Your MAS Progression

[MontanaMatt]

Started with an addiction to nice Fiddles!
2006 Gold Tone GM-70, traded for a laptop
2007 Weber Elite (prevented MAS for 10 yrs)
2017 Ratliff R5 (will keep MAS at bay for 5 yrs, till my 50th bday)

[catmandu2]

...this suggests a quest to find better tone...

Possibly as well, a dose of good old commodity fetishization.

[Herzen]

My list is surprisingly very short. Despite my nature as a collector, I limit myself to one of each type of instrument.

1. 50s Stradolin (bought in college, saw a lot of square dance action) (traded)
2. 2009 Breedlove Quartz KF (current)

If you count mandolas,
1. 2005 Michael Kelly Mandola Plus (traded)
2. 2006 Weber Absaroka (current)

[tiltman]

Hmmm...this may not be in exact order...

- Weber Y2K - first mando, traded
- 1940's Gibson A50, traded
- 2002 Gibson F9, traded
- 1996 Gibson F5V, still have
- 1915 Gibson A, traded
- Mix A5, still have
- 1924 Gibson A snakehead, traded
- 1913 Gibson H2 mandola, sold
- 1980's Givens A5, still have
- 1990's Givens A6, still have
- 1960's Mandocaster, still have

It's been fun but I'm obviously better at catching than releasing...

Kirk

[Steve Ostrander]

1. Rogue rm100f
2. Epiphone MM30e
2. MK TMS Custom
4. MK Dragonfly
5. Eastman md615
6. Eastman md 804
7. Kentucky km505
8. Kentucky km855
9. Kentucky km900
10. Eastman md615
11. Collings MT
12. Breedlove American ff
13. Gibson F9

I still have the last two, but I should have kept the last three. And that's just mandolins. Anybody want to talk guitars, basses, and amps?

[Phil Goodson]

Caught & released:

Michael Kelly ‘A Solid’
Weber Bitterroot F
Harmony Monterey
Gibson A-2 w/ truss rod
Elliott Custom A-5
Collings MF
Altman M-F5
Duff A-5 flat board
Brock F-5 Torch & Wire
Gibson DMM F5 2005

[MissingString]

Not in order, but is relatively close when sorted by "traded", "kept" and "to be owned".

Weber Absaroka (traded)
Weber Gallatin (traded)
Collings MTO wide nut (traded)
Collings MT-2 (keeper)
Phoenix BG (traded)
Arches Flat Top A (2 of these, one traded, one keeper)
Girouard "G" Ensemble (traded)
Girouard "A" Concert (keeper)
Kimble A5 (keeper)
Collings MF5V (keeper)
Collings MT GT Mandola (keeper)
Chuck Lee Hawkins Spring open back banjo (keeper)
Campenella Strings Due 2-point mandolin (on build list)
Romero Banjo Company open back 5-string (on build list)
3 mics, 2 Calton's, 1 Hoffee, , a partridge in a pear tree

[Dave Martin]

Washburn A-5 circa 1974 bought new -- sold
Eastman 804D blond, bought used -- sold
F model Chinese, not sure of maker, loaned to cousin's daughter
Breedlove AM-FF-VTG bough new -- still have -- Armstrong mag pickup on it now, TI flat strings sounds unique
2 Breedlove crossovers -- 1 f hole, 1 oval, still have the oval sold the f (used for travel with no performance)
Morris two point -- very nice mandolin -- sold
Eastman octave -- prototype from NAMM show
Gold Toe 5 string -- nice but I don't play it, will sell soon
Collings MT2-O cream -- bought new in February -- it's a keeper

The guitar list is too long and spans 50+ years of buying and selling.
Bass list not as long.

Stolen were a nice! all mahogany small body Guild with a 4 number serial, something in the 1400s and a early sixties P bass, that was not paid for at the time ($200.00!!!), I got a day job to pay the guy.

