Do you take your best or most valuable mandolin to gigs?

[journeybear]

Always play my best one for a gig, unless I need to amplify - then I use my best one with a pickup.

That's the essence of my take on this, with a lot fewer words than I used above. Sometimes my drive to be thorough bugs me.

Though to be sure, I still am dead set against putting my best in a potentially dangerous situation, such as a bar gig - but that's where I usually play. I must differentiate between "best" and "best-sounding," as I believe the second consideration in a performance situation is more important. And that, for me, is a less expensive instrument than what would conventionally be considered my best, by cost and model number standards. Also, there's the amplification consideration, which would require the use of the less expensive model.

Several people have mentioned playing concerts. Other than classical concerts, I'm not sure what that means. Are you guys playing in theatres, on stages, with dressing rooms and contracts? How do I do that? I've been playing for over forty years, hundreds of gigs, maybe a couple thousand, and I could count on my fingers the number of times I've played something that could be called a concert. I'd feel a lot more confident of bringing the F-4 to a concert with the safety and security thereat provided.

[MontanaMatt]

Solved that problem by only having two awesome mandolins.

[sgarrity]

Absolutely!

[Chuck Leyda]

Yes. Always.

That said we're old enough now to request shade and 40 degrees or over in our contracts. Pretty much our only 2 conditions.

[Dave Greenspoon]

I am blessed that at this point of my life, each of my instruments are stage-and-studio level instruments. Each is unique it it's role and voice. So, whenever I play any of them anywhere, I am bringing the best of what I have.

[Hendrik Ahrend]

Absolutely. Leave that antique alone at home? No way.

[UsuallyPickin]

Yeah. I bought it to play. I have taken it camping, but rarely. R/

[Paul Kotapish]

I rarely play anywhere with any risk factors these days -- no rowdy bars for me -- so I want my favorite mandolin with me, especially if that's the main thing I'm playing on a particular gig. I have a good second mandolin that I sometimes take to music camps or anyplace where I might not have complete control over the conditions. But for concerts or even dance or coffehouse gigs, I'll take my best.

[allenhopkins]

I take the instrument that "fits" with what the situation suggests, and what sound I want to get. It may be a $250 Strad-O-Lin to noodle in the background at a sing-around, a Gibson F-model for a bluegrass jam, the National Trolian for blues, a mandola or OM for a Celtic session with a bunch of fiddlers, bowl-backs for historical programs, etc.. "Best or most valuable" isn't generally a consideration -- although when walking around a local festival with a mandolin slung on my back, it's probably (certainly) the Strad-O-Lin.

[Zach Wilson]

I have before. Although on occasion, when I know there is a strong likelihood of something happening (theft) I'll bring something else.

[journeybear]

Just wondering ...

So, just wondering - what do you do? Or are you still trying to sort it out?

[Bob Gnann]

Yes I do. In fact if I will be playing on stage (an actual show) I will bring a backup instrument. Much easier to grab the backup in the event of a string break. Trying to change a string in the middle of a set is a sure way to lose an audience.
And when not being played they are ALWAYS in a case.

[maxr]

So, just wondering - what do you do? Or are you still trying to sort it out?

I've got two entry level mandolins with nothing much to choose between them, and I don't do gigs with them at the moment due to 1) Covid and 2) Not having enough mandolin chops yet. However I used to play fiddle a lot in bands. When I started I had a French violin that had got reasonably valuable over the years (had it since I was 14), and i wasn't comfortable taking that to bar gigs, especially as it had quite soft varnish. When the decent sounding but inexpensive Chinese workshop fiddles became available I got a couple of those sorted out to play well enough, and I took them anywhere. I used to play a bit of electric guitar too, and they never came to any harm (didn't have the kind subject to neck breaks). It turned out, though, that the only serious tumble any of them took was playing a Scottish dance gig in a big civic hall with a 6' high stage - not exactly a rough gig. I tripped over my own mic lead (a Crown GLM velcro'd to the fiddle tailpiece) and somersaulted it off a chair. I was lucky, though - very little damage.

[journeybear]

Thanks for that. And sorry about your flying fiddle! That must have been a terrifying moment. Glad it and you survived.

