Avoiding MAS

[Tobin]

I tend to be a collector of things I like. I have more horses than I can ride and more guns than I can shoot (or even count ). Up until recently, I had more guitars than I could play - I've pared it down to three.

My natural tendency, then, is to want to accumulate mandolins. Aside from these little things being so darned expensive, the main reason I'm (thus far) avoiding it is due to the "opening up" phenomenon. As much as it gets talked about on here, it sort of has me scared to buy another mandolin. I kind of feel like I need to have only ONE mandolin that I play as much as possible. That seems to be the general consensus on developing great tone in an instrument. The more it gets played, the more (and the quicker) the tone develops.

Does this affect your desire to buy more mandolins? And for those of you with multiples, how do you keep them all "awake"? Or does it even enter into your decisions on how many to own or how to rotate playing them?

At this point, I'm thinking I'd rather have one mandolin that has developed a super tone than a bunch that haven't. I'm sure my bank account is happier for it, but it's hard to resist the urge sometimes.

Thoughts?

[lovethemf5s]

Excellent topic, I've often wondered the same thing. I like to drool over mandolin pictures on the internet but to keep my mando awake and sounding it's best I know I need to have just the one that I play at home and a beater that I take on vacations. I'm happy for my decision and my wallet is too.

[Keith Erickson]

Avoiding MAS by subscribing to SAS.

String Aquisition Syndrome - There is nothing like a fresh set of strings

And you save a lot of $$$ in the process

[mandozilla]

Some like to collect mandolins as well as play them. Some have different mandolins for different genres they may play.

I only play bluegrass music and I don't have the bread to collect the little buggers so I have my 'main' mandolin and a 'beater' and I keep them both awake by playing the heck out of them. And by de-damping.

Oh, and I avoid MAS with MSAS and MIMAS.

[mandroid]

That attic Loar is still available , I think you would quit looking at other stuff after that .
and the 160k$ .. would keep you home and armed protecting it, and practicing.

[jim simpson]

I have to agree that there's nothing like a new set of strings. I found that I had been ignoring my Daley as it needed new strings. Well I finally changed the strings and took it to practice last night. It was like getting reacquainted with an old friend. I like keeping the mandolin count to two so I don't have to struggle with the decision of which one to play. I like having two as one can always be a back-up.
I do tend to buy more guitars for some reason and I don't play them in front of people. I guess I can be a guitar hero in the basement and not embarrass myself.

[aphillips]

I've found that nothing cures MAS like a zeroed out bank account. I still enjoy looking and checking out everyone's instruments, however, I haven't had that gotta have it feeling in the pit of my stomach. Except for that D-28 Marquis I played a few weeks ago........

[Youda]

I've found that nothing cures MAS like a zeroed out bank account.

Amen!

[J.Albert]

You can't.

- John

[Ken Olmstead]

Reminds me of the line from Jurassic Park: "Yeah, I am always on the lookout for the next, ex-Mrs. Malcom!

I am funny, I tend to go through binge and purge periods. I aquire some instruments and then I start to freak out about it. I can't stand to have stuff hanging around that will never be used. Over the years I have found that I am a terrible collector! If the instrument holds a valid position in the line up then it stays, if not... Some instruments (very few) I don't sell out of sentimental reasons. For instance, I doubt I would sell my new Stealth that is being built because of how personalized it is and how much of myself is invested in it, same goes for my Traveler. My Weber Fern will likely go but it is a tough call since it is a great mandolin and has given some great years of enjoyment. That sale is strictly about money. If I thought I could justify the Fern and the Stealth I would keep it.

Most of my buy/sell decisions are made on an emotional level and then rationalized later with logical reasons for my choice. I don't mind it though, this is one of the very few areas that I am not going to make rational, logical decisions! This is about living life and I'm going to do it to the best of my ability and my disposable income!!

Cool topic.

