender age of 13 thanks to my uncle Travis. Unfortunately I never got serious about it though. I stopped playing after about a year or so and lost interest until this past October. So for Christmas my wife bought me the mandolin I desprately wanted because it reminded me of the one my uncle Travis had and had taught me on. Unfortunately my uncle travis passed on at the age of 49 back in "04. So this mandolin has way more meaning to me than just any old instrument. By the way I only knew 3 chords when I got it, but due to this site and the wealth of knowledge here I'm learning way more than I ever did. I'm thinking about lessons if i can find someone close to me that offers them. On to the instrument in question, or the firewood. I am the proud owner of an Alvarez A700 F-Style mandolin. I like Bluegrass and Rock. I've been working on Sweet Child of Mine by Guns & Roses and Norwegian Wood by the Beatles. Oh and I haven't given my mando a name. I guess I should call it something. I'm thinking of a name like the name Clyde or maybe even a woman's name like Sylvia. Sylvia would be a family name. So I'll just say that I've been playing since 12-24-11......
I'm Dennis, 36 years old, originally from Gelsenkirchen in Germany and now living in Canterbury, Kent (England). I started torturing mandolins at the end of November 2009, with no prior knowledge of guitar or similar instruments, but with some ability in reading music. My first mandolin, now at my mum's place for when I visit, is a cheap Stagg mando called Clarion. My current mandolin, sold under the "Vintage" brand name, is an ebay bargain called Madulain. Both are named after female characters from one of my favourite novels. I like playing folk (Irish, Scottish, English, French) and early music (Medieval, medieval-inspired, Renaissance).
I'm Karon, age 66. Gulp...hard to say that! Retired from working info desk at a public library. Have lived in SW Ohio all my life. Love all kinds of music...all kinds. Of late, have been drawn to acoustic music. While I wasn't born there...all of my family are from KY and I 'get it' with the bluegrass. Love it! Also Newgrass, progressive grass whatever it morphs into. Not a great voice (very average) but LOVE to sing...sing all the time. First picked up a mandolin Dec 11 2011. No music reading ability yet. Workin on it. Haven't played any instrument. Never in band in school or any of that. So.....this is a CHALLENGE. But love it. Have a sweet little Eastman 505 (with good set up from dealer.) Haven't named her yet.
My name is Mark. 53 y/o male. Cape Cod Mass. I started playing guitar in 1969, never very well. I started mandolin 4 months ago. My mando is a Kentucky KM855 F-hole F-style. So far my favorite mando pick is my Wegen Trimus 500, a 5mm rounded triangle with a significant bevel. I like most kinds of music.
Hello - I'm Zoe, 46 and 2 weeks old! I live in the UK - by the sea. I started playing about 1 year ago - never played any instrument before. Started with a Kentucky 150. After 5 months I knew - like I know the sun comes up every morning - that I was obsessed. The death of a close friend precipitated buying my current Mando -a cedar top Paul Hathway - she's called Maeve. I play mostly irish and scottish tunes - but also been trying chords for 1970's uk bands. Its more practice than talent for me - but the hard work is paying off. Playing my mando makes me smile every day.
Charlie Brown here... 32 man with lots of time on his hands and a pretty mandolin to learn on! Been torturing ears a month or so. I bought a Bulldog A-5 off the classifieds. It is going back to Barry Kratzer for some repairs but I bought another since my girlfriend plays mine as much as me. A Loar F-style should arrive tomorrow! ;-)
Hello I'm Danny Foster "aka Blueridgemandolin", Hoping they can find out whats wrong with my left wrist so I can start playing again. I have a Eastman 615 F style will be checking in when I get a chance. Good luck to all with the songs. Dan
Hey there! My name is Kyle. I'm 22 and I live in Raleigh, NC. I've been playing mandolin (a cheapo Savannah/Johnson) for exactly a month today. I'm mostly interested in bluegrass/newgrass, but I appreciate the celtic and classical styles as well and I'd like to dip into those genres eventually. I look forward to jamming with you guys over the internet!
