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I just use my Mandolin Café Coffee cup.

Only if they Break...

Seriously I always change them all because:
The G string seems to be the first to lose good tone.
Single strings are expensive enough that it doesn't save much money.
The...

Can't get a link to work, but try

Bright Munde Sessions on Youtube. Good fun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgCOi6rpUE8

Blue Chips for Gigs and Home use. Maybe small jams. Primetone's for festivals, anywhere that's dark, or has a slatted deck.

https://youtu.be/LB23c_7nlS8

"What would you do for your blue chip...

Many years ago I bought a Yamaha PA from a friend who had acquired it from a gentleman we both knew who had passed away. The friend told me that several times he had set up the PA and heard his...

Yes Dolly is a genius, and yes it's just a couple of weeks, and yes, there are other services, and yes, I'm more irritated by the fact it seems every online transaction is a rip off, not just Sirius...

Let's see. what it the Café Litany on this subject.

1) You can get a lot better mandolin for your dollar with a A style.
2) Play a bunch and pick the one you like the best. don't listen to any...

First Mando -- Old no name bowl back my grandfather got in the 30's.
Then borrowed mandolins from various people for years. Everything from Michael Kelly to Gibsons.
got hired to play Mando with...

I've lived in the Austin area for about 10 years now. Jamming the whole time. Yes, it's confusing. Lot's of really talented pro's who are always working. Lots of beginners. It's hard to find a...

While I am not an adherent to the "beater" theory here in Texas its not a bad idea to keep the best instrument indoors. For this purpose I have an Eastman 515 that I've played for about 10 years....

Or Dr. Suess...

So I had a Polytune for years on my guitar. Loved it. It didn't get used much on the mandolin because it was kind of large to leave on all the time. But then the screw that held the tuner on the...

Of Course, try a bunch of different things. Allow me to muddy the waters even further...

The Satin Pava F new is running just under $5K. Its as close as you get to an Ellis without the name.
...

I can't count the number of times I've admired someone's $10,000+ mandolin and have them just hand it to me. Some have been professionals. Kind of freaks me out and I'm afraid to play much. I don't...

My Wife and I have a vocal/instrumental duo. When we met Steve Gillette and Cindy Mangsen I was very interested in how they worked together as a couple. Cindy said: " We don't rehearse. We record. ...

It's been said. Play it.
I have no experience with the vibration enhancement devices, but I did try leaning a guitar on a speaker many years ago. It fell over which did not improve it's sonic...

I had a break in at a house we lived in about 10 years ago. Took microphones, some PA stuff, a laptop, but largely left my instruments alone. They took my wife's harmonicas. (Yuck, used harmonicas)...

Best Way to Spend $75 on a mandolin, most to least effective.
1) Professional Setup
2) Lessons
3) Blue Chip Pick and an Arm Rest
4) Tone Guard
5) Put $75 per month in Upgrade Account. In a...

+ for 3 finger Chords.
Also, when I first started going to BG jams I didn't know a lot of songs. Bought a small hand held recorder and took it to the jam and would record each song (as a separate...

So I would get a few sets and change them out every month and see what you like. Or you will be more confused than ever trying to remember what strings sounded better two months ago. But at least...

One day I dropped into the local Big Box Store featuring Guitars which shall go unnamed. They had maybe 6 mandolins in various stages of disrepair. I could tell there were one or two which would...

Just got back from Florida where I brought my mandolin and have done so many times and never had a problem. But flying out of Austin on Southwest half the plane is people carrying instruments so it's...

Don't like the concept of a "beater" but like the idea of having backup instrument.
When I got my Pava the Eastman 515 became backup. In Texas I would worry about subjecting handmade instrument to...

What would you do for your Blue Chip Pick?

https://youtu.be/LB23c_7nlS8

I know the feeling. Usually after getting smoked in a jam by some 14 year old.