In an ongoing quest to educate myself I try to play as many mandolins as I can. In my area that is pretty much relegated to a few brands. Collings, Weber, Northfield, Eastman, and Kentucky. I have a very good grasp of what these makes are all about, what I like or dislike about each.
But I've played exactly four f hole Gibsons, two of which were F 9s. I made a trip to Gryphon this week just to play a used F 5 they had. So I'd know pretty much what I was getting if I bought a Collings online, but a Gibson would be a crapshoot. How many would you play to feel like you had a handle on a brand? I must say, the only Ellis I've played had me thinking I'd want any of them.
Do I need to go to a festival to broaden my horizons? Maybe just go to Nashville?