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Thread: Describe your MAS progression

  1. #101
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    Default Re: Describe your MAS progression

    My wallet is never as happy as I am when I buy another mandolin. There are so many to choose from nowadays. And I find so many that I like and want to take home. It takes me a month or two of playing daily at home to really get up close and personal. Finally after an extended romance I come to understand if it's love or just lust. Rinse, Repeat.

  2. #102

    Default Re: Describe your MAS progression

    My MAS is in full remission.

    Too many woodworking hand tools to buy, and my Girouard mandolin is enough for me. I ended up selling my octave, and only have my 17 fret open back tenor banjo, and 1890s open back 5 string banjo to keep the Girouard company.
    Girouard Custom Studio A Oval
    P.W. Crump OM-III

  3. #103
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    Default Re: Describe your MAS progression

    Started in mid 1970s --Borrowed Kay A style > 1970's Aria F style > 1924 Gibson Snakehead > 1998 Rattlesnake F-5 > 2000 Gilchrist F-5 > 1922 Gibson F-5 > Nowhere to go now!! ALL DONE

  4. #104
    Registered User jim simpson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Describe your MAS progression

    I believe I bought my first good mandolin in 1992, it was a Gerald Anderson F-5. I've enjoyed trying and owning some good ones since, I've managed to hold the count down to 5 at present. Now guitars, they're starting to populate, lol! Here's my list, I may have forgotten some that didn't make the list:

    1. Harmony/Monterey A model with f-holes
    2. Washburn A model with oval hole 80’s
    3. Gerald Anderson F-5 style, #24
    4. Ratliff R5 (F-5 style)
    5. Weber Yellowstone
    6. KM-1000 Kentucky, black
    7. Gibson F5G (late 80’s?)
    8. Gibson A 1917 pumpkin top
    9. Flatiron A Performer
    10. Trinity octave mandolin
    11. Fullerton Gloucester F5
    12. Gibson A3 project
    13. Gibson A 1915 project
    14. Harmony Shutt style 2 point
    15. Glenn F5 style
    16. Gibson A9
    17. Fender 5 string electric mandolin
    18. Epiphone Firebird 8 string electric mandolin
    19. couple of Kentucky A models (can't remember model #s)
    20. Stradolin A model
    21. Chris Warner Gibson F5 copy, early 70’s
    22. National Steel 30's period faux wood grain mandolin
    23. Nagoya F5 style retopped to F4 style
    24. Collings black top MT
    25. Daley F5 std.
    26. Gibson A Sheraton Brown
    27. Flatiron mandola
    28. Kentucky KM-805
    29. Martin A – 20’s
    30. Collings MF5
    31. Poe F4
    32. Goldstar 4 string electric
    33. Sovereign flat top mandolin
    34. Carlo Catalfamo F5
    35. Kentucky KM-1000
    36.Collings MF blonde
    37. Gibson F4 1912
    38. Rigel A
    39. Gibson F5L ‘81
    40. Gibson F9 (early model)
    41. Nichols Road
    42. Gibson Fern ‘06
    43. Flatiron pancake
    44. The Bluegrass – F5 by Glen Dean Cecil
    45. Phoenix Select
    46. Gibson A2Z – 1923
    Old Hometown, Cabin Fever String Band

  5. #105
    Registered User urobouros's Avatar
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    Default Re: Describe your MAS progression

    I started out with a Kentucky KM-150 & then picked up a Loar LM-600. My first upgrade was a Weber Absaroka after selling the KM-150 & the LM-600. I also got two Weber mandolas, an oval & an F hole, which I eventually traded to Elderly for a Collings mandola. I got an Eastman MDO305 which I soon sold & bought a Weber A20. I got my Big Mon, Miss Maybelle, & my Skip Kelley A5 last year as well as a Northfield flat top OM. I thought I was done but just pulled the trigger on a Pono MND-HC30 & am working on a trade for an archtop OM too.
    2020 Northfield Big Mon
    2016 Skip Kelley A5
    2011 Weber Gallatin A20
    2021 Northfield Flattop Octave Mandolin
    2019 Pono Flattop Octave
    Richard Beard Celtic Flattop
    And a few electrics

  6. #106
    Orrig Onion HonketyHank's Avatar
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    Default Re: Describe your MAS progression

    I won't clutter things up with details, but I will say I have worked up from a no-name 1920s mandolin banjo and a Rogue 100 in 2015 through various trades, sales, and purchases. I have had some real dogs and some really nice ones. If I counted up, I think I could get to 20 or 25. If you go back through the Newbies archives, you'll find traces of my path. Many time I have said, "OK, no more. This one is THE ONE." If there was a 12-step program for mandolins, I would be one of the backslider members.

