I'd always heard your mando sounds different to those in front of you vs what you hear playing it. It was vividly demonstrated to me at a jam recently: A guy had a top of the line mando that sounded loud and overpowering. I played it and it sounded thin to my ears. Of course, it could have been the player....

My mando, which when I played it sounded quiet when compared to his, sounded very good in his hands. It seems like projection of mandolins (btw, both f-style, f-holes) is a very real phenomenon...

Thanks,
Jeff