what are the regular folks playing.

[George R. Lane]

I went through five mandolins to get my keeper.

[MikeEdgerton]

I went through five mandolins to get my keeper.

That's actually pretty normal from what I've seen. The number may be a little less but generally people move up. Every few years it seems we get an active member that buys and keeps several less expensive mandolins hoping all the while that they'll find a keeper. When folks turn them over not only do new players get to move up a bit but you should be able to find yourself a decent instrument. Each instrument should teach you a little something about the one your looking for.

[mushin]

I started with a Kentucky KM150, just purchased a Eastman MD505. I'm so happy with the Eastman, but I find myself reading about Pava Mandolins, also looking a lot at the Collings MT. It's a fun journey!

[dhergert]

Hmmm, I paid more money for my $199 MK than I paid for my F-9. I got my F-9 in trade.

Expending money on a mandolin doesn't mean deep pockets necessarily. It may only mean that a mandolin is more important to a person than some other things, like for example food, clothes, a bed, a place to live, transportation, etc. Everything is relative,

[TonyP]

I ain't broke, but brother I'm badly bent. I was lucky, my third mandolin that was my only mandolin for 30yrs was a Newson F5. That was long ago when there were not to many independents and few PAC Rims and Mr. Newson wasn't widely known. I never did find anything else that did it for me until I found a very plain jane Furch A model with cedar top and mahogany neck, back and sides. Found it in the old Buffalo Bro's in Carlsbad and I was in luv. Couldn't shake it, so I traded them fellers for some stuff and what I thought was going to be my camping mandolin has turned into my first string. Oh and I have an old Gelas bowlback that is never played. I think I could be happy enough with the Furch if I was stranded on an island and could only have one mandolin.

[Ron McMillan]

See my signature below . . .

No thanks. I remain grateful to a Café moderator who, years ago, taught me how to switch off signatures so that I never see them.

[pops1]

No thanks. I remain grateful to a Café moderator who, years ago, taught me how to switch off signatures so that I never see them.

I have a signature, but it doesn't have anything to do with what mandolin/mandolins I play.

[Bertram Henze]

I tend to think that many of us would sooner own a single fine instrument than three or four lesser ones.

Affirmative. See my avatar.

[mandolin tony]

sblock, your Stelling is a very nice banjo. not for every one sound wise, I guess because its not a Gibson just like my ODE. but I love the sound of a good walnut banjo over maple & mahogany. an Yankee as for deep pockets to me that's an instrument that is over 5K. PS I would love an older mahogany Weber.

[darrylicshon]

I am lucky I don't have many bills , so I have bought way too many mandolins, the only one I bought new was my J Bovier, all the rest I hunted for and got really good deals. I like having various models to play, I have a few F style with F holes and 1 with oval , the same with A style, I only have oval hole two pointers and octaves , i need to find a deal on an F hole ones. I have many solidbody mandolin and octave ones. I love my cheap resonator. I have more 70-80's ibanez Mandolins than any other brand. I am selling some of my gear, guitars mandolins and amps plus a few other items, once I figure out what I want to keep and sell or trade the rest. I will take my cash and probably buy a expensive mandolin or octave.

[Roger Moss]

I have a signature, but it doesn't have anything to do with what mandolin/mandolins I play.

Me either. I see the signature as less a chance to show off than an opportunity to show a little of who I am, and if they can be entertaining, so much the better.

[Al Trujillo]

Do empty pockets make them deep...or just empty? I own a Weber Gallatin-A. The least expensive (by no means cheap) mandolin of some quality I could afford. This website is just like a favorite fishing hole - some use an Uglystick, others an Oyster Legacy bamboo. At the end of the day they both bring great joy to our lives!

[Bertram Henze]

I have a signature, but it doesn't have anything to do with what mandolin/mandolins I play.

Same here. For listing my instruments I have an avatar.

[mandolin tony]

you know I never think of my mandolins as being mid level price range. when you compare them to banjos , where you can spend an easy 2k on a mid level instrument, or maybe more now a days. the one thing I hate is when people put down other people instruments. what ever happened to being nice to other peoples feelings ?.

[Toni Schula]

Pava A5. Hopefully soon. See https://www.mandolincafe.com/giveaway/

[DataNick]

I don't mean to be obtrusive but this question is kind of unanswerable...I have a friend with deep pockets who plays a Weber F5 Special Edition that was around $2K when he got it. My F5L is worth more but I'm poor.

The answers you're looking for are so relative to taste, circumstances, priorities, etc. All of which are as variable as there are individuals. My late fiddle player was poor, but he had a $15K fiddle that his grandparents purchased for him...my 94 F5L was acquired when I had a good job, and I still ate cup of noodles for a couple of weeks to make it happen, maybe "How did you get your mandolin" is a bit more appropriate...YMMV

Addendum: when Ronnie McCoury was a young man, the Gilchrist F5 that he still plays today was gifted to him by Dawg...you see what I mean...there's no normalcy to this business of what you get to own.

