Mandolin Mudcatters survey

Subject: RE: Mandolin Mudcatters survey
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 27 Apr 09 - 10:30 AM

I have a lovely little loaner mandolyn. Don't know much about it but was restored by a French luthier. Richard Bridge can tell more as it is his mando.

I am off work this week and decided to get it out and learn something properly and guess what? I learned Trouble In Mind. Now if can only learn to sing along either Nina Simone or Janis Joplin style, I am set.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Mudcatters survey
From: Capt. Everett
Date: 27 Apr 09 - 05:37 PM

These days I probably play my mandolin most: a Weber "Bighorn" and a Shiro A. I also play a wonderful Louisiana hand-made cajun accordion.
Don't play in a group, but jam where ever I can. Being in Austin there are quite a few opportunities: old-time, bluegrass, jazz. There is even a newly formed mandolin orchestra. I also host a cajun jam twice a month at a local music shop.

I would love to eventually order a new mandolin from Tom Ellis here in Austin (probably an A style). Tom makes some of the finest mandolins in the world.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Mudcatters survey
From: Gulliver
Date: 27 Apr 09 - 07:50 PM

Is the mandolin your primary instrument or a sideline?
I mainly play guitar to accompany my singing and a tenor banjo for tunes, then comes the mandolin.

Do you perform regularly with others?
I play in 3 sessions every week, but only use the mandolin at one session, where it's used bluegrass-style for percussion effect and little solos or a few tunes, though the music isn't bluegrass, it's a mixture of Irish folk, spirituals and seventies pop/folk.

Are you part of an organized group?
Kinda, with a group of friends do charity gigs, old folk songs, some blues, Bob Dylan, etc. The mandolin fits in nicely with this kind of music.

What type of music do you play?
As above...

What style would you LIKE to be playing?
The kinda stuff Stockton's Wing used to do, but I'm happy with a mixture of Irish tunes and old timey-type songs.

Are you happy with your mandolin?
No, it's not really made for the kind of music I'm playing in the session - very narrow neck and high action. Two friends have Ozarks and they are easier to play and sound great for the kind of music we do, IMO.

What type/style/brand of mandolin do you own? Suzuki round-back, (Hello Kaleea!!) dating from the 70s, that has a sweet sound but is tough to play.

Amplification? Don't use it.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Mudcatters survey
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 28 Apr 09 - 05:09 PM

Is the mandolin your primary instrument or a sideline?
I play guitar first, picked up mandolin when arthritis prevented playing quitar.

Do you perform regularly with others/are you part of an organized group?
No. But I would like to join session in Chelmsford for both guitar and the mandolin. Maybe even my Appalachain dulcimer.

What type of music do you play?
The first song learned (yesterday) on the mandolin is blues "Trouble in Mind" only two finger chords

What style would you LIKE to be playing? <
font color=blue>Anything I can pick up easily for the moment. Jigs and reels, blues and bluegrass. I am just starting.

Are you happy with your mandolin?
I love it, she is so loud for such a petite little thing. Very satisfactory.

What type/style/brand of mandolin do you own.
It is a loaner from a friend, I think it is italian maybe french. But if my interest and ability grows, I think I better look into prchasing one of my own.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Mudcatters survey
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 28 Apr 09 - 05:11 PM

damn I really am having issues with coding today.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Mudcatters survey
From: Ghirotondo
Date: 29 Apr 09 - 07:33 AM

Is the mandolin your primary instrument or a sideline?
I play guitar first, picked up mandolin when I moved and joined an Italian traditional group.

Do you perform regularly with others/are you part of an organized group?
Only with this traditional group (a bit like Morris dancers).I've been, for a while,part of another group (irish trad) but quit when arguments were more than music.

What type of music do you play?
Usually irish trad (with mando & octave mando), and Italian traditional. Also some Fabrizio De Andrè ballads.

What style would you LIKE to be playing?
A good flat picking, quicker, maybe.

Are you happy with your mandolin?
Yes, although there's always space for improvement...

What type/style/brand of mandolin do you own.
Two roundbacks, one very old and quite unplayable, the other about 30 years old with a nice voice,which I use for the Italian music; An "A" model by Epiphone with Shadow piezo bridge and L.R. Baggs DI/Paracoustic preamp, good action and good voice (either pluged or unplugged); and last, a 1/2 roundback dating circa 1890, being built for a child who sadly died of crup.

Lanfranco.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Mudcatters survey
From: GUEST,Jonny Sunshine
Date: 29 Apr 09 - 12:34 PM

Is the mandolin your primary instrument or a sideline?
My main instrument is guitar, but I play a lot of mandolin with others, and it's my first choice of session instrument.

