u/Spiritual-End7310

I went to a bluegrass show at a local club tonight and the band was playing through the club’s sound system. The guitar and bass sounded good, and the banjo was able to project pretty well on its own, but the mandolin player was completely lost in the mix and very muddy. Some of it might be the sound system’s fault, but just curious if gigging mandolin players are putting a mic on their amp or just going straight into the board.

I’ve been practicing the intro to Bill Monroe’s I’m Blue, I’m Lonesome and my right wrist is starting to feel a little numb and tingly throughout the day. I’ve had issues in the past with my left hand because of guitar and I don’t want to repeat the same mistakes on mandolin. So how do mandolinists sustain tremolo and long runs without hurting themselves? What’s the number one factor that might cause issues? Is it pick grip, tensing of the forearm and wrist, or maybe something else I’m unaware of?

What mandolin does he play, and what pick does he use? Does he have any special effects? And how does he amplify his mandolin?

It’s one of my favorite tunes and I love the mandolin kickoff. The version I listen to a lot is 4/11/25 which goes into Bringing in the Georgia Mail. Are there any other standout versions that rip hard?

If you could afford any mandolin, what would you get?