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Thread: My MAS is cured.

  1. #1

    Default My MAS is cured.

    Received a great 2000 Flatiron Performer A mandolin yesterday. I have owned my 1924 Gibson Snakehead A Junior for about 7 months now. Great sounding and playing mandolin! I had been wanting an f hole mandolin for sometime. Feels great to have both an oval hole mandolin and an f-hole mandolin.

    My mandolin journey began about 27 years ago. Over the years I owned some great mandolins. Life would always happen. So mandolins got sold, including a blacktop Gibson A-4 to David Grisman. I still have the autographed note he sent to me with the check for the mandolin.

    Just feels great to be satisfied and happy with the mandolins I have. I hope everyone on here gets to experience the same feeling of happiness with their mandolins!

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  3. #2
    Registered User J.C. Bryant's Avatar
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    Default Re: My MAS is cured.

    Blessings to you! I have thought the same thing several times in the past!

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  5. #3
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    Default Re: My MAS is cured.

    I had the same feeling but it didn't last. Hope you'rs does.

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  7. #4
    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
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    Default Re: My MAS is cured.

    Oh, sure! You had a blacktop Gibson A-4 and yet you let it go, which shows there's quite a lot of restlessness within you, if that wasn't enough for you. And now after whatever long and winding road you've travelled, you find yourself here, with two mandolins. Only two. Oh, I'm sure that will be enough for the rest of your life.

    Well, I hope you're right, I do. I'd bet against it, though. MAS is a tough habit to kick. But enjoy this feeling of happiness and contentment ... while it lasts ...
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

    Furthering Mandolin Consciousness

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  9. #5
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    Default Re: My MAS is cured.

    It might be easier for some of us to relate to if you said your MAS is in remission. Some are just not destined for a cure.

    With an oval hole and an F hole you've got a lot of ground covered, and with a couple of pretty respectable instruments. Certainly the time spent giving appropriate respect to those beauties will leave little left for browsing the classifieds.

    Congrats, and feel free to share!

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  11. #6

    Default Re: My MAS is cured.

    Quote Originally Posted by journeybear View Post
    Oh, sure! You had a blacktop Gibson A-4 and yet you let it go, which shows there's quite a lot of restlessness within you, if that wasn't enough for you. And now after whatever long and winding road you've travelled, you find yourself here, with two mandolins. Only two. Oh, I'm sure that will be enough for the rest of your life.

    Well, I hope you're right, I do. I'd bet against it, though. MAS is a tough habit to kick. But enjoy this feeling of happiness and contentment ... while it lasts ...
    I didn't want to sell that Gibson A-4, but I had to sell to pay for college tuition at the time.

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  13. #7

    Default Re: My MAS is cured.

    Quote Originally Posted by J.C. Bryant View Post
    Blessings to you! I have thought the same thing several times in the past!
    Thank you JC! God has always blessed me. Blessings to you too my friend!

  14. #8

    Default Re: My MAS is cured.

    Quote Originally Posted by Alfons View Post
    It might be easier for some of us to relate to if you said your MAS is in remission. Some are just not destined for a cure.

    With an oval hole and an F hole you've got a lot of ground covered, and with a couple of pretty respectable instruments. Certainly the time spent giving appropriate respect to those beauties will leave little left for browsing the classifieds.

    Congrats, and feel free to share!
    You are probably right. Remission is probably the better word. I am like you, I think I have a lot of ground covered. I won't be looking at the classifieds as much. I like the classifieds when a Gilchrist, Dudenbostel, Nugget, or Loar mandolin gets posted. Mandolins I can't afford. Lol.

    For the budget I have, my two mandolins are perfect for me.

  15. #9
    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
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    Default Re: My MAS is cured.

    Quote Originally Posted by MandoMan1 View Post
    I didn't want to sell that Gibson A-4, but I had to sell to pay for college tuition at the time.
    Thankfully, I've never had to face something like that. I've been in some tight financial situations, but never to the point where I'd have to sell an instrument. To paraphrase Freewheeling Franklin of The Furry Freak Brothers, "Mandolins will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no mandolins."