[LadysSolo]

I too am better at "catch" than "release" - I still have all my mandolins. I currently have:
1st mandolin - a the Loar LM 220
4 - bowlbacks
2016 Pava satin
2016 Weber Bitterroot
Kentucky KM 805
2014 Collings MT
These are all (more or less) keepers, the Loar LM 220 for sentimental reasons - got me started on this journey, the Kentucky because it's my only F-style, and the others because they are superb instruments.

[John Soper]

But David:

"Currently two" doesn't begin to describe the journey that got you to those two, does it??.

[jim simpson]

1. no-name flat topped model with wood parquetry of a clown playing to the moon (pretty bad)
2. Harmony/Monterey A model with f-holes (wish I knew about setup back then)
3. Washburn A model with oval hole, shorter neck to body join like first gen. Gibsons
4. Gerald Anderson F-5 style (my 1st good/better mandolin)
5. Ratliff R5 (F-5 style)
6. Weber Yellowstone
7. KM-1000 Kentucky, black
8. Gibson F5G
9. Gibson A 1917 pumpkin top
10. Flatiron A Performer
11. Trinity octave mandolin
12. Fullerton Gloucester F5
13. Gibson A3 project
14. Gibson A 1915 project
15. Harmony Shutt style 2 point
16. Glenn F5 style
17. Gibson A9
18. Fender 5 string electric mandolin
19. Epiphone Firebird 8 string electric mandolin
20. couple of Kentucky A models (can't remember model #s)
21. Stradolin
22. Chris Warner Gibson F5 copy
23. National Steel 30's period faux wood grain mandolin
24. Nagoya F5 style retopped to F4 style
25. Collings black top MT
26. Daley F5 std.
27. Gibson A Sheraton Brown
28. Flatiron mandola
29. Kentucky KM-805
30. Martin A – 20’s
31. Collings MF5
32. Poe F4
33. Sovereign flat top mandolin
34. Carlo Catalfamo F5
35. Kentucky KM-1000
36. Gibson Army Navy
37. Stradolin
38. Gold Tone 4 string electric
39. Gibson Army Navy
40. Collings MF blonde

Current mandolins from above list: Gold Tone 4 string electric, Collings MF5, & Collings MF blonde

[Randi Gormley]

If I can recall:
Suzuki bowlback (given to a theater group for a prop)
Strad-o-lin (still have)
POS electric mandolin (traded)
Kentucky 380s (sold)
Giannini bandolim (still have)
Rogue (still have)
Eastman (still have)
Giannini bandolim II (still have, currently out on loan)
Lyon and Healy bowlback (still have)
Gibson snakehead (still have)

[Denman John]

This is what roughly has taken place over the last 9 years or so ...

Breedlove A Spirit - bought in Cafe Classifieds - selling soon
Larrivee A-33 - traded
Weber Yellowstone F5- son's mandolin - traded
Weber Oval A - traded
Pomeroy F5 - traded
Kimble A-0 - keeper
Apitius F5 - son's mandolin
Old Wave Oval A - selling soon
Clark A5 - wife's mandolin - keeper

Nyberg Octave Mandolin

There's one mandolin that I'm lusting over to complete things, but I'll hold my tongue for now.

[Louise NM]

Jim Simpson, you win!

[Upis Land]

Lafferty A wide (starter- sold)
Weber Bitterroot F wide (sold)
Gibson F-9 (still have and probably keep)
Kimble two point mandola (keeper #1 go to player)
Kimble F5 (still have- hard to see this one going anywhere soon)
Apitius F5 (just in - showing promise)

...and that was the end of MAS.