I'm Linda, 62, recently retired and in search of new hobbies to keep me off the streets. I have ordered a Rover Rm-50 and am anxiously awaiting my FedEx shipment. I already dink around on guitar and have for years, but lately mandolins have been calling me. I especially want to use it to accompany myself playing the Stones "Lady Jane". I learned guitar before there was an internet (or a personal computer for that matter) and am really excited to have access to all of the internet resources for acquiring new skills. Glad to be here!
I'm Mo and I live in the SE Oregon mountains, just about 15 miles from Crater Lake National Park. I'm 53, female, have been playing about 6 months (with a couple month hiatus while I was in England), never played an instrument before. I have 3 mandolins - my first was a 1940s Kay (a style f hole) that I bought off ebay for $50 just ... because I wanted to play an instrument and I'd always liked the sound of mandolins. Once I realized that I enjoyed it, my second was an Eastman 504 (a style oval hole) bought new and my third is an asymmetric 2 pt 1980s Washburn I just got off ebay. I listen to and play (try to play) folk, old-time, Irish/English/Scottish, swing, TexMex, old country with a bit of classical.
I'm Tony, 59, originally from San Antonio TX, but now live in Sacramento CA where I ended up after a 30-year Air Force career and now work for the State of California. I began learning the 3-row diatonic accordion as a kid, but switched to trumpet when I entered Jr High, and played it through high school. I was supposed to play trumpet in the military, but changed my mind and worked in the communications fields. The trumpet slowly faded away, but I began owning guitars and have for years. I never practiced regularly to be able to play well. When I retired from the military in 2000, I returned to the 3-row diatonic accordion which is my primary instrument now. In late 2009, I got interested in the mandolin and bought my first Kentucky A-Style in November. I always wanted an F-Style, so a couple months later, I got my Kentucky 1000 Master model and sold my A-Style. A year ago, I bought a ukulele, so play it every now and then. I still don't practice regularly as I should to really get fluent with any of my instruments, except my accordion. Now I am toying with the idea of getting a chromatic accordion, as if I needed another distraction! I still remember how to read a little music notation, so can normally work with books, but prefer videos. I like all kinds of music, so don't really have one specific genre. It normally depends which instrument I am messing with at the time. Well, that is about it for me. Great meeting you all!
Well, if we're making introductions.... My name is Lenore, but the only people that call me that is family lol I generally go by Nor. I'm what you would call a "Yoopsconsinite", which is a combo of Yooper (Upper Pennisula MI) and Wisconsin (I'm a Wisco kid!) since I grew up right on the border of the two. I lived in the Keeweenaw Peninsula of the U.P. for many years before relocating to Minneapolis, MN. Still getting used to living in the city (even after three years!). I just turned 26 and 3 days old (@onawhim ) and have been playing mandolin for a few months now off an on. I've had a three month hiatus due to end of college and studying for my certification exam so I can be legal x-ray tech, so I'm kinda back at square one again, which is slightly annoying. I started out in music as a percussionist, and also played in my school's handbell choir for 4 years. Super fun times! Recently I was told by a friend that I was going to learn mando and I had no choice in the matter LOL! (More on that story here). I've had no previous experience with stringed instruments, let alone an instrument that I have to move my fingers to change notes! I'm borrowing a mando at the moment, a very beat up Johnson that I like to call the "tuneless wonder." I'm saving up for one of my own (probably a Kentucky), but it's going to take awhile with me and fianc้ man saving up for a house. I generally like to play Irish tunes and jigs, but I play A LOT of folk music when I'm jamming out with the group that I play with here in the Twin Cities. It's mostly chords and back-up playing, but that counts in my book I would love to learn some classic rock tunes on my mando! Norwegian Woods by the Beatles is also on my to learn list, and there are definitely some Zeppelin tunes I wouldn't mind learning either (Battle of Evermore!).
