Gift of a Big Muddy

  1. Dave Boneham
    Dave Boneham
    Hello kind people,

    I was given a Big Muddy Mandolin as a gift by a loved one recently. It is my first "real" mandolin and a joy to play. I love its smell, its looks and its light weight. It's fun to pick at.

    Because this is my first mandolin I guess I'm a new mandolin player. But then, I'm not sure if that is accurate. I've been playing something like a mandolin for several decades now so maybe I'm not a beginner player. I suppose it all boils down to how you define a mandolin as to whether or not I've just started or I've been playing for a while now.

    Here's why. In 1968, I inherited my grandfather's Vega Little Wonder which is in the banjo family but strung as a mandolin with the usual 8 double strings G D A E. My grandfather bought it new in 1921 so it's been with my family for quite awhile. It is a heavy instrument and seems to weigh more than twice as much as my new Big Muddy. After more than 40 years of this one instrument I have a new one! Since this social group isn't about mutant mandolins I only provide this by means of introduction.

    Now back to the Big Muddy. Using the Banjo Mandolin had become stale for me and this new gift came as a pleasant surprise. It's much, much more easy to handle, and its light weight is a joy. I have what appears to be a beginner model Big Muddy so I probably will be seen as amateurish but I don't care. After all, I am amateurish.

    My Big Muddy has reinvigorated an interest in playing that had been waning in recent years and now I get up and can't wait to play it. I come home from work and I can't wait to play it and I go to bed with anticipation for using it again tomorrow morning.

    I've looked at the Big Muddy web site and I will most likely upgrade to another more sophisticated model sometime soon but for the time being I am having a wonderful time.
    I can appreciate your (plural) appreciation for the maker and his models because if my entry level version is this much fun I can imagine how much you, all, appreciate your Big Muddy mandolins.

    Dave Boneham
    Seattle
  2. Aiki_Mando
    Aiki_Mando
    Welcome! I too am new to these mandolins and think I have the bug bad. In what way is yours a "beginner" model? Just curious as to your thoughts in this area. I am an actual beginner when it comes to mandolin, but would not consider my M-4 to be a beginner model. Again, not trying to pick, but just curious. Thanks, and have fun.

    M
  3. maki
    maki
    Congratulations Dave.
    I recon that the Big Muddy is a mighty fine gift.
  4. Dave Boneham
    Dave Boneham
    My Big Muddy is Model MM-8
  5. maki
    maki
    I new to Mid-Mos.
    Please forgive the n00b question, I don't see MM-8 as a listed product, can you discribe what it is?
  6. bildio
    bildio
    I found this website that shows some photos of the MM-8.

    http://www.williesguitars.com/index....ory/29/image/1

    It's distinguished by a bolt on neck, & may be smaller in size than the other Big Muddy mandolin models.
  7. Dave Boneham
    Dave Boneham
    The MM8 Big Muddy was a gift from my son in law who is a professional musician. He said he wanted to get me something that I could take with me everywhere and not worry about damaging a pricey item. He got the Mandolin at Dusty Strings in Seattle so I looked up their web site and they called it the Mini-Mo and referred to it as a great starter Mandolin. If it's smaller than normal I don't mind cause it is so much fun to pick at. That's why I am already contemplating getting one of Big Muddy's other mandolins. In the meanwhile I'm gonna enjoy the heck out of it.
  8. aphillips
    aphillips
    Hey Dave - congrats! Glad you're having so much fun!
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