While nonmusicians post "You're not hungry, you're bored"...

[Heady]

How many of us need someone to make an instrument equivalent meme?

I have not purchased a single instrument since this started - but man is it getting hard.

I'm not even that good - I'm on the $60 Walmart Special Santa brought me a few years ago and should stick with that through COVID, hurricane season, another election cycle, and maybe another hurricane season. But a Kentucky KM-272 keeps putting itself into virtual shopping carts and trying to ship itself to my house.

And that's not the only offender - but that's the only Mandolin trying to move in with me.

[Mando Mort]

You could spend the rest of your life waiting for the right time...if you can afford the Kentucky, it would likely pick up your spirits a bit.

[tmsweeney]

I second Mando Mort's call to action - however I will advise it is a slippery slippery slope.

[MoreThanQuinn]

Sorry to be yet another devil on your shoulder (or angel depending on how you look at it), but I also support the others. And in my experience once mandolins start jumping into shopping carts, it's only a matter of time until they've found their way into my hands. I say save yourself the time and internal struggle and just go for it! The purchase is certainly justifiable given the circumstances, and I imagine it'll see a lot of use. Sounds worth it to me.

Unrelated, I bought a Kentucky KM-252 as my first mandolin. I loved it, but I was always so curious about the KM-272. I think I may have loved that one just as much, if not more.

[Cheryl Watson]

I really do not know how people get bored if they have a hobby, can read, enjoy physical activity, cook, and have yard work and housework to do. And yet, thousands of people are complaining about being bored on social media. The only time I can remember being bored was when I was too sick to do anything and that was more frustration than boredom, I suppose. If I am even half way to bored, I play one of my instruments and sing. It's good to be a musician even if the pay is horrible

[Eric F.]

Heady: If it's in the budget, do it. A nicely set up KM-272 will bring you more joy than Covid-19, hurricane season, another election cycle and the Walmart mandolin you've been playing. These really are good mandolins at a good price.

[tangleweeds]

I agree with everyone else here, while acknowledging it is inded a slippery slope (see my signature below). Especially as a beginner, it helps immensely to move up from a budget mando to a "real" name-brand mandolin if you have the funds to make it happen. Fighting with a difficult instrument does not help you learn!

[rickbella]

I was figuring I should buy my wife a new laptop to ease my guilt when I buy a new mando.

[Cando]

Or your wife could buy YOU a Laptop as a thankyou for bringing a new mando into the house… or even better she could buy you a new mando.

[Khatarlan]

Heady, nothing will slow down your mando adventures more than a bad instrument that has a bad setup and is difficult to play.
After investing in a good instrument, it’s great to realize “Well, the mandolin is fine, I just need more practice and/or classes.”

K’hat

[CES]

So, a man (or woman) walks into a bar (or any of my family’s holiday gatherings) and asks if they should have a drink...

No offense intended. I’m good on mandolins (at least for now) but have been semi-shopping for a smaller bodied guitar, and there are some pretty fine instruments coming up for sale now, unfortunately because musicians need the cash, or just ‘cuz. I haven’t bitten on any yet because I’d like to see how the next few weeks go, but,, man, it’s been tough...

[mandroid]

from FB: A Panda Spends 12 hours a day, feeding constantly, that's why it's called a Pandemic (response)..

[Heady]

Thanks everyone.

Another question... has anyone made a purchase while their state was requesting social distancing? The music shop in town is shut. How would one go about getting a setup?

[Louise NM]

Heady, buy one that is already set up. According to The Mandolin Store's website, they have both the 272 and the 276 (darker color) in stock. They will make sure it is well set up before they ship it. Their price may be a bit higher than buying it from a huge online corporation, but the difference is about what you would spend on a decent set up. (And, you're dealing with really great humans.)

[Heady]

Thanks Louise