anarkee

 Well I am pretty well set bass wise for a bit on essential items. I have a nice Ampeg and got a good small combo from the better half for a birthday present.  And $125 is not really going to make a dent in that budget for an Urge II.  I also have problems not spending gift certificates right away. 

 So…I bought a Mandolin.  Yes, a Mandolin.

 I messed with my sister’s mandolin when I was younger and I love its sound, esp. on minor chords.  It’s somber and crying like a wailing woman. 

 I came home today to find a big box waiting on the table.  The mandolin is here.  I set the bridge and tuned it up. It’s the opposite of bass in string tuning and size.  While my calluses never hurt on bass, the double thin strings have left significant dents in my fingers.  But man, it sounds so nice.  I wait for my fingers to stop throbbing and play “Battle of Evermore” for the 20^th time this evening.  Its a fun instrument to play and I probably won’t get to the bass before the sound ordinances kick in…

 I love music and instruments.  Which is a bit of a problem right now.   Bass will still be a focus, but along with drums and guitar I now have another dangerous distraction from practicing bass.   And the instuments are starting to take over the house, to be perfectly frank.  Right now I have the following in my small condo living room:

2 basses in cases

1 bass on stand

1 combo bass amp

1 combo guitar amp

1 electric guitar (Squier strat) in case

1 acoustic guitar in case

1 keyboard

1 battery powered amp

1 mandolin

1 wood drum (tuned)

1 conga

2 Irish hand drums

2 bongos, one LP, one African goat skin drums

Various and sundry percussion instruments

1 clarinet

1 tenor sax

1 uke

1 practice pad drum kit

My non music friends find it a bit overwhelming.   The musical ones just think…well that it’s par for the course, but a bit cramped in a living space of our size.   I think I’d worry more if I wasn’t trying to nail another tune on the new mandolin…