Monogamy

[bonny]

From the original euphoria of that used $75 Raven over thirty years ago I’ve had a deep love for my instruments that hasn’t really allowed for more than one at a time. By the time I could afford more than one I’d come to a personal conclusion: My sound is in my hands; I don’t need a particular instrument to say what I have to. This doesn’t mean I’m careless about what I play. Far from it I fall deeply in love my instruments. Any instrument, especially a good one, is unique and can take years to get to know well and jumping back and forth seems really at odds with the deep friendship I’ve always sought.

In the thirty-six years I’ve been a musician I’ve lost count of how many I’ve owned (40…50?) but have played only four almost exclusively. I’ve sold ones I should have kept. I’ve given several away to people who played them when I wasn’t. Sure I’ve been seduced far too often by a pretty face and taken a long played instrument for granted. I always come back home to “the one” though. I knew a long time ago that with this attitude I could never be a studio cat and that showing up to a rock gig with an upright electric or a jazz gig with an acoustic bass guitar wouldn’t make some leaders happy. I guess the occasions I’ve made a habit of going out just to make money with an instrument I didn’t choose I’ve been pretty unhappy. This isn’t to say I don’t have immense respect for people like David Lindley who have and use their huge collections or session players who need to cover a lot of musical territory with a few diverse but well chosen tools….or even for the average mook such as myself but who just likes to have a bunch of different axes to fool around with.
It just never felt comfortable to me…..like I was “cheating” on my main girl.

[GRW3]

I'm a one instrument at a time guy too. Anytime I've had more than one instrument of a type, somebody wasn't getting played. I need one guitar and one mandolin, no more. Like you I'm not a pro so I don't need flexibility of tone. I still enjoy checking out other instruments because it's a learning experience but day to day it's one steady companion.

[SternART]

Much easier to have one woman and many mandolins than the other way around.......

[allenhopkins]

Mandolin monogamy -- not for me! I can't get all the different sounds I want to get at different times, from a single instrument. Just took my "new" 1920 Martin Style A out to play a historical music gig today, and it was so neat! Played right along with the fiddle, backed up vocals, had a nice, sweet, "round" sound.

Partially due the fact that I look upon instruments as beloved tools. Could you see a mechanic trying to drive a Phillips head screw with a straight-bladed screwdriver, because he didn't want to cheat on his main girl?
'

[Tim2723]

I only get to play one at a time. I never get to keep them long enough to love them. I cannot let them be more than tools. That has tainted my perception. Sometimes I regret that. I often envy those like you.

[Jim]

I have felt a little disloyal when I've moved on to a new (to me) instrument but i get over it. I have 2 favorite mandolins though and they are quite different , one F and one flat top, Sometimes I feel I'm paying too much attention to one or the other. Much like my bicycles sometimes I road bike sometimes I Mountain bike, it's all good.

[acousticnotes]

I try to practice monogamy. I'm trying to get down to one acoustic steel string, one 12 string, one nylon string, one acoustic lap steel and one mandolin. I'm getting there but I feel myself backsliding!

Joe

[catmandu2]

For me it's definitely been a trajectory toward impersonalization with my instruments. Beginning with my first electric guitar at age 12--which was actually purchased from a Cunningham's drug store in Detroit: a most treasured item that enabled me to pick out melodies from Jesus Christ Superstar and made me feel like a rock star. Now, they get stacked in the back of the truck on the way to gigs like so much, um...baggage. I don't even want nice orange plush-lined Fender cases for my electrics because they just get kicked around and attract attention. True, much of the enamour of a particular instrument is gone for me. They are tools, indeed.

[bonny]

Could you see a mechanic trying to drive a Phillips head screw with a straight-bladed screwdriver, because he didn't want to cheat on his main girl?

That's a mechanic that sure wouldn't get my business! The "tradesman" analogy just don't fit me anymore though....if it ever did.

I've never felt I needed a particular kind of instrument to lay down my version of "authentic". I've been of the mind for a long time that if you understand the the music and really get inside it you can play it convincingly on an instrument that might be considered nontraditional....or even better it morphs into something that's more yours. I gigged full time mostly as a sideman for over ten years and steady part time for another ten or so and I'll tell ya my attitude towards this definitely cost me work! When the guy handing out the cash at the end of the night thinks you've been pounding nails with a wrench all night it doesn't matter much what you think.....and landlords aren't generally supportive of "artistic integrity" when you're late.....again. Looking back I'm very thankful there were as many leaders as there were that dug what I was chasing.

[Glassweb]

for many years i played the field, but now i'm pretty much mandonogamous...

[Matt DeBlass]

Monogamy? I don't know if that's a good wood for mandolins or not.

At the moment, I can only afford one cheap mandolin (un/underemployed for months now, the phone bill and groceries take priority), but I think, if money were not an object, I'd be pretty happy with one nice mandolin, or even a serviceable middle-of-the-road mandolin, like a wide-neck Big Muddy.

I say this not out of some sentimental attachment to one instrument but out of a love for simplicity, and the burning desire not to have to carry a lot of stuff to gigs. I already play a couple instruments, part of what I love about my mando is its versatility. I can play fiddle tunes on it, I can jam with other instruments, or I can strum it in lieu of a rhythm guitar while I sing pub songs. I'd rather have one instrument that does everything well than have several instruments to be perfect for each individual thing.