[Rob Powell]

I basically have IAS or Instrument Acquisition Syndrome. It's a more generalized malady and tends to be more expensive

I had offered at one point to buy Ken's fern but thought better of it when the cash I was expecting to fund it was delayed. Good thing too because it still hasn't come in.

However, in the meantime, I've acquired another mando and a reso. Like Ken, the purchases are often emotionally driven and later justified. I justified the second mando because the company increased the amount of travel I have to do and therefore I needed a travel mando.

Being a less expensive mando, relatively speaking, I figured I wouldn't much care if it got all dinged up etc. After it having it for a bit before my first trip, I became very attached to it and so I have yet to take it with me for fear that they will ask me to check it.

My current obsession is acquiring a Weissenborn style guitar and luckily I haven't found one that meets the budgetary requirements yet. Stay tuned

[Marcus CA]

I basically have IAS or Instrument Acquisition Syndrome. It's a more generalized malady and tends to be more expensive

I don't know about that. I also am an IAS sufferer, but mandolins are by far the most expensive --- and I've stayed in the lower levels of that drug. As many others have written, $1K goes about twice as far for a guitar than for a mandolin. I'm not sure you can even buy an Appalachian dulcimer for $1K unless it is encrusted in abalone or gold. There is plenty of musical methadone out there.

[allenhopkins]

I'm not sure you can even buy an Appalachian dulcimer for $1K unless it is encrusted in abalone or gold.

Try this one -- the Urnes Grand from Dwain Wilder's Bear Meadow Dulcimers here in Rochester. $5.5K and worth it, IMHO. Dwain's instruments are like the Gilchrists of the Appalachian dulcimer world.

[John Malayter]

I've had way......way to many instruments over time. Its so bad that I don't think I've shown up at local jams with the same instrument twice because i've either sold or traded them away. The thing about MAS is that I always find people that are worse than me! But that doesn't mean i've found the "pill" I just like living in my house if you know what I mean....... So I have to "sneek" errr um... plan accordingly!

[Ivan Kelsall]

I think we all have MAS,but the majority of us just don't have the cash to fulfill our 'lust' for additional Mandolins. I'm on track with Jim Simpson re.a new set of strings.We think our instruments sound well,but having put a new set of strings on any of mine ,be it Banjo,Guitar or Mandolin,it's amazing what a difference they make. I've been playing my newly aquired Lebeda Special much more than my Weber,just to try to get it played in. When i do decide to play the Weber,it takes a bit of playing to get it going,then - WOW !! - i'm reminded of just how good it sounds. The other way of keeping my MAS at bay, is to play as many Mandolins as i can when attending Bluegrass festivals. Other players are always (usually) willing to swap instruments & i realise just how good my own are. I've found that the majority of instruments are no better than mine,regardless of cost - they're usually just 'different' in one way or another. I'm attending this year's Norther Guitar show in Manchester in a few weeks time & i'll play instruments costing
many 100's of £'s ($'s),maybe one or two costing 1000's - last year i played an Eric Clapton 'signature' Martin Guitar costing over £7,000 UK ($10,000 US). It was certainly a wonderful Guitar,but was it worth £6,200 more than my beautiful Tanglewood solid Rosewood Guitar - not to me. I've played plenty of mega-buck electric Guitars through equally expensive amps. & i still revel in the sound of my Japanese made Tokai 'telecaster' & my 30 watt Roland 'Bluescube' valve amp.
I think that we become so accustomed to the sound of our own instruments,that sometimes we need the experience of playing others,just to put us back in touch with how good our's sound. The only instrument that i've ever lusted after at a show,was a couple of years back. I found a customised Fender American Telecaster. It was a few years old & had EMG active pickups retro-fitted - it was stunning. I went back to the show the following day to buy it,but sadly the stall holders had gone home & i couldn't remember who they were. I had to content myself with my Tokai. A few days later when playing it & trying out different control settings on my Guitar & amp. to see if i could get a sound close to that of the Fender - BINGO !!. I just hit the right combination & there was the great tone that i'd got from the Fender. It was just a matter of different Guitar & amp.combinations requiring different control settings. Ever since then,i've been acutely aware that i could have spent a shed load of cash to get what i thought was better,only to get something 'different'. Sorry to rabbit on re.non-mando.things,but at the time i had GAS (please,no jokes !) & if MAS ever strikes i bare my experience with the Tele.in mind,
Ivan

[Susanne]

I must say that after I got my top quality Flatbush, my urge to buy other mandolins has totally disappeared.

