Post MAS syndrome

[kurth83]

Yeah I hear ya, not ready to drop a lot on a mando either, so been avoiding Sylvan and Gryphon for a while now. My enlightenment level on the other hand is getting there. My understanding of what I like and don't like in mandos seems to be reaching critical mass, to where I could actually make a decent decision for a big purchase. For me this is the limiting factor, I'm not ready to drop a lot until I know how to choose well.

Sylvan has weber, ellis, pava, gibson, collings, gresch, girouard, and some others, which is a pretty wide selection. I've been itching (MAS by another name) to try a Pava or two for a while now.

Gryphon seems to be mostly collings, northfield, and gibson. decisions decisions...

[LadysSolo]

My MAS is cured, now I have PAS (pick acquisition syndrome,) much cheaper, easier to manage (no humidifiers necessary,) and easier to slip past one's significant other. I admit to enjoying seeing how different picks sound on my mandolins. I may next develop SAS (string acquisition syndrome,) but I really don't enjoy changing strings that much.

[kurth83]

The trick with strings is to find some that sound good after they are dead, meaning match the pick to that sound. Then you only have to change strings every year or so, and suffer with too bright tone for the first week. :-)

I had a pick phase a while back, I still have a small container filled with all the picks I bought. Whenever I go back, nothing has changed, the picks I use are still my faves. I'm afraid I have nothing left to me but MAS... to me PAS means 'Pava acquisition syndrome'... I should take a trip down to Sylvan this weekend...

[dhergert]

... In worst case scenarios, you may find yourself entertaining the idea of a banjo!

Hmmm, some among us think of that first.

...Phase five: You wonder what coarse of unlikely events would have to transpire for you to buy a Gilchrist.

I had an "unlikely event" happen this year, but being newly retired, opted to pay off credit debts instead of buying that beautiful 1918 F-4 in the classifieds. To be fair, many of the credit debts were accrued in the process of dealing with other instrument acquisition syndromes.

[MikeZito]

opted to pay off credit debts instead of buying that beautiful 1918 F-4 in the classifieds. To be fair, many of the credit debts were accrued in the process of dealing with other instrument acquisition syndromes.

Amen!

[Luna Pick]

I've had 11 mandolins, to which my Mom might have said, "Are you bragging or complaining?"

Most recently I had 3, but have deliberately gotten down to one, and to me it's an amazing sounding mandolin. I've long since realized that I have way more room for improvement than almost any mandolin that I've have. Gives me a little more head-room to think about my other instruments, guitars and banjos.

Still regret selling my Gibson Sam Bush though.

[RustyMadd]

I was over MAS until I was reading a thread about mando shops in Denver that said there was a nice Weber Bighorn in one. Well, it's no longer in Colorado.

Mostly, I kind of feel sorry for most of you. Contentment with blessings doesn't seem to be possible for many, so much that you constantly consume, seeking some meaning or victory through clever, well educated shopping.

However, that said I must admit EXTREME jealousy for Meado's latest acquisition. Well done sir! I hope it sounds as beautiful as it looks. I am such a fan of 2pt mandos and yours is gorgeous.

To a lesser degree, I guess I am also jealous of this group's financial freedoms. So please forgive my jealousy. At least I admit it. I live vicariously through your purchases. Without them, I would know very little about the instrument, except perhaps how to play one. Blessings

[Br1ck]

The most critical point in this madness is to have at least one mandolin that is, for want of a better term, professional. A mandolin that can hold its own with most mandolins you'll see hanging in stores. You can then enjoy trying out the fare in stores like Gryphon or Sylvan and leave without that aching desire tearing at you. But you need to have the discipline to not play that which you would never consider buying. So I play fare to $5000 and leave the rest alone.

I play the Pavas, Giourards, Northfields, lower end Collings, and leave Ellis alone. Doing this has me treating a music store visit as an occasional fun outing. It does not temper fantasy however.. Bottom line is you can snag a wonderful used A style from $1200 to $1800. Once you do this, the necessity goes away replaced by indulgence tempered only by finance.

