Re: collecting and playing mandolins ?
Well, I've got 'em all, from Weber "piccolo" mandolin to mando-bass (ya know, I've gotta update my signature some time; doesn't reflect recent acquisitions and trade-ins). More than a dozen instruments overall.
Why?
1. As mentioned above, they're all different: look different, sound different, are suited for differing styles of music and performance situations. I may need that ol' bowl-back mandola or mandocello for a historical program, the '30's National Triolian to play some blues. the Flatiron "bouzouki" for a gig with my Celtic band.
B. Since I have a significant, though modest, income from performing and teaching, I have no qualms about using some of that money to purchase instruments that catch my fancy. I now list my occupation as "musician" on my IRS forms, though thank heavens, I don't need to support Joan and myself on what I'm making.
III. I consider my mandolins -- and banjos, guitars, Autoharps, ukes, concertinas etc. -- an accumulation rather than a collection, since there's no overall strategy or objective involved, just acquiring things I like. I've played every instrument "for pay" at least once -- yeah, even the Gibson "tenor lute" -- so I can claim the price of each as a business expense. And I have done "show and tell" programs where I demo-ed and explained some of the weirder instruments; the Oscar Schmidt Guitaro was a favorite, as were the cello banjo and the Waldo bowl-back mandocello.
There are certain mandolins that get played a lot, and others that get played hardly at all. Right now I'm spending 75% of my mando time with my Larson brothers Stahl mandola; in the past, I was seldom seen at a jam or sing-around without my Strad-O-Lin mandolin. Just the opposite for the Howe-Orme mandolinetto, or the Holdrio Piccolo "pocket" mandolin (let's just say I know where to find them if needed). I've weeded out a few, using them as trade-ins; said "farewell" to two Eastmans, the DGM-1 mandolin and the MDA615 mandola.
So the "herd" can be (slightly) "thinned," or new critters can be added to the corral. As I coast through my 70's, I look ahead to selling off the ones the kids don't want, which will be most of them. Hey, you youngsters out there, within a decade I predict there'll be a lot of instruments on the market here in Rochester! Save your pennies...
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
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