Ways to sneak a mandolin in the house ?

[Iron]

I was doing pretty good until I took it outa the case, it has the whole house smelling like a new Collings.
Did'nt take the boss lady long to figger out what's going on.

[Michael Bridges]

"It is far easier to ask forgiveness, than to ask permission" the MAS mantra! Congrats on a Collings! It'll give you something to occupy all that free time you'll have at night.

[verbs4us]

Hot tip! Recently got an Alpine gig bag for my Weber -- and everyone thought the bag contained a tennis racket. Good disguise!

[Ed Goist]

Big advantage of living in Youngstown, Ohio...When folks see a mandolin case they just assume you are carrying a Tommy-gun...No big deal.

[Charles E.]

There was a thread a few years ago where a fellow collected a bunch of empty, beat up, cases so that his wife could not keep track of what was actually in them.

[bigbendhiker]

Sneaking the mandolin in is the easy part..................How do you sneak the money to pay for it? My wife can sniff that out like you wouldn't believe.

[UsuallyPickin]

Next time.... and all those with MAS know there will be a next time. Buy and grind a pound of Kona or Jamica Blue Mountain coffee . THe entire house will smell like the coffee and not the mandolin.............. Oh and for now build her an extra closet.......

[mandrian]

Hi,

I adopted the strategy of two Hiscox cases, exactly the same with the same Mandolin Cafe and Jazz Mando stickers in the same places on the outside of each case. Seemed to fool my partner well enough, until my grand-daughter spotted the new mando when she opened a case.

Regards,

[Mandobar]

There are worse habits.

[JeffD]

The more important task is to sneak an appreciation for live, home made music into the psyche of your spouse. If you can get 'em involved, and understanding how important music is then getting another instrument into the house will be a regular occurrence.

Its too much, sometimes, to ask for total participation. But perhaps a complimentary endeavor. One division I have seen work, is where the woman is the musician, and the man, though a fan, is not very musical. But they both go to festivals and so he has become the camp awesome - he sets up camp and buys the latest in camping gadgetry. So she brings in a mandolin now and then, but he brings in the new rooftop tent annex for the truck, did I mention the truck?

[mandroid]

Hot tip! Recently got an Alpine gig bag for my Weber --
and everyone thought the bag contained a tennis racket. Good disguise!

Some folks have described tournament tennis multi racket bags ,
as good A mandolin Case covers, to complete the disguise, with the right Brand Logos.

[Toni Schula]

Sneaking the mandolin in is the easy part..................How do you sneak the money to pay for it? My wife can sniff that out like you wouldn't believe.

Whenever I earn a buck or so at a gig, I keep it in the mando case and can then afford - well sometimes - well - new strings ;-)

[allenhopkins]

Can I say that threads like these sorta bother me?

Why does one have to "sneak" one's instrument(s) past a (presumably disapproving) spouse? Shouldn't there be a prior arrangement about what's acceptable to each within the household budget, and the overall marriage relationship?

I assume we're not talking about spending the mortgage money on a Weber, or denying the kids orthodontia in order to get that F-9. Nor are we discussing illegal drugs, a girlfriend on the side, or payments to one's bookie. Musical instruments are a legitimate source of recreation, esthetic development, and, in some cases, even income.

I have over 75 instruments, and that's a lot; too much for some people's taste. I paid for all of them by playing my 2-3 little jobs per week -- nursing homes, libraries, coffeehouses, schools, whatever. I figure if I want to blow the modest income I make each year on a new custom-made 10-string mandolin/dola, as I just did, that's what I'm doing the gigging for.

This game of cat-and-mouse with a "boss lady" who has some kind of veto power over instrument purchases, while it may be all in jest, seems like a failure of honest discussion, setting of mutual limits and sovereignties over what can be spent for what purpose, and openness within the relationship.

Don't want to throw water on a playful, enjoyable discussion -- or seem holier-than-thou, which I most certainly am not, -- but the topic comes up from time to time and it gets under my skin a bit.

[Galileo]

I was at a guitar workshop several years ago, talking to a fellow classmate about his newly acquired guitar, a very nice Huss and Dalton. Another individual, attending the camp, but in a different workshop with a different instructor, knew this guy from somewhere in the past and asked him how he got another guitar past his wife. He said he just kept instruments all over the house, that way she couldn't keep track of what he had. He said he'd pull something out and if his wife said "I don't remember seeing that before", he'd just simply tell her "What this? I've had this for years." I asked him what all he had...he rattled off, in my estimation, well over 30K in instruments.

