Describe your MAS progression

[soliver]

1. A friend lent me a cheapo Ibanez A model and I was hooked...

2. felt like I'd should give the Ibanez back, so I bought a cheap $50 laminate topped thing off Craigslist, followed the Meldrum self-setup guide and made it sound decent. And played it for a while... started to recognize its shortcomings and wanted something nicer.

3. Saved up a little money (tight budget) and bought an Eastman MD305... love love loved that Mando and played it a couple years. With this instrument I grew a lot in my ability and learned a good deal. I made an armrest for it and when someone saw it, they asked for one of their own and lo and behold a small business developed to help me pay for mY MAS and not effect the household budget.

4. I started to think I wanted to step a little bit higher in the food chain and that I would benefit from an Oval hole instrument, I gave serious consideration to custom ordering a Crystal Forrest Flattop, and after some deliberation and advice from Cafe members, I settled on a Flatiron 1N (again from Craigslist) to give the Flattop a trial before custom ordering something. I liked it a lot, but felt like it wasn't quite right for me, so I sold it here on the classifieds. But still wanted to step up.

5. I was pretty sure I wanted something a step up from the Eastman and still thought I wanted an oval hole. I didn't want to have to save forever so I started to investigate Silverangel Mandolins by Ken Ratcliff. I wanted to give one a try so I met up with David Mold (Oldsausage) and gave his a try and LOVED it. Also went up and spent a weekend in Nashville and played an SA at Carter's to confirm my wants. With armrest production in full swing, I had worked and saved for about 18 months to 2 years and made enough to custom order a Silverangel Econo A with a Red Cedar top and maple back and sides paid for completely by money made selling Armrests in the Cafe Classifieds. I decided I wanted an F-hole instrument after all as I mostly played BG, and that just made more sense.

6. Over my time of playing and immersion into the mandolin culture, I became pretty well acquainted with Marty Jacobson and while having him check a fret on the SA last year I mentioned that I'd still like to have an Oval hole A. Long story short, him being so generous, he gave me a first-run Nautilus Oval hole mando that he felt he could not sell. It has a crack in the top under the fretboard extension that you can't see. For all intents and purposes it is mine to do with as I please on the condition that I not ever sell it. If I end up not wanting it, I'll just give it back. It needs a little fret work and I intend to do that here soon.

7. Being a woodworker and cabinet maker for the last 20 years, I am hoping to make the natural progression into building. I have been feverishly working to get my shop suitable for Luthiery and am on the verge of my first build. I do miss the Flatiron 1N so my intent is to build a pancake mando as my first. I have plans from Terry Majewski from Crystal Forest and hope to start soon.

[William Smith]

Its easier to remember the keepers for me as many low and high end have went to get what I know have!

1923 Gibson MB-5-all silver plated and Loar style silver engraved A tuners with pearl buttons
1986 Grandpa Big Bill Smith F-5
1924 Gibson December 1st Lloyd Loar F-5 with Virzi
1926 Gibson F-5 Fern
1934 Gibson F-5 Fern
1935 Gibson F-12
1939 Gibson F-7
1939 Gibson F-7 Randy Wood re-neck "Loar Buster"
1935 Gibson A-50 elevated board "monster'
1958 Gibson F-5 Randy Wood re-grad and new neck
1961 Gibson F-5-in process of myself doing a re-grad
1924 Gibson Tenor Lute
1924 Gibson Tenor Lute to Mandola convert by Gary Vessel
2017 Gary Vessel Loar tribute F-5 with Virzi
1934 Joe Wilson F-5ish copy-still getting work done by David Harvey as it needed a bunch of work!
1933ish ViviTone electric mandolin
1933ish ViviTone Hawaiian guitar-museum quality!
2 Fender Custom Shop Clarence White B-benders
2001 Martin Clarence White signature edition D-18
1957 Martin D-18 with rare Adirondack top
1919 Martin OO-18 "attic find" still in the shop for resto.
2009 Fender Pink Paisley Telecaster
1995 Martin HD-28 kit guitar I built when I was younger with my Gramps
6 or so 30's Gibson A models for conversions
2009 Gibson F-10 75th anniversary edition
2020 Apitius Rosine custom F-5, with my wood specs such as a wider grain top for the bass side and very fine for the treble side, that is in the process of being built-exciting! Delivery in September, just in time for my B-day!
1970's Ibanez F-5 that was Gramps that Ronnie McCoury played at his first gig in California when my Great Uncle Dick Smith played banjo with Del and Dixie Pals around 80-81-needs resto!

