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Thread: Mandolin Try-out Etiquette

  1. #1

    Default Mandolin Try-out Etiquette

    I'm heading to my first music camp soon and am wondering about etiquette for asking to play someone else's mandolin. I don't live near a good shop and haven't been to many jams with strangers so haven't tried many different types of mandolins other than Kentucky, Eastman and Loar but would like to...

    Bad idea to just ask? Compliment someone's mandolin and just see if they offer? Is there an instrument trading round robin jam that sometimes happens? I'm assuming only during breaks outside of sessions?

    If it happens, should I limit it to a song or two or just a few minutes of my limited repertoire while they watch, etc?

    If someone wants to try mine, is it a expected that I should try theirs?

    Ever heard of someone dropping a borrowed mandolin?

    Just curious...

  2. #2
    Registered User Louise NM's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolin Try-out Etiquette

    Uh, yeah, dropping one is definitely poor etiquette.

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  4. #3

    Default Re: Mandolin Try-out Etiquette

    I wouldn't ask to play other people's instruments. I think the approach of talking about instruments and hoping they offer you it is best practice. I pretty much will offer up my instrument to anyone that talks to me about it if we get a chance, and I trade around instruments with people I know at jams, but would not ask a stranger if I could play their instrument. For some people it is a personal thing. And ya, don't drop anyone's instrument or any instrument for that matter.

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    Registered User Steve-o's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolin Try-out Etiquette

    And if they do offer up an instrument to play, handle it with kid gloves, keep your belt buckle covered, etc. I like to tell the owner how careful I’ll be.

  7. #5
    Registered User Steve Sorensen's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolin Try-out Etiquette

    Keep your right hand pinky finger tucked-in. Nothing worse than pinky nail indentations in a nice spruce top.

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    Registered User Simon DS's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolin Try-out Etiquette

    When you ask someone who has a 10,000 dollar mandolin if you can play it, don't be surprised if they turn around, look at what you're wearing and then say no.
    -Oh come on guy, it’s just a tee shirt, shorts and my fancy marathon running shoes.

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  11. #7
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    Default Re: Mandolin Try-out Etiquette

    Yeah - feel out the person you are talking too first and see if there is an offer to play their mandolin. One time (not at a mandolin camp) I sat face-to-face with a guy who had Joe Val's Loar. After a long talk I took a shot and asked to play it . . . luckily, he gave me a hearty 'sure' and handed it over. I played it for about 45 seconds and handed it right back. I offered to buy it from him for a fast $1,000 in cash, but he decided to pass . . . .

    Damn!

  12. #8
    Mediocre but OK with that Paul Busman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolin Try-out Etiquette

    I'd say just ask. Nothing ventured,nothing gained. The worst they can do is say no. I'd take it as a compliment if someone asked to try any of my instruments. Naturally,be understanding if they say no, treat the instrument with kid gloves if they say yes, and thank them sincerely. When I've done this, I've just played one of my favorite tunes, once through with no repeats. Enough to get a feel for the instrument.
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  13. #9
    Registered User John Bertotti's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolin Try-out Etiquette

    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Sorensen View Post
    Keep your right hand pinky finger tucked-in. Nothing worse than pinky nail indentations in a nice spruce top.

    Steve
    At one time I let anyone play my instruments, no 10K jobs but a couple 3K, anywho, I let my Martin go to a guy I knew well and let him play it. He began to hammer it left scratches on the pickgaurd and scuffs on the top. I rarely let one out of my hands until I see how they treat their own instruments and I lay down some ground rules. People might think I'm a butthead but it was my hard earned cash not theirs that bought it. I do not get irritated if someone asks but I have to see them play their own first. Anyone dragging a finger across the top usually gets a no. I have though about getting a detachable pick gaurd just for these cases because I actually want people to try it, but I am also very careful and picky with my instruments. I have never asked to play someone elses instrument. If they want me to play it they will offer, that's how I see it.
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    Default Re: Mandolin Try-out Etiquette

    Hmmmm …. I do allow people I know well, or someone I have seen play often, to play my instruments. That depends largely on how they treat their instruments. Strangers … no that's not going to happen. OTOH I don't often ask to play anyone else's instruments either. If I were to ask to play someone's guitar mandolin or fiddle I would expect to allow them the option of playing mine. Turnabout is fair play. R/
    I love hanging out with mandolin nerds . . . . . Thanks peeps ...

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  17. #11

    Default Re: Mandolin Try-out Etiquette

    I saw Son Seals years ago in Chicago at Kingston Mines and some drunk frat boys wanted to play his guitar -- he said, rather firmly, "Hell, I don't even let my MOTHER touch my guitar!"

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  19. #12
    Mandolin user MontanaMatt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolin Try-out Etiquette

    I let a friend's friend join my band and play my mando once at a gig while I played fiddle. He was an experienced musician...and after the fact admitted he knew he had the funky acid hands thing. My strings felt like they had dissolved after his 20 min assault. I was unimpressed. I still let accomplished musicians take mine for a spin, sometimes newbies
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    Registered User foldedpath's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolin Try-out Etiquette

    I've attended a few workshops. My personal opinion is that a workshop or camp is for learning about playing music, not mandolin tasting.

    If you're able to do that it's a bonus, but shouldn't be a priority. I think the advice above is good about showing some interest in someone's mandolin, ask how they like it. Then wait to see if they offer it to try out. If it isn't offered, you've at least learned something about how the other person likes their instrument. I wouldn't just outright ask to play it, if it isn't offered first. But that's just me. Seems like the polite approach.

    And if you get the offer, be careful! Trim the RH pinkie fingernail beforehand, and if there isn't a tonegard, you'd be better off wearing a T shirt than a shirt with buttons. Or God forbid, a big metal belt buckle.

