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Post by rickyguitar on Jan 4, 2020 19:21:48 GMT -5
My wife bought me a mandolin a few months back. I had mentioned it a couple if times. The Loar, Chinese i believe. Solid top, laminate back and sides. Took it in for a set up and it us nice enough. Tech and I agreed it should be fine for learning. So I have been pursuing it a bit and really am enjoying it, even if it is SMALL. Used to play banjo some but always have liked guitar best. Aldo bought a flute but I had forgotten about the breathing and stuff. That may not tske. So how about you, ever try something different just for a change?
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Post by Seldom Seen on Jan 4, 2020 19:30:26 GMT -5
I have a Weber Bitterroot that my wife gifted to me. It's hangs on the wall of our family room and looks really cool. I have noodled around with it a bit but this winter I'm going to learn the cowboy chords at least. I did restring it last year so I know I can at least do that!
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Post by Taildragger on Jan 4, 2020 19:38:24 GMT -5
I worked at playing highland pipes for awhile. Did fine learning tunes on the practice chanter (smaller, quieter, melody pipe only: no drones or bag) but the full set was a real "pat your head while rubbing your stomach" situation. Plus they are LOUD and don't exactly solicit good reactions from those within earshot, especially while you are still struggling to get the whole process under control. Lots of people hate them even when they are played by someone with the requisite skill and experience.
In any case, I stopped after about a year or so and sold all the plumbing. Decided that mastering a single instrument is sufficient challenge for me.
Still love the sound, but now leave it to the experts.
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Post by Mfitz804 on Jan 4, 2020 20:08:07 GMT -5
I tried a mandolin once but couldn’t adjust to how tiny it was. Was considering one of those larger ukeleles for a while also.
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Jan 4, 2020 20:14:05 GMT -5
I played the trumpet for about a year and then switched to ukulele...but that was frustrating because there's no spit valve on a uke and I ruined the thing  |
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Post by chimpo on Jan 4, 2020 23:34:34 GMT -5
I have a Mandolin which is very rarely played. It's my second one because I got rid of my first (which I'd purchased in the early nineties) thinking I'd never learn to play it properly but after a few years got the urge again. So.. it sits in a cupboard and when played I only stuff around with it and do no constructive learning or practice.
I also have a Uke. Same deal almost as the Mando. I bought one in the early nineties but it was terribly cheap and bad sounding so got rid of it. Recently bought another cheap one to see if I'd catch the bug. It is way better than the first one in every respect and sounds reasonable but like the Mando I just stuff around with no serious dedicated learning. Guitar trumps everything for me.
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apple
Quarternote
Posts: 36
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Post by apple on Jan 5, 2020 16:32:49 GMT -5
I found a crude homemade mandolin at an auction sixteen years ago. It had a tag on it that read "made in 1895 by cousin George Huber - Cleveland Ohio". I removed the deteriorated strings and the bridge came off. I put the bridge in a shaving kit bag and labeled it. Two moves and a decade later at a time I was trying to think of a band name I stumbled on the shaving kit bag in a storage tub labeled "Mandolin Bridge". I thought it sounded like a great band name. We took on the name but soon tired of the question, "Where's your mandolin?" I finally bought a Godin A8 electric mandolin and two years later I'm playing mandolin exclusively.
I remember Seth Rosen bringing an electric mandolin to one of our FDP jams years ago. At the time it seemed exotic and even outrageous. I would have laughed out loud at the thought I would be playing one myself and loving it. I wish Seth was still around to discuss electric mandolin with.
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GmanNJ
Wholenote
somewhere deep in the swamps of Joisey
Posts: 315
Formerly Known As: Your Friendly Neighborhood Gman
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Post by GmanNJ on Jan 7, 2020 11:59:50 GMT -5
I was given an Antares A style but the neck warped so much that it was unplayable. Bit the bullet and bought a Loar F style (with adjustment rod in the neck) and immediately took it to my guitar tech for set up and had a piezo pickup installed. Went to MF and got a tube pre-amp box to boost the signal for either a direct box into a PA or an amp. Now it sounds beautiful and I have played out with it.
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Post by jefe46 on Jan 7, 2020 19:27:39 GMT -5
In another life I played mandolin starting around 1960.
Since that time I have owned about 50.
My interest was classical music though I did take lessons from Tiny Moore (RIP) as Western Swing appealed to me.
Have not played for a number of years.. not sure I could play again but it is tempting.
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swampyankee
Wholenote
Fakin' it 'til I'm makin' it since 1956
Posts: 713
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Post by swampyankee on Jan 28, 2020 12:07:44 GMT -5
I picked up the mandolin when I was in a bluegrass duet. It's fun. I need to dust it off and get my mando chops back. I also have an ocarina, a couple each of recorders and penny whistles. I actually played the penny whistle in a song at church, and I did the ocarina solo in Wild Thing in my RnR band.
I have a couple harmonicas as well, and I wish I could get the whole bluesharp thing going.
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Post by TonyM on Jan 28, 2020 12:20:16 GMT -5
For me guitar is my change of pace instrument.
Recently I’ve been getting the urge to try banjo however. Maybe when I retire.
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Post by bluzcat on Jan 29, 2020 7:31:55 GMT -5
I have an uke that I play as often as I can. Since it only gets played at home it seems like a “no pressure” instrument- learn as you can, so it’s fun to noodle with.
