Wow! This thread has been going a long time. I first signed in in May of '06 as GUEST:Jim, before I became a member. I'm no longer playing with the bluegrass band, McCormick, but I'm having lunch with the banjo player this Wednesday.
I now play mostly jug band stuff in the style of Carl Martin, Yank Rachell, Johnny Young...
I have one of my son's Ibanez mandolins strung up as a high-strung mando with octave strings on the G and D courses.
My son is playing a Breedlove that he got from his friend and mentor, the late Willie P. Bennett.

http://www.myspace.com/mapleleafchampionjugband