So my Ratcliff A5 turns 11 in a few days, was wondering how you all are getting along with your mandolins? How have they been aging? For me the warm up period to get the most open tone has been reduced dramatically. With the neck work it is really fretting effortlessly these days and it has a really wonderful, strong midrange tone starting to dominate the sound palate. It still loves D, but can hold any note well. I can think of maybe two mandolins I have played I would trade this for now, a Randy Wood revoiced and converted F7 from the 50s sold a decade ago at the 12th Fret, and a Master Model that currently lives in Marin. Well, if Scott Tischenor gave me his Nugget I wouldn't complain either
Mine is just over a year old now, and I haven't noticed a great deal of difference aside from when I swapped out the bridge for a cumberland acoustics one, which made it a little louder and perhaps crisper highs. I don't know that it needs any warm up period, although often its player does. I recently tried Ghs bronze strings on it, instead of my usual j74s, and although they were fine, I'll be back to the j74s on the next string change. Oh, I also replaced the tailpiece with a James, just because I didn't like having to fish around to get the loops onto the orrico one. No difference in sound, but halves the time to change strings. I've certainly played other mandolins that I would like to have in addition to this one, but I don't think I could or would replace it.
Mandolin just turned 15, sounding much more open and responsive after playing on it for a while with a heavier right hand.