[Jeff Mando]

Always use your best -- otherwise, what's the point?

[mingusb1]

Why yes I do. Now, I've taken to packing up my vintage flattop after midnight at the fiddlers conventions to get out my modern/recent guitar for the rowdy early morning hours.

Z

[dhergert]

... request shade and 40 degrees or over in our contracts. Pretty much our only 2 conditions.

Our minimum is at 62°F. If I'm playing banjo (which I usually am with this band) I can't get my blown out knees and my arthritic fingers working fast enough if it's any colder. We do have 2 Buddy heaters that I'm never too proud to bring along and use once we get to the actual venue. That said, I can flat pick mandolin down to about 55°F, providing that's the sound we want. It's a big thing for us, so I've measured the temps.

We did play with Buddy heaters during a cold rain that turned into the first snow of winter about 4 years ago -- played as the snow fell for about 10 minutes before the easy-up started collapsing under the weight of the snow. Pretty to look at, but really not much fun to play in.

Worth mentioning, it's not impossible to fall off a stage with your instrument -- I did... I'm a non-drinker, so I was stone sober, sitting, playing a square neck Dobro, when one of the legs of my chair fell off the stage. Over backwards, I hit the soft dirt in the chair flat against my back, holding the Dobro in the air trying to keep it from making impact. We both survived mostly unhurt and finished the gig. I had a sore neck for a day or so. My alarmed tight grip damaged the Dobro slotted peghead and tuners, which I repaired, better than original. Something to laugh about now, but could have been much worse.

[PaulS]

That's the essence of my take on this, with a lot fewer words than I used above. Sometimes my drive to be thorough bugs me.

Though to be sure, I still am dead set against putting my best in a potentially dangerous situation, such as a bar gig - but that's where I usually play. I must differentiate between "best" and "best-sounding," as I believe the second consideration in a performance situation is more important. And that, for me, is a less expensive instrument than what would conventionally be considered my best, by cost and model number standards. Also, there's the amplification consideration, which would require the use of the less expensive model.

Several people have mentioned playing concerts. Other than classical concerts, I'm not sure what that means. Are you guys playing in theatres, on stages, with dressing rooms and contracts? How do I do that? I've been playing for over forty years, hundreds of gigs, maybe a couple thousand, and I could count on my fingers the number of times I've played something that could be called a concert. I'd feel a lot more confident of bringing the F-4 to a concert with the safety and security thereat provided.

My game plan is to eventually do a lot of playing for worship, if it isn't safe in church,it likely isn't going to be safe anywhere

[kymandolin29]

I have a gibson fern and a ky km1000 that i really like beating on....i been playing the ky at jamms but always wish id a brought the fern....but i dont have to worry about the ky....im on the hunt for a km1500.....

[Jake Howard]

I take mine on the road with me and play 'em pretty much everywhere. I guess the caveat is that I have mine insured so if something happens I can get it fixed or replaced (would be sad to replace one but hey, life happens sometimes). Enjoy it while you have it, life is short!

[Mandobart]

While not a lot by most cafe standards, my most expensive instruments are a couple custom made 10 stringers that I paid $3000 US for (each). I used to (before 2020) gig with them regularly. I also have taken them to festivals and on camping trips.

I've put pickups in all my instruments except for my grandpa's 1880's violin, so I can gig with them easier.

At home they're hanging on the wall of my temperature and humidity controlled music room so I can grab and play them any time.

[Josh Levine]

I bring the tool for the job. Currently my most expensive mandolin does not have a pickup in it, so if I am playing a gig where I need a pickup (most of them) I need to bring my mandolin with a pickup. If I am playing in a mic or at a jam I will bring whatever I want.

[JeffD]

I have a criteria for which mandolin I might take to a particular jam or open mic, but it is not based on the quality of the instrument. Its based kind of music or the venue. I always take my best.

[Leester]

Solved that problem by only having two awesome mandolins.

same here so I only have to decide which one to take as neither of them cost much! I do have a custom Martin guitar that I don't gig with though.

[Denny Gies]

The answer is yes. Why have a great instrument if you don't show it off and play the snot out of it? I take my Martin D28 and my Randy Wood F5 whenever I gig or just go to a local jam.