What Would Cause Us to Sucumb to MAS again?

[red7flag]

Most instrument buys I go in with an intent of permanency, mistakenly thinking that I would indefinitely keep an instrument. Then, I read an thread about an instrument, investigate the MC Classifieds, hear a cannon in a jam, or try an instrumnent(s) at a dealer like Carter's, and I come to realize that my path will take me to new instrument when possible. My wife, a week after buying one instrument and putting money down on another, caught me going through an online dealers instruments, turned to me and asked if I was planning on buying another mandolin? I said no (she just smiled), but was I lying? I had not intention of buying another instrument at that time, but trolling the MC Classifieds or going to online merchants looking at mandolins is not a sign that I am done buying. Right now, I feel comfortable with the instruments I have, but that can change almost at any time. I think of buying an instrument as an investment in my own happiness. My standards rise over time, but never seem to be attained. So my question to the Cafe is what would specific mandolin family instrument would entice you to move to buy another instrument? For me, the answer that comes to mind, if I had $25,000 to burn, would be the Gilchrist 5C mandola at Carter's. What would be yours?

[Eric F.]

Right now, it's a Sobell octave mandolin. Not gonna happen, but a boy can dream. ...

[9lbShellhamer]

Heiden A5.

I almost feel bad every time I share that it's my holy grail at the moment because I'm scared the secret will catch on... But that's it, A Heiden A5. All in all I also want to add to my collection:

A *Pava Pro Oval Hole or *Collings MT2-O
And
An *Ellis A5

[Mandoplumb]

I don't go looking for mandolins, but if I'm in a music store I play what he has. After all I need to know mine is better than anything there, right? But sometimes the mandolin talks to me, it tell me I don't have one with the sound it has, not better than mine just different, I like different sounds for different music so I start Figuring how to buy it. If the d### things didn't talk to me I would only own one.

[red7flag]

Eric, your post reminds me of how fragile my resistance to MAS is. A Sobell oval becoming available would definitely stir my MAS.

[JeffD]

Mark Twain said that if the opportunity lined up with the inclination, we would all be murderers. Whether it is true about murder I don't know but I think it is true about MAS.

I have a rigidly defined notion of opportunity, which is that my MAS "coffee can" account is fully or mostly funded. I refuse to go into debt or spend non-discretional money on an instrument. (Discretional is a slippery slope I admit, but I mean I refuse to rob other "coffee can" accounts of major importance. There are a few accounts towards the bottom of the list that I juggle occationally.)

Though not actively searching, and though happy with what I have, here are the instruments I am inclined to buy given the opportunity, in no particular order -



A Kerman.

OK lets be realistic:

A recently and very well made bowlback.
A vintage black top Gibson F4 in decent shape.
A double neck acoustic mandolin/guitar. Preferably from Fylde.
A bowback mandola or mandocello
A liuto cantabile
A Mann five string electric octave mandolin
A Sobell 10 string
A fan fret 10 string

[Drew Egerton]

If I have the money I would seriously consider the Sorenson VX after playing Danny Roberts' a couple weeks ago. Amazing mandolin. I love my Kelley, but I would love to have both! :)

[CES]

A Giacomel or Red Diamond

[Jill McAuley]

Hmm, I know at some stage I'll want to have a two mandolin household again, so that in itself will see me succumb to MAS. Definitely if I saw a oval hole Weber Bighorn, that would be very tempting as I've always liked them, and a Campanella A has always been on my wish list as well.

[fatt-dad]

I guess for me, it'd be a wide-nut MM Gibson F5 signed by Derrington. Sure, I'd take it distressed. . . or not?

Playing with a group (in my case a duo) really re-calibrated my mandolin journey. I'm pretty busy practicing and the tools work just fine.

f-d

[BruceKap]

I suffer from flashy flame syndrome. I play a 2004 Collings MT which is a perfectly fine but modest looking instrument. Its showing some wear and tear from 12 years of daily play. It has a satin finish with tortoise shell single binding, so it's not a fancy looking instrument. I have purchased a number of instruments with much more impressive pedigrees and materials, only to come back to the reliable and full sound of the MT. Between the fact that it is well broken in, and it has a Engelmann top, it's rare that I find an instrument I like better. (Though I did get to play John Reischman's Loar, and that sounded pretty good!)

So I have two instruments on the classifieds now - a Kimble and a MT2V.

I would say this - I have heard a few Nuggets out there, and every time I do, they make my ears perk up. But haven't played one since I took a lesson with Tom Corbett about 12 years ago...

[JeffD]

and a Campanella A has always been on my wish list as well.

Oops, yea if one of those happened across my radar when my coffee can was full I would have trouble restraining myself.

[Pjones3]

The next Skip Kelley that comes up for sale!

[darrylicshon]

I would probably buy a few from $5k to 10k

[foldedpath]

I'm still playing the first mandolin I ever bought, something like 8 years ago, because I did a lot of research (much of it here on the Cafe), spent close to $5k, and it's a good one. I expanded horizontally into an octave mandolin, but I've always been a "one good instrument of every type" guy.