Hello - I'm Pete, 50 years young and live in the welsh marches between England and Wales. Started playing irish tenor banjo a year ago, having never played any musical instrument before. Then about six months ago I found this site and started to like the sounds of the 'octave mandolin', so thought since it was tuned the same as my banjo (octave below you mandolin players) I would try playing one. Not able to justify buying another instrument, I thought, well I am a carpenter so I'll try making one, and that what I have done and have continued to play both instruments since. I particularly like celtic music, but have been enjoying the bluegrass music on this site as well. Playing these instruments has become a very important part of my life (not quite an obsession !) - I think it will now always be. Good luck to all newcomers and trust that you will pass through difficult times when you feel you make no progress, but over time you will be able to see how far you have come ( I speak as someone who started with zero musical ability !)
Hmmmm . . . Norwegian Woods . . . that would be fun.
Hey, Ben here. I am 41 and live in Virginia. I am playing a mitchell a style right now, but split my time between mandolin and ukulele. I am more intothe newgrass/ jamband style of music but listen to almost anything I can. I must add that I am glad I joined this group as I have learned a lot just posting and reading other peoples comments.
Cool thread. I'm Aaron and live in Washington (the State). Will be 40 in June and am picking up mandolin as my expression of the mid-life crisis. Cheaper than a sports car, less dangerous than a drug habit . . . but still has my wife going "huh?" I am planning on buying a Kentucky in June, but until then I'm plucking on that beat up old mexican mandolin that I've glued together after it was attacked by the cats. New strings though. That helps. Started off with FFCP scales, then playing along with my daughter's flute book, and now I'm learning chords from a beginning mandolin book . . . all in less than a week's time. I have a little experience with guitar (6 chords and one rhythm), so this is pretty new to me. Played band in Jr. High, so I vaguely recall notation, and my daughter is helping fill the gaps. My inspiration is mainly folk-rock and americana. Not a lot of traditional bluegrass or celtic in my collection, but there is some. The goal is to play with the worship team at the church I pastor, where the style is mainly rock and blues with some folk influences. SO I better start working those chords, but "A" is killing me. Really glad to have found this board as lessons won't happen for a few months (will be learning mandolin while my daughter learns guitar) and this place has so many resources.
John here. 53 y.o. mail living in Jaffrey, NH. I've been working on the mando for about six months now, mostly showing off how much talent I don't have!! Started on a cheapo Rogue, but quickly moved on to a Rover RM-50. I'm interested mostly in Bluegrass.
I'm Mick, 52, live in Green Co Wisconsin, where all the beer and cheese comes from. Half the county is Swiss, other half German. Rolling hills, very pastoral.... Been torturing a Michael Kelly F5 for a few months now...saving up for an A style Eastman...love mando, first thing I did was download tablature for "Battle of Evermore"....off Led Zeppelin IV... I really don't pick, mostly strum, but have always loved the mandolin....want to learn Celtic, folk rock, and Allison Krauss has several great tunes that suit the mando....not much more than that!!
Don't know what I'll name my Eastman, likely something from Lord of the Rings, a nice elvish female name like Galadriel or Luthien....thoughts???
Mine sounds like Gollum, so I may go that direction.
David here from sunny South Florida. Been learning for two months now. Love is site. It's great to meet everybody!
I love these introductions! I'm Karen, age 60 (when, oh, when did that happen? ), and I live in Inverness, Florida (shout out to my fellow Floridians!). I have background in piano (at which I am mediocre) and a tiny bit of guitar (years ago). I got into mando a year and a half ago after a family reunion at which two relatives played gospel tunes on a ukulele and an autoharp for a sing-a-long in the evenings. It was such fun that I looked for something to blend in and ordered a mandolin -- a Kentucky KM505 which remains unnamed. I play for the family a bit, and I also play with a local dulcimer group which has had a few community gigs. I find that playing with and for others is very, very satisfying. I enjoy playing gospel, old time, Italian, Irish, fiddle tunes, and bluegrass.....and whatever else might cross my path. I am happy that so many Newbies have become active in this social group! Let us journey together! Karen
Great to see so many people jumping back into the message board...the "newbies" might become a permanent fixture on the Cafe homepage Mick, I love the LOTR reference. As an English teacher, I am a huge fan of literary references in instrument names (though mine is not). But any name that you can yell angrily when things go wrong, and sweetly when they go right sounds great on a Mando...it's like a boat, bad luck to go unnamed
Well, I think I need to get to know mine new mandolin better before naming her. Like boats, I believe a female name is best.
