your mandolin ownership history [Archive]

chris.burcher

Feb-19-2016, 9:48am

Thought it might be fun to write out my own and maybe y'all will also:

1994ish Oscar Schmidt A style plywood top ($175). All you could get for under a grand at the time. No decent entry level mandolins were available on the mass market back then beyond old Gibson A's which I did not know about yet.
1995 90s Flatiron A5 Jr signed by Helen Beausoleil I sold to someone in CA (via the cafe!). Purchased at Star Music in Christiansburg VA for about $800.
1997ish Mid 90s Flatiron Performer F, low end model from MT. Bought on the cafe for around $1900. Sold on cafe
2001ish Nashville Flatiron F5, highly appointed, basically a Gibson F5G. $2500. Sold on cafe.
2007 Downsized to start making my own mando, but got into making beer (which led to opening my own brewery) bought a cheap Kentucky 505 A style just to keep playing. Bought and sold via cafe $300 both.
somewhere in here I played a borrowed Ratliff A5 for awhile. recently sold by owner on the cafe.
2012 Locally build two-point Dancer from Damascus, VA fiddle maker. Bought From Capos music in Abingdon, VA. Sold on cafe. Around $1900.
2014 TN build Loar style F5 McGhee. Great mando. Bought at Cotten Music in Nashville. Just sold on cafe. $2000ish both ways.
2016 2015 Weber Yellowstone HT F5 bought locally at Capo's music store (cafe advertiser and great shop/owners).

Hard to believe I've been playing that long. I only owned more than one for a year maybe. Would love to own multiples. 8 mandos over 22 years is 2.75 years per mando. Catch-and-release. Slowly building up.

Interesting that prices in general seem to have dropped 20% since the late 2000s and to see what has held their value.

Also interesting that I seem to be a Weber guy. Never owned a Sound to Earth, but 4 half my instruments were built under Bruce's supervision.

Last, I want to thank Scott and the mandolincafe crew for facilitating nearly all of my mandolin history

Jeff Mando

Feb-19-2016, 10:00am

Interesting. Thanks!

DavidKOS

Feb-19-2016, 10:13am

My mandolin history - unlike my guitar track record - is surprisingly simple.

1971 - Grandparents bought me a no-name flatback mandolin...which was soon destroyed by accident when a buddy sat on it.

1972 - bought a Suzuki-type Japanese made bowlback w/ case...I still have the case, the instrument was my mandolin until about

It looked like this one:

143778

It had a decent tone and was pretty loud. It lasted until 1992 when it was damaged and I sold it as a fixer-upper.

I was by then working at a music wholesaler and tried a number of the import budget arcthop mandolins but didn't like them. For a while I used a Paracho-made Mexican mandolin:

http://www.pickersparadiseweiser.com/uploads/1/7/1/8/17187308/__6441949.jpg

I even used this while playing in an Italian ensemble for almost 10 years.

circa 2000

Got my first Vietnamese made mandolin as seen in the avatar picture. Liked the sound so much I bought 2. One is tuned to Bb for playing with a clarinet player.

Meanwhile I found a used L and H bowlback. Nice but the Vietnamese mandolins were louder so I gigged with them.

Last year I got a Greek made Matsikas (Sakis) bowlback mandolin which sounds great and plays surprisingly well and I've been using it more and more live.

Currently I'm waiting for Ernie Fishbach to finish a custom-order flatback mandolin, with extended radiused fingerboard - sort of a flat back with a neck like an Embergher!

Ernie's work:

http://www.institutefortraditionalstudies.org/elf_music_history.htm

http://www.mandolincafe.com/cgi-bin/builders/searchdb.cgi?uid=default&view_records=1&keyword=ELF%20Soundworks

Here's picture of one, mine will be rosewood with a plain tortoiseshell color pickguard, purfling on the edges, etc. And the extended fingerboard.

http://www.institutefortraditionalstudies.org/elfsound/elfwebpage/elfimages/brianfrt.gif

Ernie copied the design from an antique mandolin he had, and this design is surprisingly LOUD for a flat-top model.

Northwest Steve

Feb-19-2016, 11:10am

So you are actually wanting us to put down this down in a public forum where a spouse could possible see? Mandolins are harder to hide than fly rods and reels.

allenhopkins

Feb-19-2016, 11:18am

Couldn't possibly -- it'd take the rest of the day, and would inflict universal boredom. I can give the beginning and most recent:

1968 -- found two mandolins and a banjo in the attic of my grandfather/great-aunt's house in Pike NY: a 'teens Gibson A-1 and a B & J Victoria bowl-back. Had the A-1 repaired -- big top crack "mended" with adhesive tape -- started a bluegrass trio two years later.

2015: purchased a Weber Gallatin "sopranolin" piccolo mandolin from Bernunzio's here in Rochester.

In between, years of madness...

DavidKOS

Feb-19-2016, 11:29am

Couldn't possibly -- it'd take the rest of the day,...

In between, years of madness...

Is that why you refer to yourself as a "Mando accumulator"?

BlueMt.

Feb-19-2016, 12:31pm

1975 - Old bowl back from my wife's great aunt's estate. I finally had a luthier set it up and make it playable around 1977.

1980's - I don't remember exact dates but the order was: Flatiron 1-N, Flatiron 3-MC mandola, Flatiron OM, Kentucky KM1000

1999 - Weber Fern, Petersen OM

2010 - Old Wave A, Forster Bouzouki

2016 - Phoenix Neoclassical

chris.burcher

Feb-19-2016, 12:44pm

Cool stuff. that's hilarious, steve.:))

allenhopkins

Feb-19-2016, 12:55pm

Is that why you refer to yourself as a "Mando accumulator"?

You got it. Have somewhere around 17-18 mandolin family instruments now: three mandocelli, two octave mandolins, two mandolas, two mandolin-banjos, two resonator mandolins, and a bunch of "regular" mandolins ranging from a couple Gibson F's, to two of the Eastman DGM "Dawg" series, to a five-course fanned-fret custom I had Bernie Lehmann build me. Oh, and that Weber piccolo mandolin.

"What a long strange trip it's been," to quote Garcia, Weir and Lesh.

fatt-dad

Feb-19-2016, 1:12pm

from my earlier thread, "My collection's complete"

‘50s Kay
Aria PM-780 (marked “hand made,” f-style)
Gibson A-3
Alvarez A-100 (12-fret, a-model, f-holes, wood binding)
Framus Guitar-shape
Joe Hayes Unique with f-holes (folk art)
Ibanez A-5 (15-fret, snakehead)
Kingston Electric (hollow body)
Flatiron 1N
Montana A Oval (Romanian-made)
Kentucky A-180 f-hole (MIJ)
Kentucky A-160S (MIJ)
Vega VM-10 (MIJ, laminate)
Ibanez A-model
Framus A-model
Flatiron A5-1 (Carlson)
Hondo A oval hole
Alvarez A-400 (Martin cant-top clone)
Fender FM-61SE
gibson “opryland” (tourist souvenir)
Aria M-300 (2-point)
Yasuma YM-130 (solid wood, MIJ)
Kentucky KM-180B
Aria Pro II A-style (very disappointing, laminate)
Alvarez 2-point
Kalamazoo KM-11
Ibanez A-style (interesting distressed finish)
Ibanez D-hole
Kentucky KM-250S (MIJ)
Aria M-180
Stiver A5 (great!)
Washburn M-2
Muth F-5
Breedlove KO
A5 IV kit
Cohen A5 (redwood/walnut)
Muth A5
’24 Gibson A2Z
Phoenix Bluegrass
Ellis A5 Deluxe
'25 Gibson A

All that remain are the Kay, the 1920 A3, the Cohen, the Flatiron 1N and the Muth. (I mean the IV kit remains, but that neck joint failed and I'm not doing a reset.) The Kay is a wall hanger and the Muth will be released one day. I'm strongly committed to my A3, my Cohen and my 1N. I do sort of want an f-hole Gibson. . . all in good time, and perhaps after I actually go out and buy a new OM-28A.

f-d

Mark Wilson

Feb-19-2016, 1:17pm

Kentucky KM171 from amazon. Still have the box it came in
'14 Pava - Elderly
'88 Flatiron 2M - ebay
'15 Collings MT - ebay
'15 Pava - the Mutt

Franc Homier Lieu

Feb-19-2016, 1:45pm

In 2010 I got an Alabama ALM30S. Since then I have bought and sold:
1930s Regal
Epiphone MM-50
Eastman MD-305
Loar LM-600
Eastman MD-505
Kentucky KM-172
Eastman MD-315
Shiraki XM-25
Flatiron 1N (why, why did I ever sell that mandolin?!)
Now I have one very beat up and very nice sounding Flatiron Festival A.

Steve Lavelle

Feb-19-2016, 2:00pm

My mandolin purchase history is very simple:
1976 - bought a bowlback at a swapmeet for $25, it was a nice diversion for about 2 years, when the bowl started falling apart. End of phase 1 mandolin playing.
~1982 - bought a cheap import A with pressed laminated body for about $70.
1993 - bought my current Flatiron Performer F $1850.

Eddie Sheehy

Feb-19-2016, 2:05pm

I was born on March 14, 1954. Somewhere nearby, faint and carried on a howling Irish gale, the sound of a mandolin trilled (or it could have been a rusty gate). I smiled (or it could also have been the wind)...

Today it is my mandolin trilling on the wind (The Santa Ana's) probably having the same effect on newborns...

fatt-dad

Feb-19-2016, 2:10pm

. . . Now I have to respect Eddie as my elder. . .

f-d

Phil Goodson

Feb-19-2016, 2:14pm

Most long gone:

Michael Kelly 'A Solid'
Weber Bitterroot F - mahogany
Henderson F5 custom
Altman F5
Brock F5 'Torch & Wire'
Gibson A2
Elliott A5 custom
Duff A5
Duff F5
Collings MF
Harmony Monterey

lflngpicker

Feb-19-2016, 2:15pm

I started 33 years ago with a 1909 Gibson A, which I still have. In early 2013 bought an 80's Japanese built Kentucky 200s, sold that in order to purchased a Kentucky KM-650, also an 80's Japan factory instrument with all solid woods. I then bought a J Bovier A5 Special. Next, I purchased a Kentucky KM1000. I acquired a late nineties Mid-Missouri flat top. My next mandolin, and my favorite, is a (Howard) Morris A4e. I then added a Loar LM600. I sold several instruments, including two incredible guitars and bought a Gibson F-9. I subsequently traded the Gibson F-9 for a Collings MT Gloss Top. I purchased a Red Line Traveler. I sold the Collings and bought a Gibson acoustic electric guitar and a Kentucky KM-805. At the end of the day, I now have the four mandolins shown in my signature. I have learned what I like in a mandolin through all of these changes. I am looking forward to many long and happy years playing these instruments. Good thread!

Zach Wilson

Feb-19-2016, 2:44pm

I am impressed with the history shown here. Thanks for sharing!

My ownership history is simple...

March 2002- I was given a Fender Fm53s for my sixteen birthday. I still own it. Played the heck out it.

2010- Stopped playing for a while and got into backpacking.

2014- Started having kids and needed to be home more. Picked up the mandolin again as an indoor hobby.

November 2015- Bought a b-stock (the) Loar LM170. Still own it.

