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I was up at the Central Oregon Acoustic Music Festival in Florence Oregon in January to play a few tunes with a friend of mine at the Thursday Open Mic/Hootenanny event on Thursday. I happened to...

I travel with a mandolin (Flatiron 2M) and busk whenever I have some extra time in almost any City and/or town we visit. Mostly for my own pleasure and to say I’ve busked on the streets, in the...

I took off my tuners once and broke a screw. A friend suggested that I take it to a gunsmith. He got the screw out without damage and I don’t know how.. I figured they were experts in small...

I had the opportunity to play Roland’s Randy Wood Gibson at a clinic hosted by the Pickin Parlor in Arvada, CO. Impeccable workmanship, but showed all those years of wear and an unbelievable tone,...

So what constitutes or determines ‘vintage?’ I’m either curious or on a rant. I see instruments listed on a popular auction site or on the ‘List’ marketed as vintage, as late as the 70’s and 80’s? ...

We’re in south Chandler. We sure enjoy hiking in San Tan Regional Park. Anything musical, like a good old fashioned social distancing outdoor jam, going on around here in the winter/spring months?

Back int the day, a few times in the past, we celebrated when there were a 1,000 members, 5,000 members, and I think the last time one of us mentioned how many members there were present on the site...

I’m currently not too far from where Sheila lives, just west about twenty miles. Last fall I spent ten weeks here, and the temperature varied from the hundreds down to the 30s at night over that...

My favorite; in the middle of a tune or a song, a listener walks up and starts a conversation? Then it’s time for your lead. You learn over time to trust your practice and instincts.

1916. What’s 100 years or so?

Considering I’m listening to the video through my ear buds on an IPad, that is one amazing sounding Loar.

I bought a pick carved from bull horn at the Mid-Winter Bluegrass Festival here in Denver a few years ago. Although it is relatively thick, it’s soft. Takes the brightness out of the high end. ...

The first indicator that a jam is too loud, and probably populated with people unaware of jam etiquette. People can’t hear their own instruments. Then it self perpetuates, people can’t hear and...

My ‘campfire, mandolin is my 81 Flatiron 2MB. It’s great around the campfire, backpacking, been to Europe twice, through the Panama Canal, visited a few islands in the Caribbean, fits in a day pack...

“Let’s not forget that 1917 Gibson A-Model pumpkin top?”
‘Oh yeah! That one’s cool!! Looks like it just walked off the factory floor in Kalamazoo!’

‘I don’t think I have any instruments I’ve kept for years for sentimental reasons; Yes dear..?’
“What about that old Harmony you bought from Charles Sawtell at the Denver Folklore Center in 73?”...

Before the Market St. area in Denver went through an social economic surge, I saw the Dillards at the Oxford Hotel 35 years ago. Dean’s playing was effortless. He had the F4 that night and did not...

I’ve too have began to wonder if the term ‘vintage’ is over used in the marketing of instruments. I have three instruments from the 70’s and one from the 80’s, but none I would consider vintage. ...

Re-energize my interest in playing and learning new tunes. We stopped playing gigs over three years ago, so I stopped practicing and playing on a regular basis. Listened to some old practice tapes...

Just returned from Prague a couple weeks ago. Found one musical instrument store downtown, just off the main pedestrian mall. Guitar Park. Not a large selection. One handmade F-style from a Czech...

Listening to the Brad Laird interview with Scott reminded me to go and check the membership count and how Scott has built a community of mandolin players through his efforts. Let's not forget to...

For those of you that haven't met Scott, he is so committed to the site and the mandolin community. Never hurts to say 'Thanks Scott!.' Thanks to Brad for bringing the interview With Scott to the...

We've played in assisted living, and some tenants will listen expressionless, but take the time to approach us after the set to express their gratitude for making their day so much better. Our best...

He strummed the mandolin, rather agreeively. I remember sitting close enough to see bits of the spruce top fly off every time the pick scraped across the instrument. Not a good idea on how the...

I saw Richard Thompson plat a Flatiron pancake on stage in Boulder, CO a few years ago.