If you had $3,000

[Mr. Loar]

....and you didn't know what to do with it, what would you buy?

[jasona]

A hot tub for my living room. But I do know what to do with it, and that's it.

[jimbob]

I'd put about $ 10K more with it and buy a MM....

[Rick Schmidlin]

If you had?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif?

[Keith Erickson]

....and you didn't know what to do with it, what would you buy?
Mr. Loar,

For US$ 3,000 dollars, you could buy my friendship http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

...and then I would turn around and use that money to pay off the remaining balance on my Emory Lester Model A http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[JHo]

3000 Mc-double-cheeseburgers. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Jim MacDaniel]

Ying option: a used Sobell mandolin
Yang option: a 1958 Mandocaster & and a vintage tube amp w/ reverb

Or, a retainer fee for a good divorce lawyer, since if I spent $3000 on a mandolin right now my wife would be p***ed.

[Roydw3]

put a new engine in my car as it is failing quickly, and while I am waiting, I'll play my Glenn F-5 which just seems to get better and better...happy days

[pdb]

I'd buy a used gibson f-9 for around 2300.00, take the remaining funds and go on a nice weekend retreat up into the mountains with my significant other.

[kyblue]

If you had $3,000........

to spend on a mando...

I'd hope you would try out my Duff A5 2pt

*shameless self promo, sorry

Paula

[Bob McRee]

This may seem strange advice from someone trying to sell mandolins but have you considered SAVING it? Do we have to spend every dollar we make. My wife taught me to ask the question, "Is it necessary?" If not then save the money. However, a mandolin that soothes our nerves, touches our soul and makes sweet music may very well be a necessity... maybe two...

[Baron Collins-Hill]

save a little more and buy a custom phoenix jazz

[Kevin Briggs]

Hmmm... A Roth IRA type fund, or something to that effect. I'm sorry it's so unsexy.

[JeffD]

If I had a discretionary $3K, I would spend the first $1400 on one of those Eastman bowlbacks. Then I would spend about $400 for that Regal reverse scroll mandolin in the classifieds (they are so dorky looking they are cool).

That leaves what, $1200. My first impulse is to spend the rest of fishing equipment, but that is a different forum. If I had to spend the money on mando or at least music related items, hmmm...

[h2o-X]

"Hmmm... A Roth IRA type fund, or something
to that effect. I'm sorry it's so unsexy."

That's easy to say for a guy who has a custom Weber Fern!

[otterly2k]

I'd order a 2-point or F4 from Brian Dean to go with my Octave.

[mandroid]

.. a big tank of Gasoline..
while you can still afford it..
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[Chris Biorkman]

I'd go with a Collings MT-2.

[JHo]

OK, I wouldn't really buy 3000 Mc-double-cheeseburgers. If I didn't have an immediate want/need for something, I probably would set it aside for a time when a more immediate want/need arises. It's funny though how money can burn a hole in one's pocket so to speak.

[mandolooter]

A plane ticket to a warmer climate...maybe down to Mexico to hang with Spruce for awhile...surf, pick, surf, eat, nap, pick, sounds very appealing to me! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[allenhopkins]

I'd send it to that guy in Nigeria so I could get my share of the $30 million in impounded gold bullion...

[Keith Erickson]

I'd send it to that guy in Nigeria so I could get my share of the $30 million in impounded gold bullion...
Hey what a minutes Allen....

...that guy promised me that I was the only one getting that money when I sent him the 3 grand http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

...and I'm still waiting 3 years later http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Mike Bunting]

My, my, don't we live in the consumer society! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[Kevin Briggs]

"Hmmm... A Roth IRA type fund, or something
to that effect. I'm sorry it's so unsexy."

That's easy to say for a guy who has a custom Weber Fern!
Lol.... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[mandolinny]

I would sink it into GOLD or a GOLD stock.....as I have yet to acquire MAS(well maybe a small case of it).....HAHAHAHA!!!

[Jim MacDaniel]

This may seem strange advice from someone trying to sell mandolins but have you considered SAVING it?...
The average MAS-inflicted mandolinist saving a windfall of $3K rather than feeding their addiction, is unlikely IMHO. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif That is because MAS itself is a common observable real-world example of economic theory in action, in this case MPC...


Marginal Propensity To Consume (MPC): A component of Keynesian theory, MPC represents the proportion of an aggregate raise in pay that is spent on the consumption of goods and services, as opposed to being saved."
NB, I'm not sure if Keynes played mandolin, or any other music instrument for that matter, but he sure understood human nature. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[JeffD]

Actually it was this thread that reminded me of the joke.

http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=12;t=50769

[littvay]

Classic joke. #Save? #I think I'd be better off paying off the cards (ie, the last acquisition.) #But assuming those were not options, I'd probably be very torn between a bunch of things. #Sumi 3pt or Dawg style is one option. #Someone just offered me a Sumi for not much more than that. #The only reason I did not buy it... (wait, I already told you the reason.)

