Anyone else have a Deneve?

[eight8strgs]

I'm wondering if anyone else here has a Deneve Mando!
I have a 1977 #6. These were built by Richard Deneve back in the 70s and 80s. Dick is a Luthier in the Syracuse,N.Y.(Penneville) area and is a Builder of superb Resophonic Guitars(Dobros) and also Flattop Acoustic Guitars. He doesn't build Mandolins anymore(wish he would).
Dick had a unique way of building Mandolins where the Neck and Neck block was one piece,no joint.And also he was one of the first to use Radius Fretboards on Mandolins.He may have been the inovater of this style Fretboard.
My Deneve Mando is slightly larger than a typical F model, almost between Mandolin and Mandola.It's just a little too large to fit in a regular F model case.
I believe the Top is Engleman Spruce with wide grain,around 9 or 10 grains per inch.The Neck is Walnut and Back and Sides are Maple.
The Neck has a steeper angle than normal and is bigger than normal and longer with wider frets.
It has a throaty,woody voice which is due to the steeper Neck angle causing more pressure on the Top and the bigger Body.
I've played this Mandolin alot back in the 80s and 90s and have almost worn a hole through the top from finger wear by the Fretboard extension.
I used it on recordings,one of which it is on with Dan Tyminski and his Brother Stan(Green Mtn. Bluegrass) when I played with them back in the early 80s and also on a couple of my Family Band(Chilson Hill Gang) recordings.If anyone would like a copy of one of these,let me know.
I don't use the Deneve much anymore and leave the Strings down with fear of a Top cave-in from so much pressure,which has started to show.So I only get it out for special occasions.
I met Bill Monroe back in 92, backstage at the Peaceful Valley B-grass Fest. and let him play it,he liked it.Gave it a good look over,chopped a few chords and said "Here's a song I wrote" and commenced playing it.Can't remember the name of it,something with a Indian name. He then handed it back to me and said "That's a good Mandlin son".I shook his Hand and said Thank You Mr.Monroe. I didn't wash my Hand or change the Strings for a Year after that day!
So if anyone out there has a Deneve Mandolin,I'd love to hear from you! Jim

[eight8strgs]

I also want to mention that I am in no way trying to sell or solicate when I mentioned copys of recordings,these are free,just help me out with shipping. That's all. Jim

[Steevarino]

Hi Jim,

That's a good Monroe story!

I met Dick Deneve a few months ago at an event here in Nashville called ResoSummit. We were in quite a few classes together. Yes, he is now pretty involved in making resophonic guitars. I had no idea he had built some mandolins. If he was lucky enough (like me!) to be included in the next ResoSummit, I will certainly ask him about it.

From what I can see in the picture, Dick is still using the same, or a similar inlay on his pegheads.

[allenhopkins]

The late Dean Roets of Bristol Mountain Bluegrass (first incarnation thereof) used to play a DeNeve mandolin -- we're talking 30 years ago or so. I played it once and couldn't fathom how anyone could handle an instrument with such an extremely raked-back neck, high bridge, and great distance between the strings and the top. Dean got great sound out of it -- it was really loud -- and considered it an improvement over the A-2 he'd played before. It surely competed well with banjo and fiddle in the BMB blend. DeNeve has garnered quite a rep for his resonator guitars, and I guess is pretty much a "Dobro" specialist now.

[oldwave maker]

Glad to hear Dick finally saw the light and turned from mandos to dobros......my mesquite body/curly maple top RD dobro is the loudest hubcap west of the Rio Grande, and east of the Rio Mimbres!

[eight8strgs]

Hi Jim,

That's a good Monroe story!

I met Dick Deneve a few months ago at an event here in Nashville called ResoSummit. We were in quite a few classes together. Yes, he is now pretty involved in making resophonic guitars. I had no idea he had built some mandolins. If he was lucky enough (like me!) to be included in the next ResoSummit, I will certainly ask him about it.

From what I can see in the picture, Dick is still using the same, or a similar inlay on his pegheads.

Hi Steve,
I've heard alot about you!
I'm glad you met Dick, he's a super Guy isn't he? When you see him again tell him Jim Bevins said Hi! That'll surprise him coming from you.
Yes, the inlay with the backwards R.
Dick and Loretta have been a long time Friends to my Family.
He Built my Mando,built my Dad 2 Guitars,built my Sisters 5-String and has built my Brother Dave 3 Resos. So we all kept him busy.