December 2015- Won the prized Weber Yellowstone F from The Mandolin Stores contest. I'm so blessed :) also still own it.

Emmett Marshall

Feb-19-2016, 2:51pm

This is like asking for a list of the names of ALL the girls you ever dated! (laughing)

Fiddler3

Feb-19-2016, 3:00pm

Sometime in the early 60's, my Dad got me a Stella which I then traded up for a Harmony....then we really went up and traded for a 1918 Gibson A oval hole. That was it for me until the need for electricity hit and then I got a Harmony acoustic electric(plywood) but ok. Then some where in the 2000's, MAS hit me hard and I proceeded to own 3 different Michael Kelleys, then had a Kicker mandolin built by Steve Donald in Oklahoma in 2009. Stopped until I purchased a Poe 2point, which has caused me to sell my 2012 Gibson F5G to purchase a brand new Poe F.....Whew!

Jill McAuley

Feb-19-2016, 3:20pm

-Buchanan flat top: bought this at Trevor's shop in Brighton, but it didn't get much playing time as I was so obsessed with the tenor banjo. Sold it along with a bunch of other stuff to fund my move to the States.

-Gibson A50: impulsive eBay purchase. The flat fretboard and tiny frets didn't do it for me so sold it.

-Flatiron pancake 2M: another eBay purchase, really nice little mandolin in great shape but I have a wandering eye, sold it for..

-Weber Aspen #2: from Elderly, in custom "Denim stain" finish, a little garish but I liked it. Sounded lovely too, traded towards Gallatin.

-Pomeroy A4: Was for sale on the Pomeroy website. Loud, neck was a little chunkier than I prefer, sold it.

-Redline Traveler: custom finish inspired by a Les Paul Goldtop, including cream coloured pick guard. Sold it to fund:

-Weber Custom Gallatin F w/oval hole: from The Mandolin Store. Of all the mandolins I've had this was the one I bonded with the most. I put so many hours of playing onto that thing. Still regret selling it, but got my head turned by...

-Weber Vintage A: from Greg Boyd's shop. Beautiful instrument but I never clicked with it. Had to sell it when I lost my job suddenly.

-Eastman 905: sold the Vintage A to a cafe member and got this in partial trade. My first mandolin with f-holes. A really enjoyable mandolin to play. Sold it to fund..

-Mike Black A2Z: really lovely instrument, purchased from a cafe member. Had to sell it a year later due to owing the taxman $$.

-Hilburn A5: got on Jim's list to have this built for me (documented in a thread here) about a month before I lost my job. Was determined to see the build through and worked 4 part time jobs so as to be able to survive and pay this off at the same time. It never got the playing time it deserved because by the time it arrived I was in the throes of my still continuing obsession with jazz drumming. Sold it last year to fund a move to a new city.

-1927 Gibson Ajr snakehead: did a search for "Ajr" on Reverb and this one popped up being sold by Bradford & Franke Strings. Just got it back from my luthier where it got a refret with larger fret wire and after playing it for hours yesterday it occurred to me that I haven't felt this connection to a mandolin since my long gone Gallatin. Neither of them are high dollar mandolins but their playability and workhorse like quality are what do it for me.

Somewhere along the way I also had a J.Bovier electric mandolin that I used as a travel mando. That got sold when I lost the job as well.

jclover

Feb-19-2016, 3:28pm

I want to enter the running for "quickest to insanity". I have to be close to most mandolins in the shortest period of time, though nowhere near the overall title. My first mandolin was a Fender Mando-Strat purchased in late 2013. My first acoustic mandolin was purchased in early 2014 and it went something like this:

2014 Eastman 315 (sold)
2014 Gibson F9
2014 Collings MT-O (sold)
2014 Pava Satin (sold)
2013 Poe Scout
Red Diamond oval A (traded)
2014 Breedlove Crossover
SilverAngel A (sold)
Kentucky KM150 (sold)
Rigel A+ Deluxe
Newell Shortscale A5
Black A4
Passernig A5 (sold)
Ellis A5 Deluxe (sold)
Red Valley AM
RedLine Traveler
Weber Absaroka oval
2015 Northfield Model M
2013 Pava - just got it a few days ago, thx Pat!

Eric F.

Feb-19-2016, 4:14pm

Jim, you're my hero.

pops1

Feb-19-2016, 4:33pm

Just read this, interesting but now I feel older knowing I am several years older than both fat-dad and Eddie :disbelief:

Mark Gunter

Feb-19-2016, 4:40pm

Jim that's . . . uh . . . yeah, that's awesome!

I bought my first mandolin on a whim a couple years ago, a MarkStern taterbug, knowing nothing about mandolins, and found the cafe when researching info about it; I joined here but never posted. I picked on it briefly, loaned it to a violinist friend and let him keep it over a year. I kept getting an itch to play one after that, and bought an Ibanez "supposed" f-style with a pressed top, began learning a couple tunes at mandolessons.com and posting here. Shortly after starting to post here, I bought a Washburn A-style. I love both of those beaters for learning, and hope to get a better sounding mandolin after I learn to play. I currently own 13 or 14 guitars, and no doubt will have a couple nice mandolins if I live a little while longer :grin:

143813

mandroid

Feb-19-2016, 4:43pm

Serialized reply:

Early 70s I got an A40 Gibson from another player for $150, spotted Ad note on the UVT Burlington student union
message board , while I was On the road with a Back Pack .
He even arraigned to have a friend hold on while I scraped up the Money in Lousy jobs in Boston.

That was the first one.

pheffernan

Feb-19-2016, 5:03pm

2013 Pava - just got it a few days ago, thx Pat!

Thanks for the refresher on your current holdings, Jim! My own progression looks like the following:

1998 Mid-Missouri M0 (sold to Dan)
1984 Flatiron 1N (sold to Rex)
2009 Redline Traveler (traded to Josh)
2007 Gypsy Vagabond (sold)
1924 Gibson A
2005 Collings MT
2013 Pava (sold to Jim)
2005 National RM-1
2007 Hester A5
2009 Passernig A5
2013 Silverangel A (sold to Catherine)
2013 Redline Traver (sold to Dan)
2015 Black A2-z
2017 Poe Scout

lflngpicker

Feb-19-2016, 6:29pm

Thanks for the refresher on your current holdings, Jim! My own progression looks like the following:

1998 Mid-Missouri M0 (sold to Dan)
1984 Flatiron 1N (sold to Rex)
2009 Redline Traveler (traded to Josh)
2007 Gypsy Vagabond (sold)
1924 Gibson A
2005 Collings MT
2013 Pava (sold to Jim)
2005 National RM-1
2007 Hester A5
2009 Passernig A5
2013 Silverangel A (sold to Catherine)
2013 Redline Traver (sold to Dan)
2015 Black A2-z
2017 Poe Scout

Hi Patrick, Looks like I am your #1 customer... ?! Dan

lflngpicker

Feb-19-2016, 6:31pm

mrmando

Feb-19-2016, 6:40pm

There's an older thread about this somewhere... I think when I posted in it, I had been a "flipper" for just a couple of years. Now, a decade later, it's just plain ridiculous. No way I can remember all of the mandolins I've had.

mrmando

Feb-19-2016, 6:47pm

Yeah, here's that previous thread. Ah, for the days of innocence when my MAS history consisted of only 20 instruments or so...
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?36066-My-personal-mas-history

NewKid

Feb-19-2016, 7:15pm

Started late but I'm planning for three and then I'm done.

2015 Phoenix Bluegrass
2017 Custom Sorensen AX
2018 Kimble Two-Point

KrittMoore

Feb-19-2016, 7:30pm

2001 Breedlove Oregon
2004 Breedlove Rogue
2007 Breedlove FF
2015 Heiden A
2065 still playing a Heiden

Charles E.

Feb-19-2016, 7:39pm

I have owned too many mandolins to remember but the ones I own now are the best. It will be interesting to see if Jim Garber takes the bait on this one.

Russ Donahue

Feb-19-2016, 8:33pm

Interesting thread. Here goes:

1973 - Aria A style. No clue what model it was.
1998 - Washburn A Style
2011 - Loar 500 A Style (when I decided I really enjoyed playing the mandolin)
2011 - 2009 Arches FT-O (I regret passing this one along - though it has a good home in Australia)
2012 - 1917 Gibson A
2012 - 1941 Gibson A
2013 - Bacon Banjolin
2013 - Stradolin
2013 - 2013 Ratliff A
2014 - 1971 Martin A
2014 - 2011 Collings MT (Awesome instrument!!!!)
2015 - 2010 Collings MF (excellent player - most often in-hand)
2015 - 2009 Collings MT-O (like playing my Martin guitar - sustains and rings like a bell in Franklin's Tower!)
2015 - 2004 Fylde Bouzouki (more interesting to play than a 12 string guitar)

You can tell from my signature below which of these have made an impact. Of all that have passed through my hand every one had a special appeal, but lacked a reason to keep. Except one. My Arches FT-O. Wish I still had that one. May find another some day.

Russ Donahue

Feb-19-2016, 8:43pm

This is like asking for a list of the names of ALL the girls you ever dated! (laughing)

Forget listing all the mandolins....this is the list that SHALL NOT BE NAMED!

Tobin

Feb-19-2016, 8:46pm

Seeing these long lists makes me think some folks may have commitment issues, LOL! I get that there's fun in the quest for new things, but I guess I'd rather be playing the mandolin I've fallen in love with than searching for a new one to love.

My mandolin history is pretty short.

2009 MK Legacy FS-E
2013 Ellis F5 Special
2013 Pava
1918 Gibson F4

I still own them all. I'll sell the MK at some point because I never play it. The other three are my lifetime mandolins. No need to keep searching for anything else.

(Acquiring mandolas, fiddles, and banjos is a different story!)

darrylicshon

Feb-19-2016, 8:46pm

1996 bought my first in California Ibanez 70's 512 A style
1998 cheap no name acoustic electric mandolin a style-given away
1999 cheap octave flatop top collapsed took neck off made flying v body for it-sold
Around 2000 bought ovation needed top the bracing regluded i refinished to darrylicshon1
2000 octave 5 string solidbody Emando 20"scale
2000 Mandola acoustic/electric -sold
2000 Galveston electric solidbody-sold
2001 old Russian 8 string
2002 cheap A style- sold
2004 or 2005 epiphone mandobird 4- sold
2004 cheap electric acoustic a style-sold
2006 celtic star bouzouki
2006 cheap a style-given away
2008 Mandola acoustic/electric body destroyed
2010 Made Flying V solidbody Emando 8 string -sold
11-07-14 vintage reverse scroll-sold
11-11-2014 J Bovier F5-T from custom shop
11-16-2014 The Loar LM600 badly distressed refinished to cherry burst
11-20-2014 cheaper a style-given away
11-20-2014 cheaper F style repaired -sold
12-2014 made 5 string solidbody flying v
12-21-2014 washburn F style M3EK-sold
2015 3 vintage no name mandos a style all needing work fixed 2 and sold them
02-02-15 8 string flying V solidbody
02-04-15 Fender mando strat 4 string
07-4-2015 Dixon DM8
10-13-2015 6 Kentucky km 140 all need work got deal they got damaged in shipping
11-4-2015 epiphone mandobird 4
11-19-2015 Ibanez 511 70's A style
11-20?-2015 unknown oval hole A style made around 2000'
11-30-2015 Kentucky KM300E 12-14-2015 Sigma SM35
12-22-2015 Ibanez M700S AVS
2015 Rogue rm100 f neck needed reset right now it's being charged to a steampunk mando
2015 Vintage a mandolin
2015 Vintage Banjo mandolin
Favilla Brothers Banjos
01-22-2016 Kiso Suzuki V900
02-10-2016 Fender Robert Schmidt
02-17-2016 vintage 82 Ibanez 511
5 string octave F style solidbody in progress
8 string flying V solidbody in progress
3 pointer solidbody in progress
2 pointer solidbody in progress
Exploryer octave 8 string solidbody Emando 20" sl

I sure i have missed a few and some of the date might be off a month or year. Glad i didn't write down my guitar history cause it's got to be over 200

LadysSolo

Feb-19-2016, 9:54pm

Great thread - now I know I am not the most afflicted by MAS! I still have them all (just started accumulating last October) -
Loar LM 220
5 bowlbacks (all with different sound, like them all for the differences)
Just purchased but not yet arrived:
2016 Pava player
2015 Weber Vintage
I intend these last two to complete my MAS. I did considerable research on this site and listened to many videos on youtube, and feel these will have the sound I am looking for. Kind of like keyboard, the Loar is the harpsichord ("sprightly" sound,) the Pava is more like the Mozart era, and the Weber is more like Beethoven. If I am wrong, I still don't believe I will be unhappy with them.

foldedpath

Feb-19-2016, 9:58pm

My history is simple: just one mandolin.