Some above are on the chopping block as one can only play so many!

Many vintage quality rare and very hard to find cases-Loar and 30's F-5 oblong/rectangular, some shaped as well, many rare 20's and 30's mandolin parts!

Now the few I wish I could've kept!
2001 Paganoni F-5
2004 Gibson V-Fern
1982 Gilchrist F-5
1935 Gibson A-Century
2001 Gibson F5-G
1980 Gibson F5-L-it was re-graduated by original owner by Ward Elliot "I think?"
1944 Gibson J-45-5 piece neck and maple back and sides, spruce top-best old guitar I ever had!
I'm sure there are a few more but cant think but they allowed and helped me get my keepers!

[LastMohican]

LastMohican,

What are you getting sound wise from the F5S that is over and above the sound of the FF? Could you compare them for me?

So, I want to be clear...I'm a "one mandolin at a time" kind of cat. I've got a 17 year old that I have to get through two more years of private high school and then college!!

I sold the Northfield about a month ago SOLELY for economic reasons. It broke my heart to do it, but, as I say, I hope to be able to get another somewhere down the road. We'll see.

So, comparing the F5S to the Breedlove FF (and these comments will hold true as a comparison against the TKD as well: the Northfield has that big round tone with that ringing, bell-like quality and it has this all through the bottom and mid-range. Then, and I think this is the bigger difference, it just has the ability to "cut" way more up at the top. The higher tones are fuller and louder than either of the other mandolins. Said another way...I would struggle to define it, but I believe there is this "high end" mandolin sound that you really notice when you hear these upper end instruments live. I've almost ALWAYS heard that "sound" in Collings. And, in my opinion, the Northfield has that in spades!

[JEStanek]

This Blog Post is 12 years old and my mandolins are staying the same at this point. To a certain degree, I believe you get what you pay for but I also firmly believe it's you who makes a mandolin sound really good. At least when I have played much more expensive mandolins than anything I own, I may be able to hear some differences but, I still sound like me. Strumming a Loar didn't make me play like Thile!

Jamie

[Bill Bradshaw]

Not a long list like some.

An Aria F that my wife bought for me.
A fun 1920 Gibson A that I found at an auction for $250; sold it
A 1993 Stiver A. A good mandolin; eventually sold it.
A 50s? Gibson EM150 that was gifted to me. A real beater. Still have it so the grandkids can play with it.
A Kimble A, woulda kept it but it got squished by a car.
A Kimble F, another good mandolin
The last one is a Heiden F; another good mandolin that gives me great pleasure.

Cheers

[pit lenz]

120€ for a second hand Kentucky 150
1000€ for a new Eastman 515
2000€ for a second hand Northfield F5s. (Sold the Eastman)
6500€ for a new Northfield Artist 5bar. (Sold the F5s)

I think I was ill that day when in math class the exponential function was explained...

[mandroid]

Added a David Hodson D'Jangolin. in a made for it red metalflake (thermoplastic) case.. about 10 years ago..

[Mark Seale]

An early '80s Kentucky A model
Borrowed my dad's A model he built from a kit from Givens
Bought Blondie - Gibson Master Model by Derrington - incredible mandolin
Traded Blondie for 2010 Gilchrist F5 - still have it
Bought a Monteleone Style B
Bought a Kentucky KM900, varnish finish
Traded the Monteleone for 2002 Gilchrist Model 3 - still have it

[Victor Daniel]

I started out with a cheepo from a pawn shop. I can’t even recall the brand. My first nice mandolin was a 88 RL Givens, which I still love and enjoy. Since then I've purchased several more A styles, a 2point, an old Gibson oval hole. When I get something new its usually to satisfy a specific tonal quality I'm looking for at the time, or to get a unique sound from my other mandolins. My latest mandolin is a AL Smart F5 and it checks all the right boxes for me. It seems like it has all the positive characteristics of many of my other mandolins rolled into to one without any of the drawbacks. Its actually kind of ruined my MAS. The classifieds don’t have the same thrill when your not hungry for something new.

[Mando Mafia]

First one was a pawn shop bowl back with cracks that finally fell apart. But I was bitten by the bug.

Next up was another cheapo no-name that got me through several years of learning by playing along with records. I broke the headstock off that one. Ha!