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Post by HenryJ on Jan 29, 2020 8:48:43 GMT -5
About a year ago I got this idea that I wanted to learn cello and get good enough to play in our church orchestra by Christmas. I never did get around to it; celli that are decent are out of my tightwad price range. Fortunately, the church orchestra was blessed with a cellist later last year.
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Post by LTB on Apr 4, 2020 22:08:59 GMT -5
I played the trumpet for about a year and then switched to ukulele...but that was frustrating because there's no spit valve on a uke and I ruined the thing Mandolin's and Ukulele's are too small for me and of the two Ukulele's have always sounded like a toy to me so I never really wanted one. About the only song with a Ukulele I have liked was "Herman and the Hermits" |
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Post by rickyguitar on Apr 5, 2020 20:38:54 GMT -5
Mandolin is small, i am trying to acclimate. I kind of like it, but it is not a guitar.
I had a cello for several months, on loan, a few years back. I was surprised at how easy my left hand found the positions but my right hand could not cope with the bowing. Old injury. Love the sound of cello.
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Post by LTB on Sept 30, 2020 16:34:02 GMT -5
Mandolin is small, i am trying to acclimate. I kind of like it, but it is not a guitar. I had a cello for several months, on loan, a few years back. I was surprised at how easy my left hand found the positions but my right hand could not cope with the bowing. Old injury. Love the sound of cello. Ricky, I have loved Cello's since I heard one on a Beatles tune in the 60's. Beautiful sounding! |
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stl80
Wholenote
Posts: 216
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Post by stl80 on Oct 6, 2020 16:22:35 GMT -5
Cello sound is so rich and complex. I love it.
Jim
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MJB
Wholenote
Who's we sucka? Smith, Wesson and me.
Posts: 634
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Post by MJB on Oct 18, 2020 13:41:59 GMT -5
I fell in love with the cello sound after seeing my first Harry Chapin concert around 1975 or so. I saw Harry in concert 3 times. It's so sad that we lost him much too soon.
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MJB
Wholenote
Who's we sucka? Smith, Wesson and me.
Posts: 634
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Post by MJB on Oct 18, 2020 14:18:07 GMT -5
I had no plans to play uke but......  The baritone is an easy transition for a guitarist as it's tuned DGBE. The bass is EADG like a normal 4 string bass. It's the 21st century Ashbory. The Soprano (GCEA, so a guitar w/capo at 5th fret) is indeed TINY! There's many, many songs to learn that won't take you above the 3rd fret. |
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Post by morrow on Dec 15, 2020 13:03:21 GMT -5
I took up the Sousaphone , but it didn't pan out. . I eventually sold it .
Had done a study of New Orleans tuba lines as a bass study and thought it would be nice to play them on the original instrument .
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Post by Larry Madsen on Dec 15, 2020 15:02:47 GMT -5
I played Trombone from the 6th grade until a freshman in college. I was pretty much always the best trombone player in school. Oh, did I mention? ... I was usually the ONLY trombone player in school. Queenie bought me this little gem a few years ago for Christmas. It's a cheapie, but it has electronics and it's plenty good enough for me. It's been hanging on the wall since I got it. Needs a good set-up. I'll get around to that task sometime.  DSC_2422 by Larry Madsen, on Flickr |
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Dec 15, 2020 22:42:53 GMT -5
Looks like the same maker Ibanez uses for their $199 A-style mando. I have one of those and it's pretty nice.
Most of these cheaper mandos are pretty much unplayable right off the rack. They need nut work and a little bridge work, and then they're real sweeties.
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Post by Larry Madsen on Dec 16, 2020 10:50:30 GMT -5
Most of these cheaper mandos are pretty much unplayable right off the rack. They need nut work and a little bridge work, and then they're real sweeties. That describes this one pretty well. Hopefully I can make it into a "sweetie" at some point.  |
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Post by hushnel on Dec 26, 2020 12:04:13 GMT -5
I’ve played the violin, cello, concert bass, then moved to the electric bass In 1965. There was no string orchestra at H.H.Arnold Jr. & Sr. High School near Wiesbaden AFB, I could have gotten into the marching band, but for some reason I didn’t considered it, strings were my thing. Bass has always been my primary instrument. I picked up the guitar in the mid 70s. I still say bass is my number one but I play much more guitar than bass, when sitting around the house, camping etc. I consider the uke more of a guitar and started playing them in the 80s. The uke is easier to carry on a motorcycle. I played the flute for a while but with my right arm 50% paralyzed it became difficult to hold.
I’ve have a few traumatic accidents in my life. Three of them the prognosis was I’d never play again. The first was falling off a building and shattering my right elbow. Then braking my neck in a car accident causing the partial right arm paralysis, recently shattering my left wrist in a motorcycle accident back in 2012. On occasion my risk analysis abilities take second place to adventure.
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Dec 27, 2020 7:28:43 GMT -5
On occasion my risk analysis abilities take second place to adventure. hushnel, if you're not livin', you're dyin'. Or as my football coach used to tell us, "if you're getting hurt--it means you're tryin!" hey...there may be a pretty good country song in there. |
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Post by hushnel on Dec 29, 2020 11:44:11 GMT -5
Yeah,I can’t hold my baby cause she got me in traction.
I did turn my bone fixation device into a transverse thumb rest on my five string.
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Post by bluzcat on Jan 3, 2021 0:37:16 GMT -5
Yeah,I can’t hold my baby cause she got me in traction. I did turn my bone fixation device into a transverse thumb rest on my five string. There’s a movie in there somewhere...😳 |
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