I got interested in mandolin around 9 years ago, after 30+ years of guitar playing. I did a lot of research on the Cafe and elsewhere. With years of experience buying higher-end and custom order guitars, I figured I needed to spend somewhere around $4k-$5k for a luthier-grade instrument that I could be sure was "better than I was" while I was learning.

So I eventually glommed onto a redwood-top Lebeda F5 that tickled my offbeat fancy for instruments that were a bit unusual. I bought it long distance, sight unseen at an online store and have been playing it ever since. It's my one and only mandolin. That, and a nice Weber F-style octave mandolin I was able to find secondhand on Ebay. I'm set for now, and the foreseeable future. I don't need a collection to make music.

Here's my redwood Lebeda, with a "chocolate" semi-transparent stain:

143834

sgarrity

Feb-19-2016, 10:02pm

Way too many to remember.....but I've had my Heiden A5 from r a solid 8 years now.

jasona

Feb-19-2016, 10:06pm

In a Peg with a, what is that, a Black Watch? ;)

I got some cheap Romanian eBay mandolin in early 2002 or late 2001, got rid of it shortly thereafter because the neck had moved and got a Kentucky 150s in 2002. I got my current Ratcliff A5 in 2004 if I remember correctly (maybe 2005).

I have only thought about getting rid of it because I was fighting with neck issues, but when I went to do it it always sounded better to me than anything I compared it with side by side. Finally Michael Heiden fixed the neck issues and I am totally satisfied.

foldedpath

Feb-19-2016, 10:34pm

In a Peg with a, what is that, a Black Watch? ;)

Good spot!

Yeah, when I ordered that case, I talked with Sam about the lining choice (one of the cool things about a Peg, both gelcoat color and lining colors/patterns).

My family isn't Scottish... mainly Sassenach (British) by way of Appalachia with one Irish great grandmother, so no family tartan. But! We live in a historic Victorian home originally built by a seafarer named Grant, originally from Nova Scotia. With that link to (maybe) Clan Grant in the 1700's and the Black Watch, I figured that was as good a pattern as any, and Sam had it in stock. Besides, it looks cool.
;)

mrmando

Feb-20-2016, 1:49am

This is like asking for a list of the names of ALL the girls you ever dated!
That's a much shorter list.

But not as short as a banjo player's list.

Pasha Alden

Feb-20-2016, 4:45am

2012 Crafter E acoustic mandolin.
2013 JBovier A5 traditional sunburst mandolin
The future:
2016 To purchase: vintage mandola hopefully in a shop in Baltimore.

red7flag

Feb-20-2016, 1:02pm

1998 Weber Bitterroot
1999 Pomeroy F4
2000 Lebeda AM4 (Mandola)
2002 Collings MF
2004 White Dove A Oval
2006 Collings MF5
2008 Ellis F5
2006 GIbson RSDMM (Was used and why date is out of order)
2008 Old Wave Dola #446 (Also used, from cafe member, but in order)
2011 Mowry GOM
2013 Hester F4 #31
2014 Ellis F5 #322
2016 Collings MTO #3460

Tom Wright

Feb-20-2016, 1:15pm

Fender acoustic-electric (FM52E) gave it to a friend.
Ryder EM-45 5-string solid body
Weber Special Edition---sold
Buchanan 10-string
Almuse 10-string electric
Buchanan 10-string (#2)

I'm done unless something happens to my favorite Buchanan.

mandroid

Feb-20-2016, 3:35pm

1922 Brown A .. bought on lay away in The 5th string shop in SF out on Geary st.

Denny Gies

Feb-20-2016, 4:35pm

Short but kinda sweet.
1975 Auria 2 point with F holes, kept breaking strings.
1978 1916 Gibson A 2 great sounding
1985 Kentucky 1500 an OK mando
1993 Randy Wood F 5 completely cured my MAS.......permanently.

Ivan Kelsall

Feb-21-2016, 4:31am

Ok - For what it's worth :- 1) Michael Kelly 'Legacy' solid. 2) Lebeda F5 'Premium plus'. 3) Lebeda F5 + Weber 'Fern'. 4) Weber "Fern" + Weber 'Beartooth "A" style. 5) Weber "Fern" + Lebeda F5 'Special'. 6) Weber "Fern" + Lebeda 'Special' + Ellis "A" style. That listing includes the part-ex's. involved,
Ivan;)

Mark Miller

Feb-21-2016, 9:31am

This thread has filled me less with mando envy than with grandparents envy. I wish I'd found a teens Gibson A-1 in my grandparent's attic! That is mighty cool.

Johnny60

Feb-21-2016, 9:38am

Very simple. Four years ago I Bought a used Savannah F style - heap of junk with a dreadful setup, wouldn't play or stay in tune, and sounded crap. Took it back to Hobgoblin and traded it in for a Kentucky KM 162. Much nicer!

After a few months I sold the KM to a family member and bought an Eastman 505 - radiussed board, which I found more comfy to play on that the flat KM162.

Last April, I sold the Eastman to a fellow picker and bought a Northfield F5S. MAS well and truly cured..... For now!

I still get to play the KM 162 every time we visit some family in North Wales. Great instrument for the price, although I still prefer a radiussed board.

William Smith

Feb-21-2016, 10:22am

I'll play, Here are the ones I remember having or still have.

1912-Gibson F-2
1935-Gibson F-12
1934-Gibson F-7
1937-Gibson F-7 later converted to an F-5
1939-Gibson F-7
1939-Gibson F-7 converted to an F-5
1934-Gibson A-Century
1935-Gibson A-50 elevated fretboard
1935-Gibson A-50 elevated fretboard
1937-Gibson A-50 wide bodied flowerpot peghead inlay
1938-Gibson A-50 wide bodied
1939-Gibson A-50 wide bodied
1939-Gibson A-50 wide bodied
1938-Gibson A-50 converted to an A-5 by Stiver
2001-Gibson F-5G
2003-Gibson V-Fern F-5
1982-Gilchrist F-5
2004-Paganoni DL-8
2001-Phoenix Neo-Classical Sept.11th 2001
1995-Phoenix Ultra
2005-6? Weber Custom Elite F-5
2000? Kentucky Korean KM-1000
2000? Kentucky Japanese KM-1000
2014 Northfield F-5
I know there are more but can't think any more.

djeffcoat

Feb-22-2016, 10:44am

143907I ordered this lefty F5 model from Doug Woodley. It's sweet 16 today!143906

mandroid

Feb-22-2016, 6:19pm

1922 A 4 on consignment .. was in an estate sale before, So It was here in town before I was Born or moved here .

Bill Clements

Feb-23-2016, 12:49am

Jess L.

Feb-23-2016, 1:53am

1960s: cheap low-end old plywood Kay ff-hole "mandolin-shaped object", presumably a pressed top. Sounded dreadfully thin and tinny, but with careful playing it could be coaxed into impersonating a mandolin. :grin: I already played fiddle so it wasn't hard to learn the mandolin (the notes are all in the same places on the neck). The flatpick technique wasn't hard to pick up (ha! no pun intended), I just followed by dad's advice to "hold the pick so loose that if you turn your hand sideways, the pick falls out". Has always worked for me. The tighter you grip the pick, the more the pick tries to squirm away.

1970s-1980s : a 1910's Gibson mandola. Super sweet sound. One of the best-sounding instruments I've ever owned. Unfortunately, I felt more like a museum caretaker with that instrument, it was in such nice condition (and so darned old) that I felt a responsibility to not ding it up or otherwise unduly affect its nice appearance.

Early 1980s: nice sweet-sounding Steven Grimes (http://www.grimesguitars.com/) mandolin, archtop ff-hole, a pretty thing and I thought it sounded great. (I seem to vaguelly recall that he went by "Stephen" then, instead of "Steven", but I might be remembering it wrong). I don't think he was famous (http://www.mauimagazine.net/Maui-Magazine/November-December-2014/String-Theory/) yet, or if he was I wasn't aware of it (there have always been many things I'm not aware of, :whistling: so that's a possibility). I'd met him at a jam session at a music festival (the focus of that festival is to just sort of hang out and play music for a week), he had a mandolin he'd built that he was considering selling, he wanted $400 for it, seemed like a reasonable price for a nice-sounding mandolin. I kept that Grimes mandolin along with the Gibson mandola, for a few years. Towards the end of my mandolin phase back then, the Gibson mostly sat in its case, whereas the Grimes got played. Unfortunately for the musical world, that sweet Grimes mandolin was in a major hurricane event and didn't make it through. :crying: :crying:

Eventually, I was too busy with work to do much music playing, and I downsized my entire collection (various instruments) to just one open-back nylon-strung fretless banjo. :disbelief: Then I inadvertently got over my acoustic-only self-admitted snobbery ~:> when I unexpectedly discovered the magic of electronic keyboards (synthesizers), woo-hoo what a rush, :mandosmiley: :grin: I could get sounds I'd only dreamed about before, that was a *lot* of fun. :mandosmiley: Lasted for a few years until I ran out of ideas for creating new stuff, I'd explored all the sounds the device (and I) was capable of making, so that went dormant too. Then...

A few years ago, an old friend insisted that I should be playing mandolin again. I was like, why? What purpose would be served by me playing mandolin again? But he kept nagging me. :) I finally agreed to let him loan me one of his mandolins:

a Soviet-made flat-top mandolin. He said he paid $25 for it when it was brand new. This was a loaner instrument, not one I actually owned, but I played it for awhile so it deserves an honorable mention :) in the list here.

