Your MAS Progression

[Roger Moss]

Have always had the problem of buying/selling/trading instruments. Was hoping to not fall into that trap with mandolins. So far hasn't worked.

Me too. It was a serious problem for me for a while. I wish I had just a fraction of the nice guitars (acoustic and electric), mandolins, ukuleles, cbgs, keyboards, and amps I've gone through over the last 30 years, not to mention the stereo equipment, computers, etc. I've settled down some, now, but I still don't keep stuff if I don't use it for over a year or so.

[soliver]

MAS has been gentle on my limited income. Fortunately I’ve been able to raise and save up funds to have a few decent instruments.

1. Craigslist $50 Rover RM-25 ... still have this in the closet. My oldest daughter noodles with it from time to time.
2. Eastman MD-305 ... after parting with some gear from another hobby and scrimping and saving, I bought this and am stil loving it.
3. Flatiron 1N ... started carving and selling Armrests and saved up for this guy. Another craigslist buy. After owning it for a few months I decided that the flat top sound was not for me. I just sold it a week or so ago.
4. Saving up for a Silverangel Econo A oval hole mando... I’m about 1/2 way there and excited at the prospect... anybody need an Armrest

[CES]

Kentucky 675S
Flatiron 1N
Mandobird IV
Fender FM62SE
Silverangel Econo
National RM1
Eastman 315 (beater to replace the Kentucky in that role)
Martin Style A
Traded Weber Hyalite OM for Collings MT, which I traded (in part) for a Weber mandocello

Will be soon acquiring a new 2 pointer. Trying to decide whether to trade the SA or sell the Eastman and the Martin for space purposes. Leaning towards the latter. Gave the Fender to my brother, who's still using it in his praise band, otherwise still have all the others...am at a point where I'm moving to "fewer but better."

[darrylicshon]

I have always had a problem with collecting many things, this list isn't everyone, but it should be close and pretty much in order
ibanez 70's 512 a style bought around 1996
No name sold
Washburn m3k sold
Aira 100 sold
Mandobird 4 sold
Cheap acoustic electric sold
J Bovier F5-T from custom shop
the loar 600 cherryburst
ovation
flying V octave 5 string 19" scale
explorer octave 8 string 20"
Mandola acoustic electric
old Russian 8 string
9celticstar bouzouki
3 vintage no name mandos
flying v8 string
two mini flying V epiphone 6 strings
fender mandostrat 4 string
vintage a mandolin
rogue rm100f
vintage banjo,mandolin favilla. Brothers banjos new York
Dixon dm8 07-04-2015
6 Kentucky km140 bought needing repair
ibanez m700avs sold
epiphone mandobird 4
ibanez 511 70's or 80's a style
unknown oval hole a style
Kentucky km300e
sigma Martin sm35
kiso Suzuki v900
fender Robert Schmidt
Harmonia octave mandola/mandolin
Johnson resonator
gretsch g9350 park avenue
3Mancuso f style electric solidbody
mandobird 8
ibanez 522s
Johnson f style
ibanez two pointer 513
Washburn m-5s
ibanez 511 70'sa style
aria am200/bs
ibanez 513 1982-83
Badaax doubleneck
Morgan Monroe mms-5wc
ibanez 512 blonde 80's
ibanez 513
Eastman mandocaster
ibanez 70's 512 a style
gold tone F6
custom 8 string octave electric Mandolin strat shape
Kentucky 240s 02-07-2018 $128

[MikeZito]

I was waiting for Darryl to chime in! I can't wait until he has a yard sale at his place!

[George R. Lane]

I thought you were on for a two point of the new builds from Bruce?

Still waiting for Bruce to call me about the woods. I am sure he is very busy and I did tell him not to rush mine.

[fatt-dad]

‘50s Kay
Aria PM-780 (marked “hand made,” f-style)
Gibson A-3
Alvarez A-100 (12-fret, a-model, f-holes, wood binding)
Framus Guitar-shape
Joe Hayes Unique with f-holes (folk art)
Ibanez A-5 (15-fret, snakehead)
Kingston Electric (hollow body)
Flatiron 1N
Montana A Oval (Romanian-made)
Kentucky A-180 f-hole (MIJ)
Kentucky A-160S (MIJ)
Vega VM-10 (MIJ, laminate)
Ibanez A-model
Framus A-model
Flatiron A5-1 (Carlson)
Hondo A oval hole
Alvarez A-400 (Martin cant-top clone)
Fender FM-61SE
gibson “opryland” (tourist souvenir)
Aria M-300 (2-point)
Yasuma YM-130 (solid wood, MIJ)
Kentucky KM-180B
Aria Pro II A-style (very disappointing, laminate)
Alvarez 2-point
Kalamazoo KM-11
Ibanez A-style (interesting distressed finish)
Ibanez D-hole
Kentucky KM-250S (MIJ)
Aria M-180
Stiver A5 (great!)
Washburn M-2
Muth F-5
Breedlove KO
A5 IV kit (donated away)
Cohen A5 (redwood/walnut)
Muth A5
’24 Gibson A2Z
Phoenix Bluegrass
Ellis A5 Deluxe
'25 Gibson A (or A1)

still have the a3, the Cohen and the Muth. Well, the Kay hangs on the wall.

f-d

[Mark Gunter]

1. MarkStern bowlback (still have it, don't play it)
2. Ibanez 522S pressed top mandolin (sold)
3. Washburn M106SWK (still have it and carry it around everywhere for a beater, I like it)
4. Eastman MD315 (sold)
5. Collings MT

That's almost three years worth of putzing around with mandolin

[John Lloyd]

Wow, some of these lists are impressive.

