Buryl McConnell Mandolins

[banjo1]

I just talked to Buryl McConnell on the phone and he had been watching the ebay auction when I bought the mandolin.I asked Mr. McConnell if he would mind if I give you folks his contact information and he said that he would welcome interest in his mandolin and other work.
Buryl McConnell
Young Harris, GA. 30582
(706) 379- 3165
burylconnie@yahoo.com
Buryl said that he is a serious deer hunter so getting him during deer season might be tough.
My mandolin information:Completion date 1996 Serial# 004
Built to the Siminoff Loar specs.except with a traditional dovetail neck joint, The best maple and spruce that he could get at the time.21 coats of hand rubbed lacquer with the staining process done in the wood, not in the finish.Several hours in the tap tuning process. Mr. McConnell said that the darkening on the binding should be the finish turning over time.I haver no idea how many mandolins that Buryl has built to date but I can say that these McConnell should be the best deal in a hand made(in the US of A mountains of Georgia)mandolin that can be had.
More as I learn more. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[BlueMountain]

Thanks for sharing that. Always nice to learn about builders. I've never seen that much darkening on the binding from the finish, but who knows. Glad to hear it sounds so good.

[banjo1]

An update:
After playing the McConnell for a few weeks it has opened up a great deal.The mandolin was built in 1996 and played for a short time and the owner that I bought it from(I think owner #3)rarely played it.

I have played it for at least two hours every night since getting the mandolin and simply is amazing.

Very, Very Loar like in sound with a very even(woody)sound but a little lite on the volume.This might be due to the Brekke bridge but I will leav it as is for a time.
Monel Sam Bush strings are what it likes the best so far and no black marks on my fingers.

Truely rivals mandolins costing 3 or 4 time what I payed for this little jewel.

[banjo1]

I for got to say that Mr.Buryl McConnell did have a chance to work on a few Loar mandolin(building a new neck block for one)so he was able to blueprint the ones that he worked on.
I guess that is the reason that the mandolin sounds so Loar like.:D
More to come as the mandolin opens up or as I change from the Brekke bridge.

[banjo1]

Buryl email me and said that the color of the lacquer on the mandolin was due to the age of the lacquer, not a bad stain job.
If you can get in touch with Buryl, (information posted earlier in this thread)you will be pleased with his mandolins.

[banjo1]

After two years with the mandolin, I decided to cut the neck down in size to see just what a few builders had advised.
After removing almost 1/4 of an inch from the necks thikness and adding a very nice V to its shape and removing more a second time, the mandolin has really come to life.I had figured out that the mandolin had a plastic nut so I have a repiar friend installing a pearl nut and leveling and recrowning the frets after he get the trussrod adjusted.
Everyone that has come in contact with the mandolin has just loved it, sound and looks.
I will let you all know what the later work has done to the McConnell.:D