The Soviet mandolin was ok as a re-introduction back into the flatpicking fiddle-tunes world. But... I missed being able to get cool electronic effects like a li'l bit of reverb... so I bought an electric guitar and a Roland Micro Cube :disbelief: :disbelief: :disbelief: with the thought that I'd finally become a normal musician :whistling: and play a normal 6-string guitar like everyone else does... that idea didn't last long, the normal guitar tuning bored the heck out of me, and my arthritis still didn't let me play full guitar chords without incredible pain, and I wanted to get back into playing fiddle tunes. So I re-tuned the guitar into fifths (GDAE) (hear it played here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6BIz0fKCrk), and also here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JToHs0u9C4g), plus MandolinCafe discussion (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/group.php?gmid=55861&do=discuss)), essentially a GDAE tenor guitar (or mandolin, depending on where one puts the capo) in guitar form. I'd done that once before when I was about 15, tuned a cheap acoustic plywood Stella 12-STRING guitar into GDAE, one of many odd musical things I did at that age. :whistling:

Then later, I was presented with:

a vintage Favilla mandolin, flat-top oval-hole model (hear it played solo here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODhjXYwn9Y0)). Unfortunately it came with some serious structural problems, including a horrifyingly-long crack in the peghead, some top deformation around the end of the fingerboard (looks to me like it would need a neck reset to stop the fingerboard from putting pressure on the top). At the encouragement of the give-er (who said, "Don't worry about the cracks", um... ok) I tried to play it for a short while anyway and I put extra-light-gauge strings on it, tuned it down low and capo'd it up to standard pitch, but... even with the reduced string tension, that peghead crack was worrying me... you could actually see movement :disbelief: in the width of the crack when bringing the strings up to pitch (oddly, the crack became *narrower* at pitch - the string tension would *close* the crack, but the crack was wider with slack strings) ... I didn't know how to interpret the level of seriousness of that but it didn't seem like a safe bet to keep playing it. Plus, the old Favilla has a solid top (not laminate) and (I think) solid sides and back, and I've learned the hard way over the years that solid wood instruments are not a good match for our lifestyle here (woodstove heat, daily wild temp/humidity fluctuations).

Last summer, I bought a cheap ($50) Rogue RM-100A mandolin (hear it played here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm8zY4URMuY), and here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtygIxF_6XY)), to keep around the house as a no-worries player, works great for that, I don't care if it doesn't sound like a Gibson etc because *some* of that can be corrected by (a) playing lightly, don't thrash it, and (b) don't play too near the bridge, (c) turn down the treble on the mixer, and (d) give it a little bit of reverb for a sweeter sound. To get the sound into the mixer, I use a cheap Dean Markley pickup, and the old Roland Micro Cube that I had left over from the guitar experiment, and a set of earphones/headphones so that I can hear the sound better without having to crank up the volume and (probably) unduly annoy people.

(The unamplified Rogue is pretty quiet already, presumably due to being made of plywood. For early-morning or late-night practice I use the solid-body GDAE (sometimes GDAEB) electric guitar for all my practicing, nearly silent with headphones and basically the same thing as a mandolin or tenor guitar (depending on capo position) but just has a different body shape... and, um, missing a few strings.)

</long essay of my life musical story> :))

zedmando

Feb-24-2016, 1:31am

Epiphone Mandocaster VIII

John Flynn

Feb-24-2016, 3:26am

I'll only list my "real" mandolins. I have had a few "beaters" I won't list.
1991 Korean plywood "Lotus" A (Awful, BTW. This wouldn't even make it to my "beater" standard today!)
1992 Traded the Lotus for a used Alvarez A800
2002 Traded the Alvarez for a new Rigel A+ Deluxe, which is my main mandolin today
2005-6 time frame, bought an Old Wave A Oval new and a 2001 Parsons Flat-top used, still have both
2008 Had my friend Joe Mendel build me an OM, which I still have

I have no rich relatives and I don't buy lottery tickets, so that is probably gonna be it for me. My discretionary spending has gotten redirected to other pastimes and I am pretty satisfied with the instruments I have. MAS is in remission, really.

fernmando

Feb-24-2016, 9:49am

Here goes- 1977- a 1960s Kingston plywood mando
1978-no-name pawnshop
1978 or 9-late '60s Harmony
1980- Fred Snyder 3-point
1981- Tennessee A-5 (my first great mandolin)
1996- Ratliff R-5
2001- re-purchased the Tennessee A-5
2001 Ron Cole RCA-5 and RCF-5
2002- Stiver A model
2003- Eastman 615
2005- Eastman 815 and 814
2007 Johnny Adams A-model with points
2007- '00 Gibson F5-L
2010- '09 Gibson VFern
2013- '10 Kentucky KM900

Strangely enough, though I'd love to have some of my former mandolins back, my current Kentucky KM-900 is my favorite of any I have ever owned. My next mandolin will be one of the new design of JBovier, but I will keep the Kentucky.

Roscoe Morgan

Rick Schmidlin

Feb-26-2016, 8:53pm

All gone for long gone reason posted.

2003 Colling MT
2003 Prucha F
2004 Weber F Cedar
2004 Collings MF5
2010 Red Diamond A/F hole

Jeff Hildreth

Feb-26-2016, 10:13pm

1911 American Made top quality bowl back from my aunt. Reversed "R" W B

1915 Gibson A-1 from original owner mint $25

1922 Dec 22 Snake head... bought from original owner's daughter a non player Mint $400

A-3 Givens from Givens
A-6 Givens from Givens
New Tacoma don't know the model... my daughter has it and it's on it's way back to me
New Washburn Super OMG Herring Bone Jethro Burns made in Japan F-5 1980 from Mando Bro
Washburn dual point custom made for Jethro Burns bought from Chet Atkins
2 Seiffert custom made flat back classicals early 90's bought new
Another round back mandolin from a great aunt who got it new in and around 1912
Around 4 custom made German classical round backs and one Portuguese style...
A few others totaling around 50...

MoreThanQuinn

Feb-27-2016, 3:14am

My first mandolin (Kentucky KM-150) arrived today :mandosmiley:

9lbShellhamer

Feb-27-2016, 11:22am

2006
First Mandolin- 2006 Kentucky KM160 Leaned some open chords,didn't touch it again really until spring 2013. Still own this mandolin.

2013
December- (When I "got back into" mandolin and started playing daily.)
Breedlove OF- Owned for one month and sold.
Kentucky KM950-Owned for 2 years, daily player. New from TMS. Wanted more volume than the Breedlove and bought this.

2014
December-
Collings MT2- Daily player. A 2002 model bought from Cotton Music in Nashville. My "Gig Axe"

2015
December-
Northfield NF-F5S- Brand new from Cotton Music in Nashville. Wasn't in love with the KM950 tone although it was a great mando, and replaced it with this Northfield as my main "travel mandolin". Sold the KM950 shortly after purchasing this NF.

The Current Situation

I play my Collings MT2 and my Northfield daily now. I like them both at home, but the Collings is my better mandolin for playing with others... I still have the KM160 but only use it for camping or backpacking trips.

mandroid

Feb-27-2016, 3:41pm

Bought a Lebeda Jazzica off the MC classifieds .

Bonnie Adams

Feb-27-2016, 6:08pm

I'm a fairly new Mandolin owner. I bought a cheap Washburn M1SDLB last autumn to start out on, and my new Kentucky KM-1050 is coming Monday.

JeffD

Feb-27-2016, 10:52pm

Here is the entire staff.

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/album.php?albumid=10

Relio

Feb-27-2016, 11:58pm

Collings MT
Duff F5
Altman F5
Kimble F5

Bought and sold in that order. I've found my lifetime instrument in the Kimble.

Josh Levine

Feb-28-2016, 10:59am

So let's see:

Really crappy Johnson oval hole
The Loar LM520
Morris A5
Vietnamese made oval hole
Gibson F9
Collings MT
1985 Stiver A (Still own, but listed for sale)
Flatiron Festival F (Nashville)
Red Diamond A
Flatiron Cadet (Nashville)
Flatiron Performer A (Bozeman)
Flatiron Artist A (Nashville)
Collings MT2-H
Ellis F5 Special (Still Own)
Flatiron A5 Jr (Carlson, Still Own)
Mid Missouri MM8 (Still Own)

I feel like I must be missing something, but who knows.

Tom Sanderson

Feb-28-2016, 11:34am

Cheapo Mexican Made A model (my very first , bought in 1975)
Harmony 2point ( Bat Wing)
1963 Gibson A
GTR F5
Nugget 2 point (#147)
1924 Gibson A2
1924 Gibson H2 mandola
1924 Gibson K2 mandocello
Collings MT2 #15
Collings MT
1963 Fender mandocaster
1957 Fender mandocaster (Blonde)
Kentuckey 5 string electric
Nugget A Ome prototype
mandobird 4 string electric
Nugget F5 (#244)
Nugget/Collings Tim O'Brien #17
1921 Gibson F2
1921 Gibson F4
1936 Gibson Mandola
1998(?) Gibson Army Navy Special
1924 Gibson Ajr.
Weber Octave Mandolin
1922 Gibson A3
Nugget/Collings Tim O'Brien #8
Nugget F5 #260 (still have it)
Collings MT ( Honey Amber Finish)
Collings MT Mandola (Honey Amber Finish)
Nugget Ajr. #277 (still save it)
Nugget Ajr. #295 (still have it)
Not in exact order, and I'm sure I forgot some.

Bill Clements

Mar-01-2016, 12:55am

I'm a fairly new Mandolin owner. I bought a cheap Washburn M1SDLB last autumn to start out on, and my new Kentucky KM-1050 is coming Monday.
Good for you. Join the asylum with a smile as you have lots of company. :grin:

Bill Clements

Mar-01-2016, 1:08am

Nugget 2 point (#147)
Nugget A Ome prototype
Nugget F5 (#244)
Nugget F5 #260 (still have it)
Nugget Ajr. #277 (still save it)
Nugget Ajr. #295 (still have it)

There must be an emoticon for drool here someplace...

Caleb

Mar-01-2016, 9:36am

2006: Kentucky A-style of some kind. $62 on eBay. My intro to the mandolin world.

2007: A friend and I built a Stew-Mac campfire kit mando, which got destroyed.

2008: Eastman 505

2015: Collings MT. Dream realized, game over.

dogwood

Mar-01-2016, 5:28pm

Well, I don't remember the years of acquisition, but here's the list (in order of acquisition):

1918 Gibson A-1 Purchased for the ridiculous price of $600
2005 England Rosine F-Style
2007 Fullerton Gloucester F-style
2009 Gibson Jam Master F-Style

I still own and play them all.

William Smith

Mar-01-2016, 6:22pm

I'll play, Here are the ones I remember having or still have.

1912-Gibson F-2
1935-Gibson F-12
1934-Gibson F-7
1937-Gibson F-7 later converted to an F-5
1939-Gibson F-7
1939-Gibson F-7 converted to an F-5 "Loar Buster"
1934-Gibson A-Century
1935-Gibson A-50 elevated fretboard
1935-Gibson A-50 elevated fretboard
1937-Gibson A-50 wide bodied flowerpot peghead inlay
1938-Gibson A-50 wide bodied
1939-Gibson A-50 wide bodied
1939-Gibson A-50 wide bodied
1938-Gibson A-50 converted to an A-5 by Stiver
2001-Gibson F-5G
2003-Gibson V-Fern F-5
1982-Gilchrist F-5
2004-Paganoni DL-8
2001-Phoenix Neo-Classical Sept.11th 2001
1995-Phoenix Ultra
2005-6? Weber Custom Elite F-5
2000? Kentucky Korean KM-1000
2000? Kentucky Japanese KM-1000
2010-11? Northfield F-5
I know there are more but can't think any more.

