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I have recently discovered the mandocello, which is a Thing Of Great Joy. The Wikipedia article has links to pictures and video samples. It would enable me to plausibly accompany myself whilst singing[1], which would be a plus; apparantly mandolin ensembles are quite keen on mandocello players too.
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arnhem's colleague who knows about such things said "of course you can afford one". Looking around the internet, most of them are around the £2k mark (whether new or second-hand!), which is rather more than I can sensibly lay my hands on right now. A well-regarded Mandolin shop has a second-hand Suzuki in for £475. I emailed the owner, and he says it's the first one he's had in (they aren't usually sold in the UK), and it would do if I wanted to try one without spending lots of GBP, but doesn't sound as good as a £2k one. His shop's in Brighton (and sells some pricier ones, too!). I could hold off doing anything for the time being, but then he might sell that one, and there might not be another "cheap" one available. Also, I can't meaningfully get to Brighton for a few weeks... Help me decide, oh wise fiends-list...
ETA The £475/550 difference is my mis-typing in the poll.
[Poll #1014271]
[1]I can already plausibly play the 'cello, and lower instruments suit my vocal range better.
arnhem's colleague who knows about such things said "of course you can afford one". Looking around the internet, most of them are around the £2k mark (whether new or second-hand!), which is rather more than I can sensibly lay my hands on right now. A well-regarded Mandolin shop has a second-hand Suzuki in for £475. I emailed the owner, and he says it's the first one he's had in (they aren't usually sold in the UK), and it would do if I wanted to try one without spending lots of GBP, but doesn't sound as good as a £2k one. His shop's in Brighton (and sells some pricier ones, too!). I could hold off doing anything for the time being, but then he might sell that one, and there might not be another "cheap" one available. Also, I can't meaningfully get to Brighton for a few weeks... Help me decide, oh wise fiends-list...ETA The £475/550 difference is my mis-typing in the poll.
[Poll #1014271]
[1]I can already plausibly play the 'cello, and lower instruments suit my vocal range better.
(no subject)
What's with the £75 inconsistency between the price in the poll and the price in the LJ text? Is that delivery charge?
Any chance you could send a moderately knowledgeable spy to Brighton in your stead, to check out the mandocello in question and phone back to you with a full assessment?
(no subject)
(no subject)
Re figures, I don't know your salary/disposable income so can't judge how the numbers tally with earnings. Knowing how many day extra work/weeks/months of savings etc it would take to pay for one or other might help the decision even if you do have the money in the bank.
It is dangerous to buy musical instruments without trying them though, so I would advice finding an exit route if you're going to!
(no subject)
If all else fails, take a holiday in Japan and get one even more cheaply. (-8
(no subject)
(no subject)
... bit of a weird instrument! I fancy a baritone guitar at some stage (you know about them?), but before that, a twelve-string...
(no subject)
See if you can get an opportunity to try one, whether that is the one in Brighton or not.
If you really do like the mandocello then it would be worth saving up for a decent one. But if you end up not liking it paying £475 is a waste of money.
(no subject)
Well that's up to you, we all decide our own financial priorities.
I think what I would do, once I'd decided I could spare the £475 + train fare, would be to ask him if he would be prepared to hold it for you for say 3-4 weeks until you can get yourself to Brighton, on a deposit of about 10%. Then if it turns out to be a huge mistake, you lose £47.50 not hundreds (yes I know you could alternatively sell it again in theory but in practice this might be tricky, and take a lot of time/faffing).
(no subject)
And if in the next couple of years, a good opportunity to pick one up cheaply and/or conveniently doesn't occur, then if it's still of interest, it's probably worth pursuing more actively.
[ but I've, unavoidably, found myself having to take a very long-term view of pass-times, hobbies and interests, and indeed of anything time-occupying, so thinking "sometime in the next five years" doesn't stress me particularly; I can see this wouldn't work for everyone ].
(no subject)
(no subject)
Live a little.
Well a bit more anyway.
;)
(no subject)
Pursuing a hobby you love - especially music - is important. (2k is a lot, though!) I guess if it was me, I'd go for the cheaper option, but I would check it out first. And make sure my other half was OK with it.
Highlander and I have never regretted the money we've spent on our Roman gear. We do expect to get some back when we sell it on, which I imagine you could do with your mandocello.
(no subject)