So, what would it take? I think someone dropping in the neighborhood of $25,000 into my bank account as a gift might do it (any takers?).

Then I could afford to book a multi-city trip to a few of the retailers that carry the usual $10,000+ suspects, to see if I like one of them better than my Lebeda. I think there's a good chance that I might find something. I've played a Gil and I'd swap it for my Lebeda in a heartbeat.

But you know... the Gil I briefly had my hands on wasn't *that* much better. A bit more effortless feel under my fingers to pull out the notes, a little warmer sound. But it's not like I can't make the music I want to play on what I have now.

My limitations in playing what I want to play are about 95% in my hands and what I want them to do. A better mandolin isn't going to help that. This is the point you reach when you already have one that's "good enough" and the rest is just hard work in the woodshed to get better.

But I'll still take that $25,000 check if anyone is interested. :)

[LadysSolo]

I can't think of anything in particular, but I never say never. If someone gave me $25,000 I would wait until something in particular "spoke to me."

[Mark Wilson]

Ellis A5 might knock me off the "I'm all good" fence

[Br1ck]

Having the money.

[Denny Gies]

Mine is, and continues forever, to be my 1993 Randy Wood F 5. Just was at a jam it the durn thing out preformed a Gibson F 5.

[Ivan Kelsall]

I've mentioned many times on here that i love Tom Ellis's mandolins. My 'used' "A" style is superb,but i'd like an F5 to replace it. There's only one other builder that really makes me sit up & take notice as much as TE,& that's Jamie Weins. There are many,many fine builders out there,but for me,JW's mandolins 'have the look' & from what i've read,they sound ok too !. I'd be very hard put to choose between an Ellis F5 & one of Jamie's mandolins,it would certainly have to be a ''play 'em & see'' situation. I'd maybe buy the one & ask for the other to be put away safely until i'd done my next bank heist !!!! ( not really ),:)
Ivan;)
149701:disbelief:

[Martin Ohrt]

My dream mando is Don Stiernbergs Nugget.
Of course, acquiring this instrument would not cure my Bowlback-AS, CBOM-AS, and Banjo-AS.... And possibly neither my MAS.

[Shelagh Moore]

I wouldn't mind a Campanella A, a Brian Dean or an Otis Tomas (I'm not a bluegrasser and I like those luthiers' aesthetic approach).

But I have some nice ones so not complaining at the moment...

[T.D.Nydn]

I guess the question is : not if your happy with what you have, and if you want more, but let's say you have up to $25,000 free mandolin money, and all mandolins are available, what would you choose next?.....for me , let's see,,,no doubt a Gibson Victorian...

[JEStanek]

For me it would be a 1:1 relationship with me playing a lot (which I've not done in too long) and having the extra cash.

I had a chat with a prominent mandolin player and owner of fine instruments who chuckled at how we often obsess over the gear but on acquiring the skills. I understand both his point and the obsession with acquisition. Something new inspires us to play more/better.

Currently, I'm completely satisfied with my Spira. Are there others that strike my fancy, sure. That purple Girouard and plenty of stuff from Marty Jacobsen's bench... Dale Ludwig's Greenie, An F4 by Gail Hester. But, I won't be chasing those dragons.

[JAK]

What would cause us to succumb? TIME.

[allenhopkins]

Impulse, sometimes, if the instrument's accessible and affordable. Last mandolin I purchased was last year, when I walked into Stutzman's here in Rochester and saw a nice Strad-O-Lin, better than the one I'd been playing for nearly 20 years, for less than $300. Missing pickguard, but otherwise in good shape. So I traded in the Strad I had (got only $100 for it, but I'd paid $25 for it years ago), kept the case, and got what was a slightly better instrument for $200 and change, figuring in sales tax.

I sorta have reached the point where a major mandolin purchase is unlikely. I've filled in some gaps that I had (bowl-back mandocello, Gibson tenor lute), and I had a local luthier build me a custom five-course, fan-fret -- I'd never commissioned an instrument for myself, and figured, when I passed 70, that it was getting to be "now or never."

Sure, if a Lloyd Loar or a fern F-5 fell out of a tree in front of me, and it were in a price range I could actually afford, I'd be tempted. But that won't happen; I'm never going six figures for an instrument, regardless. Not even five. I'm acquisitive, but not totally irresponsible -- at least I hope so.

Still, I did grab that Weber soprano mandolin at Bernunzio's last year, just because it was so nicely made, and I'd never seen one before. Basically, the mandolin that attracts me has to be something other than just a better F-5; needs to be unusual-to-unique, and not redundant with something in my current arsenal.

[terzinator]

The right Gibby snakehead (at the right price) would be cool; very different than what I have currently.

The only other thing I currently lust after is a higher-end (and guitar-bodied) Octave Mandolin. My Weber Gallatin is cool, but I've heard some reaaaaaally nice ones. (Steve Sorensen. Fletcher Brock. Austin Clark.)