Do you perform regularly with others/are you part of an organized group? Play fairly regularly with a few other people and as a member of a couple of bands.

What type of music do you play? A mixture of original and traditional tunes and songs.

What style would you LIKE to be playing?
Same, but a bit better!

Are you happy with your mandolin?
If I ever got more serious about playing there might be room for a higher-end mandolin in my collection, but I'm pretty happy with the one I have now.

What type/style/brand of mandolin do you own.
Ashbury solid-top oval-hole A-style with a Fishman pickup

Subject: RE: Mandolin Mudcatters survey
From: Zen
Date: 29 Apr 09 - 07:38 PM

Is the mandolin your primary instrument or a sideline?

It's my primary and preferred instrument (playing for around 45 years) although I've been playing the guitar nearly as long.

Do you perform regularly with others/are you part of an organized group?

Weekly pub sessions and regular house sessions these days. Not part of an organised group at the moment although have played in several in the past. May put an old-timey group together soon if I can find other interested musicians.

What type of music do you play?

Fairly wide-ranging... Irish/Scottish/Celtic, old-timey, Appalachian, bit of bluegrass, jazz, blues, classical.

What style would you LIKE to be playing?

More of everthing but especially old-timey, Appalachian and Americana.

Are you happy with your mandolin?

Yes.

What type/style/brand of mandolin do you own.

Main: Sim Daley A-style and a Nava two-point on order. Also have a Fylde Touchstone

Subject: RE: Mandolin Mudcatters survey
From: Zen
Date: 29 Apr 09 - 08:02 PM

Oh... and if I need to amplify I usually use a customised Microvox viola mini-mic mounted over the treble ff hole plus a belt PSU/volume or occasionally an SM57. I prefer the sound of a mic to a transducer.

Zen

Subject: RE: Mandolin Mudcatters survey
From: GUEST,astro
Date: 30 Apr 09 - 01:57 AM

Is the mandolin your primary instrument or a sideline?
I have just started playing music and I chose to learn to play the mandolin.

Do you perform regularly with others/are you part of an organized group? Not yet, though I occasionally go to jams in Tucson and in Los Angeles.

What type of music do you play? I have interest in learning old timey tunes, jazz, some blue grass, various misc. types of music...contra dance music

What style would you LIKE to be playing?
Ditto above...

Are you happy with your mandolin?
In the last year and a half I have gone through six different mandolins including two Weber, a Gibson F9, and a cheap Goldtone and now am very happy with two Collings - a MT2 and a MT2-oval holed. They are great to play and I love their sound...Their action is great and I can't wait for them to open up with playing...

What type/style/brand of mandolin do you own.
See above and no plans for using pick-ups....

Thanks for seeing the posts of other mandolin lovers...I can see that MAS has struck me and others...now what is the next instrument that I need, probably a octave mandolin and a tenor banjo...

Subject: RE: Mandolin Mudcatters survey
From: Brother Crow
Date: 30 Apr 09 - 06:08 AM

Is the mandolin your primary instrument or a sideline?
It's the primary instrument with Brother Crow...officially I'm a piano/synth player. I also play guitar (both electric and acoustic)

Do you perform regularly with others/are you part of an organized group?
Yup, I play mandolin with Brother Crow (see www.myspace.com/brothercrowfolk ).

What type of music do you play?
Original songs, English folk in style...there is quite a lot of "classic rock" riffs in my playing, a la Dave Gilmour, Tony Iommi, Ritchie Blackmore etc. etc.

What style would you LIKE to be playing?
I'm happy with what i do, I'd just like to be able to do it better...

Are you happy with your mandolin?
Yes, very much so...

What type/style/brand of mandolin do you own.
A Capek A4 Exclusive (piccies on our website at http://www.brothercrow.co.uk/instruments/index.htm) fitted with a Mcintyre MF-200 Acoustic Feather pickup. Baggs para-acoustic DI/preamp and zoom A1 Effects.

Cheers folks, this is an interesting thread,
Graeme,
Brother Crow.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Mudcatters survey
From: Mavis Enderby
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 04:11 AM

Is the mandolin your primary instrument or a sideline?

Probably my main instrument in sessions as it fits in so well but more of a sideline otherwise.

Do you perform regularly with others/are you part of an organized group?

Semi-regularly in sessions, not part of an organized group.

What type of music do you play?

Mainly blues - I have some beginner blues mando lessons on Youtube: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

What style would you LIKE to be playing?

I'd like to get a bit more bluegrassy

Are you happy with your mandolin?

Very!

What type/style/brand of mandolin do you own?

