Re: MAS or not
Yes. Yes. Yes. I took my Silverangel into Gryphon for a minor adjustment, and played it next to Northfield and Collings, and a used Weber. What it was was different. Not better, not worse, just voiced differently.When I saw my SA in the classifieds, it was one final cruise through the classifieds before going to buy a new Collings MT. I decided to save a thousand and get the SA. Never regretted it.
Over time I realized I wanted a brighter mandolin IN ADDITION to my SA, so I spent that grand building my F style that turned into just the flavor to complement my SA. Dumb luck for sure. But the bottom line is having one quality mandolin before acquiring another. If you would rather have a boat or a set of golf clubs instead is fine. A good mandolin is significant expense for most of us that we need to save and obcess over the possibilities for a period of time. I thoroughly enjoy the process.
But we all need to separate this from striving to be a better musician, and are no shortcuts there. If there are, please let me know. But becoming a better musician can be greatly enhanced by having an instrument you adore. You will practice more. I've seen a few mandolins for around $1200 , and many at $1500, that could provide this incentive. Any more is a sweet indulgence and I'm as prone as anyone to a scroll and inlay and chasing that last ten percent of wonderfulness. But it is the three hours of practice each day that will get me where I want to go.
Silverangel A
Arches F style kit
1913 Gibson A-1
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