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FYI: I have developed degenerative arthritis of my trapezius bone at the base of my left thumb. For a long time playing mandos with thicker neck profiles and wider nut widths helped with the pain....

PS: That's the SOUTH Threadgills location for the Gram Parson's Birthday Bash, (threadgills.com)

+1 on TEvans suggestion. That's a great spot, great musicians, loose atmosphere. Also, Fiddler's Green has a Traditional Irish Session every Sun 3 - 6, or go to centraltexasbluegrass.org, there are...

Not a pickup guru but payed a friend's Phoenix at a jam and was surprised by the volume and presence of this instrument. My first impression based on looks was influenced by my prejudice towards...

I can never sell one after I've named it ... and they all have names. I usually use female names related to the builder, struggling with the Dudenbostel, I call her "the Dude" most the time, but...

George, i too have developed arthritis in the base of my left thumb ... hurts, but I still sometimes would like to be able to, as JeffD says, play an improvisation "informed by the melody". Well...

I am squarely an intermediate player, despite my many years of playing. I have worked hard to get some "fancy" leads under my fingers and can even pull one off in a jam occasionally. I've made the...

One last bit of advice that has helped me - Stay loose. I tend to tighten my grip on the neck and the pick when I get nervous. Everything Tobin said plus consciously loosen your grip(s) before you...

I know that Ricky bought one of the early Ellis mandolins, before Tom became "famous". When I was introduced to Tom I was told Ricky owned one of his mandos, but that was likely in the mid 80's....

Allen always seems to neatly organize the thoughts of the thread so well! Great discussion.
I live in Austin and have been attending the same festival for many many years, Old Settlers Music...

Instruments and the music they produce are mysterious and wonder-filled things that, perhaps, shouldn't be overly quantified/analyzed scientifically or otherwise. The fact that this subject (and...

I'm going, my first, taking mando classes, but bringing guitar also. Going to drive there from Austin. Looking forward to it, but don't have a whole bunch of bluegrass tunes in the pocket yet. Should...

The alternative is to attach to the headstock in some way which seems obtrusive to me, and could conceivably cause some lateral flexion of the neck. You see plenty of pickers who do it this way but...

Oh, so sorry, Mark. The good news, as it relates to your instruments at least, is that high humidity tends to be far less damaging than the opposite, I'm told. You're in the drier part of Texas so...

Does anyone care to opine on the differences to expect between figured "bear claw" spruce and a good quality straight grained spruce. The application is the soundboard for an OM. I was told figured...

I understand. Sometimes my own playing just doesn't seem like the way a "real" mandolin player would do it (like you I started on guitar). But then isn't all music/art interpretive (easy excuse for...

Loved it Mark! Good work. Had to get out my mando and play along. Such a great song, such a great song writer. Haven't yet made it to Pearl but gonna try in May - maybe. Hope to see you there. You...

TWM - got the band back together for a gig in our "home" neighborhood bar, first time in over two months. Was worried we'd be loose but felt like putting on your favorite old slippers, comfortable...

As a long time and unabashed acoustic snob I do appreciate amplification (slightly off subject) as a way to simply reach more listeners, to the extent that it is important to do so. However, the goal...

Figured out a basic intro and lead for Eight More Miles to Louisville. Great song, thank you Grandpa Jones.

Played bluegrass with an old friend and others on the front porch while we watched a storm blow in from the north with lightening and thunder. Mmmmm, life is good.

Thanks Ivan, I never heard it explained that way ... yet another technique to work on. The more I learn the more I'm aware of how little I know!

Today while mandolinin ... went to an open mic led by a guy I'm starting a band with and we happily discovered that we played a few songs together reasonably well on the fly, as it were, he on guitar...

I'm developing arthritis in the base of my left thumb and this stretch helps me a lot: Extend your left arm out to your side horizontal to the ground, place your hand on a wall with your palm flat to...

For me, it becomes about playing the music instead of trying to play the notes, step back and let the rhythm get into your head, perhaps listen to or play along with your favorite version. I get...