Campfire travel Mandolin

[RHDean]

Carbon fiber seems to be making it's way to a lot of instruments, and actually gaining popularity.

[MikeEdgerton]

Carbon fiber mandolins apparently have been here and gone. A few years back Peter Mix was on the scene with the NewMAD then Mix mandolins. They were decent instruments but were pricey. I don't think Peter is building any more (I could be wrong about that). We have a few other members that are currently building them in small quantities. I'm not sure where the future is for them. I haven't bumped into any recently. Some history in the mandolin world can be found here.

[colorado_al]

My definition of a campfire/travel mandolin is one that plays well enough, but that if it were to be broken or stolen, it would be a bummer for the rest of the trip not to have it, but it wouldn't be costly to replace once you get home. That cost varies depending on the person. To me, that threshold is about $400-$500. To some that might be $50. Others maybe $1500.
I have a Tacoma M2e that I take all over, like to Mexico. I play on the beach, or around the fire, or on stage, or busking. It sounds good enough, is super easy to play, and if it were totally destroyed or went missing, I could replace it for a few hundred $. I bought it for $1000 about 20 years ago, so I think it has certainly given me my money's worth. That's also why I have the Kentucky KM-272. When I'm heading to BC for a backcountry ski trip, I'm certainly not bringing the Collings. The Kentucky fills in just fine!

[vojtechkral]

My 2 cents: This summer I carried my $600 mandolin through several hiking trips, including one in Georgia (not the U.S. Georgia, the other Georgia ) and another one where I only slept in a hammock and kept the instrument in my backpack. The mando seems to have handled it just fine. Ironically, the one noticable scratch it gained over the summer was done back home.

The reason I take the (relatively) expensive one rather than a $50 "disposable" one is that the time spent playing with friends around a campfire or in a tavern or a hilltop or what have you are often one of the most enjoyable and exciting moments that I get to experience with the instrument. It would feel wrong to leave my favourite instrument at home and take a cheap replacement instead. To me there wouldn't be a point of owning a nice mandolin if I could only play it at home or selected 'safe' venues rather then wherever the hell I want to

And if I ever feel worried about its safety, insurance is a thing. I did a quick google search and where I live a two-year insurance of my mandolin that covers theft, vandalism, improper handling, and environment/element damange costs about as much as a cheap mandolin ($50).

[Dagger Gordon]

I've been quite pleased with a Seagull mandolin which I bought last year.
It's loud, plays very easily, fits in my hand luggage backpack so I'm not checking in any extra luggage on a flight and it's really pretty good. As I sometimes say to people I meet (like on a recent short trip to Ireland for example) - it may not have the best tone in the world but it's a long way from being the worst!
Here's a wee clip of me playing outside my house last winter.

https://www.facebook.com/daggergordo...270712795/?t=2

[j. condino]

Mandolins are already travel sized instruments; I can't imagine wanting something smaller or weaker sounding!

I've always traveled with the best instrument I own- deployed to war, down the heart of the Grand Canyon by river, multiple times to Mt Everest, by car, by train, by horse, by yak and nak, by plane, by raft, by kayak, by canoe, by sailboat, and often times strapped to my back for hundreds of miles, on glaciers and jungles and deserts and adventures all over the world.

Never once, even after sometimes months of hard travels and tremendous elevations to get there did I think to myself, "Wow! It is spectacular to be in one of the most challenging and remote places in the world living life. Too bad I didn't bring my p.o.s. useless cheap unplayable mandolin shaped object instead of my favorite instrument to be living life right here and right now to the fullest just in case this is my last day."

The joke will be on all of you old guys worshiping your precious material items so much you are afraid to use them, when your children drop all of that junk off at the Goodwill donation center after you are gone.......

[Minorkey]

I think I paid £60 for my Deacon M100A. Its good enough for being a beater.

[Zach Wilson]

My (the) Loar LM 170 works just fine as a travel instrument. Solid top, full size, paid well under 200. Fun to play. Replaceable!

[Br1ck]

I bought my Michael Kelly for 199.00 a while back. That is the one that goes everywhere, but if I were to go somewhere serious picking was going on, providing I ever get to that skill level, the nice ones will go with me.

Perfect for this are fifteen year old instruments where the add says they have been gigged for ten or twelve years. Typically priced way under a pristine example. Might still be over three grand, but there have been some nicer F styles down to $2k lately. Might not be a beater, but like my 65 Epiphone Texan guitar, you might not be able to tell where that last ding was.

[rgray]

If you want the ultimate camping mandolin, you have to get the Cabela's Signature Model Mandolin that is made with carbon fiber and a Vermont Fall Foliage finish.

https://www.mandolincafe.com/news/pu...s_001191.shtml

[colorado_al]

If you want the ultimate camping mandolin, you have to get the Cabela's Signature Model Mandolin that is made with carbon fiber and a Vermont Fall Foliage finish.

https://www.mandolincafe.com/news/pu...s_001191.shtml

Just be careful that you don't ever put it down. The camo is so good, you might never find it again!

[Dan Adams]

My ‘campfire, mandolin is my 81 Flatiron 2MB. It’s great around the campfire, backpacking, been to Europe twice, through the Panama Canal, visited a few islands in the Caribbean, fits in a day pack for a bike ride, is a great busking mandolin, etc..

[Tom Haywood]

Getting ready to go again. This one spent last week traveling at the bottom under many heavy suitcases on several full tour buses in hot, humid Alabama weather. Rough handling; no "fragile" markings. Taking an airline ride tomorrow. I have two required carry-ons, so I couldn't take a mandolin any other way.

[colorado_al]

I've always traveled with the best instrument I own

Unlike most of us, that's a little easier to say when you are a premiere instrument builder who can just make a new one if yours gets nicked or destroyed.