Hey there, my name is Emma age 28 ,i live in canada, temporarily on vancouver island, but that's just for now. I'm an uber newbie, just started playing a few weeks ago. I have a musical background ( piano, tenor sax and flute) but this is my first string instrument. I'm "in between" mandolins at the moment, if you can believe it. I was seduced by a recording king resonator mandolin a few weeks back and now that i'm able to pick out a couple tunes and scales i'm realizing this was not the right choice for a beginner's primary mandolin! haha. So now i'm impatiently waiting for my new kentucky km-254 to come in the mail from the lovely folks at folkmusician.com I'm loving mandolin cafe and have already learned so much just be participating in these forums.
Hi Emma! Welcome to another Vancouver Islander!
My name is Wayne. I'm a Canadian living in Windsor, Ontario. I'm 55 years old and picked up the mandolin roughly about 9 months ago after not having any real success on the guitar after a years worth of lesson. The one thing I did get out of the guitar lessons is the music theory I needed to allow my to continue playing the mandolin. I love the mandolin and all things mando. I have not picked up my guitars once since discovering the mandolin and I really should just sell those damm things. Practising the mandolin is NOT a chore (unlike the guitar) and strangely enough if I don't pick it up one day for one reason or the other I'm so totally upset with myself I don't put it down again for days. I have found my instrument and will be playing the mandolin for the rest of my days. The only real question is whether I'll be playing well or poorly. The point I'm trying to make is I don't care cause I'll be playing. I think that most of you here feel the same way. I have a Tanglewood A mando and a Godin A-8 electric mandolin that is just incredible. I do however still need to invest in a good acoustic amp. (I'm using an amp designed for electric guitar and it's not really proper) Enjoy your time playing the mandolin and don't get to caught up in trying to get too good too fast. What I'm saying poorly is enjoy the moment, enjoy each song you play and one day you'll wake up to find your a really good mandolin player and you won't even know how it happened. And enjoy your time on this forum. There's good people here. The type of music I like is the one that I'm presently trying to learn. I'm open minded and quite fickle and I change my mind lots. That is fun. Right now I'm way over my head deep into learning a song by Bach. Wish me luck. Wayne
I agree with you totally Wayne! I never expect to play professionally, so if I can play cleanly, steadily, and have fun, I will be happy. However, I am not ready to get rid of my guitars though. Jeje! Tony...
Picked up a music theory book yesterday, limped through the first two chapters, thought "maybe this isn't so bad" then got to the third chapter and put the book down. Ouch.
Mo Soar we have started several threads here on theory. They have been very helpful.
Derek Rauch from Michigan I play a Kentucky KM-150 named Maeve. Ive been learning/playing since October 2011. Its the most enjoyably challenging thing I've ever done. Celtic and Blugrass and my main interests.
welcome Derek - mines callled Maeve too! who'd have figured that for a popular mando name. My first mando was a kentucky 150 too - it was great.
