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Thread: Christmas presents for mandolin players

  1. #1

    Default Christmas presents for mandolin players

    My family wants to know what gifts they could buy me for xmas.

    Any good ideas in the $50ish (or less) category?

    I'll start with what I have so far:

    - A wallet with a pick holder, but my picks will fit in my wallet as-is,
    and the ones I can see on amazon don't seem very safe or aimed at triangles.

    This looks like a possible stocking stuffer, cheaper than a new wallet, and seems less likely the pick will fall out (BC pick loss phobia):
    https://www.amazon.com/Wallet-Pick/dp/B00PG95E6A

    - Another BC (since I only have one), is an obvious idea, but hoping for a few more ideas.
    - A set of strings, guaranteed those will get used eventually.

    - Anything cutesy with a link, we are shameless and try to make it easy on each other.
    Davey Stuart tenor guitar (based on his 18" mandola design).
    Eastman MD-604SB with Grover 309 tuners.
    Eastwood 4 string electric mandostang, 2x Airline e-mandola (4-string) one strung as an e-OM.
    DSP's: Helix HX Stomp, various Zooms.
    Amps: THR-10, Sony XB-20.

  2. #2
    Worlds ok-ist mando playr Zach Wilson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Christmas presents for mandolin players

    Wegen pick

    Lakota Leathers strap

    Oasis case humidifier

    Wall hanger or stand

    Mandolin Cafe coffee mug or hat

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  4. #3
    My Florida is scooped pheffernan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Christmas presents for mandolin players

    A McClung armrest
    A different boutique pick (Red Bear, EML, etc.)
    A premium strap (Bailey, Dudenbostel, Gelman, etc.)
    A set of Thomastik-Infeld Stark strings
    A Peterson StroboClip HD tuner
    A Skype lesson with Emory Lester
    1924 Gibson A Snakehead
    2005 National RM-1
    2007 Hester A5
    2009 Passernig A5
    2015 Black A2-z
    2010 Black GBOM
    2017 Poe Scout
    2014 Smart F-Style Mandola
    2018 Vessel TM5
    2019 Hogan F5

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  6. #4
    Registered User Dave Fultz's Avatar
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    Default Re: Christmas presents for mandolin players

    A gift certificate to a local restaurant. Because mandolin players get hungry, too.

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  8. #5
    Lurkist dhergert's Avatar
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    Default Re: Christmas presents for mandolin players

    Since they are so popular and so easy to confuse with someone else's, BC picks with your name embossed on them. (That's what I did for my guitar-playing wife.)
    -- Don

    "Music: A minor auditory irritation occasionally characterized as pleasant."
    "It is a lot more fun to make music than it is to argue about it."


    2002 Gibson F-9
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    [About how I tune my mandolins]
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  10. #6
    Registered User Randi Gormley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Christmas presents for mandolin players

    extra sets of strings
    depending on your genre, some sort of recorded music
    if you read standard notation, a book of music pieces either in your favorite genre or another
    --------------------------------
    1920 Lyon & Healy bowlback
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  11. #7
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    Default Re: Christmas presents for mandolin players


  12. #8
    Registered User GrooverMcTube's Avatar
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    Default Re: Christmas presents for mandolin players

    Here's an idea from StewMac:

    Guitar Tech Screwdriver Set

    Maybe more appropriate for a guitar player, but super handy little tool kit with a million bits for all things diminuitive.

    Overpriced? Probably. But if someone wants to give you a gift that is actually useful, this is the sort of thing you might not purchase for yourself because of the price.

  13. #9
    Registered User Louise NM's Avatar
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    Default Re: Christmas presents for mandolin players

    A couple of companies make good-looking wooden string winders to fit mandolin tuners.

  14. #10
    formerly Philphool Phil Goodson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Christmas presents for mandolin players

    Unitune strobe tuner

    or

    Great cleaning cloth to leave in case. (I love these.)
    Phil

    “Sharps/Flats” “Accidentals”

  15. #11
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    Default Re: Christmas presents for mandolin players

    Not to sound like a smartie pants, but (and this depends on your skill level and on how you learned to play) what about online lessons to suit your wants and needs? If you learned to play by ear and not by reading tab or some other form of sheet music, it may not be your cup of tea, but something to consider.
    ManjoMan

  16. #12
    Notary Sojac Paul Kotapish's Avatar
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    Default Re: Christmas presents for mandolin players

    A TC Electronic Polytune Clip tuner. The best of many, many clip-on tuners I've tried. I have a couple. The black version is great for gigs because it disappears better on the peghead, but I think it's a tad more expensive.

    If you don't already have it, the Amazing Slow Downer application. Fantastic for learning tunes, breaks, etc. Between the speed, pitch, loop, and EQ settings, this tool can put nearly any piece of music into a learnable-by-ear framework. Lots of options depending on your platform, operating system, etc.

    The D'Addario/Planet Waves Pro Winder is really handy. Designed for guitarists, but it works fine on mandolins--string winder, cutter, and peg puller all-in-one. I always have one in the case.
    Just one guy's opinion
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  17. #13
    Registered User Drew Egerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Christmas presents for mandolin players

    Would definitely suggest a membership to ArtistWorks. They usually have a huge sale for Christmas Eve.
    Blue chip has a nice keychain pick holder that I use. It can hold at least 3 fairly thick picks and now I always have one on me (because you just never know!)