    But I am glad that unlike with booze or smokes or whatever, money spent on a mandolin does not necessarily go down the drain. You buy an asset that can be re-monetized to at least partially feed the habit when the next bright sparkly-toned mando attracts your eye or ear.
    New to mando? Click this link -->Newbies to join us at the Newbies Social Group.

    Just send an email to rob.meldrum@gmail.com with "mandolin setup" in the subject line and he will email you a copy of his ebook for free (free to all mandolincafe members).

    My website and blog: honketyhank.com

  7. #107
    Registered User Dave Hicks's Avatar
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    Default Re: Describe your MAS progression

    In 1983 I got a Kentucky KM150, 1985 a Flatiron A5 Jr, 2000 a Ryder EM44, 2015 a Gibson A. Still have all but the first. That's it (so far).

    D.H.

  8. #108
    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Describe your MAS progression

    Quote Originally Posted by jim simpson View Post
    I believe I bought my first good mandolin in 1992, it was a Gerald Anderson F-5. I've enjoyed trying and owning some good ones since, I've managed to hold the count down to 5 at present. Now guitars, they're starting to populate, lol! Here's my list, I may have forgotten some that didn't make the list:

    1. Harmony/Monterey A model with f-holes
    2. Washburn A model with oval hole 80’s
    3. Gerald Anderson F-5 style, #24
    4. Ratliff R5 (F-5 style)
    5. Weber Yellowstone
    6. KM-1000 Kentucky, black
    7. Gibson F5G (late 80’s?)
    8. Gibson A 1917 pumpkin top
    9. Flatiron A Performer
    10. Trinity octave mandolin
    11. Fullerton Gloucester F5
    12. Gibson A3 project
    13. Gibson A 1915 project
    14. Harmony Shutt style 2 point
    15. Glenn F5 style
    16. Gibson A9
    17. Fender 5 string electric mandolin
    18. Epiphone Firebird 8 string electric mandolin
    19. couple of Kentucky A models (can't remember model #s)
    20. Stradolin A model
    21. Chris Warner Gibson F5 copy, early 70’s
    22. National Steel 30's period faux wood grain mandolin
    23. Nagoya F5 style retopped to F4 style
    24. Collings black top MT
    25. Daley F5 std.
    26. Gibson A Sheraton Brown
    27. Flatiron mandola
    28. Kentucky KM-805
    29. Martin A – 20’s
    30. Collings MF5
    31. Poe F4
    32. Goldstar 4 string electric
    33. Sovereign flat top mandolin
    34. Carlo Catalfamo F5
    35. Kentucky KM-1000
    36.Collings MF blonde
    37. Gibson F4 1912
    38. Rigel A
    39. Gibson F5L ‘81
    40. Gibson F9 (early model)
    41. Nichols Road
    42. Gibson Fern ‘06
    43. Flatiron pancake
    44. The Bluegrass – F5 by Glen Dean Cecil
    45. Phoenix Select
    46. Gibson A2Z – 1923
    Lists like this show I don't really have a problem
    Not all the clams are at the beach

    Arrow Manouche
    Arrow Jazzbo
    Arrow G
    Clark 2 point
    Gibson F5L
    Gibson A-4
    Ratliff CountryBoy A

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  10. #109
    Registered User Dave Wrede's Avatar
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    Default Re: Describe your MAS progression

