Hey ya'll! Ok, here's a quick question. How many Mandolins do you think a pro mando player should/ or how many they own?
~What's worse than a banjo player? Two banjo players~
At least I don't play banjo!
Hey ya'll! Ok, here's a quick question. How many Mandolins do you think a pro mando player should/ or how many they own?
~What's worse than a banjo player? Two banjo players~
At least I don't play banjo!
Connor Hagwood
A pro should have as many as they possibly can collect; like Grisman's legendary collection. A regular mandolin player like me has an F-4 for the oval hole sound, an F-12 for the f hole sound, an H-5 for the mandola sound and a 5 string solid body for the electric sounds. I also have a "beater" Kentucky A model with f holes. I love mandolins but can't imagine really needing more variety of sounds than that.
Len B.
Clearwater, FL
I have more than I need but fewer than I want. At least they all have different voices.
Jamie
There are two things to aim at in life: first, to get what you want; and, after that, to enjoy it. Only the wisest of mankind achieve the second. Logan Pearsall Smith, 1865 - 1946
+ Give Blood, Save a Life +
i periodically get this question from my significant other. The only response i can give is that; "When they start sounding the same, i'll stop." i've got my original Kentucky KM-180s that i'm saving for my grandson, an A-style Flatiron, a Flatiron F-5, an Eastman 514, and an Eastman mandocello. i'm far from a pro, but have got a "herd-lette" going on here. As long as they all have different sounds i'll keep looking.
Not sure. I'm not a pro and I have three. Just read that Jackson Browne had/has 14 guitars kept in different tunings. Mostly I would think finances and space allotment would dictate how many you could have. (Or spouses wishes )
I have only had one at a time Prucha F, Weber Bitteroot Cedar,Collings MF5 and now the keeper of the flame a Red Diamond A is on it way.
I have no idea about the recommended arsenal for a pro player, but my current philosophy/goal for myself is to own three, broken down as follows:
* Bright, Choppy (plosive), Loud, able to cut through at a jam (Bluegrass type songs, fiddle tunes, etc.).
* Dark, Woody, Sustained, focused on the lower register (Blues, rock, and blues-oriented Old-Time).
* Something right in the middle (Good for Jazz, Gypsy, and Celtic).
Of the three, one will be the "main" mandolin. This mandolin should perform best on the owner's 'favored' or preferred type of music (So, for me, the main mandolin will fit into the second description). It will also be the most valuable ($) of the three, and should have the most versatility tone-wise, as it will get the most work.
The least expensive of the three mandolins (though it should still be quite good) will be the 'traveler' or the 'out of the house' mandolin, and it is also the prime candidate for the installation of a pick-up down the road.
c.1965 Harmony Monterey H410 Mandolin
"What a long, strange trip it's been..." - Robert Hunter
"Life is too important to be taken seriously." - Oscar Wilde
Think Hippie Thoughts...
Gear: The Current Cast of Characters
Keep buy'in them until you get to the one that has "divorce" written on the headstock!
For the serious player, I recommend owning at least one--but as many as you want--with the best number being whatever impels you to play all the time.
If you are married you need to stockpile as many as your budget will allow because someday you may wake up and only have half of them. Is there end? Not if you are someone like Neil Young/Steve Stills/Steven Stegal/David Grisman/Jimmy Page/etc. For the average joe pro picker that makes a living at playing mandolin they need more than one but no less than two. I can't think of one pro mandolin picker that has less than two goodin's. Even Big Mon had several back ups!
At least one for sure.
Jason Anderson
"...while a great mandolin is a wonderful treat, I would venture to say that there is always more each of us can do with the tools we have available at hand. The biggest limiting factors belong to us not the instruments." Paul Glasse
Stumbling Towards Competence
I would assume that a true touring pro would want at least two, the every day instrument and a backup.
______________________________
Your problem is, you think you have enough time.
"The paths of experimentation twist and turn through mountains of miscalculations, and often lose themselves in error and darkness!"
--Leslie Daniel, "The Brain That Wouldn't Die."
Some tunes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa1...SV2qtug/videos
¡papá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!
'20 A3, '30 L-1, '97 914, 2012 Cohen A5, 2012 Muth A5, '14 OM28A
If you think Jackson Browne's 14 guitars is a lot, check out David Lindley's collection of 35 instruments:
http://www.davidlindley.com/instruments.html
Living’ in the Mitten
I can't imagine any scenario where I would want a different mando over my Ellis, unless I'm going in some extreme conditions and I have to take a beater.
David has quite the collection.
Apropos of which (not?), I saw this ad on NYC Craigslist:
---------------------------------------------------------------
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS - 94% OFF - INCESSANTLY LOW FIGURE!
Duct Flute
conch
Khene Northeast Thailand mouth organ
Kissar West African lyre
Babendil Philippine gong
Tea chest bass skiffle bass
Mbira/ Sanza/ Thumb Piano African stringed instrument
Valiha Indonesian and Madagascan zither
Diyingehu contrabass gehu
Piccolo
Appalachian dulcimer
cowbell
Tsuri-daiko Japanese hanging drum
Tjelempung/ Celempung Javanese zither
Lirone
Aeolian harp
Mandocello large mandolin
Melodeon
bongos
Yun Lo Chinese gong
Transverse Flute Traditional Flute
Subcontrabass saxophone
Oboe d
Sorna Afghan serunai
Trompeta china Cuban suona
----------------------------------------------
I suppose a hanging drum is better than a hanging judge.
"The paths of experimentation twist and turn through mountains of miscalculations, and often lose themselves in error and darkness!"
--Leslie Daniel, "The Brain That Wouldn't Die."
Some tunes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa1...SV2qtug/videos
I'm sure that these are just some notable items from a much larger hold--those are some sweethearts. Look at that tele. And hardanger..
Check out that snakeskin Sanchez custom lap steel--David's design scheme for sure!
http://www.davidlindley.com/cgi-bin/...html&pi=g7.gif
I'd like to have a few of those--the charango/ronroco, for example:
http://www.davidlindley.com/cgi-bin/...tml&pi=g20.gif
Last edited by catmandu2; Feb-09-2011 at 4:22pm.
Three or four...no wait five...well maybe six...no wait... At least that's how my husband does it.How many Mandolins to own
Gail Hester
Calling AllenHopkins...
You need at least three mandolins if you are a bluegrasser. Two F-5's (one extra for when the other is in the shop). I think you also need a round hole Gibson for old timey stuff (preferably a snakehead).
I'd like to think 1 really nice mando would set me right....haahahahaaaaa...whew...I kill me.
There are three kinds of people: those of us that are good at math and those that are not.
How many do you NEED?..... Just ONE more.
I've only got one playable mandolin right now, but think I'd like to have one decent flatback for the Celtic/Folk/Acoustic Rock bands and one bowlback for classical/renaissance stuff. One is obviously the minimum, but it's good to have a backup.
More than that's just a bonus. A delicious, hand-carved, sweet-sounding, wonderful bonus.
If I call my guitar my "axe," does that mean my mandolin is my hatchet?
Breedlove Quartz KF
Kit Built Oval Hole
Martin 000M
Highland Harp
https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/mattdeblass2
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