Too bad I didn't bring my p.o.s. useless cheap unplayable mandolin shaped object instead of my favorite instrument to be living life right here and right now to the fullest just in case this is my last day.

I'd be proud to play any of the instruments that I own in any situation. Be it on stage tonight, or on my last day. Just because I don't bring my main stage mandolin when I travel for vacation doesn't mean I'm bringing something that is a p.o.s.

[Dagger Gordon]

Mandolins are already travel sized instruments; I can't imagine wanting something smaller or weaker sounding!)

I'm generally with you on what you say, and I've always admired your attitude and approach to life . Your travels are fairly spectacular by most people's standards - "multiple times to Mt Everest"!
And it is true that the mandolin in itself is an ideal travel instrument. I've always found that myself.

But on the point of not wanting something smaller, then I differ slightly. I really don't have an issue about taking my Collings mandolin travelling. If it got bust I have insurance and would buy something else.
But assuming you also have an item of hand luggage, then you would have to check the instrument in on a flight, which costs a bit of money and also takes time. For me the main attraction of my wee Seagull mandolin is precisely that I can fit it in my hand luggage bag along with a spare pair of trousers and a couple of books.

I find it very useful to travel very lightly, and that is the main reason I got the Seagull, because it is so small. The other reason is its remarkable volume, which makes it ideal for a session, especially in a pub situation where cutting through the general din is important.

Travelling with a p.o.s. is not why I do it.

[Dave Greenspoon]

I've had a couple mandos bought for this need. The first was a used Washburn Jethro, then a Loar LM370. Nowadays that role is filled with either the Crafter (10K miles this past summer to Israel and back) or the Eastman 515, depending on perceived need.

[Tom Sanderson]

Mandolins are already travel sized instruments; I can't imagine wanting something smaller or weaker sounding!

I've always traveled with the best instrument I own.


The joke will be on all of you old guys worshiping your precious material items so much you are afraid to use them, when your children drop all of that junk off at the Goodwill donation center after you are gone.......

I totally agree. I won’t even own a “beater” mandolin. All mine are high end and I take them wherever I go. I have a good insurance policy (Heritage). They can all be replaced. Always play the best ones you have. Would you take your beat up , worn out vehicle on a cross country trip instead of your new dependable vehicle to avoid risking damage to the new one? Life is too short to play crappy musical instruments .

[fatt-dad]

Imagine owing two mandolins, both bought brand new. One cost $500 bucks and the other $4,000 bucks. Imagine using the, "Good one" only on the sofa, but occasionally taking it out if the conditions are only favorable. Imagine using the $500 dollar mandolin for all your fun stuff.

After 5 years, they'll both work fine. The cheap one, though, brought you the most actual joy. Which one do you really want to hang on to?

I have, "Good" instruments. I don't limit their use to anything. I have stories of travel and campfires with all of them.

I don't own a beater.

f-d

[Paul Kotapish]

If you want the ultimate camping mandolin, you have to get the Cabela's Signature Model Mandolin that is made with carbon fiber and a Vermont Fall Foliage finish.

https://www.mandolincafe.com/news/pu...s_001191.shtml

Did they ever actually offer those for sale? There's nothing on their website and I never saw evidence that they actually sold any.

I think that there is a real market for a decent, modestly priced carbon-fiber mandolin, but it seems that the tooling-up costs have been too steep to get carbon-fiber into the kind of production that would make them affordable enough to be contenders for camping/travel instruments.

The Mix instruments I played were pretty great, but they weren't priced anywhere close to cheap.

[Minorkey]

Unfortunately some of us can only afford beaters

[Tom Sanderson]

Unfortunately some of us can only afford beaters

All the more reason to spend your money on the best instrument you can afford and play it everywhere rather than owning an extra,inferior instrument for campfires, travel etc. . Buy the best one you can and take care of it.

[colorado_al]

Did they ever actually offer those for sale? There's nothing on their website and I never saw evidence that they actually sold any.

I think that there is a real market for a decent, modestly priced carbon-fiber mandolin, but it seems that the tooling-up costs have been too steep to get carbon-fiber into the kind of production that would make them affordable enough to be contenders for camping/travel instruments.

The Mix instruments I played were pretty great, but they weren't priced anywhere close to cheap.

There have been some carbon fiber mandolins made, however the market is pretty tiny for them.

Regarding the Cabelas mandolin, I suggest you look closely at the date that the link was posted to see why you're not finding any other mention of them...

[j. condino]

Unlike most of us, that's a little easier to say when you are a premiere instrument builder who can just make a new one if yours gets nicked or destroyed.

Thanks for the nice compliment Al. I adopted that philosophy about 40 years ago before I ever built my first instrument and it has been with me every since. Plenty were nicked and destroyed, but that never stopped me.

Life is short; I want to die with 10,000 great memories and only what I came into this world with.

[colorado_al]

Thanks for the nice compliment Al. I adopted that philosophy about 40 years ago before I ever built my first instrument and it has been with me every since. Plenty were nicked and destroyed, but that never stopped me.

Life is short; I want to die with 10,000 great memories and only what I came into this world with.

Your work is fantastic! I'd be honored to have one of your mandolins stolen while on walkabout.
I think I'd have to sell the lot to step up to that though. Someday...

By the way, my son took your advice from when we visited your shop, and started learning the upright bass this year in school! Thanks for pointing him in that direction!

[Minorkey]

All the more reason to spend your money on the best instrument you can afford and play it everywhere rather than owning an extra,inferior instrument for campfires, travel etc. . Buy the best one you can and take care of it.

Unfortunately the only one I could afford is terrible. Silly impulse buy as it looked nice. It is fixeable I suppose but I'm all thumbs. And really should be focussing on my classical guitar studies!