Christmas in Denver

[Miles Town Mando]

It's a another Rocky Mountain Christmas with in-laws. I want to take advantage of being in the area and try out some of the mandolins that I've been trying to decide between. I would like to make my own comparison between the Collings and Gibson Mattes; Gibson FGs and Flatirons festival Fs. I would also like to try out other quality mandolins. Can anyone recommend some dealers in the Denver area? Does anyone down there have a Newell that you would let me listen to and possibly play?

[JD Cowles]

lucky you. we had a huge storm over the past few days, but its sunny and bluebird this am. check out the denver folklore center and/or the old town pickin parlor in arvada. here's some links...

http://www.denverfolklore.com/

http://www.picknparlor.com/

there are a boatload of picks/jams around here too so pm me if you want some more details or check out
http://www.kgnu.org/bluegrass/

[Miles Town Mando]

JD
Thanks for the info. All three of the sites you gave me were very helpful. I'll definately be visiting those two stores. I wish I was going to be down there earlier to hear Nickel Creek.

[BlueMountain]

Hey, thanks a lot. I'll be in the Denver area over Christmas, too, visiting my parents, who are just a fifteen minute walk south of the Denver Folklore Center. I'll try to make it to both places.

[Dan Adams]

If you all decide to get together, let me know, I'll try to be there. If one of the 'formal' jams don't work, maybe something/somewhere else can be worked out.

I spend every Christmas here! Dan

[luckylarue]

There is also H.B. Woodsongs in Boulder.

[BlueMountain]

I'm back from Christmas in Denver. The Denver Folklore Center didn't have much for mandolins except a few Webers and a few Michael Kellys. On the other hand, the Olde Town Pickin' Parlor was great, a real treat. I spent a couple very happy hours trying out high end mandolins and guitars, mostly luthier made.

You know how smug you feel when you try something really expensive and know (without saying so) that what you HAVE sounds better than what you are PLAYING? They only had two Gibson mandolins--a Sam Bush and an F5L--but I was delighted that most of my mandolins sound better. They also had three mandolas--a Gilchrist and two Andersens--and while they were all nice, they sounded pretty wan compared to the Lawrence Smart mandola I sold a couple months ago. The mandolin that most tempted me was a used F style made by Dave Cohen. Not a bluegrass mandolin, but a very distinctive, sweet, beautiful tone. A good deal at $2,200, and available online at www.picknparlor.com (M.A.S. has emptied my account, my wife tells me).

If you're going to be in Colorado for skiing this winter, stop by the Olde Town Pickin' Parlor and say hi to the owner, Kit Simon. You may never make it up to the slopes.