My daughter has begun on the slippery slope of instrument acquisition syndrome! She has had a mandolin that I picked up in a charity shop for £20 for some years and wanted a better one. So she now has a Pilgrim flat iron one that she bought at Whitby festival a couple of weeks back.

I didn't realise that changing strings on one with a tailpiece, which the new one has could be so complicated. The old one is a ball end one. I must warn her! The new one is far easier to tune and play and has a truss rod in the neck along with adjusters on the bridge so she can set the action to whatever she likes best. I know the Pilgrim is a budget instrument but I must say it sounds lovely to me.

Then again I am a free reed player...

:D tG