Re: Why play Mandolin?
To quote a Classics professor who, when walking down a street in Richmond wearing a toga was asked by a pedestrian why he was in togate, "Why not?"
That said, I picked up the mandolin about 3 1/2 years ago because I wanted to add something to my violin playing--didn't want to be a one-trick pony, you see....
I had actually been developing a crush on the banjo at the time, but didn't really want to get into trying to learn a whole new playing style with a new tuning, etc. So I figured I'd get a mandolin, which would allow me to explore new things while not having quite so radical a learning curve. And I'm glad I did.
There are days, though, when the banjo's siren song calls to me, but the mandolin and fiddle are already harsh mistresses who demand a lot of attention, so I stick with them. When fiddle and mando are happy, I'm happy, too.
"When I heard what Socrates had done on the lyre, I wished indeed even [I had done] that...but certainly I labored hard in letters!" - Cicero, "Cato the Elder on Old Age"
Weber Gallatin Mahogany F
19th Century Ferrari(?) Bowlback
Early 20th Century British Mandoline-Banjo & Deering Goodtime Tenor
1960s Harmony Baritone Ukelele
The Magic Fluke Flea Soprano Ukelele (in 5ths!)
1910 German Stradivarius 1717 copy, unknown maker
1890(?) German Stradivarius 1725 copy, G.A. Pfreztschner, maker
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