[mcH]

I'm getting closer to monogamy. Over the past 3-4 months I've sold a mandola, and an American Conservatory oval hole (that had been seriously neglected). I'm now down to two A5's and my Levin Oval Hole, and I'm seriously considering selling one of the A's (but I guess having a spare is an OK thing too). I guess it's a sign of the economic times... I've decided that something has to get sold to finance the next item. When I needed a better acoustic amp, I sold the mandola to finance it. And getting it sold felt really good, because it was an abandoned instrument.

I agree with Matt about hauling stuff to gigs... the fewer things that go and get set up, the better the gig.

[jim_n_virginia]

I myself am "mandonogamus" ... I am a one mandolin man.

I have one gigging instrument that I use exclusively.

[Bertram Henze]

My OM's output yields all the sounds I want, and it's my single playing instrument for years now.
Last week I had it refretted and had to do without it for a few days - I then took the tenor banjo I used to play 20 years ago off its nail, put new strings on it and tried to use it as a substitute - it was a bit like spending a night with your ex: fun at first, but quickly growing stale and revealing once again why you got divorced in the first place.

Could you see a mechanic trying to drive a Phillips head screw with a straight-bladed screwdriver, because he didn't want to cheat on his main girl?

I frequently switch between flatpick (tunes) and metal fingerpicks (song accompaniment); gives me two different instruments without ever taking the strap off.

Diversity is not a sufficient reason for changing instruments, but searching for home and not having found it yet sure would be.

Bertram

[billkilpatrick]

how do i know i've got a good one if i don't play the field? ...

that logic caused me some aggravation in high school but has stood me in good stead in the wonderful world of mandolins. i'm happy with the 6 i've got - won't be looking for anymore.

[Mike Snyder]

I fly solo with my F5G, but we came together in an odd way. She showed up on the UPS truck one day, the result of a warranty deal. I envy you guys that pulled a mandolin down off the peg, hit a chop or a few licks of Rawhide and said, "that's the one for me." I'm very happy, though. Can't afford MAS much, these days, anyway. But it wasn't love at first sight, so to speak. Like many old couples, we've become accustomed to each other. She's on her second set of frets, and I'm wearing out slowly, too.

[B. T. Walker]

When MAS strikes, I always say I've got to thin the herd, but I've never been able to do it, and the herd just gets bigger. Collecting mandolins has been much cheaper than maintaining one wife, and very much less stressful. In order of acquisition: a-5 acoustic electric (my only mando before and through my marriage), f-5 cheapie, f-5 not cheapie, electric OM, ancient oval bowl-back, a-5 custom, f-hole two-point, Selmer-style, oval two-point custom, and expecting an electric mandocaster in November.

That's ten, and I'm not even particularly religous.

And, I want more! I need an oval a-body, an f-4, and a matching mandola for my custom a-5.

[toddjoles]

Loving instruments is like loving your kids. You don't divide your love between them but there always seems to be more than enough to go around. The more you have, the more love is produced!

[jim_n_virginia]

how do i know i've got a good one if i don't play the field? ...

I had a buddy who used to tell me this! But he wasn't talking about mandolins!

[Matt DeBlass]

I had a buddy who used to tell me this! But he wasn't talking about mandolins!

On the other hand, I never got all that upset if somebody else wanted to play a tune or two on my mandolin...

[catmandu2]

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[catmandu2]

On the other hand, I never got all that upset if somebody else wanted to play a tune or two on my mandolin...

That's the beauty and logic of the multiple instrument approach: I would have "issues" if someone else were clumsily pawing at my one-and-only object of affection...

[Ray Neuman]

I have one guitar, (a custom built) one banjo, (1919 Washburn) and will end up with one mandolin, most likely a Breedlove. While different mandos might sound different, my playing always sounds like me. I dont want a herd to have to haul around and maintain.

[allenhopkins]

Diversity is not a sufficient reason for changing instruments, but searching for home and not having found it yet sure would be.

Whatever works for you. I can't get the sound of a National Triolian, a K-1 mandocello, a Vega Little Wonder mandolin-banjo, and a Sobell mandola out of one instrument. If you can, you're a better picker than I.

[Farmjazz]

Well, its a nice thought I guess, but instruments aren't people and don't get hurt feelings if they are neglected from time to time. I have only one mandolin at the moment, but have recently come to the realization that if I'm going to be prepared to function as a mando man at gigs, I'll need at least another one.

For the first time playing mandolin, I broke a D string on the first tune of the night. Frustrating, yes, but it screwed up the set list as well. Had a backup been at hand, I could have quickly changed instruments and kept going.

Also, I'm starting to recognize the limitations of the one mandolin I have - a Kentucky KM675. Worth every penny of the $820 I spent on it, but not holding up under aggressive playing. I'll keep it, but I'm starting to look around for a higher quality instrument. Nothing personal.

I have several guitars:
Takamine flat top - all around strummer/flat picker
Breedlove flat top - fingerstyle neck for intimate sound
Mid - 50's Kay archtop - swing
Gold Tone/Paul Beard round neck resonator - slide and old time
Ibanez electric - all around utility electric

They all have their purpose. No matter how hard I could try, I wouldn't, for instance, get a dry swing sound out of the Breedlove or a twangy surf sound out of the Takamine. I'm all for showing up to a gig prepared. Instruments aren't heavy and unless you're traveling in a rickshaw you should be able to pack what you need in your car. Playing multiple instruments, to me, is fun and more enjoyable for the audience as well. Just got to buy more stands.