New guy with new mandolin

[thegoonman@gmail.com]

Hi Folks
I have been lurking around the Mandolin Cafe for over a year now and have learned more about this amazing instrument here on these boards than anywhere on the net.
This weekend I finally treated myself to a beautiful new Eastman 505 with a violin finish. What a difference from my old Rover RM 75. Simply love this girl!
I'm hooked !!

[jasona]

Welcome!

[Jim Ferguson]

Welcome aboard 'Goonman'.......enjoy your Eastman...........I have the Eastman MD515 & love it. I think Eastman makes a fine mando & you should get years of enjoyment out of the instrument. This site has a wealth of information & links too.......dive in & partake of all the fantastic learning tools at the Cafe.
Peace,

[Astro]

Hey Gman. I've had my Eastman 305 almost 2 weeks and I'm diggin it.

[Denny Gies]

Welcome to the wild, wacky world of mandolins. You will need to increase your medication as you get more and more into this great stuff. Have fun.

[thegoonman@gmail.com]

Thanks guys - I have been playing guitar for over 20 years and have always loved the sound on the mandolin. Finally after years of listening to The Pizza Tapes, Skaggs, Grisman, Thile etc I knew I had to join the mandolin community. Best decision I've made in a long time !

[JEStanek]

Welcome, were glad you're here!

Jamie

[yankees1]

Welcome! How do you know it's a girl ? :)

[John McCoy]

New guys are good for the Forum, and new mandolins are good for the soul.

Congratulations, and Welcome!

Even as a new guy, your mandolin journey will provide insights that will benefit lots of "old" guys, so feel keep us up to date.

:)

[tracker51187]

I too am a mandolin virgin. I've always loved the instrument and recently (call it a mid life crisis if you like, I'm 51), I thought, "what the heck, give it a try".

After lots of interweb searching, I found this gem of a site and from there found The Mandolin Store.

Dennis is all everyone says and more. He gave me lots of good advice and I finally settled on a Kentucky KM162 which, I'm hoping will be as good as I've heard.

Like many posters, I am simply not in the $500 + price range, but also don't want to buy a useless pile of you know what which will do nothing but turn me off playing and learning.

I'm looking forward to receiving the mando very soon and although I know it will take time, I think with all the available advice out there, including this site, I will at least be able to have more than a good looking wall ornament.

[John Duncan]

Howdy!

[Marty Henrickson]

Welcome to both goonman and tracker, and as always, beware the MAS!

[thegoonman@gmail.com]

You guys are "wicked pissah" as we say here in Boston !! Yankees 1 - how do I know it's a girl ? because I have yet to meet a man that can sing as sweet as my Eastman !! Plus she is also drop dead gorgeous ! Please tell me your not a Yankees fan - then again wouldn't blame you if you were - Yanks are in 1st place and the Sox are in the basement - very sad.
Just got my tix for Punch Brothers show in Albany NY - can't wait ! Also got tix to Old Crow Medicine Show - Yeah Dude

[Brian Sharpe]

Welcome! I know what you mean about the Eastman. I stopped in a store a while back specifically to look at a Kentucky model, there was an Eastman MD 504 within easy reach and while waiting I picked it up and it was love at first strum........

[icuker]

I was lucky enough to go to a music store in Madison Wi a few years back and try about 3 or 4 Eastman 505's (the price range I was looking at) It came down to two, a violin finish one and a sunburst. I really, really liked the violin finished one for looks but the sunburst sounded a bit better and so bought it. Any way, I really have enjoyed it. It is my go to instrument of choice most of the time. However I have yet to play it live anywhere. I play other instruments but I haven't the Mando. I think it's because I don't practice the chords as much, mostly play fiddle tunes.