Next was a Kentucky KM 650. Scroll envy took me there, but the sound wasn’t anything to shake a stick at.

Then a James Jones Octave Mandolin bought from him at a craft fair in about 1988. I fell in love with the sound, and it took me through all my active playing years with Mando Mafia.

I acquired a teens Gibson A shovel head in a trade with a friend for building her a massage table..playable, but it had a severe crack in the headstock. But hey, it was kinda free.

And then a Kentucky KM 180 .. a deal from classifieds, which I bought intending to resell or trade.

1918 Gibson H2 Mandola. The top is sunken but stable, and at some point I intend to have it re-topped. It’s currently strung with octave pairs(except the top strings which are unison)..I got that idea from Steve Smith, who had a similarly strung Mandola.

Then a stroke of luck...I was going to a wedding in Michigan, and decided to stop by Elderly Instruments in Lansing on the way as I was itching to upgrade to a significantly better mandolin. I took the Kentucky A and the Gibson with the cracked headstock and used them for a partial trade on a Monteleone, which happened to have been in the store on consignment for two or three days. It’s #6, made in 1976, two points, with a unique headstock, like the old Gibson Moccassin headstocks they used to put on banjos at one time. John Monteleone said it was the prototype for his Baby Grand two point model. It’s a beauty.

Next up, a Northfield archtop octave mandolin. I had seen Joe K Walsh playing one, and just had to get one and it’s probably the instrument I play the most currently. Now I hardly ever play the James Jones, though I still have it.

A couple of years ago, I bought a cheapo Fender A Mando to take on a trip to Ireland as I was worried about losing any of my instruments to CITES regulations, but I ended up taking my 20s Gretsch tenor banjo instead, and had no problems. The Fender went as soon as I got back. It was pretty awful.

My latest mandolin is a late 30s Gibson A00, solid but awful repairs to the headstock and top. It’s a beater for festivals, and plays and sounds OK.

Along the way, I got a Gretsch mandolin banjo and guitar banjo to match my tenor, same laminated neck, same inlay in the headstock. It’s a banjo family like the three bears or something! The tenor gets a workout every once in a while.

And finally a luthier friend put a new mandocello scale neck onto an old Framus semi-acoustic bass guitar body (same model that Bill Wyman used to play in the early days of the Stones). The original neck had cracked and pulled apart from the body at the neck joint so a new neck was in order. It has only four strings to lessen the tension on the neck joint, tuned now like a Mandocello. The floating pickups from its bass guitar days don’t work as the bridge is in a different place, so no pickups. The sound is as you would expect of a semi acoustic instrument, thin, but it can be miked.

Thanks for an excuse to go on a trip down memory lane.

Pete

[MontanaMatt]

Don’t be intimidated by Bill's list, he’s padding his numbers with guitars and lutes! LOL
I’m surprised he didn’t sneak some banjos in there

Its easier to remember the keepers for me as many low and high end have went to get what I know have!

1923 Gibson MB-5-all silver plated and Loar style silver engraved A tuners with pearl buttons
1986 Grandpa Big Bill Smith F-5
1924 Gibson December 1st Lloyd Loar F-5 with Virzi
1926 Gibson F-5 Fern
1934 Gibson F-5 Fern
1935 Gibson F-12
1939 Gibson F-7
1939 Gibson F-7 Randy Wood re-neck "Loar Buster"
1935 Gibson A-50 elevated board "monster'
1958 Gibson F-5 Randy Wood re-grad and new neck
1961 Gibson F-5-in process of myself doing a re-grad
1924 Gibson Tenor Lute
1924 Gibson Tenor Lute to Mandola convert by Gary Vessel
2017 Gary Vessel Loar tribute F-5 with Virzi
1934 Joe Wilson F-5ish copy-still getting work done by David Harvey as it needed a bunch of work!
1933ish ViviTone electric mandolin
1933ish ViviTone Hawaiian guitar-museum quality!
2 Fender Custom Shop Clarence White B-benders
2001 Martin Clarence White signature edition D-18
1957 Martin D-18 with rare Adirondack top
1919 Martin OO-18 "attic find" still in the shop for resto.
2009 Fender Pink Paisley Telecaster
1995 Martin HD-28 kit guitar I built when I was younger with my Gramps
6 or so 30's Gibson A models for conversions
2009 Gibson F-10 75th anniversary edition
2020 Apitius Rosine custom F-5, with my wood specs such as a wider grain top for the bass side and very fine for the treble side, that is in the process of being built-exciting! Delivery in September, just in time for my B-day!
1970's Ibanez F-5 that was Gramps that Ronnie McCoury played at his first gig in California when my Great Uncle Dick Smith played banjo with Del and Dixie Pals around 80-81-needs resto!