Here are some more I remember owning.
1980 Gibson F-5L "Wayne Bensons"
2005 Collings MT2-V "Birdseye Blonde"
2005 Collings MT2-V "Birdseye Blonde"
1970's Ibanez F-5

Mark Christensen

Mar-01-2016, 6:59pm

Teens Gibson pumpkin (only bidder at a farm auction in rural Minnesota, $40.00)
Tacoma M1 sold
91 Flatiron A5 artist Carlson, sold
93 Gibson A5L Carlson, Main mandolin for years, traded, why?
94 Gibson F5G,sold
2011 Northfield F5 MM sold
Mowry A5 #89, still have
Collings MT GT forget the year 06? Sold
2009 Collings MF-O GT, still have
Ellis A4 Deluxe #299, still have
Ellis A5 deluxe #355, still have
SevenStar F5, my own build #1
Thanks to seeing David Grisman by chance one night for the inspiration.

jim simpson

Mar-01-2016, 7:18pm

Had to update my history list:

1. no-name flat topped model with wood parquetry of a clown playing to the moon (pretty bad)
2. Harmony/Monterey A model with f-holes (wish I knew about setup back then)
3. Washburn A model with oval hole, shorter neck to body join like first gen. Gibsons
4. Gerald Anderson F-5 style (my 1st good/better mandolin)
5. Ratliff R5 (F-5 style)
6. Weber Yellowstone
7. KM-1000 Kentucky, black
8. Gibson F5G
9. Gibson A 1917 pumpkin top
10. Flatiron A Performer
11. Trinity octave mandolin
12. Fullerton Gloucester F5
13. Gibson A3 project
14. Gibson A 1915 project
15. Harmony Shutt style 2 point
16. Glenn F5 style
17. Gibson A9
18. Fender 5 string electric mandolin
19. Epiphone Firebird 8 string electric mandolin
20. couple of Kentucky A models (can't remember model #s)
21. Stradolin A model
22. Chris Warner Gibson F5 copy
23. National Steel 30's period faux wood grain mandolin
24. Nagoya F5 style retopped to F4 style
25. Collings black top MT
26. Daley F5 std.
27. Gibson A Sheraton Brown
28. Flatiron mandola
29. Kentucky KM-805
30. Martin A – 20’s
31. Collings MF5
32. Poe F4
33. Sovereign flat top mandolin
34. Carlo Catalfamo F5
35. Kentucky KM-1000

All but the last 5 have moved on.

Benski

Mar-01-2016, 8:02pm

Ellis A4 Deluxe #299, still have
Ellis A5 deluxe #355, still have

Mark (post #76, above): I'm curious: what's an Ellis A4 Deluxe like? Never heard of one before (A5's, yes...A4's, no). Thanks and cheers.

Mark Christensen

Mar-01-2016, 8:49pm

Hey Benski, it's his Oval hole Mandolin, it's my favorite right now. There's a renewed recent thread about them in the general mandolin category. I gave a brief description of what I like about it in that thread. Great mandolin IMHO.

Bill Clements

Mar-01-2016, 9:10pm

Moennig bassoon
Heckel bassoon
(ok ok ok...but how many bassoon (aka belching bedpost) players do you know?)
Eastman 815V
Kentucky KM172
Rigel/L&H Style A
Big Muddy M-4VS
Weymann mandolin/banjo
Eastman bowlback
Eastman mandocello
Cohen Classical :grin:
Ditson/Empire bowlback

Chris Browne

Mar-02-2016, 11:00am

Applause Acoustic/Electric, Weber Y2K...sold both of these years ago when I felt I wasn't advancing, just playing the same upside down guitar licks and chords over and over...
Michael Kelly Legacy...bought this (over the interweb) when I thought I'd get back into playing, and it was so terrible that it put me off playing again!
Locally made 2-point (my profile pic) - best/luckiest musical purchase I've ever made. Now I play every day and jam once a week!

Emmett Marshall

Mar-02-2016, 5:36pm

Okay, enough people have done it now to where I am convinced that this little exercise isn't going to do me any serious harm:

KM-675: Purchased used after luthier nursed it back to health because of long drought. Super sweet sounding mandolin, and the one that I started learning on. Sold, but wish I hadn't. Mistake.

KM-1500: Purchased brand new, online, but didn't play it first. Returned the first one, kept the second one. Added pick guard, bone nut, James tailpiece, and had a floridectomy done. Also had frets leveled and a pro set up by a really great guy. Overall quality of workmanship was pretty darn high for the price I paid. I felt I got a lot of mandolin for the money. It sounded really good, but just didn't have that sound I wanted for the, very not-bluegrass or country, music that I write. Sold. It's now being gigged with in Moscow, and I get regular video updates that always make me smile.

Silverangel (2 point): Purchased used. Got this to record 2 songs with. No regrets! Turned out to be a a smart choice at the time. Very interesting mandolin made by a guy (Ken) that seriously knows what he is doing. Clear notes. Excellent playability. It got me out of the bluegrass sounding box I was in with the KM-1500 and everyone here loved that sound (style and looks of the instrument also) of this mandolin. Kept it for about a year or so. Sold to a man in Fairbanks, AK.

Gibson F5-L (Derrington): I just had to give it a try. After all, a Derrington Gibson right? Nice, well-made mandolin. Sounded "good," but "good" turned out to be not good enough to satisfy me in the end, or to even bond with it. It started becoming a case queen. This mandolin is the one that I credit for teaching me that one can spend big $$$ on a mandolin, but one that cost 90% less can sound much better to one's ears. See KM-675 above. I sold it at a bargain price to someone with more of an appreciation for it than I could muster. Everything's subjective right?

FM-150: I bought this in a music store to play tunes with on a day drive across North Dakota. Surprisingly good sound and playability for a cheapo mandolin. I had a blast with it. Played it for 2 hours in the music store in Minot, ND and started an impromptu jam session there. Let the seller keep the gig bag and paperwork, walked out and played it all the way home. My daughter came to visit me from Chicago and messed with it while she was here. Shipped it to her for her birthday last year.

Gibson Signature Model (Benson): I had heard one of these at a festival in Colorado once. I was impressed. So when the opportunity knocked, I was there with the the cash. For me, this is now the "be all" and "mas end all" mandolin in my world. It blew me away, and still does. Clear notes, playability, volume, and I can play (or try to play) any genre with this thing and it will accommodate. I was beginning to think that ALL F5 mandolins sounded "bluegrassy" no matter how I played them. I was so wrong, but if I wanted to sound bluegrassy, this mandolin will deliver that in spades.

Weber Octave (F5 style): Magical! Complex, deep, and resonating sound. It feels better in my hands than a Telecaster. When I play it in any room, I go into dream land and am suddenly surrounded by a roaring, stone fireplace, boutique beers, and well, you get the drift.. High quality and simplicity in design. Definitely heirloom material. Sounds best to me with GHS mandola strings (which it came with). Bought a condenser mic and Fishman amp just because of this thing. It has a "jaw drop" effect on my musician friends. Love, love, love it!

And what good is a thread without some video entertainment? Jim is probably going to get really sick of me posting his Led Zeppelin arrangement everywhere, but this is the first song I learned on my Weber Octave. I still play it alot, but still not as good as he can. Thanks sooooo much Jim!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlM-tu8cm8Q

Emmett Marshall

Mar-02-2016, 11:02pm

Sounds best to me with GHS mandola strings

I meant to say "Sounds best with John Pearse mandola strings." The GHS strings were the ones that I didn't like. Sorry about that. I've had GHS strings on the brain for some strange reason today.

fentonjames

Apr-12-2016, 9:41am

started with an oscar schmidt om-40.
then,
the loar 520
mid missouri mw-0
godin a-8
weber hyalite
now a 1963 gibson a-40, which i'm keeping. (sam's holding it in my profile photo)

sorta wish i had the mid missouri and the hyalite back.

JeffD

Apr-12-2016, 9:55am

Moennig bassoon
Heckel bassoon
(ok ok ok...but how many bassoon (aka belching bedpost) players do you know?)

I played bassoon. I never owned a great one, however.

Drew Egerton

Apr-12-2016, 9:57am

-Bean Blossom (some cheap F style to learn on, no idea what model it was. Sold cheap to a friend.)
-Morgan Monroe MMS-6 (decent F style learner. Maroon satin finish. Sold on Ebay I think.)
-2003 Flatbush V4, bought this in 2006 and still love it 10 years later. Fantastic mandolin.
-2016 Skip Kelley Vintage F-5 (#54. Just got this last week. Loving the tone. Really strong mandolin.)

-2015 Eastman MDA815 (mandola. My first one, but seems like a decent instrument for the price and what I wanted to do.)

Benjamin T

Apr-12-2016, 12:56pm

- Hondo- floating around now, after I let someone borrow it. replaced by Flatiron
- Flatiron 2M- sold to a pal to hold onto it when I was down and out after acquiring the Galiano
- Galiano bolwback- acquired from then director of the Baltimore Mandolin Orchestra, Dave Evans. replaced 2M
- Embergher student- worked on it and sold to a German buyer
- D'Angelico bowlback- bought from a seller in Hattiesburg, MS off of Ebay
- Gibson F5FB- from a Cafe listing
- ViVitone- bought from Intermountain Instruments
- Gibson Mandocello- bought locally
- Gibson F4, 1015- traded for Mandocello and cash
- Harmony Mandoviol- bought from a delaer on reverb.com

Bren

May-13-2016, 8:17pm

I've had the same carved-top and -back oval hole mandolin since 1998.
"Celtic" style I suppose you'd say, but it has some grunt.

Sounds even better since I dropped it a couple of years ago and had it repaired by the maker, Marshall Dow of Aberdeen, who custom-made it for me in the first place. He dismantled it and reassembled it.

Back, sides and neck from pre-loved (as furniture) mahogany, top spruce, ebony fingerboard, all edged with holly.

Before that I had cheap store-bought mandolins for 20 years. Kids, mortgage, etc.

Lately, I've developed a hankering for a quality F-hole bluegrassy instrument. I grew up near where Stephen Gilchrist has his workshop but I'm scared to ask him for a quote. I've met both Gilchrist and Duff in my travels.

Maybe I should try Lebeda?

Oh, I also have a Donmo resophonic mando, number #11.
And a Paul Shippey that I bought for gigs while my Dow was getting repaired. It's great but I hardly play it because I love my Dow too much.

mandobassman

May-13-2016, 9:31pm

Bought my first mando in 1976, a Orpheum 2-point (round shoulder).

In 1977 bought a 1924 Gibson A snakehead. Owned that for 20 years.

In 1985 I bought a 1984 Kentucky KM-850. That was my main working mandolin for the next 17 years.

Was forced to sell the Kentucky and was without a mandolin for a short while and in 2003, in my desire to get another mandolin with little money to spend, I bought a Michael Kelly Legacy Evolution. Terrible mandolin that I was stuck with for the next 4 years.

In 2006 I bought a new Breedlove OF that was a wonderful mandolin to play. Owned that for 6 years until I bought my current J Bovier A5 at the end of 2012. This is a great mandolin in every respect. All I've ever wanted in tone, volume and playability.

