Your MAS Progression

[Don Grieser]

It'd be easier to list what I haven't owned at one time or another. I've ended up with Heiden. Very satisfied.

[Em Tee]

Kentucky 162(sold)--> Mid-Mo M4 (keeper)--> Eastman 305(about to sell) --> Silverangel (keeper)

[John Uhrig]

Kentucky 140.....sold
Aria PM-780.....sold to by a better fiddle
A-C bowlback.....sunken top but playable....gave to the oldest son to play around with
Clifford-American mandolinetto...had it re-topped...fun to play
Eastman 514.......Have had it for 11 years now
Eastman Bowlback....my new favorite

[abmatt]

My grandpa's old bowl-back beauty (stamped 'foreign' on the headstock), which I remember him playing when I was a kid. Now a wall-hanger.
An all-hat, no cattle "Old Hickory" F that was given me by a nice friend.
Breedlove Crossover O that really got me going ...
Nice Loar 400 A that got me farther ...
Beautiful Breedlove OF American that really hooked me.
Collings MT, where I've really arrived.

[bigskygirl]

I’m not afflicted with MAS...I bought an Eastman 315 in 2013 on a whim from a store going out of business then got my Northfield F5M in 2015 and I’m good....just lucky I guess

I have played a ton of mandos in the entire price range and just keep coming back to my NF. Then again I play golf with a 10YO set of clubs while my golf buddies show up with the latest greatest...

[Cochiti Don]

Funny, I don’t really have MAS but there might be a sister affliction that has to do with other instruments. I’m currently lusting after an Irish bouzouki and I’ve only been playing mandolin for 9 months. Also I just bought a fiddle. Diseased for sure

[jdchapman]

I don't know if I can do it in order. It's been more than 20 years.

Aria Pro (traded)
Washburn Jethro Burns (Sold)
Harmony Batwing Electric (Sold)
Silverangel (Still Have, and still the best mandolin I've owned.)
Eastman 515 (traded.)
Gibson A-3 pumpkin top (traded)
Flatiron pancake mandola (sold. Which was DUMB.)
Eastman DGM2, the Bacon model. (Traded.)
Another Silverangel. (Traded.)
Mandolute (Traded)
OS Bowlback (Still Have. It's in the office.)
Redline Traveler (sold.)
Flatiron Performer (Traded)
Northfield F5S (Traded.)
Gibson A-4 (Sold.)
Schofield A-5 (Still Have. Awesome, but likely will trade to try something new.)

I didn't list guitars, balalaikas, etc. No wonder my wife sighs so much.

[Mandobar]

I had to laugh reading this thread. I bought someone’s “keeper” today at TME.

[Mark Wilson]

I bought someone’s “keeper” today at TME.

Yep. Was at a jam the other night and my first Pava was there. Sounded great. Couldn't believe I let it go.
A 'keeper'

[sgarrity]

I had to laugh reading this thread. I bought someone’s “keeper” today at TME.

What’d you buy???

[colorado_al]

I can't remember the exact order but:

Fender laminate A style (gave to a friend)
Tacoma M2E (gave to my son)
Breedlove Quartz KF (stolen)
Michael Kelly Dragonfly Flame (sold)
Breedlove Quartz KF (sold)
Big Muddy MM-8 (gave to my son)
Malagoli 4 string electric (gave to my son)
Epiphone Maondobird 4 (sold)
Eastman MD505 (sold)
Michael Kelly Legacy Elegante (sold)
Kentucky KM750 (sold)
Kentucky KM950 (sold)
Kentucky KM1050 (sold)
Eastman MD805D (Sold)
JBovier A5X 2010 (Sold)
JBovier A5X 2011 (Sold)
Breedlove Crossover OO (sold)
Collings MT custom (sold)
Harmony guitar to Mandocello conversion (sold)
Kentucky KM272
JBovier A5T
Collings MT2-O
Franzke A5
Morgan Monroe Mandocello
Blueridge BR-40tce Octave Mandolin

Check in with me next month and I'll see if I need to revise the list

[Mandobar]

What’d you buy???

Wicked nice Girouard A5, that I passed on the first time it was there because I was trying to behave (I was there picking up a Collings Traditional OM). But I wasn't leaving it behind this time. LOL.

http://themusicemporium.com/mandolin...5-concert.6305

[DataNick]

Wicked nice Girouard A5, that I passed on the first time it was there because I was trying to behave (I was there picking up a Collings Traditional OM). But I wasn't leaving it behind this time. LOL.

http://themusicemporium.com/mandolin...5-concert.6305

Congrats!

Looks like a killer instrument; I've heard that tonally Girouard's have an Ellis vibe to them...

[Jill McAuley]

Wicked nice Girouard A5, that I passed on the first time it was there because I was trying to behave (I was there picking up a Collings Traditional OM). But I wasn't leaving it behind this time. LOL.

http://themusicemporium.com/mandolin...5-concert.6305

Oh, fantastic, congratulations! The finish on that one is the inspiration for the finish I asked for on the oval A that Max and Lauri are building for me!

