keepers

[CeeCee_C]

All -

I thought it was time to retire my "introductory" post.

But one of the last comments made was by JeffD who said

"Don't over fuss, you know, deep down you already know, this is not the last mandolin you will ever purchase. C'mon..., you know it true.".

So I thought about that and Jeff, it ain't necessarily so.

I bought and sold a bunch of electric guitars until I wound up with the two I have now; a Les Paul and an American Tele standard. I haven't thought about buying an electric guitar for 20 years or more. Both keepers as is my Fender twin-reverb amp.

I have a mid-50's Gibson Country Western acoustic guitar that sounds "way better than it ought to" according to every single luthier and knowledgeable player who ever tried it.
My brother gave it to me 35 years ago. It's a keeper.

I will eventually replace my travel guitar. I wanted something that I wouldn't have to worry about, but the Ovation I have just.... well, either you like Ovations or you don't. nuff said.

My Gibson A1 is a keeper. There's some history to it; the instrument itself and how I happened to get it... But I'll save those stories for another time.

I went through a bunch of motorcycles until I finally ended up with the gaggle currently sleeping in my shop. They're either keepers or parts bikes for keepers.

When they read my Dad's will, there was a bequest to me. All it said was "Quit your whining and buy the damn car" and a dollar amount. So I bought the car. What it is doesn't really matter. Every time I get into it, I think of my Dad. It's a bittersweet feeling since I'd gladly give it back in exchange for him, but it's a keeper, no doubt about it.

And lastly there's the spousal unit. I didn't trade up very often during my frivolous girlhood, but I know I keeper when I find one. And we've been together for 30 years, with no plans (on my part, but then again, I'm the "third kind"* so who knows) to make a change.

* I'll be mightily impressed if anyone knows the source of that term WITHOUT resorting to a search engine.

My point is simply that I'll only be buying mandolins until I find the right one(s). And then I'll move on to some other OCD-induced obsession. If the next one is the right one, then I'm done.

Yours,

CeeCee

[JeffD]

I hope you are right. Well, I mostly hope you are happy, what ever turns out to be the case.

I get your philosophy, but what I found is the more I got into the mandolin, the more kinds of things I wanted to do, and the more aspects of the instument I came to value, and, long story short, there rarely is one right one. For me anyway. There are several right ones for several reasons. I could not have predicted in the first few laps of this journey what or where I was going to go with it all, but every time I have said, "OK I am done", the gods laughed at me.

I bet the threads are full of several embarrasing moments of me expressing total satisfaction with my new mandolin and having put MAS at bay.

So, my prediction is that you will get another after this, for what are extremely good reasons I am sure, but I am open to the posibility that this might your last aquisiton. Either way, I trust you will be enjoying the ride.

[Charles E.]

I think we need to start a "Show a picture of your motorcycle and your mandolin" thread.
Ceecee, glad you joined the Cafe.

[Mike Bunting]

Cee Cee rider, see what you have done.

[Charles E.]

Mike, I totally get that!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFGuX...eature=related

[JeffD]

Ceecee, glad you joined the Cafe.

Ditto.

[Willie Poole]

After 50 or so years of playing mandolin and guitar I find that no matter what you own and like there will sometime or another be one that comes along that makes you stand up and reach for your wallet or credit card....I even went so far as to have one custom made that was a great axe but soon after that I bought one more and then another....Lets face it we always need a backup for us when our #1 mando is in the shop getting tweaked...

Remember to let us know when you buy that second and third one...Right now I own five but am trying unload one or two....

cheers....Willie

[JEStanek]

Welcome!

Jamie

[JeffD]

Lets face it we always need a backup for us when our #1 mando is in the shop getting tweaked...

I did that. And that "second" became my other "number one". Then later, I needed a res. And then later I came across the mandolin I had lusted after all these years, at a price that didn't ding the new-tires-for-the-truck account too badly.

So now I sit here with this absolute embarrasement of riches. I don't at this point want anything, but ya never know. An affordable vintage F4 in great condition, a modern new made Embergher bowlback perhaps, the right smile the right wink. I am a mess.

[Astro]

Strange Encounters Of.

