It is your choice, but you asked. I'd buy a decent case (maybe like a crossrock ~$75) and put your mandolin in it and your sticker on it. Save the original case for if and when you sell it.
It is your choice, but you asked. I'd buy a decent case (maybe like a crossrock ~$75) and put your mandolin in it and your sticker on it. Save the original case for if and when you sell it.
If you never plan on selling the Stradolin and its case, then sticker away. It will not damage the case in any way except possibly maybe as a formerly pristine collectable relic.
I believe we all have to decide do we play, do we collect, or do we curate. Because often the three activities conflict. I personally don't want to own anything I can't play, use, and enjoy. If I had a case that had some extreme value as an historical artifact, I promise you I would sell as soon as I could and buy a case I can put stickers on.
Years ago I got rid of all the dishes I owned that were not dishwasher safe.
Yes, but you need to get the period correct “distressed” MC sticker so it doesn’t look too fresh and shiny
I’d do it. All of my smooth cases have stickers. But, I wouldn’t put it on my car. Shrugging emoji, we all have our ways...
We order case stickers in lots of 10,000 about every two years. I can assure everyone we probably have 3-4K of them from the latest order. They leave here daily, year round, with ball caps and donations. All we need to get new stickers to anyone is enough to cover the shipping or self addressed, stamped envelope for U.S. residents. Details here.
Mandolin Cafe - Since 1995
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Thanks Scott. I am not a 'sticker person' yet there is a MC sticker on the back window of my pickup truck, and one on my car, and one on my business's van (all on back windows). Other than one Equality sticker, there are no other stickers on any of these vehicles, excluding those necessary for advertising my business on the trucks. The Cafe is a major thing for me. I like the comments/questions I get about MC stickers!
Best wishes,
Bob
Purr more, hiss less. Barn Cat Mandolins Photo Album
+1) Fiberglass cases are very sticker compatible, and the peel off if you sell the case & mandolin.
writing about music
is like dancing,
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Worlds okay-ist mandolin player
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Weber Yellowstone F (2015)
Red Valley EM (2018)
Howard Morris Blue A4 (2023)
Flatiron 1N (1982)
https://youtube.com/@zachwilson54?si=iGum4xPlSj0pbcjj
I appreciate all the comments. I get that it's largely personal opinion. Haven't fully decided yet,but here's (for me) the most cogent statements pro and con so far:
PRO:
CON:
The covering kind of looks like a kind of painted fabric material. Not vinyl for sure. So I don't think any stickers could be taken off without causing problems. So they'd have to be on for the duration and be part of the future vintage appeal.
What Todd said also resonates:
If it makes you happy to do it, go ahead. If a lingering doubt, wait and do it later. I have stickers on some cases and not on others. And yes, they leave goo on tweed cases, even when they fall off voluntarily, although I haven't bothered to try to clean it off.
You could drop your mandolin when you take it out of the case, but the potential loss of value is probably overcome by the joy of playing. Just a thought.....
Not all the clams are at the beach
Arrow Manouche
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Arrow G
Clark 2 point
Gibson F5L
Gibson A-4
Ratliff CountryBoy A
I have stickers on one guitar case that I don't expect ever to sell (famous last words) and one cheap after market mandolin case. That scratches the itch without potentially messing up a case for a guitar that may be eventually sold. There's no law against doing what you want with your own property, but you have to accept the next owner likely won't like it as much as you do.
That is it. Right there. And I refuse as much as possible to let the likes an dislikes of an as yet unnamed future buyer of my stuff to dictate what I can do with my stuff.
You homeowners know this well. I had to purchase a new washer and dryer, and had my eyes on a stacked pair of small machines, just right for my needs. But, as was explained to me, I should buy according to the house, which has three bedrooms, so that when I go to sell the house.... So I found a pair of regular sized machines that I liked, and especially because they were in a beautiful electric green color. But, as was explained to me, always buy white because a dryer lasts twice as long as a washer, and when you go to replace the washer you won't be able to find that shade of green again, but will always be able to match white white, and when you go to sell the house....
I got'em on my Calton and don't care what the next owner thinks.......I like 'em.
1933 Gibson A-00 (was Scotty Stoneman's)
2003 Gibson J-45RW (ebony)
2017 Gibson J-15
The Murph Channel
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkomGsMJXH9qn-xLKCv4WOg
So I fully agree with Jeff and Murphy and others about enjoying your own stuff the way you want it, yet I still hesitate to do something that might intrinsically cause damage to something old. Is this cognitive dissonance? Especially if it is not an overly rare item. If you feel you want to preserve something, is it only because someone else might want to see it that way later?
Last edited by Sue Rieter; Nov-29-2020 at 12:04pm.
I think that when one is in that much doubt, the safest thing is not to. Avoids regret. At least until you change your mind.
My only vintage case is also chipboard and like Zach I put in my own support/lining (the material is from an old pair of corduroy trousers). I have two stickers on it since the photos were taken.
Cary Fagan
I would consider a vintage Lifton case a little rare, not all Gibson's come with an original case, let alone other vintage mandolins. They will be more rare as time goes on and they deteriorate. I put mine away and use a modern case to keep it from getting more used up. Still no stickers tho.
THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!
Well, you guys might or might not be interested in what I decided, at least for now. Well, I know Zach is, anyway
I decided not to put the sticker on the case for now. Not because I care about what the hypothetical next person thinks, but because I just decided not to change it for now. (I haven't fixed the handle as of yet either, I was going to wrap it with gaffer's tape, or, my brother thought I should replace it with a 40's suitcase handle). I'm not going to put it away and not use it, either, because I do like looking at it, and I'm not saving it for anybody. The other cases will likely get pretty stickered up, except for the gator case, because I don't think stickers will adhere to it. I might consider drawing on that one with opaque fabric markers, though.
I'm going to put the extra sticker on my car, assuming it passes inspection
BTW, Jeff, I would have gone with the green appliances. I didn't even know you could get them in green, that would be awesome
Nice! That's great Sue
It was fun to follow along while made this decision.
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