Quote:
My friend would switch back to guitar when a "real" mando or fiddle player showed up so he wouldn't embarrass himself.

this comment says a lot about the way you view this Bob.

From where I stand, it looks like you see the traditional standard as the one, true way of doing it... to the point that you would mock someone or expect them to feel foolish if they didn't worship the standard too.

but to many people, a standard is nothing more than the most commonly used of many possibilities.

I don't think this is just a "Bob" thing.. the purist bluegrass community imposes this thinking on its participants like a religion, and shuns any who dare to deviate from it