    Though I did get my mandola because someone else needed to do that, as he was facing eviction. Even better (for me), he had two mandolas, but sold the nicer one because the other was part of a matched set of mandolin, mandola, mandocello.

    Or was it? The 1916 H-2 is the first instrument of seriously good quality I've owned, may even have collector's value. And did it cure my MAS? Or did it open my mind to possibilities I'd not before considered? Hmmm ... the jury is still out on that.
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

    Furthering Mandolin Consciousness

    Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!

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  17. #10
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    Default Re: My MAS is cured.

    I am like MandoMan. I have had some incredible mandolins. But, life happens, and after 30 surgeries I found my doctors wanted to get paid more than I wanted to have a mandolin. Ok, that’s not quite true, but my medical costs exceeded every imaginable thing. Mandolins, and guitars, and banjos were just a part of what I had to give up to do what I have to do. The good news, at least to me is that I am 72 years old and still here. Necessity can alter one’s expectations and the hand I was dealt took the steam out of my engine. My wheelchair is far more important to me than any mandolin. The same with the doctors and hospitals. I had to learn years ago that as wonderful as musical instruments are, they are not the most important things. I’m not complaining. I have a couple instruments that keep me happy. They don’t stack up to Blondie, or Brutus, or Firewood, and not the Gilchrists I owned. I was very blessed to have those instruments and to play them. I was blessed to get to play a bunch of Lloyd Loar mandolins, but those I did not own. My purpose in this reply is to state we don’t know what anyone else goes through, and sometimes life gives us wonderful things, but it can just as easily and just as fast, take them from you. I’m happy to be alive and get to spend more time with my wife and kids and grandkids. That is worth way more than any musical instrument. My wife of over 52 years is worth much more to me than all the instruments I have owned put together. It’s wonderful getting to grow old with your best friend. So, don’t feel sorry for me, I certainly don’t. I am a truly blessed man. I pray you can know what things are most important without going through what some of us have. If that should befall your life, learn how great life is no matter what you have to give up to continue to live and share your life with those you love. Thank you.
    Have a Great Day!
    Joe Vest

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  19. #11
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    Default Re: My MAS is cured.

    I took the pledge a few years ago.

    The only thing that I have bought since then was a Swedish Goya 12 string guitar to gig with. $150 as-is, with high action. The shipping was an extra $60. Shipping ain't cheap anymore.

    Decent enough wood: solid maple and European spruce, and a neck that's hard as a rock. It turned out to have enough surplus lumber inside it to kill the tone, so I opened it up, re-braced it, gave it new frets and tuners, reglued and recompensated the bridge, "slipped the block" when I re-assembled it to fix the neck angle, and added a nice celluloid pickguard. A lot of labor, but with conditions as they were, I had a lot of time on my hands. Total dollar cost was under $350: $150 for the guitar + $60 shipping + $65 for the tuners, and another $65 or so for fret wire, pickguard material, bracewood, and a couple of pieces of bone. She sounds pretty good now. If I hadn't replaced the tuners, I could have kept it below $300, but the original tuners were miserable.

    I'm sometimes tempted by stuff that I see come and go on the web, but I just wait. Then someone else buys it, and that takes care of it.

    Hope you enjoy your new mandolin.

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  21. #12
    two t's and one hyphen fatt-dad's Avatar
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    Default Re: My MAS is cured.

    perfect duo!

    f-d
    ¡papá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!

    '20 A3, '30 L-1, '97 914, 2012 Cohen A5, 2012 Muth A5, '14 OM28A

  22. #13

    Default Re: My MAS is cured.