Not a lot of mandolins but all were good instruments with the exception of the MK.

Mark Wilson

May-13-2016, 9:34pm

Kentucky KM171
'14 Pava
Mandobird IV
'88 Flatiron 2M
'15 Collings MT
'15 Pava
Latest arrival - 2013 Kelley A5 Vintage

pheffernan

May-14-2016, 5:40am

Latest arrival - 2013 Kelley A5 Vintage

Do you have a direct line to Mutt or just keep him on speed dial? :))

pheffernan

May-14-2016, 5:43am

1998 Mid-Missouri M0 (sold to Dan)
1984 Flatiron 1N (sold to Rex)
2009 Redline Traveler (traded to Josh)
2007 Gypsy Vagabond (sold)
1924 Gibson A
2005 Collings MT
2013 Pava (sold to Jim)
2005 National RM-1
2007 Hester A5
2009 Passernig A5
2013 Silverangel A (sold to Catherine)
2013 Redline Traver (sold to Dan)
2015 Black A2-z
2017 Poe Scout

And to keep things both honest and up to date, I have subsequently added a 2010 Guitar Bodied Octave Mandolin from Mike Black. :mandosmiley:

Mark Wilson

May-14-2016, 5:59pm

And to keep things both honest and up to date, I have subsequently added a 2010 Guitar Bodied Octave Mandolin from Mike Black. :mandosmiley:pictures please!

pheffernan

May-14-2016, 6:15pm

pictures please!

146308

146309

146310

146311

146312

146313

146314

146315

146316

146317

pheffernan

May-14-2016, 6:17pm

146318

146319

146320

Mark Wilson

May-15-2016, 7:55am

Wow. I want to play it.
Do you travel? I'll house watch for some play time.

nickster

May-15-2016, 8:13am

1. Weber Bigsky
2. Weber Fern
3. Weber Custom Fern
4. Northfield Master Model #83 (modern setup)
5. Ellis A5 #345

I've owned many more guitars and banjo's than mandolins over the years. If I started out with mandolin back in 1953 I probably would have 20 more mandolins to add to my list.

John Soper

May-15-2016, 8:35am

I figured that I never owned a mandolin; I just rent them!
1971- Kay POS (gave to a friend)
1974- Gibson A3 (sold to finance a move)
1979 - Larson (?) flat top borrowed for 2 years
1985 - Gibson A-50 borrowed off & on for 5 years
1987 - Kentucky POS A (sold in 2005)
2001 - Michael Kelly F (sold in 2005)
2005 - Collings MT2 (sold recently)
2007 - '23 Gibson A (sold 2011)
2009 - '23 A2z (sold 2014)
2009 - Eastman 815 mandola
2010 - National Style 1
2011 - Duff F5
2015 - Ellis A5

& then there are guitars... I need to thin the herd.

Mark Wilson

May-15-2016, 9:22am

I figured that I never owned a mandolin; I just rent them!
Nice! looks like you're 'moving on up' (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHDwRECFL8M) to the high rent district :cool:

John Soper

May-15-2016, 3:04pm

My goal is to rent them for less than $30/yr... So far, I've done OK. :)

nickster

May-15-2016, 10:35pm

bobrem

May-15-2016, 11:33pm

1. Tradition A style, Asian made. Had it signed by Bill Monroe.
2. Kentucky F style.
3. 1924 Gibson A Jr. snakehead.
4. 1996 Heiden F.
5. 2002 Heiden F.
6. 2001 Red Diamond custom F.
7. 2015 Sohn F.
8. 1997 Gilchrist A3.

JeffD

May-16-2016, 9:49am

It has a "jaw drop" effect on my musician friends. Love, love, love it!

Weeeeeeeee!

Petrus

May-16-2016, 10:10am

I only started around 2012-2013, so it was a steep learning curve at the beginning, slower now. I'm trying to stick to a 1-in, 1-out rule. This list only includes mandolins (I had a few guitars, ukes, and fiddles during the interim too.) I may have missed a few unmemorable ones. Almost all were bought used and resold mostly at a break even, give or take.

Ibanez acoustic-electric
Artistic faux-Resonator
Crusader faux-Resonator
Lyra ($50 with body coming apart; sold neck w/tuners for $55)
Gibson Flatiron 1N ($175 in poor shape and possible water damage; sold $200+) -- my only Gibson so far!
Kay Kraft
Rover RM-50 ($75, sold $90)
KM 150 ($100 from GC; sold $150)
KM 380 ($200 from GC; sold $250)
Trinity College Octave Mandolin ($400 used; broke even on resell)
S.S. Stewart Bowlback ($50; sold $100)
Eastman 305 ($350 used; sold to fund the 505)
Eastman 505 ($450; regret selling it)
Seagull S8 mandolin ($350; break even)
Gretsch New Yorker ($150? still have it)
Recording King resonator mando ($275, still have)
Breedlove Crossover OO ($260, still have)
Breedlove Crossover FF (2016; still have)

So that's about $2500 all in, which might've bought me a nice Weber or something like that, but then I wouldn't have had the experience of working on some of these instruments and learning their differences and what I like and so forth. Cheap tuition relatively speaking. The two Kentuckies and the two Eastmen were certainly the best of the bunch and I really regret selling the 505. :( I suspect I'll sell the new Crossover eventually (not the OO, though.)

Patrick Gunning

May-17-2016, 3:15am

This is a cool topic:

1. Hondo cheap plywood thing (owned in 2003) - loaned to various friends
2. 1918 Gibson A pumpkin top (2003-2005) - traded to my dad, who later fell down the stairs on top of it, sold to Gail Hester for parts
3. 1980's Flatiron 3M bouzouki (2004-2007) - sold to my dad, still not broken (for now)
4. Arrow G-style (2005-2008) - 14 7/8" long scale, later sold to another cafe member
5. Arrow guitar-body OM (2008-present) wonderful instrument
6. Collings MT (2008-2009) - sold to a pro picker in Boston who later became a good buddy
7. Voight F5 #7 (2009-2014) - custom ordered at the 2008 Symposium, later sold to a cafe member
8. Northfield F5 Master Model (2014-2016) - Cafe giveaway instrument, later purchased from a cafe member - currently awaiting sale
9. 2008 Red Diamond Vintage '22 F5 (2016-present) - end of the MAS line for the foreseeable future - don't know how it gets better

jmagill

May-17-2016, 5:14am

In chronological order. I got the first one on this list in 1974. I still have the ones in bold as well as a 10-string 1980 Sobell cittern. Not that many really, considering it's been 42 years, and most of these were really terrific instruments...

1. No-name flatback A, purchased at a yard sale for $5. A POS, but it got me interested.
2. 1916? Gibson A1, purchased from Elderly
3. 1915 Gibson F4 (I was the second owner!)
4. 1980 Alvarez F5 (to play while my Monteleone was being built)
5. 1980 Monteleone Grand Artist #44 (this one (http://cartervintage.com/mandopage/mandopage.html#montelGA), for sale at Carter's)
6. 1983 Monteleone Grand Artist oval-hole (only a few of these around)
7. 1985 Sobell (western red cedar over Indian rosewood)
8. 1920 Gibson A (a gift from a friend)
9. 2013 Northfield 'Big Mon' F5 (this one (http://www.magills.net/NorthfieldF5.html))
10. 2012 Holst F4 (this one (http://www.magills.net/HolstF4.html))
11. 2009 Heiden Heritage Model F5 (this one (http://www.magills.net/HeidenF5.html))
12. 2008 Poe F5 #26

Denny Gies

May-17-2016, 6:12am

I say this with utmost respect...........Has anyone noticed that we're all nuts?

Petrus

May-17-2016, 6:47am

Yeah and sometimes I feel that my slots aren't cut quite accurately. :grin:

I suspect a lot of people here collect other things too. My book collection fills up most of a room and really needs to be thinned out. You know you have too many books when it's easier to go out and get another copy of a title than dig through twenty boxes trying to find it.

Luckily my mp3 collection (300 albums?) fits on a tiny SD card. Ain't technology grand!

michaelcj

May-17-2016, 8:17am

Been a guitar player for 50+ years and we just don't want to go into that list…. [I build some as well so that just complicates the issue]

As for mandolins which has been more recent [maybe 10 years]

Blue Comet [found at a yard sale and rehabilitated, still here and the cabin campfire mando]
The Loar 520 [gone]
Gibson A2 [1919]
Ratliff RA5 [1997]
Clark GOM [New and Incredible]

JeffD

May-17-2016, 11:06am

I say this with utmost respect...........Has anyone noticed that we're all nuts?

I have a friend who collects Cats. Not the furry animal. Caterpillars. Not the bug. The earth moving farm and construction machinery. He has a huge pole barn with double digit Cats, of various vintages, all in perfect working order.

Denny Gies

May-17-2016, 12:00pm

JeffD, you make my point. thanks.

sbhikes

May-17-2016, 5:31pm

I had a Doug Tipple Irish flute. He makes them from PVC pipe like from the plumbing section at the hardware store. I traded it for a Flinthill mandolin. It's the only mandolin I've ever had.

J Mangio

May-18-2016, 5:14pm

1. '70 something Harmony A style inherited in '93 ( sold in the 90s for $50.)
2. '90 something Kentucky 675 bought new around late '90s, sold in '02.
3. '02 Gibson F-9 bought new
4. '03 Johnson MA-120 bought new
5. '12 Kentucky KM-1000 bought used in '12.

I go back and forth between the Gibson and KM-1000.
There both tone monsters and keep MAS at bay.

jim simpson

Feb-03-2021, 2:09pm

This thread has been dormant, here's mine updated:

1. no-name flat topped model with wood parquetry of a clown playing to the moon
2. Harmony/Monterey A model with f-holes
3. Washburn A model with oval hole
4. Gerald Anderson F-5 style
5. Ratliff R5 (F-5 style)
6. Weber Yellowstone
7. KM-1000 Kentucky, black
8. Gibson F5G
9. Gibson A 1917 pumpkin top
10. Flatiron A Performer
11. Trinity octave mandolin
12. Fullerton Gloucester F5
13. Gibson A3 project
14. Gibson A 1915 project
15. Harmony Shutt style 2 point
16. Glenn F5 style
17. Gibson A9
18. Fender 5 string electric mandolin
19. Epiphone Firebird 8 string electric mandolin
20. couple of Kentucky A models (can't remember model #s)
21. Stradolin A model
22. Chris Warner Gibson F5 copy
23. National Steel 30's period faux wood grain mandolin
24. Nagoya F5 style retopped to F4 style
25. Collings black top MT
26. Daley F5 std.
27. Gibson A Sheraton Brown
28. Flatiron mandola
29. Kentucky KM-805
30. Martin A – 20’s
31. Collings MF5
32. Poe F4
33. Sovereign flat top mandolin
34. Gibson Army Navy
35. Carlo Catalfamo F5
36. Kentucky KM-1000
37. Collings MF blonde
38. Rigel A
39. Flatiron pancake
40. Gibson F-5L ‘81
41. Gibson F-5 Fern ‘06
42. Gibson F-4 ‘12
43. Gibson ’23 snakehead
44. Gibson F-9 project
45. Nichols Road F-5
46. Fairbuilt F-5 (1 of 2 built)

Westbrook

Feb-03-2021, 2:30pm

My first was in '89-'90 Kentucky KM620

Then came my Newson F5 in summer of 1991.... 2021, same ol' Newson F5, only one I have.

