I just bought up my very first mando last night ... not nearly as nice as yours, though. I played until the wee hours (I'm feeling like it now, too, and have a set to play tonight ... not mandolin, though ...).
Not to worry, my fingertips on my left hand have VERY thick calous pads on 'em. I can't feel anything I touch with my fingertips, and I'm accustomed to playing for long stints. I've been lovin' the mando, mostly just simple chords. I need to practice the G/C/D "chop" chords ... who'd think it would be such s-t-r-e-t-c-h on such a teenie fretboard ... LOL! I'll need to really concentrate on some scales until I get used to the tuning in 5ths. I've already added mando tracks to a couple of things I recorded previously. But they ain't anything to write home about!Careful now.
I jumped in whole hog and ended up with blisters under my calluses after 2 days.
Lay off the pulloffs to start with
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