    Quote Originally Posted by Big Joe View Post
    I am like MandoMan. I have had some incredible mandolins. But, life happens, and after 30 surgeries I found my doctors wanted to get paid more than I wanted to have a mandolin. Ok, that’s not quite true, but my medical costs exceeded every imaginable thing. Mandolins, and guitars, and banjos were just a part of what I had to give up to do what I have to do. The good news, at least to me is that I am 72 years old and still here. Necessity can alter one’s expectations and the hand I was dealt took the steam out of my engine. My wheelchair is far more important to me than any mandolin. The same with the doctors and hospitals. I had to learn years ago that as wonderful as musical instruments are, they are not the most important things. I’m not complaining. I have a couple instruments that keep me happy. They don’t stack up to Blondie, or Brutus, or Firewood, and not the Gilchrists I owned. I was very blessed to have those instruments and to play them. I was blessed to get to play a bunch of Lloyd Loar mandolins, but those I did not own. My purpose in this reply is to state we don’t know what anyone else goes through, and sometimes life gives us wonderful things, but it can just as easily and just as fast, take them from you. I’m happy to be alive and get to spend more time with my wife and kids and grandkids. That is worth way more than any musical instrument. My wife of over 52 years is worth much more to me than all the instruments I have owned put together. It’s wonderful getting to grow old with your best friend. So, don’t feel sorry for me, I certainly don’t. I am a truly blessed man. I pray you can know what things are most important without going through what some of us have. If that should befall your life, learn how great life is no matter what you have to give up to continue to live and share your life with those you love. Thank you.
    Mr. Vest, it is great to hear from you! Glad you are doing well. Sorry to hear about the surgeries, but I am so glad you are doing well. I have always enjoyed your posts over the years.

    You are right: family is always more important. I have had some great mandolins come and go. I enjoyed the temporary guardianship. Besides my college tuition cost, the sale of the mandolins I owned helped pay for the down payment on the first house I bought, the hospital bills for both my daughters to be born.

    Mr. Vest, thank you for the post. It is served as a great reminder that family and their needs are far more important than any musical instrument. As much as I miss the mandolins I owned in the past, I am thankful for the family God has blessed me with.

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  24. #14

    Default Re: My MAS is cured.

    Quote Originally Posted by fatt-dad View Post
    perfect duo!

    f-d
    Thank you sir! I am enjoying them. You have some fine mandolins too!

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  26. #15
    Registered User John Bertotti's Avatar
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    Default Re: My MAS is cured.

    Quote Originally Posted by MandoMan1 View Post
    Received a great 2000 Flatiron Performer A mandolin yesterday. I have owned my 1924 Gibson Snakehead A Junior for about 7 months now. Great sounding and playing mandolin! I had been wanting an f hole mandolin for sometime. Feels great to have both an oval hole mandolin and an f-hole mandolin.

    My mandolin journey began about 27 years ago. Over the years I owned some great mandolins. Life would always happen. So mandolins got sold, including a blacktop Gibson A-4 to David Grisman. I still have the autographed note he sent to me with the check for the mandolin.

    Just feels great to be satisfied and happy with the mandolins I have. I hope everyone on here gets to experience the same feeling of happiness with their mandolins!
    You know you are still one short. You need a bowl-back also!
    My avatar is of my OldWave Oval A

    Creativity is just doing something wierd and finding out others like it.

  27. #16

    Default Re: My MAS is cured.

    I feel the same. MAS cured. I always loved the look of F4s yet after having 7 in the past 45 years I sold them all as they never worked in band situation. I had a good few great F-hole mandolins including a marvellous Big Mon, A 1980s Flatiron F5 Artist, A custom Paul Schneider F5 Summit etc etc but the F4 thing never went away. Last Christmas I stumbled upon a 1919 F4 at Gruhns and took a chance on it and it is the F4 I've always wanted. Dry woody tone thanks to a rosewood one piece bridge and replacing the pearl nut with bone. So well balanced and in spite of reading about poor intonation and fret issues of some old Gibsons, the intonation is spot on. I know I will keep this F4 for the rest of my life. MAS cured and a good feeling although it doesn't stop me looking but I know I have what I love. End of. I have a couple of F-hole mandolins for band stuff but at home or maybe in a duo, then it is the F4. Can't beat the design.

  28. #17
    Registered User Eric Platt's Avatar
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    Default Re: My MAS is cured.

    Here's hoping the OP has been cured of MAS. Can easily see those two instruments being enough. Had a Flatiron Performer that I moved on earlier this year and it was definitely a keeper if I hadn't decided to go in an entirely different direction.

