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The mandolin arrived today. I still don’t know for sure what the “B” stands for, but other than the lack of binding, it is just like every other Mid Mo/Big Muddy I have owned, simple, well made and...

I had one of the very first Eastman mandolins; it was one of the prototypes that they took to NAAM in either ‘04 or ‘05. It didn’t even have “Eastman” on the headstock (and yes, I did confirm that...

Maybe for the best, most expensive mandolin mandolin they offer, they want their best people doing the final graduation, the sanding and the varnish work, and maybe, just maybe, they think the best...

Honestly, if you can play along with the first violins, I don’t think you really need lessons. You are really looking to build repertoire, and there are probably better ways to do that.

Signature confirmation is hit or miss. I have sent things with sig confirmation that were just left in an open garage, and I have had things that I was supposed to sign for just left on my porch.
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I find it very interesting that sustain is so high on your list of priorities for an instrument; because, it’s something I have been thinking about a lot. If we look to other instruments,...

I am certain it does. I have played several. They were all excellent to extraordinary. I actually find the nexus between bluegrass and swing/jazz manouche absolutely fascinating. In particular, I...

If I wanted to play bluegrass and had $1k to spend, I would jump all over that Gibson A9 (NFI). I have played a couple of A9s, they were all great mandolins, not just great for the price. One of...

I agree with both of these posts. I am basically a one instrument musician. I have often said, "The wand chooses the wizard." I play my Dudenbostel almost exclusively. I own a Breedlove Quartz as...

At least there is some truth in advertising:

"A well-built F-Model mandolin at this price range is truly unheard of."

Truly.

I have owned both a Northfield Big Mon and an Ellis A5. I have played two more Ellis mandolins and played two Kimble A5s and a Kimble F5. Hands down the best pure bluegrass mandolin I have ever...

Many times, nothing. But I will say that when you find that really special instrument, you know it.

In March I went to Nashville for a long weekend and ended up at Carter’s. At the time, I was...

If no one on a forum ever asked a question that had been asked previously, there wouldn't be forums, just wikis.

I just want to go on record saying that aesthetics are an entirely valid reason for...

Carter's can be dangerous...

I was in Nashville for a long weekend about a month ago. That Saturday my wife and I took a side trip to Carter's before grabbing lunch. I had bought my Bourgeois...

Short answer, they are fine.

Much longer answer, I would never claim to be a fiddler, but I can play a few tunes on the fiddle, the result of having tried the very same thing that you are about to...

Absolutely not true. Even the high end Kentucky mandolins are built in a factory. Northfield mandolins are made from US sourced woods in a very small shop in China. Their shop in China isn't much...

Having had an Ellis A5 before I got my current Northfield "Big Mon", I have some insight into your question and your dilemma.

The Ellis was a fantastic mandolin; the build quality was impeccable. ...

I think the estimate of $4k for the D42 after shipping and fees is pretty close, maybe even slightly optimistic, and Breedloves just don't hold their value, but you could probably net around $5k to...

Part of the problem here is semantics. I think what you are looking for is acoustic string music. Bluegrass is acoustic string music, but not all acoustic string music is bluegrass. There are...

I strongly disagree with this statement. If it were true, music schools and conservatories wouldn't require two years of ear training classes. I have personally witnessed successful ear training. ...

I agree that it is not an either/or scenario, but likewise, music is not an endeavor where you get points for difficulty. A well rounded musician should not neglect ear training, but you should also...

It is difficult to answer objectively. I am not a psychiatrist, and I can only speak about my own experiences, which, being neuroatypical, is very difficult. Over the years, in conjunction with...

It is the classical "Ship of Theseus" paradox. How many planks in ship can you replace before it is no longer the original ship? How many pieces of a Gibson banjo can you replace before it is no...

I straddle the Millennial/Gen-xer line and I play music with people from 25 to 75. That is pretty much the earliest Boomers to the middle of the Millennials, and part of it is interest, but a lot of...

For bluegrass guitar, there is an 8 book series called "Flatpicking Essentials". It is the best book CD combo series I have seen, so much so that I recommend it even to those who don't want to play...