[Eric Platt]

Me, I'd rather have the multiple mediocre instruments than one expensive that doesn't do what I want to musically. Each instrument that I own has a use. Do I have too many? Probably. Could probably get by with just the Gibson and the Eastman. But I still like the others.

My guitars are the same way. Mediocre Gibson, Martin and Taylor acoustics.

[Steve Sorensen]

Continuing on Nicks thoughts above --

Most of the Artists that I work with, particularly the younger players actually saved up and payed for the custom instruments that they've ordered from me (often with a bit of parental support, I assume).

I do offer discounted pricing for some of the players who I really would like to work with, but I've found you can quickly winnow out the tire kickers by not offering freebies.

A good instrument is the tool of the trade for people who play a lot . . . and understanding the importance of starting with excellent tools is the real measure of how focused an artist is on their craft.

And while the entry level instruments are getting better and better, I think that if you've actually decided to play for more than a couple of hours per week, the value of getting a really finely built, individually adjusted instrument with a complex, powerful, and balanced feel and voice is self-evident. As in cars, horses, golf gear, fishing gear, etc. etc. etc. that level of attention to detail and responsiveness comes at a price when compared to the entry-level tools.

I think, perhaps, this discussion crops up again and again to try to rationalize the underlying reality -- most of us don't play well enough or often enough to appreciate the differences between fair, good, and excellent instruments.

But I assure you, the differences are substantial and worth the life-investment if you find your instrument(s) at the core of your daily life. Also, unlike great wine, expensive restaurants, cigars, and blended coffees, great instruments are there for you day after day . . . only growing in value as time goes by.

Steve

[Zach Wilson]

I don't mean to be obtrusive but this question is kind of unanswerable...I have a friend with deep pockets who plays a Weber F5 Special Edition that was around $2K when he got it. My F5L is worth more but I'm poor.

The answers you're looking for are so relative to taste, circumstances, priorities, etc. All of which are as variable as there are individuals. My late fiddle player was poor, but he had a $15K fiddle that his grandparents purchased for him...my 94 F5L was acquired when I had a good job, and I still ate cup of noodles for a couple of weeks to make it happen, maybe "How did you get your mandolin" is a bit more appropriate...YMMV

Addendum: when Ronnie McCoury was a young man, the Gilchrist F5 that he still plays today was gifted to him by Dawg...you see what I mean...there's no normalcy to this business of what you get to own.

My thoughts exactly. Just cause I own a Weber Yellowstone F doesn't mean I could have ever afforded it.

[mandolinstew]

I like my Kentucky 606 more than the $5,000 Collings I played last week

[DataNick]

I like my Kentucky 606 more than the $5,000 Collings I played last week

And here we go again...read Steve Sorensen's post for some clarity on your perspective; or better yet, show up at his place in SoCal and play a few, and see if you really still prefer the Kentucky...YMMV

[Phil Goodson]

Yes, what do the simple regular folks do?

[Br1ck]

I have been amazed at the amount spent on mandolins and wondered at where the money comes from, but then I remember what I pay for housing. I could easily live somewhere else and bank $1500 a month toward mandolins.

The 980 sq foot house next door sold in a day. My contractor neighbor said it would cost $100,000 in material to make it nice. Down to the studs remodel. It sold for $950,000. It was bought by a real estate investment group. No individual buyer had the money to compete. Now this is truly a wreck of a house in a rather scruffy looking neighborhood.nif I wanted to move I'd be sitting pretty, but my grandkids are 20 min. away.

So no Harlys for me, also no snow. Life is one big trade off.

[ccravens]

Me, I'd rather have the multiple mediocre instruments than one expensive that doesn't do what I want to musically.

Sounds like a false choice. Who says you have to have a more expensive instrument that won't do what you want it to? Why would someone even purchase such an instrument? I'm doubtful that many ever do. To turn your thought around, I'd rather have a superior, and more expensive instrument, that can do many of the things I want it to do musically, rather than multiple mediocre instruments that are musically mediocre.


On a different thought, I find it a bit odd that mandolin tony (maybe inadvertently) would frame his post in an us vs. them narrative. As others have pointed out, not only is that not necessary, it's also not necessarily true.

[Caleb]

Money spent on instruments (or anything) is a matter of perspective. Many people will not spend even $1000 on a good instrument, but will drop that much or more on a flatscreen TV, laptop, smartphone, etc, etc, that will certainly wear out and need replacing in a few short years. But a good instrument will last beyond a lifetime. Which is money better spent?