Ok, I am intrigued and somewhat surprised by the ages of this Newbie group. That is because I am 60 and took up mandolin for my 60th birthday "present". Actually, I have toyed with an old A-model in the past but decided to give it a real go recently. So I searched for a handmade American mando lin and a friend (who has played mandolin for many years) toLd me about the Grady (Jones) mandolins he saw at IBMA a year or two ago. I took his word for it and talked to Grady and bought #65. A pricey first mando but I decided if I paid a bit for it I would be guilted into taking lessons (for 5 months now) and would be proud to show it off to any mandolinist( see my avitar). I am still intrigued by the "mature" age average of this group of respondents. Is it like in the movie "Close Encounters of the Third Chord?" where all of the folks were suddenly and mysteriously drawn to the butte (and the pile of mashed potatoes)? Well here's to,all of us and let's hope we get "carried away" to a better place for our efforts. Oh, my name is Sam and I live in Little Rock, Ar. I am an ENT doctor (a "booger picker" if you will and now a MANDO PICKER)!
Hey guys, my name is Paul.. I was born in Wales and moved to America when I was around 8 (Mandelyn is welsh for small harp). I absolutely love the American music culture though I can't forget my roots. I love all kinds of music though I have found my true loves with instrumentals, bluegrass, classical, etc. I played the violin for 5 years and have wanted to play the mandolin for 6.. and now I am!!! I play a Kentucky km1500 and her name is maggie.. my girlfriend wouldn't let me call her sweet tooth..
Hi Folks, Ive been playing mandolin for about 2 years, this last year I have gotten more serious about my studies. I have a Johnson A, I upgraded to a Fullerton Gloucester, F-9, I call Baby. I really enjoy Jazz, Rock, Bluegrass, Classical, and blues. Right now this mando has my undivided obsession. Soon I will "Have" the mando. I have been practicing with a local bluegrass/gospel band, Osage Prairie Review, here in southeast Kansas. I'm here on MC everyday, give me a holler and I'll yell back yer way. Just wonder how I missed such a great little instrument all these years.
Hi nor! Glad to know there are other Badgers here! Wayne, good luck on Bach! World's best Lutheran!!! I'm sure you'll nail the piece! Upstatepicker, glad you are in with the LOTR name,,,leaning towards Luthien, the daughter of the Elven king...whatcha think? But you're right, gotta have a name! Lots of good folk here on the Newbies page!!!! Keep in touch!!! Try the Wegen M150' picks, I'm hooked!!!! Was using Dunlop maxi grips, switched...They sound great! Blows me out how a pick can make such a difference in the sound since the strings produce it!!!??? Have a great weekend,,,,Freitag, Gott Sie Dank!!
We have 376 members but only 38 introductions? What's up with that? Come on Mando lovers...let's see who's hanging out around here! LOL.
My name is Jake. I'm from Bonnyville, Alberta Canada. I've been playing mandolin for a few years off and on. I Play mostly by ear. I've played guitar since I 10 years old, was in my first Bluegrass band at age 12. I was that kid in school that was country when country wasn't cool. I traveled most of Canada singing lead and playing rythm guitar with a Country band in the early 90"s. Gave that up and settled down for a family. I must admit i am addicted to the mandolin. It's nice to know there is a support group out for us to turn to when others don't understand. I just up grade my mando this weekend. I was playing an Ibanez M522-BS which was okay. I traded in on Saturday for a J. Bovier Dorado. I'm lovin' the tone and playabity it. I think if a person can afford to get over that $1000 mark to buy a mando you should. It's a whole new world of playing over a beginer model. Mind you, you have to start some where?
Jake-mando, I tried "playing by ear" at first but the hairs kept getting caught in the string winding! Better to use the fingers I guess.
Chris.....saving up for a new mando. I have an old round back that was my wifes, great grandfathers. It's been played to death...but I cleaned it up and put new strings on it. At least I can practice chords on it. Basically...I am an old dog...trying to learn a new trick!
dubblestop, that's funny! Is that the hair in your ears you refer too? Cause I'm still okay in that department for a couple of years I hope. Although that could explain the pain in my head when I try to learn a new song??? I might have to get the wife to dig around in there and see what's going on. My first zinger. Now I feel at home.