[William Smith]

I was thinking this morning and a few more I remembered owning were an old Wynn 3 point F-5 style, a Phoenix Ultra #168 and a Phoenix Neo-Classical #268 signed on Sept.11th 2001-That was a very light mandolin with killer wood selection, very nice that one! Very responsive. I also still have in need of repair an old 70's Ibanez F-5 that my Grandpa Big Bill had and sanded the top down and finished in jet black, that one I believe Ronnie McCoury played with his first gig with his dad in the early 80's when my Great Uncle Dick Smith played banjo with Del and the Dixie Pals. It needs a neck set. I have one of Gramps mandolins he built that my dad redone and would really love to find an all original mando that he built, so if anyone has a WHS, PLEASE call me, I heard there are a few out in California, some aren't that well made as he couldn't see well and eventually went blind in one eye, but a few were nice and they have a major sentimental value to me!!!!
I'm sure I've owned a few more over the years that may come to mind. I do have a beat 24 Gibson Tenor Lute that will be turned into a Mandola but still trying to find some parts for her before I send it to Gary Vessel and I have a real nice original 24 Gibson Tenor Lute that'll stay original. Still have some nice guitars, acoustic and electric and had some real nice ones over the years but that stuff isn't needed for this thread!

[William Smith]

Started with an addiction to nice Fiddles!
2006 Gold Tone GM-70, traded for a laptop
2007 Weber Elite (prevented MAS for 10 yrs)
2017 Ratliff R5 (will keep MAS at bay for 5 yrs, till my 50th bday)

Did you get the Weber Elite from me by chance? I don't remember who I sold it to?

[Jesse Kinman]

Junker plywood flattop when I started at 12 years old in 1998
Kentucky KM630s in 2003 (still own it, and currently still playing it)
Kentucky KM900 in November of 2017 (just shipped it back due to crack in neck, waiting to see if they fix it or give me a new one)
Meanwhile waiting “patiently” for the fall/winter of this year when I should be the proud owner of Tyler White #16

[George R. Lane]

Michael Kelly F model (sold)
Kentucky F model (sold)
Weber Gallatin F
Weber Vintage A
Sold both of the Webers to buy my custom Weber Yellowstone (Isabella)
Maybe something in the future (Isabella will remain with me forever, unless someone wants to pony up major bucks).

[MontanaMatt]

Michael Kelly F model (sold)
Kentucky F model (sold)
Weber Gallatin F
Weber Vintage A
Sold both of the Webers to buy my custom Weber Yellowstone (Isabella)
Maybe something in the future (Isabella will remain with me forever, unless someone wants to pony up major bucks).

George, if you ever consider selling that Weber, keep me in mind! I don’t own a sunburnt mando, but the job Brett did on yours sure is purdy!

Forgot an Epiphone mandobird IV in my earlier list, it was easily forgotten.

[MontanaMatt]

Did you get the Weber Elite from me by chance? I don't remember who I sold it to?

No, mine is custom for me. Had two band mates that worked for Bruce, and they rightly talked me into a big leap for my first good mando.
Mine is Port Orford Cedar, slab one piece back, three fishing inlays (head, octave, and heal button), light Merlot one shade.
It’s got my name on the inside, so I’m gunna keep it for the long haul.

[MontanaMatt]

Michael Kelly F model (sold)
Kentucky F model (sold)
Weber Gallatin F
Weber Vintage A
Sold both of the Webers to buy my custom Weber Yellowstone (Isabella)
Maybe something in the future (Isabella will remain with me forever, unless someone wants to pony up major bucks).

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

[sgarrity]

More than I care to count and remember. But I’v had my Heiden for about 10 years now and addd a killer Kimble F5 2 years ago.

[DavidKOS]

But David:

"Currently two" doesn't begin to describe the journey that got you to those two, does it??.

Well, no...

cheap import late 60's/early 70's flattop - somebody broke it early on

nice Suzuki-style Japanese bowlback - played it for many years, lost it in accident in early 1990's

Mexican flattop

Cumbus banjo mandolin

Vietnamese w/ French inner resonator

Carl Fischer bowlback

Matsikas bowlback

Fischback flattop

[Eric Platt]

When I first played years ago, had
Flatiron 1N
Mid Missouri M-0
Rigel A natural

Then stopped playing until last year. In the past year -
The Loar LM-220 (given away)
1929 Gibson A Jr.
Breedlove Cascade
Californian (Strad-o-Lin style)
Big Muddy M-0
Eastman MDO-305

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.