View Full Version : newson mandolin
tofuhippo
Jul-29-2004, 9:22pm
does anybody know about newson mandolins and reputation/sound?
chad
Michael Lewis
Jul-30-2004, 12:31am
Paul Newson makes a very nice mandolin. Great sound and workmanship.
I've seen a couple beauties but have only played one. Gorgeous mandos with sound to match. John Baxter of MandoZine has one. So does Tony Pires who makes ToneGuards. Frank Ford had one featured somewhere on frets.com. If you know of a used one for sale please let me know.
There was a Newson A on the Classifieds not too long ago and didn't sell. It later appeared on Ebay. I have a Newson A from 1984. I have played none better and would not hesitate to get another. Woderful sweet musical tone and a fast playing radiused neck. Mine has bound F-holes and no truss rod; probably a reinforcement in there. No pictures unfortunately. But I have a photo of one of his guitar-body mandolas.
Jim M.
Jul-30-2004, 8:19am
I recently received a new F from Paul. You can see some not quite finished pictures here:
http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin....t=15823 (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=15;t=15823)
I'll post some of the finished mando when I get a chance. I played several Newsons before I bought this one and they were all great. This one is good in all respects; tone is wonderful and it's been improving in the couple of months that I've had it. The finish is impeccable too. Paul is also a very nice guy to work with. I highly recommend him.
You can see some more Newson pictures at http://www.frets.com/FRETSPa....on.html (http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Gryphon/NewInstGallery/Mandolin/Newson/F5Newson/f5newson.html)
djweiss
Jul-30-2004, 9:49am
Follow the link to pics of my Newson A5 :
Newson A5 (http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/darrenjweiss/album?.dir=/5786&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/darrenjweiss)
Notice the one-piece maple bridge he made for me...sounds great!
What steered you guys into buying the new Newsons? What else were you considering? (Come on, twist my arm a little harder please.)
Jim M.
Jul-30-2004, 2:42pm
Lee - I saw your list of mandos. Go ahead and get another Newson, just make it an F or a mandola this time. Well, I finally got bit by the scroll bug; I almost bought a Newson at Gryphon but someone beat me to it, so I called Paul directly. I have a Brentrup oval-hole A, I have a BRW J16, and I considered F's by them, but I don't want to stick to just one luthier. A friend was selling a Michael Lewis F, and I really considered it seriously but I wanted to get something built for me. I had a Collings A, too, and it was a great instrument but I wanted varnish, so I sold it for the Newson F. If (or when) I buy another, it will probably be an Old Wave mandola.
JiminRussia
Jul-31-2004, 12:36pm
I have a 1983 Newson F that I wouldn't trade for anything. Actually it was my first "real" mandolin. I got it from Elderly back in 1984 for just over $700 if I remember right. I have come to judge all others by it. To hear it is to covet it. A while back I had offers on this Newson and a Gibson F-5L for the same amount and I kept the Newson and sold the Gibson.
jimini_pickit
Jul-31-2004, 11:42pm
Paul Newson makes some of the sweetest looking mando's out there; seen plenty, only played 1, but drooling ever since (did not belong to me and was 'defintely NOT for sale!')
Jim, the long list doesn't mean anything. I'd rather have one and be able to play it well.
I also bought my Newson A used from Elderly many many years ago; it's circa 1984. It also became the benchmark that all others are compared; it's that nice. Alas, the top appears to be sinking; althought it's remained perfectly stable since the day I bought it. Two respected luthiers have declared it structurally sound. The frets are rather worn; and I've never liked the fretted fingerboard extension (pick click). The long mando list has developed due to my efforts to find a suitable replacement. Some have a few of the attributes but none capture the spirit of the Newson as well as it does. Maybe it's time to come full circle and consider a new Newson. I would have grabbed the one on the Classified previously but it wasn't a radiused fretboard.