    Well, let's see...
    Bought a no name East German A-style mandolin in West Germany in about 1985 or so. Sorta traded it for a Kentucky KM-180s (there's a story there ) and still have it.
    Saw a Flatiron Performer A on sale at one of the on-line stores and bought it, still have that one too.
    Mandolin Store had a Flatiron F5 for sale, bought it, maxing out my credit card in the process (I keep a pretty low line of credit anyhoo). This is my go-to mando and is MUCH more than I deserve or can make use of. But I'll keep it.
    Mando Store had an oval hole F-style Eastman on sale for a steal, bought it just to hear how an oval hole sounds. Recently traded it for a banjo.
    Heard an Eastman mandocello on the Mando Store site, just had to have one. Fella on here had one for sale, bought it. Love it.
    Mando Store had a Flatiron mandola for sale, bought it... Hey it's a Montana made instrument, can't go wrong.
    That's where I stopped.
    When your instruments are (MUCH) better than you are, better to stick with 'em.

  11. #110
    Registered User Zissou Intern's Avatar
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    Default Re: Describe your MAS progression

    Kentucky KM675
    Weber Yellowstone
    Gibson F2
    Flatbush V4
    Pomeroy F5
    Pomeroy F2
    Dearstone D1A
    Kentucky KM100
    Newell F5
    Kentucky KM1050
    Kentucky KM272
    Eastman 315
    *Lafferty (Schneider) F5B

    I could've and should've stopped at almost any point along that path and just made music with what I had. The grass is always greener...

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  13. #111

    Default Re: Describe your MAS progression

    1. The Loar LM-600-VS

  14. #112
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    Default Re: Describe your MAS progression

    Glad to see my list is still unchanged, am still working on improving my playing. I still read the classifieds regularly (nearly daily,) but am still satisfied with what I have. I don't think I will ever live up to the potential of my mandolins.

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  16. #113
    Registered User webber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Describe your MAS progression

    After a college friend lent me their Kentucky A-style, let's see...

    - I started with a rental Eastman 305 and didn't connect with it.
    - The same college friend gifted me a 60s Sonata that had belonged to another friend's dad, who passed. I fixed it up and got it back in working shape, but the neck is warped and that means that, at a usable action, it only plays up to the twelfth fret or so.
    - I bought my first nice mandolin, a Gibson Nouveau that played easy all the way up and down the neck (to a ridiculous and surprisingly usable 29th fret).
    - After my band started booking regular gigs, I treated myself to the Northfield F5S in my signature. I've been playing the heck out of it, even in the goofy 108º#weather we've gotten in Texas, and don't see myself ever parting with it!
    - I intended to purchase an even nicer instrument to celebrate a recent job promotion and the upcoming recording of our first studio album, but I was surprised to find that I didn't like the sound of any of them more than I like the sound of my Northfield! With that, I ended up purchasing a used Northfield Flat Top Octave instead, and found that it's replaced my guitar as the go-to instrument to pick off the wall and play around the house.
    1913 Gibson F2 (Blacktop)
    2022 Big Muddy Mandola (M-16, Ziricote back and sides, Adirondack top)
    2022 Kentucky KM-120 (Elevated fretboard conversion)
    1940s Kay Banjolin
    1930s Martin Style 0 Ukulele
    1920s Vega Senator Plectrum Banjo (GDAE octave mando tuning)

  17. #114
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    Default Re: Describe your MAS progression

    Mandolins
    1. Rogue (early 2000s), given to a girl I had a crush on at the time
    2. Alvarez A800 "fancy" F-style. Current beater.
    3. Breedlove Quartz 00
    Future want: Big Mon, blacktop w/ wide nut. Probably too cheap to ever buy this.

    Octaves
    1. Weber Bitterroot 22" (borrowed)
    2. Eastman MDO305 (thin sound, sold)
    3. Yair Stern octave (returned)
    4. KR Strings octolindo F deluxe
    No future wants that the moment...

  18. #115
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Describe your MAS progression

    The last two or three mandolins I have purchased have each one of them been "the last mandolin I will ever purchase."
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

    The entire staff
    funny....

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  20. #116
    Registered User Eric Platt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Describe your MAS progression

    Since my last post (#63) a lot of changes -

    Still have the A Jr.
    Northfield F5S moved for -
    Brentrup Model 23

    Also added
    Coombe Classical Flattop
    Weber Aspen #1
    1915 Gibson A
    And a couple of different Strad-O-Lins.

