Just ordered a new mandolin.

[bruce.b]

Hi everyone. I haven’t posted much in a while. I sold my house in New Jersey this summer and spent months driving all over the USA, both for fun and to decide where to move to. Two weeks ago we moved into an apartment in NW portland, Oregon, right next to Forest Park. Anyway, I have been concentrating on tenor guitar and fiddle for a while and had sold my mandolins a while back. Yesterday I ordered a new mandolin and should have it in a couple of days. I can’t wait. My wife and I are now retired and I should have a ton of time to play both tenor and mandolin. I’m not yet sure about playing fiddle in the apartment. We live right next to about eighty miles of trails. My son and I are avid hikers, cyclists and climbers, and Portland is an ideal location. I need to get hooked in to the acoustic music scene here, but it looks promising. After crossing the country several times in several months it is so nice to not have to drive, we walk and cycle everywhere, pretty much. I’ve been missing having a mandolin. I hope it makes it here before the weekend, but probably not.

[Charles E.]

Hey Bruce, what type of mandolin are you getting?
My wife and I sold our house in Raleigh NC and moved to Saint Augustine FL. Similar to your situation, lot's of musicians in the area and we walk and bike most everywhere.

[Zach Wilson]

Right on! Wecome to the west coast 🤓

If you're ever up in Seattle let me know! We could go to Dusty Strings and drool over some mandolins.

Congratulations on your new mandolin and happy pickin'

[Jim Garber]

I’m not yet sure about playing fiddle in the apartment. We live right next to about eighty miles of trails.

Wouldn't that mean that you *can* play fiddle (or tuba) in your apartment?

[Jim Roberts]

This weekend will be hopping in our fine state of Oregon with the Portland Old Time Music Gathering. It's a multi-day event filled with music, dancing, stellar beers, mirth and merriment!!!

http://bubbaguitar.com/gathering/

[HonketyHank]

Retirement is a pretty good job, isn't it? You picked a good place to settle. Welcome to the neighborhood!

[MontanaMatt]

Get a heavy metal fiddle mute, your neighbors will never hear you, then saw away.
Congrats on getting back into mando, it'll help your fiddling.
The mute is made of heavy metal, though it could be used for heavy metal type music

[bruce.b]

Thank you for the kind words everyone. I bought a Sawchyn Beavertail mandolin. I’ve always wanted a good pancake style and it was this or a Poe. No Poe’s were available, so it was an easy choice. I happen to equally like the tone of a flattop and carved top, and for what I wanted to spend I could get a top end flattop or an inexpensive carved. I expect to keep this as there isn’t really any pancakes to upgrade to. Not sure if I’ll be in Portland beyond my year lease, but probably somewhere less expensive in this part of the USA after.

[Peter Barnett]

Retirement is a pretty good job, isn't it? You picked a good place to settle. Welcome to the neighborhood!

Portland is a pretty good place. Welcome.

[colorado_al]

Thank you for the kind words everyone. I bought a Sawchyn Beavertail mandolin. I’ve always wanted a good pancake style and it was this or a Poe. No Poe’s were available, so it was an easy choice. I happen to equally like the tone of a flattop and carved top, and for what I wanted to spend I could get a top end flattop or an inexpensive carved. I expect to keep this as there isn’t really any pancakes to upgrade to. Not sure if I’ll be in Portland beyond my year lease, but probably somewhere less expensive in this part of the USA after.

I played a Sawchyn Beavertail mandolin this summer at Dusty Strings in Seattle and it was one of the best army/navy style instruments I've ever heard. Great choice!