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Thread: The importance of a 2nd mandolin

  1. #1
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    Default The importance of a 2nd mandolin

    Just wondering how many people feel its "important" or necessary to have a 2nd mandolin in your stable. I know many of us have them for reasons that are hard for me to understand but I only have 1 guitar and do many more gigs on the guitar than on the mandolin yet I feel no urge to buy another 6 string, yet I’m looking at mandolins all the time……………………

    Feeling light headed, better get to the classifieds for a fix…….

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    Default Re: The importance of a 2nd mandolin

    I never thought it was important to have a second mandolin until mine needed a refret. I am now mando-less as my main ax is being operated on.

    I'd love a second one, but my wife already thinks I have too many instruments and she is probably right.
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    Default Re: The importance of a 2nd mandolin

    I have to have 2 mandolins because I keep my Kentucky tuned to C#m tuning for Bill Monroe's My Last Days on Earth. My Gibson is my workhorse for everything else.

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    Purveyor of Sunshine sgarrity's Avatar
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    Default Re: The importance of a 2nd mandolin

    You mean there are people that only have one mandolin?

    I actually survived with just one mandolin a number of times. I have several now but they all have very different tones. So if your main mando is an A5 or F5, maybe look at getting a flattop oval hole. The Arches flattops are really great mandolins at just over the $1k mark. These little beasts are addictive. I will soon be getting down to just one guitar though!

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    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: The importance of a 2nd mandolin

    Well yes. But I am not sure how much of this is because I wanted another mandolin, and then backfilled with justification.

    But I find that different mandolins do the job somewhat differently. So the mandolin I would bring to a bluegrass jam might not be the mandolin I would bring to an old timey jam, and if I were playing some old Italian waltzes, or Klezmer, a different mandolin might be better.

    All my mandolins are pretty veritile, but they each have a different character, and when I can match that up with the music its great.

    Also, I when I am playing around with cross tuning, I don't do that on my main axe. And I keep the cross tuned one in cross tuning, so I can pick it up for those tunes. Right now I think it is in calico tuning, I think.

    But really, I just wanted them. Especially the bowlbacks.



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    Still learning Taylor and Tenor's Avatar
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    Default Re: The importance of a 2nd mandolin

    I had two Kentucky mandolins. Now I have one Kentucky KM172 and a Trinity College mandola with the second Kentucky consigned for sale at a local shop. I really think, one needs three - a mandolin, an octave mandolin and a mandola or a tenor guitar.

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    Registered User wadeyankey's Avatar
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    Default Re: The importance of a 2nd mandolin

    I've been thinking about this for a while. I mean, I have two mandolins, but one is a Mid-Missouri M-0, and while it's a good little instrument, it doesn't really do the job for bluegrass and the like. And, it seems like every time something needs done on my mandolin, I have a string of gigs to play. So today, I went after a 2nd one, that '01 Kimble A in the classifieds. I'll let you all know how it works out....

  8. #8
    Registered User John Flynn's Avatar
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    Default Re: The importance of a 2nd mandolin

    I have to concur with the OP. I only have one guitar, and I don't really want another, but I think I would always want to have at least two mandolins. A main mandolin and a beater. A mandolin for one kind of music and another for another kind of music. A backup while one is being worked on. Just because... All good reasons for having at least two, maybe more! They're so small, it seems like you need more than one!

  9. #9

    Default Re: The importance of a 2nd mandolin

    They are happier when they have company. I find that 7 is a good number to have...

  10. #10
    Registered User Earl Gamage's Avatar
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    Default Re: The importance of a 2nd mandolin

    I have a Kentucky 380 for jams and a Mid Missouri MM8 for travel because it is small and light as a feather.

    I'd like to have an F style. Hey, it's just fun.

    My guitars are dusty.

  11. #11

    Default Re: The importance of a 2nd mandolin

    I use the Stanley for pure bluegrass, the Collings for country and swing etc. and the A Jr. for oldtime.

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    Default Re: The importance of a 2nd mandolin

    Only one so far, but give me time. I have about a dozen guitars. My wife doesn't understand, until I ask how many pairs of shoes she has...

  13. #13

    Default Re: The importance of a 2nd mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by sachmo63 View Post
    ...I feel no urge to buy another 6 string
    The hell you say?

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    Default Re: The importance of a 2nd mandolin

    'es not a real guitarist

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    mandolinist, Mixt Company D C Blood's Avatar
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    Default Re: The importance of a 2nd mandolin

    "My wife doesn't understand, until I ask how many pairs of shoes she has... "

    You're gettin' mighty brave there...
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    Default Re: The importance of a 2nd mandolin

    "You're gettin' mighty brave there..."

    She's not on the cafe - she spends all her time on Spacebook...

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    Default Re: The importance of a 2nd mandolin

    So how many computers at home is that?

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    Default Re: The importance of a 2nd mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Van Liere View Post
    So how many computers at home is that?
    Let's see...just my tower and two laptops, plus our three smart phones...and another laptop on the way because my company is going to let me start telecommuting most days.

    Even with two laptops available my wife usually uses her phone to access the internet - I guess she likes squinting at the tiny screen - or enjoys rubbing it in that she can still see the tiny screen...

  19. #19
    Registered User Nelson Peddycoart's Avatar
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    Default Re: The importance of a 2nd mandolin

    I think the second mandolin is just as important as the third-sixth ones!
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    Default Re: The importance of a 2nd mandolin

    Yep Master, my wife finially broke down and got a phone with a larger key pad/board or whatever because she couldn't text as fast as the kids.

    Back to mandolins; I really enjoy the variety of mandolin sounds available.
    Last edited by Bill Van Liere; May-11-2010 at 7:28pm. Reason: I'm a lousy speller
    Bill

  21. #21
    Mandol'Aisne Daniel Nestlerode's Avatar
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    Default Re: The importance of a 2nd mandolin

    I have one Vessel F5 and one 8 string electric mandolin (Fender FM-988) and have them set up so that they play as similarly as possible. So, in a pinch I can use the Fender as a stand in for the Vessel F5 as long as I amplify the Fender properly.

    Having said that, the Vessel is my "voice". I use it for most mandolin applications including Celtic, Jazz, Bluegrass, Old Timey, etc. I cannot fathom being without it at a gig. (The Fender is for high volume situations like full rock bands.)

    I am extremely lucky to have Gary Vessel as a friend who lives and works close-by. So I really don't have to worry about being without my mandolin for more than a few days. Gary is THE BEST. I suppose if I lived elsewhere that maintaining my mandolin would be an issue and a back-up mando would definitely be in order. But as it stands, I'm a one regular and one electric mandolin guy!

    Daniel

  22. #22
    Registered User Greg H.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: The importance of a 2nd mandolin

    If one needs to go to the shop (frets, new setup etc) then there MUST be a backup. . ... and the two are different, the feel and sound different.

    Ok, it's BECAUSE........

    the next stop is another acoustic guitar (i.e. 000-28)
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  23. #23
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    Default Re: The importance of a 2nd mandolin

    You also should have a backup for the backup. People admire a man with a lot of mandolins.

  24. #24

    Default Re: The importance of a 2nd mandolin

    He who dies with the most mandolins....dies.

  25. #25
    Registered User Randi Gormley's Avatar
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    Default Re: The importance of a 2nd mandolin

    Well, I only had one for years and was perfectly content. Then it needed work done, so I broke down and got another when it looked like my first one was un-fixable. But it got fixed, and then I had two. I think once you have two, the ice is broken and you start thinking, well, another isn't that bad, it's a different sound, or i can use it at the beach ... so I'd beware that second mandolin....
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