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I have an Allen on one mandolin and a James on the other.
The James is superior to me.

The Allen is a nice tailpiece, and works just fine.
My issue with it is that you have to use a capo to...

Yeah, I will second Living Tree Music.
http://www.livingtreemusic.com/

He does excellent setup and just about any repair you might have, and also builds very nice instruments.
He has worked...

Cool instrument.
Gotta love a snakehead.

McClung armrests rock!!
I have them on both mandolins.
Tried other kinds, but the McClung is the best shape.
Low, smooth, and wide.
Excellent all 'round.

Here are my two.
Love the dark one...

When I started playing mandolin, I had good luck with courses from the following sources.

www.artistworks.com
Mike Marshall is an excellent teacher, and the courses here are very useful.
...

Wow.
Those are all beautiful.
I especially love the two points.

I played a Kimble A-style recently that had an amazing bluegrass honk.
Great sounding mandolin.

It is a beautiful mandolin.
I love the headstock, the subtle treble side points, and the tailpiece.
It seems to sound pretty good too, which is most important. ...

Having said that, if it is cheap enough, why not buy it.
I have had plenty of crappy instruments that sounded cool.

My favorite was a pawn shop Silvertone electric with lipstick pickups.
It...

Yup, it is an indian company.
They sell a lot of cheap questionable gear.

https://givson.com

Awesome!!
Great playing and great tone.

When I got my Travelite case it wouldn't close when the tone-gard was on the mandolin.
I just took the mandolin out, and I used the palm of my hands to squish the padding at the back a bit.
I...

What you are doing is starting right, before the bad habit gets too solidified.
Learn to do it correctly.
You wont regret it.

It sucks to have to unlearn something after years of doing it...

Im not sure I would use McCabes for mandolin setup.
They are more Guitar centric.
Im sure they would be able to do it, but there are others with more experience with mandolins.

I have used...

I remember back in the 1980s going on a clandestine mission to get an illegal jazz fake book in Boston.
You had to go to a certain music store, put the money down, say something cryptic, and they...

Wow!!
Looks beautiful, and beautifully built.
Nice work.

WOW!!!
That SJ sounds amazing.
I love the Southern Jumbo.
I have a 1949 Southern Jumbo.
Incredible deep tone, similar to the one you have.
Bought it when I was 15 back in 1983 for $350 from...

The Northfield Artist series varnish finishes are really nice.
I have the 5-Bar and love it, but it is definitely a different tone than the McClanahan in the video you linked to.
It isn't sharp...

I think what you like about that particular mandolin is that it is just a really great mandolin.
There are lots of really great mandolins out there, with a similar kind of tone.
If you like the...

I would have a strap button installed.
I cant stand having a strap attached to the headstock.

In a recent move, I realized just how many instruments I have.
They came out of every closet and from under every bed.
This is a partial list.

Mandolins:
Northfield Artist 5Bar (NFA-5VIE)...

Yup, the James tailpiece rocks.
Best part is that it makes changing strings a breeze.
I can change strings in under ten minutes now.

On my Engelmann topped 5bar, the ProPlec pick was too dull sounding.
I prefer the BlueChip CT55 or the Wegen TF-140.
Both are great.

I tried D'addario EXP74CMs, which were pretty great, but...

If I am playing a lot I will change strings every two weeks.
Generally I change them when the strings lose their tone, or the trebles start sounding weird or have tuning issues.

I change guitar...

Congratulations.
Glad that transaction turned out great for you.
Yes, the Northfield necks are so comfortable and easy to play.

I agree about the James tailpiece too.
I want one on any future...

I have experienced something similar with instruments.
If it isn't the instrument you really want, you will think about that every time you play it.
It will not become the instrument you really...