[John McGann]

You can't.

- John

Actually, you can. I've only owned one 'brand' of mandolin, JR Zeidler, since shortly after I started playing (OK, John Zeidler gave me his old Harmony to start on in 1979). Being buddies with a great luthier is a good deal. I bought his 3rd mandolin made, which I played for about 5 years. When I won Winfield he gave me a new one and asked that I reimburse him by selling the old one (deal!) which I played for about 10 years; he then heard my solo CD "Upslide" and said "great album, but the mando is lacking a little treble compared to what I am making now....tell you what, I'll trade you"- that was in 1995 for the instrument I now play.

My GAS/MAS isn't non-existent, though: I do have several different (electric) guitars/amps/effects (though my main acoustic axe is also a Zeidler and always has been since 1976), an octave mando by Sobell and soon a 10 string mandola from Lawrence Smart. If John was still on the planet (RIP, leukemia 2002), I'd surely have had a mandola and OM if not mandocello from him .

I have played many famous mandos- a least 3 Loars (including two Big Name instruments), lots of great contemporary builders- but I am really most happy with my Zeidler (there's no place like home!), and though I may one day expand the mandolin palette (several contemporary builders make OUTSTANDING instruments with different tonal qualities), I'm going on my 4th decade as a Zeidler F Style guy.

[Bernie Daniel]

J.Albert: You can't....[avoid MAS]...

Agreed! Indeed, why would you want to avoid it anyway?

[ChrisStewart]

I would guess most people suffer from ?AS in some form or another. Specifically regarding the opening up question -through casual observation I would conclude that it is not a big factor in buying decisions.

I had been playing an A for several years but had been wanting an F and just stumbled onto a slightly used Tope. Now that I have it I still find I like to look at others. My original preference was not sunburst and this one has a light burst. I just can't imagine that it would be possible to find anything better though -well maybe a custom built one.

I don't buy into the opening up theory, (but maybe I don't have good ears) I think we get familiar with an instrument over time. Even in the few days I have had this new one I have become quite impressed with it. I would not have been happy with a PAC instrument (I am sure they are just as good and don't have anything against other countries I just wanted a handmade American mandolin)

[Big Joe]

We all get MAS in some fashion at some time. I think when we find the mandolin that is the right one for us we tend to get less concerned about having more. I have the one that I think is perfect for me and I've had it for a number of years. I would like to have a second mandolin, but I have no need for one. I suppose both budget and having a GREAT mandolin and having a store full of really nice mandolins and getting to work on a lot of very nice mandolins helps me eliminate the need to have more for me. I realize not everyone has these advantages .

[Marcus CA]

Try this one -- the Urnes Grand from Dwain Wilder's Bear Meadow Dulcimers here in Rochester. $5.5K and worth it, IMHO. Dwain's instruments are like the Gilchrists of the Appalachian dulcimer world.

Sadly, I stand corrected. That website and your description might lead me into temptation, but my budget is quite effective in imposing restraints.

At least on this coast, I haven't seen anything over $800.

[Marcus CA]

I suppose both budget and having a GREAT mandolin and having a store full of really nice mandolins and getting to work on a lot of very nice mandolins helps me eliminate the need to have more for me. I realize not everyone has these advantages .

That sounds like musicians' Valhalla! Career change time??? Hmmmm......

[Dave Schimming]

It may not cure MAS but buying a quality mandolin to start with can slow MAS down + avoiding all the depreciation hits on starting cheap and moving up several times.