Acquisition Syndrome . . . or Crisis?

[MikeZito]

A few days ago the President declared a 'Opioid Crisis' in the United States.

While I (thankfully) have never had any sort of drug or alcohol addiction - I have been VERY addicted to many 'Acquisition Syndromes' over the years; (Sports Cards, Coins, Books, Game Used Baseball Jerseys, etc.)

While it seems as though many, many of us here at TMC have or do suffer from some sort of Musical Acquisition Syndrome; (Mandolins, Guitars, Gear, etc.) - it also seems as though I have also known an equal number of players over the years that have not been effected by the same syndrome.

In the past 40 years I have probably owned well over 200 assorted stringed instruments, and know other players who have suffered the same fate . . . but on the other side of the coin, I know about an equal number of players who have gone through that same period of time, owning only enough instruments to be counted on one or two hands.

My question/informal-poll for Cafe members is:

Is MAS/GAS, etc. a 'Syndrome' for the few - or a 'Crisis' for the many?

[Denny Gies]

I think there are an equal number of us that fall into either or both categories.

[Em Tee]

Crisis in that I am broke. lol

[George R. Lane]

I myself am retired and don't have that much disposable income destined for instruments. However, I do have a really nice set of golf clubs (my real passion, been playing for nearly 50 years). It's not that I wouldn't love to have several mandos, I am just happy with what I have.

[LadysSolo]

It depends - I have several mandolins, several guitars, but only one piano, one oboe, and two violins (one that was a gift, and one that I was at an auction and a person started playing it, and it was gorgeous-sounding, and the bidding stopped at $150.00 and it was mine!) I am trying to get anything that I plan to enjoy in retirement while I am still working, so it will be paid for to enjoy after I retire and will have much less disposable income. At least that's the plan........

[MontanaMatt]

If I had more money, I'd probably buy more instruments. I do have great axes, but there is always something greener on the other side of the fence. Guess I gotta make more money!

BTW, buying instruments is not "disposable income" if you don't break or burn them.

[Al Trujillo]

I own two Harleys and one Mandolin....and I'm trying to sell one of the Harleys to buy a second Mandolin.

I don't know whether to call my current state a crisis or syndrome....or simply irresponsible???

[Ivan Kelsall]

From Mike Zito - "Is MAS/GAS, etc. a 'Syndrome' for the few - or a 'Crisis' for the many ?". If you don't have the cash - it's neither !.

I think that with musical instruments,most players enjoy 'differences of tone' etc.,but finance comes into it. I originally wanted an "F" & an "A" style mandolin,& was fortunate to be able to afford them at the time. The "A" style developed a warped neck & i part-ex'd it for another "F" style. Then, 3 years back,i was offered my Ellis "A" style at a price that i could just about afford,so,after refusing it at first,i did buy it & then struggled to put the cash back into our 'home emergency fund'. It took a while but i got it done. So - for me,it's finance driven. As much as i drool over some of the mandolins & banjos that come up for sale in the ads.,lack of 'expendable' cash tells me that it's not going to happen. When you live in a 150+ year old house,reality has a nasty habit of biting you in the ass !!, Ivan

[Eric Platt]

Mike, like you, my (name an item) acquisition syndrome is something a minority of us have. For me it's been guitars (electric & acoustic), basses, mandolins, books, sports cards, RR memorabilia, LPs, CDs.

I think quite a few folks collect stuff. But with only a few does it become an issue (raises hand.)

While I probably could be tempted on other mandolins, have to learn to play what I have.

[AMandolin]

Mike
Over the years of playing, I think I’ve just kept all of the instruments I’ve acquired. I’ve sold maybe 3 in my life. That however is changing, I’m actually thinking of selling almost all of them, just to clear out my life. I am not getting younger and I can’t play all of them is my thought.

[Teak]

Before I started reading Mandolin Cafe, I was happy to own one mandolin, for 30+ years. After I started reading MC, I began to experience MAS and now own two more mandolins and a mandola. What is this condition called? Mandolin-Cafe-Enabled-Mandolin-Acquisition-Syndrome: MCEMAS?

And yet, I am at peace with myself, for now. But looking through the Classifieds, day after day, I am not sure how much longer I can resist.

[Paul Busman]

I myself am retired and don't have that much disposable income destined for instruments. However, I do have a really nice set of golf clubs (my real passion, been playing for nearly 50 years). It's not that I wouldn't love to have several mandos, I am just happy with what I have.

I'm with George. I have a good enough F mandolin (Fullerton Gloucester),a good enough A (Breedlove Crossover, first gen),a good enough electric (Eastwood mandocaster), a good enough octave mandolin (Trinity College)strung as a tenor guitar, and a good enough Irish Tenor banjo (GoldTone). They're all well set up and I've played them extensively at sessions and Irish band gigs.I bought or traded for all of these at prices significantly less than retail price, either as closeouts or used. I've probably spent less for allof them combined than many people would probably consider a low to medium price for a "good" or intermediate mandolin. I'm perfectly happy with what I have, and am glad to use my retirement funds for other things I can share with my wife and family.
I've never understood the having just for the sake of having thing. I regularly play all of the instruments I have (electric not so much lately since I'm not currently in a band). If I bought any more, some would just sit in their cases which doesn't make any sense to me.