[Dave Greenspoon]

Catch and Release:
Vega Regent Bowl Back
Michael Kelly Legacy O (Steve Sauve worked his wonders on this axe; I still regret the trade away)
Brent Denny OM
Jerman #11
Washburn Jethro M6SW

Keepers:
"Luthier gift" scrap project thank-you gift from a friend that started it all
Grandmom's 100 year-old, solid mahogany bent-top, stabilized by Lou Stiver
Baglamas 02 "Sorry you missed it" gift by wife & son after their trip to Greece
Rigel #1774 with upgrades making it a legacy level mandolin
"Stealie" Jerman custom 5 string (prototype?)
"Feivel" Paul Newson custom blonde scw

General quiver:
Epi IV
The Loar 370
Crafter M85E

[mandocaster]

Peering into the mists of long ago and my shrinking cerebellum...
Flatiiron 1n sold
Kentucky KM1000 nice mid eighties. Gave to my son
teens pumpkin top A1 gave to a friend RIP
Highish grade Martin bowlback stupidly sold
Sweet Vega cylinder back sadly traded.
Jones OM still have
Fender electric 8 string modern sold
65 Fender "mandocaster" sold
Schwab 5 string koa electric still have, a beaut.
Hums bowlback
Givens A3 great mandolin, but sold to raise money for the
Collings MF5V

[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

a picture to go with list (not complete)

[jim simpson]

It looks like one photo got flipped making them left handed, lol!

[mrneil2]

No name pawn shop model (lost in a move)
Kentucky 250 (sold)
Loar LM-700

Any suggestions where to go next?

[Dave Greenspoon]

Any suggestions where to go next?

From this crowd? LOL Hold on to your wallet. Even better, pass it over to a trusted partner! It might be wise to give a price range, or even better yet, a limit. IMO, the LM-700 is a great value spot. Do you really want to go up a noticeable difference? New or used? Ready to step out of the box and go mandola? Electric? Mando-banjo (GASP!)? ;-)

So, getting back to specifics. If I had a spare $5k, I'd be looking for a Stiver, new or used.

[Nick Gellie]

Wow this is like a catholic confession but in public not private. This is not complete as it only goes back to about 2003.

Weber Absaroka A-5 mandolin
Liddy A-5 mandolin
SilverAngel A-5 mandolin
Jade F-5 mandolin
Arches oval hole mandolin
Collings MT mandolin
Crump B-1 Irish Bouzouki
Black A-4 mandolin
Collings MT2-O mandolin
Black A2-Z mandolin
Ellis A-5 mandolin
Collings MT honey amber mandolin
Weber Hyalite mandolin (trade)
Gray A-5 mandolin
Black A-2 mandolin
Collings MT mandolin (still have)
Joe Foley Bouzouki
Northfield Model M mandolin (still have)
Tobin Irish Bouzouki (Still in U.K. - pick up in late May)

[DataNick]

Nick,

You got rid of an Ellis and a Jade!

Holy Toledo!....What gives?....LOL!

[Nick Gellie]

Nick,

You got rid of an Ellis and a Jade!

Holy Toledo!....What gives?....LOL!

Yes I did. I was hoping more from an Ellis. The Northfield Model M is very similar to the Jade and the Collings MT I now have is way better than the Ellis in terms of tone and above all projection. I must have got a good one because everyone remarks how good it is.

[Aaron Smith]

Well this is fun! I'm mostly one-in-one-out as I really want to spend more time actually playing them. But yes, my tastes and need to get the "right" sound have led me on a journey over the last 15 years. I don't know why this doesn't happen with other instruments. I bought a '97 Martin HD-28V in 2000 and have never even looked at another guitar. The "*" are ones I still have. I've played or heard live examples from almost all major builders and at this point the only thing that rang my bell more than what I now have is a currently unattainable 80's Gilchrist F5 (swoon). As well as I can remember this is the chronological play-by-play:

Tacoma M3
Weber Beartooth
Weber Yellowstone F5
Skip Kelley A5 (Carpathian)
Eastman 815 (Mandovoodoo'd)
Skip Kelley A5 (Adirondack)
Collings MT
Kentucky KM-1500
*Kentucky KM-150 (loaned to a friend)
Kimble A5
Pava F5 Satin
*Northfield A5 Special
*Gibson F-5G (Harvey '15)

[Denny Gies]

I'm ashamed to say that after I declared my MAS cured, i got the itch for an old Gibson A 4, the red ones, and got one. Now I was done...............except a 1920 Gibson F 4 came available from a friend who gave me a nice deal, so............it's now here. Well, now I'm done........but wait, there is an old A 3, the white ones, that is now calling my neme. Anyone have any earplugs I can borrow?