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Thanks to Dale and John for their input. I had always thought that more figured wood had a higher base price, but totally get that more highly figured wood can be more difficult to work, which should...

Given potential for shortages in string availability with the pandemic I’ve been putting off string changes for a while, but finally couldn’t take it anymore. Monday I did 2 mandolins and two...

I think Mart Jacobsen is in the ATL area as well.

To expound, I typically play BC CT 55 or TAD 60 on mando and TAD 40 on guitar, but the TF 140 and 120, respectively, still get rotated in with regularity. They’re great picks, wear very slowly IME,...

We’ve had several luthiers through the years comment that they can (and sometimes do) build instruments out of plain looking wood that sound just like their other builds, but people paying for...

1.4 mm on mando, 1.2 mm on guitar/octave mando

Give it a shot and see what you think before placing your next order. I used to have a Kentucky that was from just after their move to China and a bit overbuilt. It had much better tone and volume...

I didn't realize how much pick click annoyed me until I got my Silverangel Econo. After about a week, maybe 2, I don’t think I played my Kentucky, which had a full unscooped extension, for more than...

I started with a Dunlop pick like David showed above, then moved to a Fender Heavy for a while, then got some Wegens for Christmas one year. Used them for years and still switch up to them from time...

There’s no one “correct” way to do it. You will eventually get used to whatever method you choose. I’m too chicken to try it, but Evan Marshall loops his strap around the small scroll on the peg...

I’ll add another vote of confidence. I owned an MT for a few months I got in a trade for an OM. I got to A/B it with a Silverangel Econo for 5 or 6 months trying to decide which one to keep. The...

If resale is a consideration, Collings holds its value very well. I used to have a MT and a Silverangel Econo at the same time. Both were excellent instruments, and I actually kept the SA (because I...

Fiddler is Andy Leftwich, who’s a heckuva mandolin picker also.

Agree. I have always been taught to engage with the audience, making eye contact (or at least appearing to), smiling, etc. It’s hard to do that if you’re constantly looking at your hands. Our praise...

That’s and excellent idea!

Call back and ask for just that. Based on my pre-COVID-19 experience with them, they’ll oblige. Carter’s is truly a premier music instrument store. I’m sure there have been some adjustments with the...

I usually try to move to OM fingering (so my pinky is covering the fifth/sixth frets) when I’m in first position, but, if I capo up above 2 or 3 I can usually play mandolin fingering without issue.
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Love my Weber Bitterroot F hole/a style OM. I had a Hyalite a few years ago that had a 22.5 inch scale length, and it was too much for me. The 20 inch scale with D’Addairio mandola strings fits...

If you change the fret locations, you change the notes on the fretboard, so I’m going to say no (at least not without fundamentally changing the instrument). Maybe consider trying Mandola?

That...

Three awesome mandolins! I hear what you’re saying about their differences, and, if I had to choose one, I’d really want a few hours to play in person. That said, I wouldn’t be disappointed with any...

I have Metronome+ on my phone. My wife has a nice Wittner on the piano. Both work fine. I found the App looking for one that Eric Skye has/likes, but I couldn’t find it in the App Store.

I used EJ 74 and 75 gauges on the 315 I used to own. It played/sounded good with both. My first mandolin was a Kentucky 675-S that was built just after they moved to their China factory and was a bit...

Congratulations, Shaun! Can’t wait to see and hear the finished product. So cool to watch this come together. That walnut is insane!

Almost agree, but, for me 22.5 was too much scale length to make it useful for anything other than 2 or 3 finger chording, and I’m not a tiny handed guy. I used to own a Weber Hyalite that was carved...

The other consideration is that, as budget conscious instruments, there’s a good bit of variability in tone within each line. So, most produced are good enough, with some exceptional and some more on...