Gave the Kentucky to my niece...

bradinbrooklyn

Feb-03-2021, 2:38pm

This is fun. I'll try to remember them all. Only ones I have left are the Voight A-5 and the Bayard Blaine GBOM.

1) Some pacrim asian a-5 I picked up at a pawn shop in college. Not sure what happened to it. I think it got traded for an equally crappy banjo I lost. Stopped playing it for about years or so.
2) "New Yorker" F-5 - crappy amazon/ebay F-5 shaped thing. Came with bad neck and returned.
3) All Mahogany (?) Morgan Monroe F-5 - Slightly better than the above but good/bad enough to give quick MAS
4) Gibson A-5g - borrowed from old band mate who was mainly playing a Bluett. Had to upgrade on giving it back. The next six happened in a ~3-4 year period:
5) Collings MT Blond - First nice one I owned - got it at Mandolin Brothers and played it happily on the ferry ride back to brooklyn
6) Stelling F-5 (Lebeda) - Wanted an F-5 so sold MT and bought this for a bit more. Never cared much for it. Sold/traded it for:
7) Skip Kelley F-5 - A fine mandolin, but had to sell it in order to not miss out on -
8) John Sullivan A-5 - An awesome mandolin that unfortunately had a neck to big for my hand. Traded it for...
9) Sim Daley F-5 Classic - A real monster that I think I sold for financial reasons and because I fell in love with:
10) Dan Voight A-5 - I was Dan's first custom order (2007) after playing his number 2. Picked out some really cool tonewoods for it and based the neck off the exact specs of a nugget that a buddy had, which was the nicest playing mandolin I've ever experienced. Dan really nailed it, and I haven't really longed for another other mandolin since. Did pick up:
11) Eastman MDO-305 - sparked my interest in octave mandolin, but didnt have the responsiveness, volume and depth I found in others. Passed it on and last year and picked up:
12) Bayard Blaine GBOM - cedar top and zebrawood body which is really lovely to behold and a joy to play. Great builder if anyone is in the market for a flattop guitar, gbom (and he has some nice looking archtops too).

Addendum - just realized I had a 1923 Gibson Snakehead briefly which I bought and sold back to Retrofret sometime around the John Sullivan... I think it was to buy a banjo.

Sue Rieter

Feb-03-2021, 2:46pm

chris.burcher

Feb-03-2021, 4:17pm

Great day, Jim thassalottamandolins.

Glad to see this thread still going.

I'll add a 2015 Duff A5, a Mandobird electric (gold sparkle), and a SECOND McGhee F5 to my list. I sold the first McGhee and missed it, then saw another come up on the cafe and couldn't resist. For the first time not only do I not own only one mando, I own three.

jim simpson

Feb-03-2021, 4:36pm

Whoa, that's a heckuva long list! How many of those do you still have?

Just four: the Gibson F5L, the Gibson Fern, the Nichols Road, & the Fairbuilt. I have 2 builds in the works so I'm not counting them, lol!

Jill McAuley

Feb-03-2021, 4:52pm

I'm due an update as well:

-Jimmy Moon flat top: bought this at Trevor's shop in Brighton, but it didn't get much playing time as I was so obsessed with the tenor banjo. Sold it along with a bunch of other stuff to fund my move to the States.

-Gibson A50: impulsive eBay purchase. The flat fretboard and tiny frets didn't do it for me so sold it.

-Flatiron pancake 2M: another eBay purchase, really nice little mandolin in great shape but I have a wandering eye, sold it for..

-Weber Aspen #2: from Elderly, in custom "Denim stain" finish, a little garish but I liked it. Sounded lovely too, traded towards Gallatin.

-Pomeroy A4: Was for sale on the Pomeroy website. Loud, neck was a little chunkier than I prefer, sold it.

-Redline Traveler: custom finish inspired by a Les Paul Goldtop, including cream coloured pick guard. Sold it to fund:

-Weber Custom Gallatin F w/oval hole: from The Mandolin Store. Of all the mandolins I've had this was the one I bonded with the most. I put so many hours of playing onto that thing. Still regret selling it, but got my head turned by...

-Weber Vintage A: from Greg Boyd's shop. Beautiful instrument but I never clicked with it. Had to sell it when I lost my job suddenly.

- J.Bovier electric mandolin that I used as a travel mando. That got sold when I lost the job as well.

-Eastman 905: sold the Vintage A to a cafe member and got this in partial trade. My first mandolin with f-holes. A really enjoyable mandolin to play. Sold it to fund..

-Mike Black A2Z: really lovely instrument, purchased from a cafe member. Had to sell it a year later due to owing the taxman $$.

-Hilburn A5: got on Jim's list to have this built for me (documented in a thread here) about a month before I lost my job. Was determined to see the build through and worked 4 part time jobs so as to be able to survive and pay this off at the same time. It never got the playing time it deserved because by the time it arrived I was in the throes of my still continuing obsession with jazz drumming. Sold it last year to fund a move to a new city.

-1927 Gibson Ajr snakehead: did a search for "Ajr" on Reverb and this one popped up being sold by Bradford & Franke Strings. Just got it back from my luthier where it got a refret with larger fret wire and after playing it for hours yesterday it occurred to me that I haven't felt this connection to a mandolin since my long gone Gallatin. Neither of them are high dollar mandolins but their playability and workhorse like quality are what do it for me. Much as I loved this mandolin I struggled to get used to the flat fretboard so sold it when I saw this one:

- 2014 Collings MT-O: I'm a fan of Black top mandolins and when this one turned up on the Music Emporium's website I hit "Buy now". I was really content with this mandolin until I got the chance to play a Girouard oval A, so it got sold to fund....

- 2018 Girouard Concert oval A: Commissioned Max to make this for me to the exact specs of an earlier mandolin he'd made that I'd gotten the chance to play at Marla Fibish's Winter Mandolin Intensive in Feb 2018. It has a Port Orford Cedar top, one piece maple back and custom inlay of my Beagle Janey Mack on the headstock - needless to say this mandolin isn't going anywhere!

pheffernan

Feb-03-2021, 5:03pm

My own progression looks like the following

Updated:
1998 Mid-Missouri M0 (sold to Dan)
1984 Flatiron 1N (sold to Rex)
2009 Redline Traveler (traded to Josh)
2007 Gypsy Vagabond (sold)
1924 Gibson A
2005 Collings MT (sold to Richard)
2013 Pava (sold to Jim)
2005 National RM-1
2007 Hester A5
2009 Passernig A5
2013 Silverangel A (sold to Catherine)
2013 Redline Traveler (sold to Dan)
2015 Black A2-z
2017 Poe Scout
2009 Stanley A5 (sold to Don)
2011 Passernig F5 (sold to Tom)
2019 Hogan F5

I’m somewhat heartened that my mandolin collection has been fairly stable for the last five years. Although, I have added an octave, two mandolas, a tenor, another six-string, a uke, etc.

yankees1

Feb-03-2021, 5:06pm

Sue Rieter

Feb-03-2021, 5:46pm

Just four: the Gibson F5L, the Gibson Fern, the Nichols Road, & the Fairbuilt. I have 2 builds in the works so I'm not counting them, lol!

Not the clown one? :)):)):))

JeffD

Feb-03-2021, 6:00pm

Controversial comment:

Unless you are a little crazy, and lack perhaps a little balance in your life, you ain't never gonna get any good at the mandolin. I have found that the amount of playing and practicing I need to do to progress is much much more than a healthy balanced person would do in an ordinary life, with anything. I have re-arranged my life so that I can mandolin.

No television, cable or otherwise
Work from home office, keeping my own hours
Private house (no upstairs or downstairs neighbors to complain)

So, having many mandolins, or going through many mandolins, is just a symptom of the same disease. We all have a mandolin shaped hole in our hearts and we all fill that hole as best we can.

Sue Rieter

Feb-03-2021, 6:35pm

I don't ever expect to "get good" at the mandolin, as I started too late in life. I hope to be adequate to play informally with other folks like me, and most of all to have FUN. I also think it's good for my aging neurons. I wanted a mandolin for many years, almost bought one about 15 years ago, but life intervened. What's the best time to plant a tree (or buy a mandolin)? Many years ago. Second best time? Right now.

I've got four (in fairly short order), not because I want to find the holy grail, but because I want to try different things. Here's what I have:

1998 Kentucky KM-200S - sits in the case most of the time now, but I think it will be good for travel (when we can do that again)
194(1) Stradolin - I love it. Really love it. But I haven't played enough mandolins to know if it is great. Probably not, but pretty darn good and I love it.
2020 Morris flat top - very pretty and sounds different
1999 Mid-Mo Mandola - cool feel in my hand, and sounds really cool

I've started to think about banjo mandolins, but am trying to just say no (for now).

Eric Platt

Feb-03-2021, 6:52pm

Am definitely not going to get good at playing the mandolin. That's a given. Am not dedicated enough plain and simple.

For me there were two periods of buying mandolins, when first joining the list and then about 3 years ago when I started trying to play again.

Early Washburn "Jethro Burns" model
Mid-Missouri M-0 (have owned a number of these over the years both Mid-Mo and Big Muddy)
Rigel A Natural (the one I still miss the most)
The Loar (A style, don't remember the model offhand. Given to a friend so a kid could learn)
1929 Gibson A Jr.
Breedlove Cascade
1910 Gibson A
Eastman MDO-305 (OM)
1941 Strad-O-Lin (sold to music partner for her daughter to play)
1950's Stadium oval hole (SOL family instrument)
1935 Gibson A-50
2018 Collings MT
1989 Flatiron Performer A
2008 Weber Gallatin (mahogany back)

Seems like I get to a certain level of quality and just stop. But then end up with multiple examples of that type of instrument. Not sure why.

Jean Andreasen

Feb-03-2021, 7:16pm

I also started playing too late in life to probably get really good, but I do love the mandolin and was curious about how different styles would sound and what I might like best (turns out my favorite is an oval hole A style).

I have accumulated a few in a very short very period of time:

The Loar 590
'93 Flatiron 3MC
'55 Levin Capri 52
2019 Meredith A style
Trinity Octave (traded the Loar for this one)

Plus a Martin Backpacker & a Weber Sweet Pea (unplayable and maybe not reparable) to schlep through airports

James Vwaal

Feb-03-2021, 7:54pm

Simple history here.

1976 Laminated top mandolin, forgot brand name - Got me started. Don't remember what happened to it. Either gave it away or sold cheap.
1979 Givens A mandolin - Called Bob before moving Up North and he shipped it a few months later. Still have it. My never-to-part mandolin.
2015 Weber Gallatin mandola, new
2015 Mike Black A2z - This one was a stable mate of the one owned by PHeffernan, built at the same time.
Sometime between 2015 and 2020 Godin A8, used
Sometime between 2015 and 2020 National RM-1 resophonic mandolin, used
2018 Ranger Travel mandolin, new - Took it on a trip. Sold it afterwards.

mandroid

Feb-03-2021, 9:51pm

well I see you have a more extensive list going since I chimed in on # 25..

Ill add : Godin A8, Gibson EM 150, *now have an A50 luthier converted to be a CGDA 4 string EM like, with a 4 pole pickup.

