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I have a Deering gig bag for long-neck banjo that accommodates a Stelling resonator pot; might handle the 'zouk.

To paraphrase the Furry Freak Brothers, mandolins will get ya through times of no money, better than money will get ya through times of unsatisfactory mandolins.

One reason I've accumulated such...

A Stihl chain saw.

You can get an acceptable Asian plywood student mandolin for $65. Even if you have to pay another $50 to get it properly set up (you can also do that yourself, with Cafe member Robster's excellent...

You want two mandolins. Period. End of discussion.

Not gonna find one that has a "bluegrass" sound, and a sound like an old A-4.

You'll end up with an instrument that compromises both your...

My Octofone came in a cheap cardboard guitar case; no way to tell if it was originally sold that way, or acquired it over the years.

Great instruments, really fragile; maybe I'll investigate a...

Completely opposite ends of the mandolin spectrum -- from the sublime to the ridiculous...

Interesting, the faux resonator instruments that keep cropping up. We probably forget that 75 or so...

Using D'Addario micros now, and generally satisfied. On the back of the headstock, they're generally shaded enough so I can read 'em outdoors.

The one thing I loved about the older red Snarks was...

When Takamine guitars first hit America, they were stone copies of Martins, down to the typeface of the headstock decals. After a few years they became more distinctive, and now they no longer look...

Sold now.

I have a vague memory of being told that Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown played one of these. Can't find any evidence to substantiate it, though.

There's a similar Sigma Style A clone for sale here for $500, which I would consider optimistic. Sigmas, when Martin owned the brand, were pretty good imitations of Martin instruments, so I'd expect...

Hey, ya can't peddle that stuff 'round here...!

So: Gibson gonna come after all the companies and individual luthiers who build F-style mandolins, next? Surely a "distinctive silhouette," and easily traceable back to Orville G.

Too late, I...

I've provided sound system support for many gigs over the years, though only on "ancient" equipment (that I own). Don't even own a laptop, shows you what a geezer I am.

I just want to reassure...

Reminds me of the late Bill Staines's anecdote about the Texas coffeehouse where he had to tune to the pervasive drone from the air conditioner.

Seems to me the fans that would be powerful enough...

As I recall the mandolute I used to own had a bridge that was similar to the long, thin, low, non-adjustable bridges normally found on bowl-backs. I'm relying on 40+ year-old memory, though.

I...

Browsing through John B's latest e-newsletter, saw this one up for sale; "made by Martin Stillion w/ help by Andrew Jerman," according to the blurb. No financial interest, but wanted to give a Cafe...

I remember going to a Battlefield Band concert where the band played a number, while the piper was tuning up in a closed room behind the stage, and he was louder than the band through a PA system.
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Played one of those once; worst-sounding mandolin and ukulele I've played, as I remember, and the neck fretted on both sides was tres uncomfortable in the hand.

Still, almost bought one later, out...

Page 52: "All styles were nickel-plated, except Triolians, Duolians, and wood body models." Expect that includes Style 1's.

My 1930's Style 0 guitar is nickel-plated over brass, except for the...

The topic sent me to the late Bob Brozman's The History & Artistry of National Resonator Instruments to try to research National's construction and plating practices. Unfortunately he doesn't cover...

I'm hypothesizing that some material was added under the bridge to make fuller contact with the flat top of the mandolin, since the bridge looks like it was designed for an arched-top instrument.
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I had Blue Heron make me a bag for my Larson Bros. Stahl mando-bass. Very satisfied. Cost was $544 including shipping in 2018.

Comes the Revolution, Bourgeois mandolins will be replaced by Proletarian mandolins. Only available in one style, ten-year wait for delivery, made from sturdy peasant materials.

Pickers of the...