smashed to bits

[WindinBoy]

Is it true Bill Monroe's legendary F5 was truly smashed to bits by fire place poker then restored, and became the holy grail of the sound so many seek?

If so, I think the luthier who restored it should be a houshold name as well. This story stretches credulity:)

[Bill Snyder]

Around here his name is well known. Charlie Derrington. Unfortunatle Mr. Derrington (who graciously shared his knowledge around here) was killed by a drunk driver just over 2 years ago.
As far as stretching credulity the restoration is pretty well documented and there are even some pictures of the mandolin prior to restoration, during and after somewhere around here.

[mando.player]

I think you have the order wrong :)

Bill played a Loar and it became his signature sound. Hence this holy grail status. THEN it was smashed to bits with a fire place poker. As to the person who restored the mandolin, I think that was Charlie Derrington of Gibson.

[WindinBoy]

Yes I see the proble with the order of events as I had posted. I just read it was in @ 500 pieces. Seems like it suffered a worse fate than Humpty Dumpty.

[DryBones]

Humpty Dumpty had it worse. He couldn't be put back together again. Charlie Derrington must not have lived around there!

[JEStanek]

The story is true with plenty of added scandalous facts (the mandolin was allegedly smashed by a jealous lover of Mr. Monroe's). Truth is, Charlie Derrington did piece together not one but two of Bill's damaged mandolins and sorted out the bits and made it all right.

http://www.mandolincafe.com/images/charlie6.jpg
Charlie and an article about him (http://www.mandolinsessions.com/oct06/Mendel.html).

Mandolin Archive (http://www.mandolinarchive.com/perl/show_mando.pl?55) of Dan Biemborn who has photos of Bill's Mandolin prior to and after the smashing and one during the restoration.

Here's a thread (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38985&highlight=charlie+Monroe) with more info.

Jamie

PS. I never knew Charlie, I sure wish I did. The stories (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40426&highlight=charlie) Jim Triggs has on his site are a hoot. The mandolin world is worse off without him.

[John Flynn]

"Is it true Bill Monroe's legendary F5 was truly smashed to bits by fire place poker..."

Yeah, that's where the term "opening up" comes from! :))

[jim simpson]

It's hard to believe it's been that long since Charlie left us.
I've never seen a picture of all of the documented work on Bill's loar. I have the Fret's issue that has some photos. Does anyone recall a photo of the inside of the soundboard afer restoration. I would love to see how Charlie strengthened the damage.

[Greenmando]

from the backside
http://www.siminoff.net/Media/book_edit-Monroe-1.JPG

[Mike Bromley]

THAT picture is simply horrid. I can't imagine how Mon must have felt...

[Fretbear]

"Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned / Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned."
William Congreve

[MikeEdgerton]

This is why I don't have a fireplace in my house.

[JEStanek]

No monkey business, no firepokey business.

Words to live by.

Jamie

[Geoff B]

"Is it true Bill Monroe's legendary F5 was truly smashed to bits by fire place poker..."

Yeah, that's where the term "opening up" comes from! :))


Yeah, the opening up comes after BREAKING IT IN. :mandosmiley:

[Steve Ostrander]

Maybe she thought he loved that mandolin more than he loved her.

Maybe she was right.

[Fretbear]

My wife said: "If you play that tune one more time, I'm going to leave you..."
God, I'm going to miss her.....

[billkilpatrick]

that "monroe damage" thread was one of the best i've ever read - whoever smashed those mandolins up was (is) a psychopath.

i'm also amazed that charlie derrington - or anyone - would have been able to assemble the splintered pieces of the sound board together to produce a sound satisfactory to a professional musician like bill monroe - or anyone! makes you wonder if "solid wood" sound board has any meaning.

[jim_n_virginia]

I'm listening to my Traylor Parker and the Propane Tank's CD right now :mandosmiley:

And also it was great that Charlie actually took the time to come on the Cafe Forum regularly and posted often.

[fredfrank]

another view:

[WindinBoy]

http://powersportsstore.com/images/manufacturers/573-duct%20tape.jpg

[Big Joe]

Charlie had infinite patience when it came to painstaking details on a repair. He knew more about mandolins and instrument repair than anyone I've ever met, and I've met a lot. In my humble, unbiased opinion :) , he was the greatest luthier of his time. I have seen him work for hours on one 1/4 inch spot just to be sure it was perfect when he was finished. His ability to focus and the patience to work on something of that nature were beyond normal.

It is hard to believe he has been gone so long. The world of stringed instruments has lost a GIANT when Charlie passed!

[DryBones]

Is the Traylor Parker CD's on iTunes the same Traylor Parker? Sneakin' Suspicion and Walkin' Papers?

[Buster Brown]

Good lord how did that happen?:disbelief:

[MikeEdgerton]

Good lord how did that happen?:disbelief:

Read this thread (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38985&highlight=spurned+lover).

[AlanN]

CD was definitely the man! And a nicer fellow you could not meet. He had a way of making you feel like you were the most important person in the world. I cherish the special pickguard he built for me from scratch. Even though I don't use it, I'll always have it.