On our way home my son and I spent a night at a casino resort in Reno. I related to him the science of gambling as an addiction including the fact that the shot of pleasure one gets in anticipating the win is not totally offset by the loss. Like a drug addict the gambling addict values the transitory high over the long-term consequences.
I've been pondering addictive behavior as it pertains to buying musical equipment. Even with photos and videos every remote purchase is a gamble. I few weeks ago I spent $1400 on a purchase that was disappointing. I had built up the mandolin in my mind, effectively rounding up each uncertainty, despite my resolve to be objective. Having returned the instrument and recovered the $1400, less return shipping, I have bought three on the rebound for a total of $1000.
In the first two cases, a century old banjo mandolin for $300 and an obscure Ike Bacon F5 for $500 I did set a hard limit on what I would spend given the uncertainties. But it was beauty that drove me, the ornamentation on the Banjo Mando and the walnut flame on the Bacon as well as a reasonable expectation of quality.
The last, a 1945 340 Levin for $200 was based on the positive reviews of Levins...
and quite possibly on the remaining hole due to the reality of my first purchase falling so short of my anticipation.
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