View Full Version : Mando players and what they are playing
I saw the recent posting on the cafe main page of Gary LeVox from Rascal Flats...Is that a Breedlove that he is playing?
Also, I watched Davey Johnston playing an Ovation (MM68?) last Sunday at Madison Square Garden for the Elton John 60th Birthday Party Bash...Song? Mona Lisa's and Mad Hatters. (See him play on http://video.msn.com/v....&fg=rss (http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=9045e35a-1c19-416d-a032-d2fc1b76c4da&f=imbot_us_default&fg=rss) it is the second song in the stet)
I find it amazing that since I decided to take up the Mandolin, I am seeing it everyhere...Who else is out there playing it?
MLT http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif
MandoSquirrel
Mar-30-2007, 9:44pm
It's hard to tell from the pic, I zoomed it to see myself; the body looks Breedloveish, but you can't quite see the end of the headstock, which would clinch it. I don't think it's a Breedlove headstock, but can't say for sore.
B. T. Walker
Mar-31-2007, 8:19am
It is most certainly an Ovation and for sure not a Breedlove.
I know that the Mando that Davey is playing is an ovation, just not sure the model. But the one that Gary LeVox is playing may be a Breedlove. MandoSquirrel is absolutely right in that if we could get a clear view of the headstock we would know for sure. I was hoping that maybe someone has, or has seen, another pic that is clearer.
DryBones
Mar-31-2007, 9:54am
looks to me like Gary is playing a Gibson A9. fingerboard is cut straight across, no fret markers on the fingerboard and it's that old A9 color/finish. Just my guess...and if anybody has one of these in a lefty let me know!
B. T. Walker
Mar-31-2007, 10:00am
I see what you mean. It is very hard to see, but I got that Breedlove-ish impression, too. Now, I'm really curious.
Jerry Byers
Mar-31-2007, 10:16am
Is there a Breedlove with a straight-across fretboard extension?
I am not aware of a Breedlove Model with a straight-across fretboard extension...But maybe it is my eyes--because I own two Breedloves--but at 600% mag, I think that the extension is not straight). Also, I think that the angle from the neck to the head may be more like that of a Breedlove than the A-9, but that is without the benefit of a protractor(lol).
Maybe we could get Gary to chime in on this and tell us what is in his hand?
DryBones
Mar-31-2007, 11:37am
I just zoomed into the photo and to the right of the mic stand you can see the head and its not a Breedlove. Besides, do any of the Breedloves even come in that finish/color? I looked on their website and didn't see anything close.
Ok, I guess I will succumb to the better eyes of others and say that it is a Gibson?. Yes, Breedloves do come in this color/style...Here is a pic of mine at: http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=15;t=33694;st=25 --you will need to scroll down to see it but it is there. I think that the finish color is all in the lighting for the particular photo.
sbarnes
Mar-31-2007, 12:50pm
on one of the really early rascal flats albums....they had a picture of a mandolin and it was i believe a (gasp) fender....
MandoSquirrel
Mar-31-2007, 2:56pm
Looking again, later, after my first post, I also noticed the fretboard seems straight across, so I'm even more convinced it's Not a Breedlove.
DryBones
Mar-31-2007, 4:08pm
MLT...you have a very nice looking(and I bet)sounding mando! But your Breedlove has fret marker dots onthe fingerboard and the mando in question does not..I am sticking with the Gibson guess...and that's all it really is. Now if we could get a sound clip of him playing it then we could really have something to debate! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
EDIT: I just went to the Rascal Flatts website to see if I could just shoot them an email asking about the mando in question and you HAVE to sign up for a membership to their fan club to do anything on their site AND get this....they charge you $25/year to be a fan! Sorry, not me. no more, no how. Just another thing to illustrate what's wrong with country music today. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif
Tim Conroy
Mar-31-2007, 7:41pm
As the owner of one, I'm going to throw my lot in with the A-9 crowd.
8STRINGR
Mar-31-2007, 9:33pm
Davey Johnston appears to be playing an "Applause" MAE148 RoundBack Acoustic/Electric Mandolin. If you go full screen on the video you can catch a glimps of the "Applause" logo on the tuning head which has the gold silouette of the roundback mandolin when the stage lighting hits it.
Brian Baker
Apr-01-2007, 12:17am
I'm fairly certain that this is a "newer" A9 with the sunburst... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif
8STRINGR
Apr-01-2007, 3:35pm
My Bad, It could very well be an Ovation MM68 mandolin or an MC868 mandolin/mandocello model played on "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" but you can see the Ovation logo on the tuning head, which also looks like their Applause logo. That's what it looks like to me. Nevertheless, it sounds great on that tune! Do the A9's have the holes along the outter edge of their mandos like the Ovations as well? Just curious. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/coffee.gif
Ted Eschliman
Apr-01-2007, 4:51pm
It is most certainly an Ovation and for sure not a Breedlove.
Most definitely.
http://ovationguitars.com/pics/models/MM68-CCB.jpg
I know from the horse's mouth that when John Jorgenson toured with Elton, the Ovation was his choice.
DryBones
Apr-01-2007, 8:00pm
talking about 2 different mandos and players here folks. No dispute on the Ovation in the Elton John video. The mando in question is the one Gary LaVox of Rascal Flatts was playing in that picture on the home page link. and I still say its an A9 http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
MandoSquirrel
Apr-02-2007, 6:10pm
That's what I'm guessing.