Some above are on the chopping block as one can only play so many!

Many vintage quality rare and very hard to find cases-Loar and 30's F-5 oblong/rectangular, some shaped as well, many rare 20's and 30's mandolin parts!

Now the few I wish I could've kept!
2001 Paganoni F-5
2004 Gibson V-Fern
1982 Gilchrist F-5
1935 Gibson A-Century
2001 Gibson F5-G
1980 Gibson F5-L-it was re-graduated by original owner by Ward Elliot "I think?"
1944 Gibson J-45-5 piece neck and maple back and sides, spruce top-best old guitar I ever had!
I'm sure there are a few more but cant think but they allowed and helped me get my keepers!

[MontanaMatt]

Not a long list like some.

An Aria F that my wife bought for me.
A fun 1920 Gibson A that I found at an auction for $250; sold it
A 1993 Stiver A. A good mandolin; eventually sold it.
A 50s? Gibson EM150 that was gifted to me. A real beater. Still have it so the grandkids can play with it.
A Kimble A, woulda kept it but it got squished by a car.
A Kimble F, another good mandolin
The last one is a Heiden F; another good mandolin that gives me great pleasure.

Cheers

How did your mando get squished by a car?

[snakehead_a2z]

For me it started with a new Kentucky KM 600, in 1984. Then, I got a 1925 Gibson A2-z in 1985, and sold the Kentucky. In the mid 80s, I picked up a Vega Little Wonder mando banjo, and after a year or so, sold it to get a Mark Locke octave mandolin. In the mid 1990s, I got a Vega Tu-ba-phone short scale tenor banjo. In 2002, after becoming concerned about flying with the Gibson, I got a new Rigel A + Deluxe. Around 2006 or 7 at Clifftop, I bought a prototype Tenortone tenor guitar from Jaime Dugan. And lastly, so far, around 8-10 years ago, I found a 30s Kalamazoo KM-12 on eBay. The Rigel almost immediately became my gigging mando, and I gigged with the Tenortone quite a bit too (not so much lately), and these days, I play the Kalamazoo most of the time around the house.

[John Flynn]

Mine is not too exciting.

• Early 90's: "Lotus" A style, made of select Korean plywood, traded it
• A year later: Alvarez A-800 F style, my main mando for about 10 years, then traded it
• Late 90's: Mederios Travel Mandolin, which I had for about 10 years but later sold and wish I hadn't
• Early 2000's: Rigel A+ Deluxe, which I still have
• Mid-2000's:
  - Old Wave Oval, still have it
  - Parsons Flat Top, still have it
  - Mendel Octave, still have it
  - Epiphone Mandobird, got rid of it
  - Risa Mando-Solid, still have it
  - Concertone GDAE tenor banjo, circa 1920's

My MAS pretty much got cured by the 2009 recession. We are doing OK now, but unless one of the instruments I have now just won't do what I need it to do, I will not spend the money. I don't see that happening.

[LKN2MYIS]

1914 Gibson "A"
Newson "A5"
Eastman "A" (2 point)
Ratcliff "A"
Phoenix Neo-Classical

All gone.

Currently:

Austin Clark 2-point
Kimble 2-point
Gibson F5C - Korina (incredible)
Gibson F5L
and
Girouard F5 (soon to be on the chopping block)

Too many mandolins. I should just learn to play one and keep that one!

[Phil Goodson]

So this list starts at the bottom in 2006 and works up to the present when I have but one mandolin left. Manodlins in BOLD are the ones that I thought sounded great and played wonderfully!
Most of the others sounded very, very good, too. (Seven or eight of these could easiiy and happily have been life instruments.)