CeCe, I suspect your bold faced lack of desire toward Instrument Acquisition Syndrome is typical of your gender. You may have other insecurities, but we need instrument acquisition to make up for our ... diminishing instrumentation. And a harem of guitars or mandos is much more obtainable for the average modern guy and way less expensive than the biblical harem it replaces.

I've lightened up recently because I've resigned to the inevitable. I'm down to 8 guitars, 5 amps, 2 key boards, a Uke, a Cajon, several Native American flutes, two mutts, and one wife.

Oh, and my new (to me) Mando. I plan on selling 2 or 3 more guitars. I might buy one more guitar though and eventually perhaps another mando. I'm old but I aint dead yet.

[Justus True Waldron]

CeeCee -

Don't let yourself be put off by everybody telling you it's not possible to find a keeper mandolin. I may not have been this lucky yet when it comes to Girls, but as far as a mandolin is concerned I know I have found "the one". I still play everything I can get my hands on to educate myself, and I'm pretty sure at this point I've played at least one instrument from every major manufacturer/handbuilder, and sometimes several examples of each, even including a Lloyd Loar. So far I have not played one instrument I would trade mine for. Anybody that tried mine out at Grey Fox will tell you it's a good'un. I'm not even saying it's the best out there - just that for me it's the one, and I'll never part with it. I also believe it's fully possible to find an instrument that does everything well - Mine is a bluegrass canon that can chase down banjos at will, but it plays like butter and cuts right through, making it great when I play jazz. Classical? I hand mine off to classical players every chance I get because I just love what it can do. Amazing sustain and warm, bell like tones - even a simple arpeggio sounds regal. I'm in heaven with my instrument no matter what I play on it, so I really believe it's possible!

As for motorcycles... well that's another story. I think it's a little tougher there to have a swiss army knife bike. I had 4 motorcycles and 2 mopeds until I sold 2 this spring. My '78 kz750 twin is doing a great job of being my go-anywhere bike right now, but I could sure use something faster... or something I could take off road.... Hmmm

[pjlama]

I think we need to start a "Show a picture of your motorcycle and your mandolin" thread.
Ceecee, glad you joined the Cafe.

Pretty hard for me considering I own at least 250 bikes at anytime but I could show a couple favorites.

[Justus True Waldron]

My bike in "adventure mode"

[OldGus]

Your into all sorts of polygamy, PJ. You must have a great shop. Some fun...you ever make it out Utah way? So CeeCee, you didn't say what you're looking for in a mandolin.... You should find the right one(s) before you buy if possible. We're here to help you make that decision in a friendly and informative manner but I think you need to read your tag line again if your plan is to hang out here and stop buying mandolins.... just sayin'.

[jackmalonis]

Instrument Aquisitiom Syndrome is very dangerous.... And fun.

But at the same time I totally agree with the OP!

There are some instruments (not even brands: SPECIFIC instruments) that will just seem like they're made for you.

And there's no doubt that depending on the hands playing (and sometimes independent of the player) some string instruments will just decide to be pieces of wood, regardless of whether the price tag tells you otherwise.

I have an imported Taylor guitar that I STILL (after about 7 years of owning it) think sounds better than some of the most expensive acoustics with exotic tone wood etc. But I've played plenty of the exact same model that make me cringe with their ugly tones...

I, myself am looking to buy a nicer mandolin soon, and I think some of the best advice people have given me is to find and instrument that clicks with me. Something that I love. A KEEPER.

Even you I have to torture yourself waiting to be able to afford it!

[pjlama]

Instrument Aquisitiom Syndrome is very dangerous.... And fun.

But at the same time I totally agree with the OP!

There are some instruments (not even brands: SPECIFIC instruments) that will just seem like they're made for you.


And there's no doubt that depending on the hands playing (and sometimes independent of the player) some string instruments will just decide to be pieces of wood, regardless of whether the price tag tells you otherwise.

I have an imported Taylor guitar that I STILL (after about 7 years of owning it) think sounds better than some of the most expensive acoustics with exotic tone wood etc. But I've played plenty of the exact same model that make me cringe with their ugly tones...

I, myself am looking to buy a nicer mandolin soon, and I think some of the best advice people have given me is to find and instrument that clicks with me. Something that I love. A KEEPER.

Even you I have to torture yourself waiting to be able to afford it!