[BrianWilliam]

MAS/GAS isn't killing. Fentanyl is. This comparison is insensitive at best.

[bruce.b]

I’ve owned quite a few instruments, but I only keep what I regularly play. I currently have two tenor guitars and two fiddles, and a tenor banjo. Only the tenor guitars are expensive instruments. I often think about getting another concertina (I regularly played english concertina for years) and another mandolin, but I’m not sure I’d play them very much.

[allenhopkins]

MAS/GAS isn't killing. Fentanyl is. This comparison is insensitive at best.

Appreciate the thread's attempt at humor, but doubt any "acquisition syndrome" for material objects will kill 60,00 people in the US this year -- or any year. I'm OK spending my disposable "music money" (what I make from performing etc.) on an excessive number of stringed and reed instruments. I enjoy 'em, and I'll be putting them back into circulation soon enough.

Substance abuse ruins lives, destroys families, and puts a huge strain on public and private resources that respond to its effects. Buying a bunch of stuff -- mandolins, Hummel figurines, shoes, Star Wars action figures, whatever -- causes transient financial strain and provokes domestic arguments. Comparison is a bit strained, IMHO.

[Phil Goodson]

....BTW, buying instruments is not "disposable income" if you don't break or burn them.

Good point! A rough calculation suggests that if my present instruments were sold at anywhere close to their present value, I'd just about break even with what I've spent over the years.

So, with a little luck, I'll have played and enjoyed music for free for all these years. (and that doesn't count the savings in mental health costs I probably would have racked up )

How often can you say that about stuff that we buy?

[Jim Franey]

I drive a $5000 car ! But I own $20.000 in guitars and Mandolins
The car gets me to work and the store !
My instruments get me to Heaven ❤️

[Jim Franey]

Amen 😎👍

[Jim Garber]

MAS is prevented or cured with EWS (Empty Wallet Syndrome).

[MediumMando5722]

I had GAS super bad. In the early 2000s, I went through a phase where I was buying/selling/trading electric guitars on a weekly to monthly basis. I think the longest I kept anything throughout that time was maybe 3 months. All my time was spent looking for the next one, and as a result, my playing plateaued for years.

Financial & time constraints put that to an end. Since then, once I get ahold of something that plays well and sounds good, I'm fairly content. My electric guitar collection is WAY nicer than my bluegrass instruments, but I'm happy with all of them. Now, when I have any pangs for new stuff, it's for a Dobro, or a Telecaster, ie, something I don't already have.

[LadysSolo]

It is an addiction of sorts, just a relatively undestructive one. I frequently have made the point to my SO that I don't drink, smoke, or do drugs, and I don't have a shoe or clothing habit. I could do much worse things with my money than buy musical instruments. And after I retire, I Plan to put them to use - I plan to go to nursing homes in the area and play for residents, all the songs that my mother loved. They are regularly bored and enjoy entertainment, and they are (usually) somewhat to greatly hard-of-hearing, so they will not know if I am any good or not! I can go when I want, and stay as long as I want. Since I will be volunteering, I can just have fun!

[Ivan Kelsall]

From Jim Franey - "I drive a $5000 car !". If your (or 'our') cars were hand made from raw materials as skillfully as our mandolins,most of us would be walking !.

I don't think that we forget the tremendous skill & the number of hours that goes into building our mandolins,but it's easy to overlook the fact. In some ways,you can equate the best mandolins to a top flight racing car - they're built for performance & the highest quality of materials is required to be used to achieve the 'best' performance. Almost anything 'hand built' is very expensive,
Ivan

[William Smith]

Yep I drive an old junkie PT Cruiser, been paid for for years/also bought it used! Also a used minivan that I bought on the cheap over a year ago and that's paid for itself! I'll buy super expensive instruments but refuse to spend too much on rides! Funny but if you live where I live I swear the roads are the worst ever and I've been in and drove in many states! Northwestern PA roads tear your car up!!
I hear ya Mike Zito, I've had many interests and indulged in each one! Now if I had all that $$ that I spent on all my vices when younger be it cards/cars/women/gambling etc.... I could've easily bought any Loar and old Herringbone and then some! No joke there.

[Brian Harris]

I think a focus on tone leads to MAS. A focus on playing, songs, and performance leans toward getting a instrument you can get familiar with.

I see no problem with either. I just find, for me, MAS takes too much time and energy.

[fatt-dad]

. . . there was a time. . .

I sort of think it's a, "Station of Life" issue. Now that I'm 62 and done all the horse trading, it's just not the same.

I've learned, the following:

It's the horse not the saddle.
No instrument in the world will solve a technique problem.
Buying is easy, practicing is hard.
They all sound like mandolin objects.
It takes months to really know whether you want to keep playing something.

I could go on. . .

And, yes, I want a Sam Bush Master Model, but don't have the time for all that obsession.

f-d