[DataNick]

Can I say that threads like these sorta bother me?

Why does one have to "sneak" one's instrument(s) past a (presumably disapproving) spouse? Shouldn't there be a prior arrangement about what's acceptable to each within the household budget, and the overall marriage relationship? Allen, come on man, that takes too much forethought and logic..LOLI assume we're not talking about spending the mortgage money on a Weber, or denying the kids orthodontia in order to get that F-9. Nor are we discussing illegal drugs, a girlfriend on the side, or payments to one's bookie.Now that's what I'm talkin about! Musical instruments are a legitimate source of recreation, esthetic development, and, in some cases, even income.
...This game of cat-and-mouse with a "boss lady" who has some kind of veto power over instrument purchases, while it may be all in jest, seems like a failure of honest discussion, setting of mutual limits and sovereignties over what can be spent for what purpose, and openness within the relationship.
I thought they all were "Boss Lady"..LOL!

Don't want to throw water on a playful, enjoyable discussion -- or seem holier-than-thou, which I most certainly am not, -- but the topic comes up from time to time and it gets under my skin a bit.

Well said Allen; you my friend have "made my day"...LOL!

Take Care man!

[DataNick]

Though, I say with all respect, that Allen wants us to be a little bit more seriously engaged on the underlying problems that result in this behavior, I LOVE this thread...exactly why I'm on sabbatical from the other gender right now (last 3 months)...how long will it last?
Dunno, but enjoying endulging my MAS/MAD, practicing 4 hrs/day, and no drama! Aaaaaaaaah!

[Ed Goist]

...snip...
I assume we're not talking about spending the mortgage money on a Weber, or denying the kids orthodontia in order to get that F-9. Nor are we discussing illegal drugs, a girlfriend on the side, or payments to one's bookie
...snip...

Allen; you PROMISED me you were never going to bring any of these things up!

[Michael Bridges]

While all this is just in good fun, I can attest from prior experience that "Sneakin Sally thru the Alley" type end-arounds lead to trouble, if not now, someday. Learned my lesson, and avoided losing everything. If an equitable arrangement can't be worked out between 2 adults, better to hold off for a while. (But I REALLY want that Northfield)

[DataNick]

While all this is just in good fun, I can attest from prior experience that "Sneakin Sally thru the Alley" type end-arounds lead to trouble, if not now, someday. Learned my lesson, and avoided losing everything. If an equitable arrangement can't be worked out between 2 adults, better to hold off for a while. (But I REALLY want that Northfield)

Is that like "50 ways to leave your mando undected"?...Dude, you just got that Morgan Monroe for Father's Day and now you're clamoring for a Northfield?

Sounds like you are a MAD(Mandolin Acquisition Disorder) man!...LOL!

[Michael Bridges]

Nah, I'm happy. FOR NOW! But that Northfield in Steffey's hands makes my ears feel all tingly.

[stevedenver]

well i just bought 4 over this past month, and they dont fit under the bed,
havent slept in a week
sooner or later my wifes gonna find out , and shell want a new BMW,
i just dont know what to do.












jes kidding

[fatt-dad]

I set up a brokerage account and put $80/mo in it. That's my mandolin fund. The fact that I can now buy a new car is a separate story. (My Benz has 256,000 miles.)

I'm on board with Allen's post. I just buy them and the wife signs for them. After 26 years she's given up.

f-d

[rgray]

I recently bought a new (to me) Davy Stuart mandolin with the idea to sell my Redline Traveler afterwards, a thought I communicated to my wife. Now I am trying to figure how to NOT sell the Redline and keep them both. I live 3 hours away from the wife during the workweek but have been hauling the one mandolin back-n-forth. The work situation will continue for a few years so I am thinking to slow leak the sale (I only have so much time on weekends for the honey-do list) and just let it ride until she is used to the idea of seeing two cases around.

[Sheryl McDonald]

My husband has just declared I have no business reading this thread.

[Ed Goist]

I recently bought a new (to me) Davy Stuart mandolin with the idea to sell my Redline Traveler afterwards, a thought I communicated to my wife. Now I am trying to figure how to NOT sell the Redline and keep them both. I live 3 hours away from the wife during the workweek but have been hauling the one mandolin back-n-forth. The work situation will continue for a few years so I am thinking to slow leak the sale (I only have so much time on weekends for the honey-do list) and just let it ride until she is used to the idea of seeing two cases around.

Bob, I am interested in your Redline Traveler, but I will not be in a position to buy it for several years.
Are you willing to hold off on the sale until I'm ready to pull the trigger?