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Collings MT the only mandolin I will ever need. But wait, someone gave me a bowlback mandolin. A very nice old one. And then a guitar trade resulted in a very high end custom Collings MT2. Then I...

For those of you so inclined, I would ask that you keep Dennis Vance in your prayers. He is facing some medical issues that must be addressed in the near future. I do not wish to, nor do I intend to...

My MAS only vacillates commensurate with the amount of money available. It's always chronic but every once in a while, it becomes acute. A couple of weeks ago, it was acute. I ended up treating it...

$30 broken tuners
Ibanez stayed in tune
Sold for
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Loar 520
Eastman 305
Sold for
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Weber absaroka with a hump in the neck
Sold for

So this list starts at the bottom in 2006 and works up to the present when I have but one mandolin left. Manodlins in BOLD are the ones that I thought sounded great and played wonderfully! :)...

$200 new Kentucky Oval via Amazon. Arrived in cardboard box with strings and bridge in baggie
$400 used Flatiron via ebay. Nice mandolin but high un-adjustable action
$2200 new satin Pava A via...

I'm probably breaking some unwritten MAS rule here, but I'm still playing the first mandolin I bought, uh (counting on fingers and toes)... 13 years ago. A Lebeda Premium Plus F-style with a redwood...

Be very careful. Once the flame of MAS is started, it is very, very difficult to extinguish.

I do that with D'addario Nickle Bronze because the G and D strings keep that woof for a long time but the treble side wear out like usual.

Follow up from my previous post!
The Thomastik D and G strings last for a very very long time! They certainly outlast both the wound A and Plain E strings.

Only if they Break...

Seriously I always change them all because:
The G string seems to be the first to lose good tone.
Single strings are expensive enough that it doesn't save much money.
The...

I change them all at once, usually when they don't stay in tune as well. Most definitely when I feel dents from the frets as I run my fingernail under the wound strings.

I used to change the unwound strings early because my fingers seemed to make them rust or at least get much less smooth within a few weeks. Didn't happen on the wounds as much. Lately my chemistry...

I change the E string of the Thomastiks. This is the only unwound string!
When the A string loses timbre I sometimes replace it with unwound A strings. I find the wound D and G strings significantly...

I hear what your saying and it seems logical, but no. Those wounds are a lot more worn out than you think. Change them all.:mandosmiley:

It's very common for mandolin bridges to be compensated with the D strings too far forward. If there's room you can file that ramp back, or if not you might try angling the whole bass side of the...

As a second thought are you sure the saddle was on the bridge base oriented properly. There are some threads showing proper orientation of he saddle. Sometimes causes problems like yours. I should...

Put a capo on 1st fret. Tune up for Ab,Eb,Bb and F low to high strings. Is intonation OK now? then the problem is in the nut. Maybe the D strings not noting at the front edge of the nut, maybe...

The peak of the D on the bridge needs to be filed back closer to the tail. This assumes you're OK on the lower frets - if not, the nut slots might be too high, and I'd get those right first before...

Having tried most of these picks, with varying success, there is one that is missing from this list Hawk picks, https://hawkpicks.co.uk with a variety of shapes and thickness or even bespoke to suit...

Don't forget to try the Dunlop Big Stubby someday, they're cheap! I really like the thickest teardrops--they're my alternative to thick triangle Primetones. Also nice on the budget end (have one in...

I use Golden Gate MP 12.

When I first started playing mando, I thought one was supposed to use those fat, round cornered Dawg/Saga style picks (who can argue with the Dawg, right?), so I made myself use them til I was...

So many choices:

Radex
Red Bear
Fender casein
Gibson 346 HD

The casein picks vary by maker, you'll need a few:)

If you can get in on one of those traveling pick samplers that would be fun and educational.

Picks I would add to your list..

V-picks
Golden Gate "Dawg" pick
Pro Plec picks
Any one of the...