    Will probably still add and subtract in the future. Hard to keep it static. However, have enough different style instruments that it's easier to switch for a different sound than before.
    Brentrup Model 23, Boeh A5 #37, Gibson A Jr., Big Muddy M-11, Coombe Classical flattop, Strad-O-Lin
    https://www.facebook.com/LauluAika/
    https://www.lauluaika.com/
    https://www.facebook.com/Longtine-Am...14404553312723

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  22. #117

    Default Re: Describe your MAS progression

    1. Kentucky ?? -borrowed
    2. Johnson A, f holes -manifested this plywood baby through a Culvers drive thru coworker. He found it in a relative’s attic in a banjo case with a towel wrapped around it. Surprisingly good sound, this was my only mandolin for years. Now relegated to the beach and camping.
    3. Finn mandolin F style, f holes -gift for a big birthday, primary instrument. A temperamental little devil.
    4. Eastman MD605 -purchased off the classifieds for a decent backup instrument I could plug in. Reliable!
    5. Eastman MDO605 -craved an octave. Still breaking in.

    Mostly in remission now due to finances and octave acquisition. Still have all four (minus the borrowed Kentucky) and love having more than one for different situations. Happy, but if I had the funds, would jump at a Collings or an Ellis.

  23. #118

    Default Re: Describe your MAS progression

    Kentucky K 150. (Aorund 1992). I wanted to see what a mandolin does.

    TJ Jessen (Around 1993). It was an early Jessen but it was probably a great mando as TJ makes great stuff. But it was an oval hole and I didn't really get what oval holes do.

    Gibson F5G (around 2000). I was in a bluegrass band with 2 guitarists. We were getting paid (not enough to make a living but still....paid!) It seemed redundant to have 2 guitars so..I went big! Obviously a lifetime quality mando. I got it because it was hanging on the wall of my home town music shop. But I was still a guitarist playing mando.

    Girouard Studio Wide nut(2016). The mando bug had bitten me now. Would I like a wide nut? A radius fretboard? A more modern sound? I could buy stuff on the interwebs now and I started my search here. The wide nut seemed really big after the very narrow nut on the F5G.

    Buy/sell/trade Janish A5, Weber Vintage, Northfield NF5S, Collings MTO. I had a pretty good idea now.

    Girouard Concert A5, Girouard Custom Oval hole. I've said it before but I really think I am good for life. I've had the A5 for almost three years and have never looked seriously at another mandolin. Those two mandos can do everything I need and look, feel, and sound great doing it. I can geek out about cases, octaves, zouks, and citterns. I think I'm set with mandolins.
    Girouard Concert A5
    Girouard Custom A4
    Nordwall Cittern
    Barbi Mandola
    Crump OM-1s Octave
    www.singletonstreet.com

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  25. #119
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    Default Re: Describe your MAS progression

    Only submitting this because I wondered if I could recall them all consecutively...

    Unknown import mandolin, given to me in 1973, and converted me from just a guitar player...followed by:
    Harmony Monterrey 1960s (gone)
    Ibenez F-style, to which I "took the big knife" to the top, with notable tonal improvement. Mid-1970s (gone)
    Tut Taylor/Givens Ode prototype A-5 1977 (still have it)
    Fender Electric solidbody 1958 (gone)
    R.L. Givens F5 1978 (gone)
    Scratchbuilt Electric solidbody 1978 (I mostly constructed it over the course of two days. Sure sounds better than those bright, tinny Fenders! Still got it)
    Gibson A2Z (gone)
    Fender Electric solidbody 1964 (gone)
    Chris Stanley F5 2004 (soon to hit the market)
    Gibson A3 1919 (gone)
    Gibson A Snakehead 1925 (gone)
    Gibson A Jr Snakehead 1925 (gone)
    Kalamazoo KM-11 (beach/backpacking mandolin...still in service)
    Gibson F4 1920 (play it daily)
    Gibson F5 1924 (play it daily)

    ...reckon I'm done...maybe til the vinnidge mandolin market spikes upward again (if ever), I sell the Loar and finish out my mandolin playing days with a Gil, Dude or similar...

    Hey, that was a fun stumble down mandolin-memory lane!
    too many strings

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