[Mike Scott]

again??? Who said it ever goes away?

[multidon]

I am on a semi quest right now, as a result of an earlier discussion, for a minty late 70s, 80's, or even 90's Martin Style A with its original case. They are probably rare birds, but they do exist according to Martin. They list 1994 as the last year of mandolin production. But other than that...oh yes, I would be tempted by the right Weber Sage 2 short scale octave mandolin, in the right condition at the right price. Other than that, nothing. :)

I am very picky about condition. I baby my instruments and I like excellent or better condition. I also like a bargain price. Unfortunately those two things rarely coincide. But they have enough times to keep me happy!

[dwc]

My Ellis A5 is a pretty good MAS killer, but I would like to own a Nugget A5 or a Gilchrist A5.

[Scot63]

This unique Gilchrist at reverb.com looks mighty interesting—and I would still have half left (no financial interest—just thought its lines were nice!)! :sleepy:

https://reverb.com/item/500824-gilchrist-4c-oval-hole-2001-natural?_aid=criteo-ads

[Jeff Mando]

I've had pretty much everything I've needed for many, many years -- but, like Allen mentions, price could get me interested in something I could easily pass on at normal retail.

[Upis Land]

Hmm, maybe one of these........ would.........did...?

149731

[Nick Gellie]

I suffer from flashy flame syndrome. I play a 2004 Collings MT which is a perfectly fine but modest looking instrument. Its showing some wear and tear from 12 years of daily play. It has a satin finish with tortoise shell single binding, so it's not a fancy looking instrument. I have purchased a number of instruments with much more impressive pedigrees and materials, only to come back to the reliable and full sound of the MT. Between the fact that it is well broken in, and it has a Engelmann top, it's rare that I find an instrument I like better. (Though I did get to play John Reischman's Loar, and that sounded pretty good!)



So I have two instruments on the classifieds now - a Kimble and a MT2V.

I would say this - I have heard a few Nuggets out there, and every time I do, they make my ears perk up. But haven't played one since I took a lesson with Tom Corbett about 12 years ago...

I am in the same camp as you Bruce. I have come back to a Collings MT. I just love the mid-rangy tone it has and its playability is top notch.

[Dave Hanson]

I'm getting seriously tempted by a used Givens A5 at TAMCO in Brighton.

Dave H

[Phil Goodson]

Gil, Nugget, or Heiden are the only temptations at the moment.

[billkilpatrick]

time ... loot ... and a bigger closet.

[LadysSolo]

I am feeling the beginning of MAS again - there is a 12-string bowlback on ebay at this time, and I have wanted a 12-string bowlback. Someone buy it and help me resist! (Okay, the price is also more than I want to spend, but tempting...) :whistling:

[varmonter]

I have a rigel i have been playing for about 20 years..I currently am suffering from this MAS malady.
I will have to settle for a 5-5.5k instrument...I have played some northfields and some collings Down in mass.
But no one sells higher priced mandolins up in northern VT.I suppose i could beg pete to make me another rigel..
But his life is busy with life right now .So I would love to play a nice used fern f5 or perhaps something similar
if i could find one...given the money and the guts to spend it i suppose a loar from the 20's would be nice..;)
But i will quench this thirst eventually...I enjoy the process more than the acquisition...is that sick?? If so than i am afflicted :(

[Russ Donahue]

A Campanella F becomes available....

[ollaimh]

depends on price and availability, bt since you asked the best sounding round or oval sound hole mandolin i have played was a two point body apirius. i play celtic so i like the round or oval sound hole. i love late teens and early twenties gibson round sound hole mandos. they have a rich woody tone and great projection and volume, so a pristine one would be nice. i have two snakeheads so i am not hurting, but one is refinished and the other has had a bad top crack, which is now repaired and holding fine, so both are great players but neither a collectors instrument. but if i had ten or twenty grand to spare i would be shopping fora high end cittern or octave mando or a high end round sound hole mandolin, just for fun.

[KevinM]

I'm with Ivan above. An Ellis F5, but I could also easily be seduced by a Kimble F5.

[JeffD]

I think one myth we need to expose as totally false is that wanting another mandolin has anything at all to do with our dissatisfaction with what we currently own and play. Sometimes it may correlate, but not necessarily, and frankly I think more often than not its the experience of a new mandolin within reach that causes the dissatisfaction.

I had all the mandolin I could ever need 8 mandolins ago, and I bought the last mandolin I will ever want four times now.

[Bad Monkey]

the '28 F4 I played for a while over at Dusty Strings on my way home from work yesterday. I swore that I was just picking up a couple sets of strings to make sure I'm safe this weekend in case my online order doesn't make it into the mailbox but made the mistake of trying the F4 that had just come in on consignment. I had to put it down and go play a couple arch top guitars so that I didn't think about it anymore. If it was 4k or less, it would have come home...