Hi all; My name is Andy. Both my wife and I play a little guitar (in my case, verry little). A while back, after hearing a song that had a nice mandolin and guitar combination, I made the mistake of sayig it would be fun if one of us learned toplay mandolin. She interpreted that as meaning I should learn to play mandolin, and got me a $50 Rogue for my birthday. Well, a year later, I've learned enough to decide I have outgrown my Rogue, and am soon to be the owner of a new Kentucky. We have just recently joined some friends in forming a 'music club' here in Boise. We get together couple of weeks and play around with a new song. Until now, I have been relegated to the small mandolin 'fill in'. But I'm slowly getting better at it. Though I love listening to very talented bluegrass players, my interests tend more toward playing classical and blues. It's been a blast learning music theory via the mandolin. Because of the tuning, it's been much easier to explore various scales, imrpovisation, etc on the mandolin than it was when I played guitar.
dubblestop - Yesterday, 12:19pm Jake-mando, I tried "playing by ear" at first but the hairs kept getting caught in the string winding! Better to use the fingers I guess. Yours too? I would think there was a thread on MC "Playing by ear without hair problems", I was hoping you had developed a way to harvest the hair to use as strings or weave a nice strap.
Tim Anderson: Yours too? I would think there was a thread on MC "Playing by ear without hair problems", I was hoping you had developed a way to harvest the hair to use as strings or weave a nice strap. Well, if I could learn to pick with my nose (not PICK my nose) I suppose that would take care of two "hair problems" while at the same time learning to play this instrument. I guess that might give new meaning to the term "MAN-DO"!
Hi folks, i'm jonny. I got myself a mandolin last july and started playing it around november... I try to play every day, at least a bit. I traded my old Fender Leo banjo for a Kentucky mando, and i've been enjoying the new toy I live in Guernsey, chanel islands and love bluegrass and bluegrass, and occasionally some more bluegrass I have just seen the song for the month feature and hope to have a go at that... I have just finished the dennis caplinger dvd which has been a great start. Now on to scales... Good to meet y'all and i look forward to sharing some tunes and ideas
Hello everybody. I'm Sid, proudly 59 and living in Sonoma County, north of San Francisco. I've played guitar since I was in my teens, mostly fingerpicking and blues. I bought a Kentucky KM172 about a year ago to start learning some Celtic stuff. I've been intermittent over the last year, but recently got serious about it again. Eagerly awaiting the arrival of my upgrade, a Breedlove American 00 I found for last year's price - thank you Dennis and The Mandolin Store. Interested in a variety of styles - Celtic, blues, Gypsy/jazz, and bluegrass that isn't measured by how many notes you can cram into a measure. Good to hear I'm not the only "mature" beginner. Keep playing!
Hi Folks, I'm Howard, 44, in Norfolk UK and have been scowling at a bowl back mandolin for the past 25 years. Finally realised that what I had was completely unplayable and have now fallen in love with my new Tanglewood F-shape. I've been playing on and off for about 6 months, haven't thought of naming it. I mainly play bluegrass exercises - Cripple Creek etc, and the odd rock song - Losing My Religion. I've been having trouble following some songs in books as although I like bluegrass, many of the songs in the books don't appear to have a tune . Am looking at YouTube for lessons now and trying to get a Hayseed Dixie style band together. I need to look here more often as it really inspires me to pick up and practise. Thanks to all who have been posting. Cheers, Howard
Hey this is a great thread, worthy of a bump! While I said howdy in a newby thread I like the info you have all shared here. By the way I am an American from Boston who is currently living in West London,UK.I also am terribly envious of the mandolins many of you have!! I could only afford a cheap Stagg but I do have five lovely children Perhaps when they someday grow up and go off on their own I may have the spare cash for a dream F style mando. I like bluegrass but also have enjoyed what little Irish, Celtic, Scottish tunes I've heard.I think I should explore that genre more as it is played more at a speed I can possible attain. While I have toyed with guitars and a banjo over the years I think I've found my calling in the mandolin. At 48 I am more excited to play every day than I was as a teen with my first electric guitar, I need to quit being late for work because I played too much in the morning though