Nice to know I don't qualify as a hoarder.

[Peter Kurtze]

started with a Mid-Mo M4
sold that and bought an Eastman 605
sold that and bought a Davy Stuart
sold that and bought an Eastman 604
sold that and bought a Breedlove KO
done.

[mee]

Wow I don't know if I should be impressed with some of you or just wonder if you need therapy for OCD?
My first was a Fender and that was a great beginner. My niece now has it. My forever mandolin is a Gibson F9 , and I am awaiting arrival of an Eastman MD505 because maybe I do have a little touch of MAS and it seemed too good a deal to talk myself out of it.

[DavidKOS]

1. MarkStern bowlback (still have it, don't play it)
:

Nice - I sure would be playing it!

[A 4]

In order of acquisition:
Rogue A model - given to a young relative
Fullerton Gloucester - loaned out many times, currently on loan to a young relative, hopefully permanent
Jade Oval Hole - still got it
2005 Weber Big Sky - still got it
Flatiron 2MB - loaned to me!
Gibson A2Z - still got it
Flatiron 1N - still got it. I needed a case for the 2MB, and I was out of loaners for someone who wanted to try mandolin.

A no-name tenor guitar (GDAE) showed up sometime, too. And a couple of fiddles.

[Relio]

1. Collings MT (Sold)
2. Kimble F5 (still have)

I've been playing for 6 years.

[Mark Wilson]

Kentucky KM171 (5 years ago this April)
Pava Knezevic A5
Flatiron N1
Bill Collings MT
Pava Knezevic A5
Skip Kelley A5
Tom Ellis A5
James Bernabe 3 point (in progress)

[Dale Ludewig]

This is fascinating! Please continue. This might have more information than even Zuckerberg can digest.

[Alex Orr]

2006 Kentucky KM-380S (bought it back in 2006 - still have it as my "beater")
1999 Brentrup M23-V (bought it back in 2010)
Rono 5-string e-mando (bought back in 2011 or 2012)

That's it. The Kentucky is a great beater and I haven't played anything that sounded better than my Brentrup, so I've had no need nor desire to buy any more mandolins.

The Rono on the other hand...well...I'm sure it's very good (I haven't played many other e-mandos, so I really have no basis for comparison) but it never gets used and literally gets picked up every 3-4 months for a few seconds solely to wipe off any dust that's collected on it. I spent way too much money to find out I have no use for, nor any real proficiency on an electric mandolin. It's interesting, when I bought the thing I was still paying a lot of guitar. My mandolin playing reflected that and as such the e-mando felt pretty natural. However, over the years, as I've dropped playing guitar almost entirely and focused solely on mando, and very specifically on Monroe style, the way I think about mandolin playing and approach the instrument does NOT translate well at all to an e-mando. As such, it's really like a different instrument entirely. One of these days I'll get serious about selling that thing.

[Clement Barrera-Ng]

I'm much more of a gearhead than I'm a player, so I went through quite a few in the last 15 years or so. Here are a few that I'll always remember:

• First instrument: Fylde Cittern (I was more interested in CBOM than Mando when i started). Ordered it directly from the maker before the days of internet. I think I had to send him a cashier check

• Current instrument: Silverangel Econo

• The One that got away: Joe Foley cittern. Wish I never let it go, but I needed the money much more at the time

• The One I know I'll miss: Pava Satin #52 that I just sold

• One that I shouldn't have bothered: $60 Rogue A style from eBay. That thing was barely playable

• Honorable Mention: A '24 A-Junior with a big crack on top that looked like someone took a fire poker to it. Looked like crap and worn to the bones, but it sounded better than any other Gibson A I've had since

[Mark Wilson]

• Honorable Mention: A '24 A-Junior with a big crack on top that looked like someone took a fire poker to it. Looked like crap and worn to the bones, but it sounded better than any other Gibson A I've had since

I have a nagging jones for a worn and beat Gibson A that sounds great.

[pheffernan]

I have a nagging jones for a worn and beat Gibson A that sounds great.

Something like, oh I don't know, this, Mark?

[Clement Barrera-Ng]

Something like, oh I don't know, this, Mark?

Try this one:



And it's a '26 according to my notes.

[mandroid]

Mine has shifted to some needing Re-rets ..

1) Evo on Mix, more period like on the 22 A4..

[JeffD]

I am not sure, in my case, if its a progression as much as the occasional intersection of desire, opportunity, and a momentarily flush budget.

I will sheepishly admit that I bought the last mandolin I will ever buy, four times now.

[MikeZito]

I will sheepishly admit that I bought the last mandolin I will ever buy, four times now.

Quitting my MAS is very easy . . . I've done it dozens of times!

[Trav'linmando]

My progression? That's easy. MORE!

However there is no longer any room in my truck. Until I get a different truck at least.