    Elderly has a lot of great books as well in that range or less.
    Paul's suggestion of Amazing Slow Downer would be great also! I use that quite a bit.
    Drew
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  18. #14
    Registered User LongBlackVeil's Avatar
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    Default Re: Christmas presents for mandolin players

    I think i would really appreciate getting The Mandolin: A History book by Graham McDonald

    But im kind of a nerd about instruments like alot of us here. Some people just want to play and dont care about that kind of stuff
    "When you learn an old time fiddle tune, you make a friend for life"

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  20. #15
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    Default Re: Christmas presents for mandolin players

    Last year at Christmas my family thought it would be a good idea to chip-in and get me 6 months worth of mandolin lessons from a local music school . . . after three weeks, my instructor gave them a full refund.

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  22. #16
    Registered User Ranald's Avatar
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    Default Re: Christmas presents for mandolin players

    This thread is getting to look like mandolin-players' letters to Santa. To the moderators, if you're forwarding this to the North Pole, let them know that I'd like that Ellis with the herons on the head -- but I'd be happy with a string-winder.
    Robert Johnson's mother, describing blues musicians:
    "I never did have no trouble with him until he got big enough to be round with bigger boys and off from home. Then he used to follow all these harp blowers, mandoleen (sic) and guitar players."
    Lomax, Alan, The Land where The Blues Began, NY: Pantheon, 1993, p.14.

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  24. #17

    Default Re: Christmas presents for mandolin players

    How about a $50 gas card and THEIR OFFICIAL PERMISSION to travel to a local/semi-local jam session - and stay as long as you want.

  25. #18

    Default Re: Christmas presents for mandolin players

    Quote Originally Posted by LongBlackVeil View Post
    I think i would really appreciate getting The Mandolin: A History book by Graham McDonald

    But im kind of a nerd about instruments like alot of us here. Some people just want to play and dont care about that kind of stuff
    I received this book for my birthday this year, and I can confirm it's a great book. It gave me a new appreciation for the depth of history and variety of mandolins. It gets pretty mando geeky in places, but overall it's a good book for people who like to get to the details of things.

  26. #19
    Registered User EvanElk's Avatar
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    Default Re: Christmas presents for mandolin players

    2003 John Sullivan F5 "Roy"
    2015 Heiden F Artist
    2019 Ruhland F5 #35

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    Default Re: Christmas presents for mandolin players

    Quote Originally Posted by pheffernan View Post
    A premium strap (Bailey, Dudenbostel, Gelman, etc.)
    Sully straps are very well made as well

    Quote Originally Posted by dhergert View Post
    BC picks with your name embossed on them.
    or your phone number in case you lose it out playing

    Quote Originally Posted by Paul Kotapish View Post
    If you don't already have it, the Amazing Slow Downer application. Fantastic for learning tunes, breaks, etc. Between the speed, pitch, loop, and EQ settings, this tool can put nearly any piece of music into a learnable-by-ear framework.
    Hands down the best money I've spent playing music

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  29. #21
    Registered User EvanElk's Avatar
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    Default Re: Christmas presents for mandolin players

    Sully straps are awesome - especially the ones he makes from vintage horse tack
    2003 John Sullivan F5 "Roy"
    2015 Heiden F Artist
    2019 Ruhland F5 #35

  30. #22
    Registered User Jim1954's Avatar
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    Default Re: Christmas presents for mandolin players

    Last year my family also was looking for gift ideas for me. I found that Elderly Instruments has gift certificates and I was thinking of a Tone-Gard at the time so I was able to get one with a very significant discount. They have a huge inventory of most everything so no shortage of ideas there.
    2017 Collings MT
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  32. #23
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    Default Re: Christmas presents for mandolin players

    Quote Originally Posted by MikeZito View Post
    Last year at Christmas my family thought it would be a good idea to chip-in and get me 6 months worth of mandolin lessons from a local music school . . . after three weeks, my instructor gave them a full refund.
    I have to ask... was it because you were already playing above the level of the lessons?
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  33. #24
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    Default Re: Christmas presents for mandolin players

    Quote Originally Posted by RobP View Post
    I have to ask... was it because you were already playing above the level of the lessons?
    Unfortunately, no - I was bottom-of-the-class, in a group of 8 students . . . and did mention that it was a class for Pre-Schoolers?

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  35. #25
    Fatally Flawed Bill Kammerzell's Avatar
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    Default Re: Christmas presents for mandolin players

    I need a new mandolin like I need a hole in the head, but then again I've never had a hole in the head so what do I know? Spenser Oliver's mandolin arm rests are pretty nice, though.
    Ray Dearstone #009 D1A (1999)
    Skip Kelley #063 Offset Two Point (2017)
    Arches #9 A Style (2005)
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    Hohner and Seydel Harmonicas (various keys)

    "Heck, Jimmy Martin don't even believe in Santy Claus!"

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