I would probably start looking on the Internet for the most premium piece of master grade Yellow Cedar top (if possible with a touch of flame and bear claw). #than I'd contact a couple people in Hawaii to find be the best block of flamed koa neckwood, the most beautiful pieces of flamed koa back wood and headstock veneer. #And finally I would want no flame but something even better, even more special and striking on the koa for the back. #Think along the lines of the top the ukulele seen at the link. #But no flame to distract from pure beauty. #http://www.pegasusguitars.com/

(But wait, I have already done all this in the second paragraph. #But they have stopped responding when I gave them the needed dimensions http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

I'd probably pick up a few more things. #Weber Brekke, Bill James Tailpiece, 18:1 Gotho tuners. #And than I'd hop on a train from Budapest (my current location) to Prague with a big backpack full of exotic tonewoods and take them past PRague to Plzen where Pavel Sucek lives. #I'd hand the stuff over and wait for the blond beauty to be delivered to my door. #Check out these masterpieces:

http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin....l=sucek (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=13;t=16886;hl=sucek)
http://www.sweb.cz/sucek/foto/blonde/blonde.html

Now imagine these with the above description... #I think that would be about 3k well spent...

[woodwizard]

I would put it as a down payment to one of the so many great builders here at the cafe' to build me a hybrid F4. I so much want one of those. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Gutbucket]

You'd have enough for a Bruce Clark F-5 and some left over for a nice case or a Toneguard or lots of Wegen picks or some nice mandolin lesson dvd's or tickets to Merlefest or a cool music stand or a custom strap or cool boots to wear at a jam or a Porter Wagoner jacket or a subscription to that Bluegrass college thing or...... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif

[loosej]

Call Dr. David Cohen and have him make up just what you want ! Then be very happy !
joel

[steadypluckinaway]

I would buy a Mix A-5 no question. If one couldn't be had for that, I played a wicked Krishot that felt every bit of $10k but was only priced at $2900. Then I would buy 100 McGreasy burgers. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Rick Schmidlin]

Yawn http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sleepy.gif

If you had.....

What if......

How Much....

How many......

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sleepy.gif # http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sleepy.gif

[Patrick Bjorndal]

I guess I answered that question earlier this week. I ordered a set of hearing aides. I would have rather ordered a Petersen cittern or octo. Well, maybe if I can hear what I am playing right now, it will help stave off more MAS.

I know that is what my wife is hoping.

[Nick Triesch]

Come on Rick! Just because you have that wonderful Collings MF5 you can still dream. But maybe the Collings is that good! Man I want one so bad!!! Buffalo has a ton of them right now. Something like 6 MF5's and a bunch of those cool MF gloss tops with the white binding. Someday I will have one. Nick

[John Flynn]

Collings MT2. If it were only $3000 and no more, I'd get a slightly used one.

[Dan Voight]

I'd add to my shop, of course.

[otterly2k]

Truly, if I had 3k I probably wouldn't spend it on a mandolin, since I'm happy with the ones I have... but I assumed that the original question, given its context, was not about our financial management habits, but about how we'd (hypothetically) apply that amount to the mando market.

Truly, I'd sooner spent that improving my kitchen, which I need more than another mando. Another option would be to spend it setting myself up a nice shop and then build me a mando.

[Brad Weiss]

I'd buy you a green dress (but not a real green dress, that's cruel)

[Kbone]

My strategy ( being in your position)was to find players who have bought a mandolin in this price realm, because chances are most of these builders were fairly new, then to narrow it down to players who either have or have owned very nice mandolins. When I found a professional artist who owns a Nugget & now is ordering his second Grey Eagle' that was all I needed.

[olgraypat]

Dang....spent it on a motorcycle....I'm so ashamed....

[croonerexpress]

enough strings to last a month or so. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[Rob Zamites]

I'd just give it to Brian Dean, as a gift. I wouldn't expect anything in return at all. I would consider it a philanthropic gesture on my part to ensure that my favorite luthier wouldn't have to eat ramen noodles.

[Baron Collins-Hill]

nothing wrong with ramen. but brain does make a killer mando (and everything else).

[Mr. Loar]

Let's put it this way; If you had $3,000 and you HAD to buy a mandolin, what would it be?

[woodwizard]

Gibson

[croonerexpress]

used mt2

[Rick Schmidlin]

Yawn again, Mr. Loar use the search engine,try it you'll like it.

[Mr. Loar]

Yawn again, Mr. Loar use the search engine,try it you'll like it.
Welcome to page three.

[h2o-X]

It seems like Rick is either falling asleep or just waking up. In either case, I hope he isn't drooling on his keyboard.

I am thinking a Keith Newell mandolin would be a good way to go. His instruments are beautiful! And you'd have money left over to buy strings and tickets to many of your favorite Bluegrass festivals.

[JeffD]

I'd just give it to Brian Dean, as a gift. I wouldn't expect anything in return at all. I would consider it a philanthropic gesture on my part to ensure that my favorite luthier wouldn't have to eat #ramen noodles.
Wow, I wasn't familiar with this luthier, but judging from his site, he is someone to whom I need to pay attention.

I like his very straight forward options.

Beautiful work.

[sean808080]

i'd give it to dennis vance at the mandolin store and get myself a gibson f-9. i did this a few months back and am as happy as can be.