A Greg Biller built solid body 4 string also CGDA, & a Walnut/spruce Mandola he made ,,

*A Pentaula P5 a '22 Gibson A, another A4 end of same year,, *A Lebeda Jazzica F5 body Monte style peghead .. Cognac lacquer..

Mix A5, *Ibanez tenor *Gold tone ITB, Vega Lil wonder 8 string ManJo. a coup;e other 4 string converted Manjos

A Leo Pocket Mandolin brought with on Irish - Scottish bicycle pub crawl tour on my 50th year..

a Fender FM 61 8 string electric.

And 'Kawlija' My rescued Slingerland May Belle , spruce headed mandolin fretboard banjo uke with FCGD tuned 4 Acquila mandolin strings..

Greg helped with that ( recently added ; Grover 4:1 planetary Uke tuning pegs )

:whistling:

Peter Houser

Feb-03-2021, 10:41pm

I've own a number of mandolins over the years. It has been so long I don't remember the details about them. I owned most of them in my twenties, over 40 years ago. Most of them I sold or traded over the years and wished I hadn't done that. But then, I gave up playing music for almost 20 years so didn't like instruments sitting around collecting dust. They need to be played. This is what I remember:

1975 or 1976 OME A Black face my very first mandolin, I did not know at the time what a nice instrument that was.
Late 1900 teens Gibson A Jr, oval hole, simple but I played the hell out of that one.
Early 1920s Gibson F4 oval hole, beautiful mandolin that I sold way to soon because I needed money.
Late teens to early twenties Gibson A 1, don't remember what happen to that one.
Currently own a 1919 Gibson A 2 which I play a lot and love that woody sound.
Will soon own a 2021 Ellis A4 Deluxe oval hole mandolin, can't wait to get it. Hurry up Tom! :)

Jcdraayer

Feb-04-2021, 12:55am

Still early in building history with this instrument but...

Eastman 305 - the one that got me hooked

Northfield Calhoun wide nut - extremely fun little mando

Northfield F5S - first one to blow me away

Zach Wilson

Feb-04-2021, 5:25am

maxr

Feb-04-2021, 5:56am

Wow! Some of you guys got more mandolins than I got plectrums, you probably even lost one or two down the side of the sofa...

Tom Dillon

Feb-04-2021, 12:55pm

Here's my mando story....
Early 70's: 1920's Washburn oval hole. I shouldn't have sold it.
1975: Ibanez 524 F5. A heavy toneless clunker with nice inlay. I should have sold it sooner.
Early 90's: 1914 Gibson F4
Early 90's: 1920's Washburn oval hole Mandola.
1996: 1996 Nugget F5 #205
2018: 1980's Kentucky KM-1000 F5 MIJ. Sold it.
2018: 1917 Gibson H2 Mandola
2020: 2004 Randy Wood F5 #2404
2021: 2020 Kimble J #282

Eric Platt

Feb-04-2021, 4:31pm

Just realized I forgot to add a couple to my list -

Kalamazoo KM-11. Owned a couple different ones when I first ventured into mandolin. At the time I didn't like the neck shape. Probably would now.

1935 Kalamazoo KM-21. This is a true beater, sinking top, replaced bridge and tuners. And a couple of ugly crack repairs. It does the job and there are days when I think it's the best thing I own. Definitely better sounding to the listener than the player though

Willem

Feb-04-2021, 4:51pm

My journey has been brief as my first mandolin was an unsolicited Xmas gift 3 years ago. Fortunately, I think that I was able to settle on a MAS killer pretty quickly.
That gift was a Washburn M1SDL. Still have it but rarely play it. I began upgrading almost immediately.
The Loar 520- Sold
Morris A5 393- Held onto this for 2.5 years and loved it (it is still my avatar). Sold it to help facilitate a move last October
My un-named first build- Still have and play
Eastman 305 Octave- Bought at Wintergass 2020, also sold in October (liked it, just didn't love it)
Ruhland #41- This is the aforementioned MAS killer for me

maxr

Feb-05-2021, 7:15am

Controversial comment:

Unless you are a little crazy, and lack perhaps a little balance in your life, you ain't never gonna get any good at the mandolin.

For 'the mandolin', substitute 'music'. Most musicians I've met are like that, which is why they're often such interesting people. Also, 'good' is an interesting word in relation to music. Like athletes, there's always somebody better. We've all met musos beating themselves up cause they're not 'good' enough, and we've all met people who won't have any 'technique' as long as they breathe, who technically aren't much 'good' at music, but can make people dance and laugh with what they've figured - that's good enough for me. Finally, if the 'balance' we're lacking is TV, shopping malls, and pre programmed and dumbed down entertainment, I'm happy unbalanced :)

tmsweeney

Feb-05-2021, 7:48am

Defiantly going off topic - Do you have to be a little crazy to be a musician ? Not sure that crazy is the correct term, different perspective on "what is music", and in all fairness, the majority of musicians I know defiantly fit "a little crazy" ( if not a lot crazy).
Is there a difference between a musician and someone who simply attempts to play an instrument? That is a whole other posting I'm sure.
As for balance, I have been accused of spending too much time on music ( see my tag line) by multiple people.
For that very reason I have been labeled "crazy" or "touched" even autistic, and in a way I accept that as a compliment.
I agree there comes a point where you have to put the instrument down and engage in other activities, it would be the same for a sport or body building or quilting or whatever.
I find sometimes if I am not getting a phrase or part, even though I have intensely worked on it, if I put it down for a day or so and come back to it, it seems to be better.
Am I obsessed with mandolin music? I will gladly accept that statement as true. I do find it strange that no one would consider it odd if I spent the same amount of time watching TV.

Frankdolin

Feb-05-2021, 8:04am

This is a must read thread for all Mandolin lovers, others.:mandosmiley:

Mainer73

Feb-05-2021, 8:52am

Not a big history for me since Mandolin is a secondary instrument for me, fiddle being my primary.

1) a now unknown to me oval hole flattop that was my dad's when I was a kid that I messed around with until he lost it at a gig.

2) Eastman 505 that I had ca. 2005

3) A 70's Japanese Washburn Jethro Burns F

4) Kentucky KM-756 since 2019

The fiddle history is way more intriguing! 🤣

Zach Williams

Dec-20-2021, 9:36am

I took delivery of my Collings in June 2019...Thats its...not very interesting

John Soper

Dec-20-2021, 5:00pm

Time to update:

I figured that I never owned a mandolin; I just rent them!

1971- Kay POS (gave to a friend)
1974- '20 Gibson white A3 (sold to finance a move, the one that got away)
1979 - Larson (?) flat top borrowed for 2 years
1985 - Gibson A-50 borrowed off & on for 5 years
1987 - Kentucky POS A (sold in 2005)
2001 - Michael Kelly F (sold in 2005)
2005 - Collings MT2 (sold 2015)
2007 - '23 Gibson A (sold 2011)
2009 - '23 A2z (sold 2014)
2009 - Eastman 815 mandola (sold 2017)
2009 - Schwab 5-string electric (sold 2018)
2010 - National Style 1 (use it single courses tuned like a Mandola - great for Gypsy Jazz)
2011 - Duff F5 (sold 2017)
2015 - Ellis A5 (sold 2017)
2016 - '23 Gibson F2 (sold 2019)
2016 - Fender mandocaster reissue, bought used for $250
2017 - Nugget Deluxe A #162 (life time keeper)
2018 - Sorenson Sprite
2019 - Red Diamond A5 (sold 2019)
2020 - Ellis twin point
2020 - Zeta carbon fiber (for camping)
2021 - '24 Gibson A

& then there are guitars... I need to thin the herd and practice releasing as efficiently as catching.

Eric Platt

Dec-20-2021, 5:08pm

Should update -

sold a number of instruments. Added -

Peter Coombe flattop. That's now the primary performing instrument in both bands.
Another Strad-O-Lin - this one with comma shaped f-holes and sunburst finish. It's what sits out and is played most. Also take it to jams for a couple of other groups.

As for guitars - that heard is also thinned and now down to 2 acoustics and 1 electric. And no more movement planned there for a long time.

scotta

Dec-23-2021, 7:43pm

Interesting thread. Here goes my long winded story...

Bluebird pancake for $10 from a flea market around 1980. Was a bluegrass banjo player and just messed around with the mando. Still have it.

Weber Alder #2 mandola, string for and tuned as an octave mando, 1995. Played a few Irish tunes on it but mostly played Irish whistles and pipes.

Did not play mando from 2000 until my interest in bluegrass/old time was rekindled in 2017. MAS kicked in as I got serious about the mando.

Traded the Alder for a Morris A5 (very nice but sold it to fund the next one)
Weber Madison F5 (still have it, incredible looks, tone, playability)
Morris A5 #2 (nice but sold it to fund the next purchase)
Northfield F5S (sold it, great value but radius too much for me)
Girouard OM (incredible but focused on BG/OT so traded)
Collings MT-O (sold it - oval hole not my thing)
Weber Sweat Pea backpacking mando (still have it, solid little bugger)
Sawchyn Beavertail (sweet mando but sold it to help fund the next purchase)
Kimble J 2-point (still have it, a killer bluegrass machine)
Pomeroy F5 (still have it, very versatile, killer everything, maybe my favorite at the moment?)

I can honestly say that every mando I’ve owned (except the plywood Bluebird) was really good, but evolving preferences in look, tone, neck profile and width, and fretboard radius have driven my mando buying/selling.

I’m very happy with my Webers, Kimble and Pomeroy...for now :grin:

Em Tee

Dec-23-2021, 7:50pm

Started with a Kentucky 164 I got from a large guitar store.
Sold it, bought an Eastman 305.
Sold that, bought a pava.
Got married.
Sold my pava. (These two things are directly related)
Bought a jbovier a5.
Got a boerboel puppy.
Bought a the loar 310 for playing around the house (these two things are directly related)

rcc56

Dec-24-2021, 12:26am

The first was a cheap Korean mandolin, $40 new in 1979.
The second was a 1941 Strad-o-lin, $75 in 1980, needing a tailpiece and tuners.
I fixed up the Strad-o-lin, and gave the Korean mandolin to a lady friend.

Within a year, the top caved in on the Korean job. She felt bad about it. I explained to her that it wasn't her fault. Now, I wish I had bought her another mandolin, but I was young and foolish and didn't think about doing anything like that at the time.

I played the Strad-o-lin happily for several years, until the then not very well known Norman Blake let me play a really good black Gibson A-4 one evening in 1987. A light went on: "Oh, this is what a good mandolin is supposed to sound and feel like." I scraped together every cent I could, and the next year I picked up a 1918 F-4 from George Gruhn's then little shop for $1600. It was more fun in those days.

Since then, I've had several others pass through my hands. The keepers are the F-4, a Vega cylinder back, a fancy Martin flat-back, a Gibson H-2 mandola that cost $350 which needed repairs, and a Regal Octofone that was given to me as a gift. I also had a Lyon & Healy style B that was a great mandolin, but let it go many years ago.

One that I wish that I'd kept was an older Eastman 505 that I got in a trade. It was a lot of mandolin for the money, and after some set up work, it was good enough to gig with. But I wasn't gigging at the time, and sold it off. If ever I start working tight stages again, I might look for another one like it.