And if you have to have a scroll, build yourself the best kit you can find.

[dhergert]

... To a lesser degree, I guess I am also jealous of this group's financial freedoms. ...

Between playing banjo, mandolin, Dobro, double bass and a number of un-strung instruments, I've become aware of this concept of financial freedom around, but not so much including myself. I have to say though, I never knew what financial freedom was until I started talking online with serious double bass players. Wow!

[Todd Bowman]

I am hoping (and praying for the sake of my marriage) that the Ellis Tradition that is set to arrive here in a few "counting the seconds till it arrives" days will cure my MAS once and for all (He LOL'd with a "Yeah - right" snicker). If not, I fear a home mortgage (with an emphasis on the "MORT" part of that word) for a '23 Loar maybe the only cure!

[lflngpicker]

TBrown, That Ellis sounds wonderful. Hope it has the potential to quell those cravings!

[meado]

Mostly, I kind of feel sorry for most of you. Contentment with blessings doesn't seem to be possible for many, so much that you constantly consume, seeking some meaning or victory through clever, well educated shopping.

However, that said I must admit EXTREME jealousy for Meado's latest acquisition. Well done sir! I hope it sounds as beautiful as it looks. I am such a fan of 2pt mandos and yours is gorgeous.

To a lesser degree, I guess I am also jealous of this group's financial freedoms. So please forgive my jealousy. At least I admit it. I live vicariously through your purchases. Without them, I would know very little about the instrument, except perhaps how to play one. Blessings

Yes, I am fortunate to have a degree of financial freedom. But I can assure you this mandolin is being PLAYED and not just admired. But that said it was the 2 pt design and the herringbone purfling that made me pull the trigger. It’s a keeper.

[illinoisfiddler]

^^^This!

[LadysSolo]

RustyMadd, I have a degree of financial freedom right now, as I am still working full-time, but I am looking retirement in the eye in a few years, when I will have very little financial freedom. So as I know entirely too well how to be frugal (in my younger years I was dirt-poor, had to hunt through everything to find enough change that if I used a coupon I could buy some butter so I could eat bread and butter instead of just bread till payday) but I will not be sorry I am finding instruments to enjoy in my retirement. I have worked very hard (and still do work hard) to get to this point in my life. (Also used to pick up and recycle aluminum cans along the roadside to get enough money to take a vacation, etc.) I've paid my dues.....

[RustyMadd]

RustyMadd, I have a degree of financial freedom right now, as I am still working full-time, but I am looking retirement in the eye in a few years, when I will have very little financial freedom. So as I know entirely too well how to be frugal (in my younger years I was dirt-poor, had to hunt through everything to find enough change that if I used a coupon I could buy some butter so I could eat bread and butter instead of just bread till payday) but I will not be sorry I am finding instruments to enjoy in my retirement. I have worked very hard (and still do work hard) to get to this point in my life. (Also used to pick up and recycle aluminum cans along the roadside to get enough money to take a vacation, etc.) I've paid my dues.....

I really kind of blew my tongue-in-cheek remark and just suffice it to say that I won't be attempting gentle harassment as sarcasm in the future. The last thing on Earth I want is to come off to all of you as some judgmental Bozo.

I do so appreciate the expertise shared on this board and my world is a better place for your generosity in sharing your experiences.
Please forgive my feeble attempt at ribbing all of you. Sincerely RM

[Br1ck]

I am guilty of this. You can't see your tongue or your cheek in text. I hate to add imogies as it kind of ruins the effect. But I have learned that if you say something like I'm so mad I could smother puppies, someone will believe you actually would. Verbally you can inflect irony and sarcasm, but text is dicey.

But I do agree, no one should have nice mandolins but me.

[Bob Buckingham]

It being Thanksgiving weekend, I am quite thankful for the instruments I have. They are all very good and different enough to keep things interesting. When asked which one I like best I say I'm a bit like the late Hugh Hefner, which ever one is in my hands ;-).