Several, but my main mando is kit from International Violin which plays well, is loud and sounds amazing - especially for the price - $95 at the time if I remember correctly (plus shipping, plus import duty, plus time!)

Like several others here I came to the mandolin from guitar. I realised that there were numerous excellent guitarists out there and I was never going to join those ranks, so I wanted to add something on a different instrument. I also found it very much easier to carry to the pub on a bicycle...

Pete.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Mudcatters survey
From: doc.tom
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 04:39 AM

Is the mandolin your primary instrument or a sideline?
Secondary.

Do you perform regularly with others/are you part of an organized group? With BB, we do it for a living - but mandola rather than mandolin in that context.

What type of music do you play?
English dance music. Sometimes Irish in sessions. English song accompaniment.

What style would you LIKE to be playing?
What I do.

What type/style/brand of mandolin do you own.
Fylde Octave mandola (they call it octave mandolin - but I prefer the old naming that the guy from the mandolin orchestra who taught me called it!) and a Gibson A-00 1933/34-ish.

Are you happy with your mandolin?
Oh yes.

Why did I start mandolin?
Inherited my father's.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Mudcatters survey
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 05:03 AM

Hi what a varied lot we are.
I love the mandolin for rags, oCarolan and Handel. I also use it for the skiffle set and when anyone plays in a key the fiddle does not like - arn't capos great.

My mandolin needs PA - not loud enough- I bought it without a hard case and because of its shape have not found one to fit. I made a case which stacks well but is a bit heavy to carry round if I want to take any of my other instruments.

I use a melodeon for barn dances because I'm the caller and the lead melody instrument.-It took me a while to learn how to play and call at the same time. I can PA my voice above the instrument and the rest of the band can hear it so we don't need fold back. I don't think my mandolin would do the same - but a better mandolin player with a louder mandolin might be able to.

My favourite venue is the Barge Pub in Gillingham because they do the PA for you. What bliss to just be able to turn up, sing a few songs, drink a few beers, change instruments as often as you want, get paid and go. Would that all pubs were so accomodating. Tim the landlord is a mandolin player.

I think I'm at the waffle stage

Bye for now.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Mudcatters survey
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 05:22 AM

Is the mandolin your primary instrument or a sideline?

Yes, started playing in 1969

Do you perform regularly with others/are you part of an organized group?

solo and in sessions/folk clubs

What type of music do you play?

Folk I think of myself as a singer who plays a bit

What style would you LIKE to be playing?

I'm quite happy with what I do

Are you happy with your mandolin?

yes I have a custom build Oakwood Original and a custom built Oakwood Octave Mandola they are awesome!!

What type/style/brand of mandolin do you own?
As above

Iain

Subject: RE: Mandolin Mudcatters survey
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 06:44 AM

Mandolin is my main instrument, followed by tenor banjo.

I play anything that takes my fancy

I play with one band and fill in with another

I'm very happy with-

Paul Shippey oval hole

1917 Gibson A model

Eastman 615

Dave H

Subject: RE: Mandolin Mudcatters survey
From: GUEST,Onny
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 07:16 AM

Is the mandolin your primary instrument or a sideline?

Primary

Do you perform regularly with others/are you part of an organized group?

No

What type of music do you play?

Diddly-dee

What style would you LIKE to be playing?

Happy with Diddly-dee

Are you happy with your mandolin?

Very

What type/style/brand of mandolin do you own.

Gibson A- from c 1920 (previously Gibson Alrite from 1917)

Subject: RE: Mandolin Mudcatters survey
From: Bounty Hound
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 07:27 AM

Before answering theses questions, should we be seated in a circle, and go round the room to introduce ourselves?

My name is John and I'm a mandolin player!

Is the mandolin your primary instrument or a sideline?
I play Guitar, Mandolin, Bouzouki and Banjo in more or less equal proportions.

Do you perform regularly with others/are you part of an organized group?
If you can call the 'Bounty Hounds' organized, then yes, I am part of an organized group.

What type of music do you play?
Folk/Rock

What style would you LIKE to be playing?
Folk/Rock

Are you happy with your mandolin?
Yes

What type/style/brand of mandolin do you own.
A flat back electro/acoustic purchased in Cambridge some 30 years ago, of unknown make, but a lovely acoustic sound.
An 'Alden' mandocaster (like a miniature telecaster) great gigging instrument, but I do have to put up with the uneducated masses asking why I am playing a toy guitar!

Subject: RE: Mandolin Mudcatters survey
From: PHJim
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 11:20 AM

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

Subject: RE: Mandolin Mudcatters survey
From: Mavis Enderby
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 12:23 PM

Sounds good Jim - I must try a high strung mandolin one day...

Pete.