Back in the 1980s there was a running joke in the magazine of the Minnesota Bluegrass and Old Time Music Association (MBOTMA). Musicians would be asked “What do you keep in your instrument case, as well as your instrument?” I may be an unduly suspicious sort of person, but I have on occasion wondered if some of the revelations had been fabricated by the editorial staff. Anyway, there was plenty of opportunity for humour. And I am still puzzled that there was actually room for all the stuff Adam Granger supposedly found in Dan Crary’s guitar case back in 1985.
My own clutter of necessities for jam sessions (and for gigs in the days when I used to play on stage – I’m getting a bit too old for that nowadays) is carried in one of those old Mandolin World book bags that David Grisman used to sell way back. I actually had two of them, but one was taken over by my young daughter, who must have been the only English schoolgirl to tote a Mandolin World bag. I digress. What follows is a true list of what I take with me to play music.
First the obvious necessities. My mandolin strap, which doesn’t fit comfortably in the instrument case. I always check that it is there before travelling to play, remembering a night years ago when I dashed off to a gig to fill in on banjo, as last-minute cover, only to discover on arrival that I had left my strap at home. An uncomfortable evening followed, as I tried to manipulate a heavy strapless banjo. I know Red Rector preferred to play his mandolin without a strap, but I would rather not be forced to try this.
Spare strings are a necessity. It’s a good idea to take a couple of sets, as you might be able to help someone else out. When it comes to changing strings, a pair of pliers is handy. I use a small pair of long-nosed pliers which include wire cutters. The acquisition of an Orrico mandolin tailpiece some years back posed a bit of a problem about fitting the loops of the strings over the hooks. The best solution I have found is a pair of 6″ curved artery forceps which are readily obtainable from fishing tackle dealers.
I keep the smaller items in an old wooden cigar box. This includes packets of spare picks, and some violin rosin – no, I don’t pay the fiddle, it is for helping to grip the pick. In my late fifties I began to find it difficult to prevent the pick from rotating between thumb and forefinger. I had previously played for decades without experiencing any difficulty in this respect. My current theory is that with age my skin was starting to dry out, becoming more hardened and less ‘grippy’. After years of trying various ways to remedy the problem, which plagued me for most of my sixties, someone on the Internet suggested powdered violin rosin. You scratch the block of rosin with a sharp implement, like a small screwdriver or a key, to create some powder, and rub a very small amount between your thumb and forefinger before gripping the pick. Don’t use too much! You are seeking traction on the surface of the pick, not stickiness. You must be able to effect micro adjustments in the position of your pick as you play, and if the pick sticks to your thumb or forefinger you won’t be able to manage this. Be warned! If necessary you can come back and use some more rosin, if it wears off as you play, but if you put on too much you will have to wash your hands – and the pick – and start over. I hope you don’t have a problem controlling your pick, but if you are getting older and running into difficulties of this sort the careful use of powdered rosin may help you.
I always carry some small screwdrivers in my box, as years ago I had trouble on stage with a banjo peg which was coming apart, and I had to appeal to the audience for a screwdriver to tighten it up. The moral is that if something needs adjusting you can bet it will be at a gig or a festival when you don’t have access to your domestic toolbox. There’s also a small bradawl in my box, which is handy for making extra holes for the buckle on a leather instrument strap.
Another item on the list of things that you may need all of a sudden is a pair of nail clippers. These have saved me several times when I’ve dashed off to play somewhere and have found that I can’t press the strings down effectively owing to fingernails that need trimming.
Other bits and bobs include a very soft pencil to add some graphite coating to the nut and bridge slots when changing strings, and a pencil sharpener for giving the pencil a sharp point to get down into the slots. And there’s a manicurist’s nail buffer board for sanding down rough spots on picks.
An essential item to take with you nowadays is an electronic tuner. I also still carry an A tuning fork, which was all we had back in the old days. Also, if I’m going to be away from home for a day or two I include a metronome, which I find important for practice.
And when you’ve finished playing you will need to wipe down your strings with a soft absorbent cloth. The need for this was inadvertently demonstrated to me years ago when a young professional mandolin player, now a musician of great repute, asked to try my Gibson A-2. He clearly liked the instrument and was really picking up a storm when the caretaker came into the hall to chuck everyone out at the end of the evening. I quickly put the mandolin in its case and didn’t take it out again for a couple of days. By this time the strings were green with corrosion. Since then I have always wiped down my strings including underneath, and the fretboard, immediately after playing, as well as the neck of the instrument. You will then find everything clean, smooth and ready to play the next time. As the saying goes, love your instrument and it will love you.
