Mas

[MarthaWhitePicker]

Ok I am really ashamed that I have been on the board for a few years and still don't know what the heck MAS means
Sorry for my incredible lack of common sense on this insane MAS topic.

[sunburst]

M(andolin) A(quizition) S(yndrome)

[David Zaruba]

GAS started in the guitar player community (guitar acquisition syndrome) and then quicky spread to the mandolin community, where it was named MAS. Given the cost of quality mandolins compared to guitars, it appears to be a much more serious (financially!) ailment.

[minnedolin]

thanks for posting, I too didn't quite follow!

[Chris Biorkman]

It means more in Spanish.

[mandolirius]

I think it's an over-used term that started out as a kind of wry commentary on people who seemed to aquire more instruments than they needed and may be a tad out of control in that department. Now, it just seems to be a blanket phrase people use whenever they see something they like. It doesn't have a lot of meaning anymore, imho.

Personally, I could do with a bit less of "oh, I've got mas", "it's another mas attack" or "that one's really got my mas fired up". Probably won't be a popular opinion, given it's ubiquitous useage around these here parts, but what the hell...I have lots of unpopular opinions. Don't ask me about the Olympics, for example.

[sgarrity]

MAS is a serious condition. Especially when it's as cronic as my case.

[Chris Biorkman]

Don't ask me about the Olympics, for example.

What could you possibly have against the Olympics?

[Jim MacDaniel]

Probably won't be a popular opinion, given it's ubiquitous useage around these here parts, but what the hell...

Ubiquitous -- I see that word everywhere as of late.

[Tim Pike]

Being a newbie, I have been wondering too-thanks for the MAS explaination. Now I can expalin it to my wife and tell her there is a medical term for my condition!

[morristownmando]

Here is my meaning on it Mandolin Addiction syndrome

[frankenstein]

i bought a guitar from america ( i'm an aussie ) and i asked Kim Sherman why the guy was selling and she said he's got gas. that's odd i thought having never heard of gas before. i replied that's strange i thought you played better when you ######.. what an odd reason to sell a guitar..

[Jim MacDaniel]

But if his playing gave his audience an ill stomach, that's would be a good reason to sell all of his guitars.

[John Hill]

MAS = money...lots and lots of money...

[mandolirius]

<Ubiquitous -- I see that word everywhere as of late.>

[mrmando]

M(oolah) A(bandonment) S(yndrome)

[pjlama]

While MAS may seem to be an over used term I think it quite accurately describes a common condition around here. I envy the folks who don't want a new mandolin constantly. I can hardly go a week without an attack and have resorted to buying, selling and trading to feed my habit. At this point It would be hard for me to list the instruments that have passed through my hand in the last two years. I can honestly say I have MAS.

[SternART]

I bought a t-shirt at Wintergrass that says "One Woman-Many Mandolins"

[Mikey G]

MAS: Alternate meaning: (Money All Spent)

[allenhopkins]

The (X)AS acronym has spread to ukuleles and banjos as well. #What I think is interesting, is that "MAS" leads people to sell instruments, in order to get the $$ to buy other instruments. #Whereas I, the current MAS poster child, almost never sell anything, but just keep adding and adding and adding -- ask me about my new baritone ukulele.

My MAS attacks over the past few years have produced the Gibson Army-Navy Custom "pancake," an Eastman 615 mandola, a Regal Octofone, and an Eastman 805 mandocello. #Seem to have stabilized to a rate of about one annually. #On the GAS front, the National Havana wood-bodied resonator guitar; UAS produced the Harmony baritone uke. #Nothing on the horizon as of now, but hey, you never know...

[frankenstein]

maybe this cafe is really a mandolins anonymous meeting.

[pjlama]

maybe this cafe is really a mandolins anonymous meeting.

Quite the contrary, we tend to enable each other.

[mandolirius]

<hile MAS may seem to be an over used term I think it quite accurately describes a common condition around here. I envy the folks who don't want a new mandolin constantly. I can hardly go a week without an attack and have resorted to buying, selling and trading to feed my habit. At this point It would be hard for me to list the instruments that have passed through my hand in the last two years. I can honestly say I have MAS.>

You may be the real deal, but do you think you're typical? I mean, there can't be too many like you around here, constantly getting, then letting go of mandolins.

Also, how does constantly changing instruments affect your playing? Do you ever have one long enough to really get comfortable with it?

[Chris Biorkman]

You may be the real deal, but do you think you're typical? I mean, there can't be too many like you around here, constantly getting, then letting go of mandolins.

Also, how does constantly changing instruments affect your playing? Do you ever have one long enough to really get comfortable with it?

I can think of a few others who suffer from the same disease, a select few even worse than PJ.

I don't think it's any of our concern how it affects his playing. As long as it makes him happy, I say go for it and let those of us who either can't afford it or who have wives that won't let us indulge live vicariously through you.

[mandolirius]

<I don't think it's any of our concern how it affects his playing.>

I wasn't being judgemental, it was a genuine question. I mean, I can't play a mandolin as well as I can until I've played it for a while and gotten used to it. When I go somewhere like a festival and play a bunch, it always feels good to get back to mine, just cause it's familiar.