    On the owner side, I'm reluctant to hand off my instrument to someone I don't know, and haven't seen how they treat their own instrument. I learned that lesson years ago when I handed my Santa Cruz guitar off to a stranger who asked to play it. Seemed like a nice guy, polite request, but I didn't realize how drunk he was. He proceeded to hammer on it with my borrowed flatpick and put a deep scratch in the soundboard. I finally wrestled the guitar back from him, and was so flabbergasted looking at the scratch that I didn't notice he also walked off with my pick. Yeah, it was a Blue Chip. Never got it back because he had disappeared by the time I realized it. Lesson learned.

    That doesn't mean I'd never hand off my mandolin to someone who seemed interested. I still do that sometimes if it feels right. I just don't do it automatically.

    I guess one factor here is that I'm not shopping around for a replacement. I'm completely happy with what I'm playing, so I'm not looking to swap around and try out other ones. That also makes me a little more protective, because this is probably my last mandolin. If you run into someone who is "shopping" and you've got a nice instrument yourself, you might find it very easy to do some swapping and tasting.

  21. #14
    Registered User Randi Gormley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolin Try-out Etiquette

    I fall into the "if they talk mandolin with me, i'll ask if they want to play mine" school. but i don't offer and i don't ask flat out. i may admire what they have -- "wow, is that an Ellis? So cool!" -- but that's as far as it goes from my end. I leave it up to them if they want to offer.
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    Default Re: Mandolin Try-out Etiquette

    If I'm carrying anything nicer than my Rogue mandolin and guitar, I don't let someone play it unless I have heard them play and seen their instrument(s). I've seen way too many people who vaguely remember a couple of chords they learned five years ago who want to try out my axe. Not going to happen. I've also seen some fine musicians who beat on their instruments. The lead guitarist in my band plays with a very heavy right hand. All of his instruments show heavy scratches, even after just a few weeks of playing.

    I let him play a nice jazz guitar I own, but only after admonishing him about scratches. He doesn't get to play any of my Martins. :-)

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    Default Re: Mandolin Try-out Etiquette

    Playability is to each instrument, as is sound. There is no need to play another's instrument, tho fun, to hear what it sounds like. You will hear better in front, and you will have the chance to hear a lot of mandolins. I would look at the benefit of hearing a lot of nice mandolins and maybe getting to play one or two as a major plus. You may ask about radius fingerboard, if yours is flat, and what it is like to play one. That may get you to play an instrument. The important thing is hearing them.
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  24. #17
    Registered User foldedpath's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolin Try-out Etiquette

    Quote Originally Posted by pops1 View Post
    Playability is to each instrument, as is sound. There is no need to play another's instrument, tho fun, to hear what it sounds like. You will hear better in front, and you will have the chance to hear a lot of mandolins.
    That's a very good point about hearing it from the front, a few feet away. For me it's still half the requirement of a good mandolin because it has to sound good and motivate the player too. But it's still important. You get that "tasting" without having to ask to play someone else's mandolin, just hear a few licks from them.

  25. #18
    Registered User Elliot Luber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolin Try-out Etiquette

    No windmills.

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    Default Re: Mandolin Try-out Etiquette

    Yep, if it doesn't sound good in front, chances are it won't sound good when you play it.
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  27. #20

    Default Re: Mandolin Try-out Etiquette

    Quote Originally Posted by pops1 View Post
    Yep, if it doesn't sound good in front, chances are it won't sound good when you play it.
    And conversely, if it sounds really good when you play it, it sounds freakin' amazing out front!! Most of that is in the hands of the player however imho.

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  28. #21
    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolin Try-out Etiquette

    Like anything, it depends on who asks and how. I've asked to play some very nice instruments and only been refused once (by a buddy!), and it wasn't the Loar I got to play. If its a pro at a workshop, I always wait until a 'not busy' moment and I certainly don't always ask, even if they ask to play mine (it happened. Some pros have instrument deals, and willingly let folks play them as part of their agreement with the maker. Sometimes pros just offer, and that's quite special.

    Like so many things, be polite and sometimes nice things happen.
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  30. #22
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    Default Re: Mandolin Try-out Etiquette

    You wouldn't get to play any of mine unless I had seen you play for awhile, and I saw the condition of your instrument. If all is well after that, and you expressed interest in my mando, then maybe. If I would say "no," I would also express "nothing personal, I'm just very protective of my instruments." Because that's the truth.

  31. #23
    Registered User f5joe's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolin Try-out Etiquette

    A pro came to town years ago and had forgotten his mando. First sign. He asked to borrow my Paganoni ....... which I did as a favor. I get it back and he had removed the pickguard and scratched the top during his performance. No apologies whatsoever. Total a**.

    Now, I'm very careful of anyone.
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    Default Re: Mandolin Try-out Etiquette

    Quote Originally Posted by f5joe View Post
    A pro came to town years ago and had forgotten his mando. First sign. He asked to borrow my Paganoni ....... which I did as a favor. I get it back and he had removed the pickguard and scratched the top during his performance. No apologies whatsoever. Total a**.

    Now, I'm very careful of anyone.
    Never loan your mandolin to a "pro" who forgot his mandolin.

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  34. #25

    Default Re: Mandolin Try-out Etiquette

    I like hearing my mandolins from the other side in the hands of good players so I'm glad to offer my mandolin to most people. The only person I've turned down was obviously inebriated. It was at a festival and I had seen him play earlier and knew he was a good player. I told him to find me the next day and I'd be glad to let him play it. Luckily he was fine with that and we had a good time picking some tunes the next day.
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