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https://shopgoodwill.com/item/188702434

Looks to be in great shape, case included--it's a pick-up-in-person only item, or I'd have kept it a secret and tried to get it myself. I've been curious...

Well, I've pulled the trigger on the Thomann Artist mandocello; the website claimed at checkout that it would be here this Friday, but I don't believe that for a second, unless there's one sitting in...

Yes, I have considered the Gold Tone; the Thomann is $600 with $85 shipping, so the price is pretty competitive (though throw in a hard case for $130 and it starts to get up there). I keep finding...

First, I'm so sorry to hear about the mishap--I hate to hear it. Can it be patched up for less than replacement cost? I appreciate your thoughts and have read some of your other posts, which informed...

My urge to acquire something with eight strings and a low C has been getting the better of me lately, and I'm back to looking for budget-friendly mandocello options.

While the wife is generally...

Sorry to revive an older thread, but I have done this exact thing, and it works great; I play mine almost daily.

I worked out the string tensions and gauges, and ordered single strings from...

Well, I came to a better solution. I had a hammered dulcimer that I'd partially restored that was gathering dust. I just wasn't playing it very much, so I decided I'd gauge the interest level:...

Thanks for the links; I'm watching both of them, though the cracked one I might be a little too skittish to jump into, even though it ends soon. There's another Big Muddy out there online for a...

Attention guitar converts and mandolin newbies:

If you currently believe, like I did until recently, that a pick is a pick, and that your pick collection from your guitar days is fine, and that...

Sadly, I got skunked. It was sitting at $80, I put $180 as my max in at the 20-second mark, and I thought I had it. Someone put in a higher bid at the 5-second mark. I'm bummed about it, but it may...

Great suggestion, I'm adding it to my watch list :) If the Selah ends up inflating to a ridiculous price, I may bail and pivot to the Levin.

I thought the same thing, looking at the headstock, but it seems it's just a little benign 90's cheese :) I may just call the number on the label and see who picks up!

I considered using that mixed metaphor too, as well as "farming for loose change," "dialing for unicorns," and "scouring for flavors."

...Also, it took great strength of will to not respond...

Now that you say it, that rosette does have a bit of an Azteca flair. Interesting.

My search for a good deal on an oval-hole flat top has led me to a couple of interesting eBay listings. I'm probably shooting myself in the foot by posting them, but...hey, gotta see what the wiser...

Thanks Chris--that's exactly what I'm concerned about. I know the regular Flatiron/Gibson 1N and family have a good reputation, but the Cadet hasn't been on my radar before. Anyone else have deeper...

I've been coveting a flat top oval hole for awhile--vacillating between trying to find a used Big Muddy, or a Trinity College, or similar. My bluegrass chops just aren't ever going to be there, and I...

One other "hack" you might be able to do; get an 8-string baritone uke, and restring with the appropriate gauges to GDAE. Hey presto, nylon-string octave mando! I did this with a four-string baritone...

On further research, looks like the nut width is around 1.68" on the three I linked. So you might physically be able to fit eight strings. My guess is that the bracing and top thickness might be a...

I was thinking four strings only--I doubt a full complement of eight would fit.

I've been seeing a number of small acoustic basses pop up with a 23-25" scale lately, set up with a new D'Addario nylon-core string set.

Ibanez PNBE

Guild Jumbo Junior Bass

Taylor GS Mini-e...

Hmm...that's where I grew up, and my folks are still there. Maybe I'll need to go to the festival with my dad. He and I are equally terrible new mandolinists, so we can go ogle instruments with...

It sounds like fun! I'm really looking for the CGDA tuning though. I did think about tenor guitar, but I've got a baritone uke in GDAE that I could convert for that--I like the double-course sound...

Thanks for the recommendations everyone! I like the thought of a Big Muddy--if I can find enough of my stuff to sell on eBay to fund one, I may go that direction. If I can't, I'll probably look at...

Hey all, I'm interested in mandola (and octaves, but that's another story). For whatever reason, I like the lower pitches, and have always had trouble getting my fingers out of each others' way on...