[eight8strgs]

The late Dean Roets of Bristol Mountain Bluegrass (first incarnation thereof) used to play a DeNeve mandolin -- we're talking 30 years ago or so. I played it once and couldn't fathom how anyone could handle an instrument with such an extremely raked-back neck, high bridge, and great distance between the strings and the top. Dean got great sound out of it -- it was really loud -- and considered it an improvement over the A-2 he'd played before. It surely competed well with banjo and fiddle in the BMB blend. DeNeve has garnered quite a rep for his resonator guitars, and I guess is pretty much a "Dobro" specialist now.

Yes Allen,I think I remember Dean and I think I played his Deneve one time and that was probably 30 or so years ago and it had a close resemblance to mine.

[eight8strgs]

Glad to hear Dick finally saw the light and turned from mandos to dobros......my mesquite body/curly maple top RD dobro is the loudest hubcap west of the Rio Grande, and east of the Rio Mimbres!

Yup, They are LOUD. I think the Deneve my Brother Dave is using these days is the loudest, east of the Rios anyways!
This one is a pretty Blue! He also has a 7 string and one other 6 string,all RDs and he won't use anything else.

[eight8strgs]

UH,OH!
I hope we ain't breakin' any by-laws by starting a Reso Cafe here!

[eight8strgs]

Here's a Picture of my Dad with his Redwood Top RD.Dad passed away in 06. Great Guitar picker and Singer he was.

[Jim Garber]

And also he was one of the first to use Radius Fretboards on Mandolins.He may have been the inovater of this style Fretboard.


Just to set the historic record straight (but not to demean Mr. Deneve's contribution): radius fretbioards on mandolins predate around 1900 at least. The Roman style of bowlback such as those made by Luigi Embergher used them back then I believe influenced by the same on violins. Maybe Mr. Deneve revived that in contemporary instruments tho I think other makers such as John Monteleone might have had the same ideas at the same time.

[eight8strgs]

Just to set the historic record straight (but not to demean Mr. Deneve's contribution): radius fretbioards on mandolins predate around 1900 at least. The Roman style of bowlback such as those made by Luigi Embergher used them back then I believe influenced by the same on violins. Maybe Mr. Deneve revived that in contemporary instruments tho I think other makers such as John Monteleone might have had the same ideas at the same time.

Okay, Thanks Jim!
Dick may have told me he was one of the first to start using it on contemporary instruments.

[Andy B]

Hi Jim,

I have a DeNeve mandolin, #27 from the 1998 batch, which I think was the last group of mandolins Dick made. When I bought my first dobro from Dick in 1984, I saw the parts for a batch of mandolins hanging in the shop and asked him to put me on his mandolin list. It took him 14 years to finish that batch, so I knew the wood was well seasoned. Dick is a wonderful person and maker of fine instruments. As others have commented, he's best known for his dobros, and I can attest to their quality, having played them for 25 years. I also like the DeNeve mandolin very much. It's loud and easy to play. In 11 years, the only thing I've done is replace the bridge with a new Steve Smith bridge when the original bridge broke. I also remember Dean Roets. I used to jam with him every year at the Laing Brothers festival and Peaceful Valley starting in the mid-80s. He was a fine player and he really made that DeNeve mandolin sing.

Andy

[eight8strgs]

Hi Jim,

I have a DeNeve mandolin, #27 from the 1998 batch, which I think was the last group of mandolins Dick made. When I bought my first dobro from Dick in 1984, I saw the parts for a batch of mandolins hanging in the shop and asked him to put me on his mandolin list. It took him 14 years to finish that batch, so I knew the wood was well seasoned. Dick is a wonderful person and maker of fine instruments. As others have commented, he's best known for his dobros, and I can attest to their quality, having played them for 25 years. I also like the DeNeve mandolin very much. It's loud and easy to play. In 11 years, the only thing I've done is replace the bridge with a new Steve Smith bridge when the original bridge broke. I also remember Dean Roets. I used to jam with him every year at the Laing Brothers festival and Peaceful Valley starting in the mid-80s. He was a fine player and he really made that DeNeve mandolin sing.

Andy

Hi Andy, Will you be going to the Brandon Vt. Festival(Basin Bluegrass Festival)? If so, maybe we could meet up and talk Deneves. Dick usually goes there too.
http://www.brandon.org/bluegrass.htm