Heiden 2 Point - (remaining)
Heiden A style 2015
Collings MT2, Blonde
Duff F-5 , 2013
Kimble A style #103, 2006
Ruhland A style
Harmony Monterey
Henderson F-5, custom built 2007
Campanella Dué
Northfield Model M
Weber Bitterroot A Octave
Gibson A-2
Gibson DMM F5, 2005
Altman M-F5
Brock F-5 Torch & Wire
Elliott A-5
Duff A-5
Collings MF
Michael Kelly - A Solid

[Obiwan]

$30 broken tuners
Ibanez stayed in tune
Sold for
—————
Loar 520
Eastman 305
Sold for
———————-
Weber absaroka with a hump in the neck
Sold for
——————-
Girouard mandolin A
Gibson A9
Weber Y2k
Sold for
———————-
Gibson flatiron F 2001
Sold for
———————-
Weber Gallatin mahogany early model sold
—————————
Weber Yellowstone x bracing wanted fully bound
Gibson f9 sold
Ratliff F country boy
Sold for
—————-
Rattlesnake 2001 still own
Giannini to plat choro never paned out sold
—————-
Pava satin
Mid Missouri M-11 sold
Gibson f5g 2011
Sold for
——————
Kimble A still own
Waterloo wl-m newly acquired

So now
Rattlesnake F
Kimble A
Waterloo flat

Im very happy with my collection i don’t pland on selling these mandolins
It took me A while saving money and selling to move up.
But it dose not mean im not going to buy anymore.
I could golf or buy a sports car i choose playing and enjoying mandolins instead.

[Astro]

Eastman MD 305--Hooked

Gibson 5FG-- Done

[C2WAVE2]

I've only been playing mandolin for about a year and a half,
in order of acquisition.

New Rogue 2019 RM-100A
New Kentucky 2019 KM-270
Used Loar 2014 LM-700
New Eastman 2020 ER-M Electric
Used 2018 Gibson F5-G

I haven't sold any mandolins,I am enjoying what I have,
MAS is slowing down, but most likely never to be extinguished

[Bill Bradshaw]

How did your mando get squished by a car?

Don't want to hijack the thread, so I sent you a private message.

Cheers,

Bill

[DHopkins]

My MAS only vacillates commensurate with the amount of money available. It's always chronic but every once in a while, it becomes acute. A couple of weeks ago, it was acute. I ended up treating it by buying a Gibson F-5L from Mandomutt. (Great to do business with but that's for another thread.) The treatment also included trading in my Recording King resophonic. I never played it and it was gathering dust. The MAS is back to chronic at this writing.

Perhaps when "all this stuff that's goin' on" is over, the band can get back to making a little money (with emphasis on the word "little") and I can start reading the classifieds a lot closer, On a side note, it's a sad commentary when, after being told to "shelter in place," you realize your life didn't change.

[JeffD]

My process has been to get the last mandolin I will ever need. I've done that a good five or six times now.

[mando-bob]

In chronological order, starting in 1990 - Bold means remaining, instruments I loved for their sound are underlined.

no name A5
Gibson A1
Washburn F5
Gibson F2
Michael Kelly F5 Dragonfly
Gibson K2 mandocello
Michael Sanden 8-string bouzouki (for sale)
Gibson H2 mandola
Lebeda F4 mandola
Gibson K4 mandocello
Gibson F5G
Gibson F4
Collings MF5 (for sale)
Gibson A Jr.
Gibson A snakehead
Flatbush A5 mandola
Lawrence Smart H5 mandola
Weber Absaroka custom
Stefan Sobell 10-string bouzouki / cittern
Thijs van der Harst Octave mandolin
Northfield NF5A 5VIE (for sale)
Ellis A5 special deluxe
Ellis F5 special (ordered, coming next year)

[LastMohican]

My MAS only vacillates commensurate with the amount of money available. It's always chronic but every once in a while, it becomes acute. A couple of weeks ago, it was acute. I ended up treating it by buying a Gibson F-5L from Mandomutt. (Great to do business with but that's for another thread.) The treatment also included trading in my Recording King resophonic. I never played it and it was gathering dust. The MAS is back to chronic at this writing.

Perhaps when "all this stuff that's goin' on" is over, the band can get back to making a little money (with emphasis on the word "little") and I can start reading the classifieds a lot closer, On a side note, it's a sad commentary when, after being told to "shelter in place," you realize your life didn't change.

You damn sure moved from "acute" to "chronic" through the purchase of a damn fine instrument! How does it play/sound?

[DHopkins]

You damn sure moved from "acute" to "chronic" through the purchase of a damn fine instrument! How does it play/sound?

I'll know Wednesday. Right now, UPS is taking it on a sightseeing tour of NC, SC and GA. I don't normally buy sight unseen but there's a handful of people on this form that I trust implicitly. Mandomutt (Kevin Douglas) is one of them and he rated it highly.