    Have sold a number of keepers already in searching for the next. Some of us never get to the perfect place. Although am going to keep trying. Will say that the Coombe has gotten me closer than anything else.
    Brentrup Model 23, Boeh A5 #37, Gibson A Jr., Big Muddy M-11, Coombe Classical flattop, Strad-O-Lin
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  29. #18
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    Default Re: My MAS is cured.

    Well .... I have come to the conclusion that while I can't have too many mandolins. I can have enough mandolins. It is a joy to play or own a fine instrument. There will likely be some that get away and there are always those that pass by at the wrong time. But we play on joyfully as long as we are able. R/
    I love hanging out with mandolin nerds . . . . . Thanks peeps ...

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  31. #19

    Default Re: My MAS is cured.

    Quote Originally Posted by Eric Platt View Post
    Here's hoping the OP has been cured of MAS. Can easily see those two instruments being enough. Had a Flatiron Performer that I moved on earlier this year and it was definitely a keeper if I hadn't decided to go in an entirely different direction.

    Have sold a number of keepers already in searching for the next. Some of us never get to the perfect place. Although am going to keep trying. Will say that the Coombe has gotten me closer than anything else.
    I am very happy with the Snakehead A Junior and the Flatiron Performer A. Like the Flatiron Performer A you had, this Flatiron is a keeper too. I will be installing new strings this week. This is the first Flatiron Performer A mandolin I have owned and played. I was pleasantly surprised at the tone it produces. Very woody, percussive, and projects very well. It will sound even better with new strings.

    Fine group of mandolins you have, Eric!

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  33. #20
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: My MAS is cured.

    I bought the last mandolin I would ever buy about four mandolins ago.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

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  35. #21
    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
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    Default Re: My MAS is cured.

    Quote Originally Posted by JeffD View Post
    I bought the last mandolin I would ever buy about four mandolins ago.
    I feel the same way.

    But I keep running into Matt Ruhland and he’s such a nice guy, and my friends have his mandolins, so……….
    Not all the clams are at the beach

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  36. #22
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    Default Re: My MAS is cured.

    There’s a cure?
    I bought a 1989 Flatiron A5 Artist back in 1989 and I still have it. It’s still my favorite after several others! Good choice and hope you enjoy!
    Quote Originally Posted by Denny Gies View Post
    I had the same feeling but it didn't last. Hope you'rs does.

  37. #23
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    Default Re: My MAS is cured.

    Mandoman, it certainly looks like you have two solid instruments and they should keep you happy for a long while. Cured of MAS? Well....(ignore that 1915 F4 behind the curtain in today's classifieds. I dare you not look and think well maybe someday.). And heed John Bertotti's advice. A nice playable bowlback just happened to find it's way home with me recently.
    And thanks to Big Joe for keeping this all in perspective. To use a baseball metaphor, just when you think you've caught up to the fastball, life throws you a change up.
    Enjoy what makes us happy, love those who love us, even more.
    Ratliff R5 2007, Capek A5 2003, Washburn M5S-SB Jethro Burns 1982, Mid-Mo M-2, Epiphone MM 30 Bk mandolins, Harmony Batwing 1970's, George Bauer bowlback early 1900's Philadelphia.


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  38. #24

    Default Re: My MAS is cured.

    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Gnann View Post
    Mandoman, it certainly looks like you have two solid instruments and they should keep you happy for a long while. Cured of MAS? Well....(ignore that 1915 F4 behind the curtain in today's classifieds. I dare you not look and think well maybe someday.). And heed John Bertotti's advice. A nice playable bowlback just happened to find it's way home with me recently.
    And thanks to Big Joe for keeping this all in perspective. To use a baseball metaphor, just when you think you've caught up to the fastball, life throws you a change up.
    Enjoy what makes us happy, love those who love us, even more.

    An F-4 would be great! Out of price range sadly. Pretty happy with the two mandolins I have. Nice group of mandolins you have!

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  40. #25
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    Default Re: My MAS is cured.

    But you did look, right?
    Ratliff R5 2007, Capek A5 2003, Washburn M5S-SB Jethro Burns 1982, Mid-Mo M-2, Epiphone MM 30 Bk mandolins, Harmony Batwing 1970's, George Bauer bowlback early 1900's Philadelphia.


    "Don't cloud the issue with facts!" Groucho Marx

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