You nailed it, the one that clicks for you is your keeper, it's not about how much it costs or what anyone else thinks but the one that gives the player what they need to play. Call it transparency, inspiration, archetype, whatever, we're all different and we need to respect each others choices in instruments and life in general.

[Bill Bradshaw]

All -

I thought it was time to retire my "introductory" post.

But one of the last comments made was by JeffD who said

"Don't over fuss, you know, deep down you already know, this is not the last mandolin you will ever purchase. C'mon..., you know it true.".

So I thought about that and Jeff, it ain't necessarily so.

I bought and sold a bunch of electric guitars until I wound up with the two I have now; a Les Paul and an American Tele standard. I haven't thought about buying an electric guitar for 20 years or more. Both keepers as is my Fender twin-reverb amp.

I have a mid-50's Gibson Country Western acoustic guitar that sounds "way better than it ought to" according to every single luthier and knowledgeable player who ever tried it.
My brother gave it to me 35 years ago. It's a keeper.

I will eventually replace my travel guitar. I wanted something that I wouldn't have to worry about, but the Ovation I have just.... well, either you like Ovations or you don't. nuff said.

My Gibson A1 is a keeper. There's some history to it; the instrument itself and how I happened to get it... But I'll save those stories for another time.

I went through a bunch of motorcycles until I finally ended up with the gaggle currently sleeping in my shop. They're either keepers or parts bikes for keepers.

When they read my Dad's will, there was a bequest to me. All it said was "Quit your whining and buy the damn car" and a dollar amount. So I bought the car. What it is doesn't really matter. Every time I get into it, I think of my Dad. It's a bittersweet feeling since I'd gladly give it back in exchange for him, but it's a keeper, no doubt about it.

And lastly there's the spousal unit. I didn't trade up very often during my frivolous girlhood, but I know I keeper when I find one. And we've been together for 30 years, with no plans (on my part, but then again, I'm the "third kind"* so who knows) to make a change.

* I'll be mightily impressed if anyone knows the source of that term WITHOUT resorting to a search engine.

My point is simply that I'll only be buying mandolins until I find the right one(s). And then I'll move on to some other OCD-induced obsession. If the next one is the right one, then I'm done.

Yours,

CeeCee

When you got to "lastly" I had to chuckle. I've never heard anyone else refer to their spousal units. It's a great concept.

Cheers,

Bill

[OldGus]

Instrument Aquisitiom Syndrome is very dangerous.... And fun.

But at the same time I totally agree with the OP!

There are some instruments (not even brands: SPECIFIC instruments) that will just seem like they're made for you.

And there's no doubt that depending on the hands playing (and sometimes independent of the player) some string instruments will just decide to be pieces of wood, regardless of whether the price tag tells you otherwise.

I have an imported Taylor guitar that I STILL (after about 7 years of owning it) think sounds better than some of the most expensive acoustics with exotic tone wood etc. But I've played plenty of the exact same model that make me cringe with their ugly tones...

I, myself am looking to buy a nicer mandolin soon, and I think some of the best advice people have given me is to find and instrument that clicks with me. Something that I love. A KEEPER.

Even you I have to torture yourself waiting to be able to afford it!

I will draw on a general comment made by PJ in an earlier thread as great advice to add to that is to keep resale value in mind when purchasing as I have let some really good "keepers" go. The word keeper only makes sense to me in past tense form...although I think anyone who can hold on to an Ovation for a while stands a fair chance to deliver on that promise. CeeCee, It seems three of your keepers are Gibsons and they're all American made so those guidelines might start your search...

[JeffD]

but as far as a mandolin is concerned I know I have found "the one". ... I'm not even saying it's the best out there - just that for me it's the one, and I'll never part with it.

I agree. Entirely. It is the one, and you will never part with it. All of mine are the one, and I don't part with any of them.

[Randi Gormley]

Well, no one says you can't have a keeper and a couple extras to keep it company, after all. I never expected to have more than one mandolin simply by necessity -- couldn't afford more than one. Then it needed some serious repair work and I bid it a fond farewell and got a replacement. When it turned out fixable after all for a reasonable price (think $100), I ended up with two ... once you have two, you don't mind scanning CL just to see who has what, and then an orphan comes up for $65 ... I still have an instrument I'll never give up, but somehow I've acquired five others I never expected to. Life is full of surprises.