New Cole 'A' mandolin!

[BrazAd]

I'm a lefty guitar player, who developed MAS about 5 or 6 months ago. I'd never seen or played a lefty mandolin before, but got the bug anyway. I read a ton of stuff (thanks, Cafe!) here and on other lists, and bugged my jamming friends with tons of questions. I ultimately decided to order a custom A, and placed that order with Ron Cole in June. June 18, to be exact.

Well, 2 months to the DAY later, my new custom lefty A was delivered to my office. I can't say enough nice things about how wonderful Ron was to work with. I am a residential architect, and am very detail oriented by nature, and Ron dealt with my specific requests with grace and aplomb.

The mando is natural finish curly maple b&s, and a burgundy 'burst on the engelmann top. Rock maple neck, with black walnut center strip. Tortoise binding on body and fingerboard. Ebony headstock overlay with "Cole" in MOP. Gold Allen tailpiece, gold Schallers with pearloid buttons, and gold wheels on the ebony bridge. 1-1/4" nut (deer antler!), and a full neck shape, to fit my large hands.

You can see pics at:

http://members.aol.com/mandonewbie

Here's one shot.... feel free to e/mail me (homedezignATaol.com) to ask any questions about Ron and/or this mandolin.

http://members.aol.com/mandonewbie/Cole9.jpg

Gary Collier
Atlanta

[pathfinder]

That mandolin will turn some heads! #Great choice of options and excellent photos too, BTW. Perhaps you'd indulge me with four quick questions.

Has it got tone bars or cross-braces?

What prompted you to order that bridge style? It looks like a Brekke, but I'm not sure.

It doesn't appear to have a radius neck. #Any particular reason?

How's the tone and volume, brand new "out of the box"?

Anyway, congratulations on taking a chance on a small builder and coming away with a positive experience! It looks like a beauty.

[Ron C]

Pathfinder, I can answer your questions on this "A" model. It does have the tone bars glued to the lefty position and the ebony bridge is a Loar style built by Roger Siminoff to the old spec's, the fretboard does have a slight radius to it, 12* I believe and the tone is one that I would say "awesome", I know thats bragging some, but it is a great sounding mandolin, I'm very happy with the finished product. thanks Ron Cole Colemandolins.com:cool:

[BrazAd]

Pathfinder,

Well, Ron beat me to the punch, but that's ok! He's the guy who knows the mando better than anyone, obviously. The fretboard is a 12" radius, as Ron said. Also, Ron knew that I'm a relative newbie, and I leaned on him for advice and bowed to his expertise on any tonal decisions. The bridge, for example, was of his choosing.

Also, I had a leaning towards an adirondack spruce top - perhaps because that's what is on my 2 custom guitars, and they are both awesome. Ron carved a top out of red spruce, but wasn't happy with what he heard from it, so he chose an engelmann spruce top instead. He told me what he thought I should do, and I yielded to his voice of experience.

Volume is puhlenty! Tone is excellent as well. It's got quick response, and a good punchy, woody sound. As we all know, tone is a very subjective thing, and I am the first to admit that my mandolin ear isn't as trained as my guitar ear - but I like what I hear, a lot.

I'll say again, for the record - once you go custom, you'll never look back to factory instruments again. It's so much fun, and the end result is so awesome, that it just ruins buying something that's "off the shelf!"

Gary Collier
Atlanta

[b.pat]

MORE, MORE
Great looking mandolin. How about some pictures of the back.
You should be really proud. [btw your right, once you've gone custom, you'll never go back]
Congrats.,
B.Pat

[amowry]

Looks great Gary! I'm glad you found a good one.

[BrazAd]

B.Pat,

The pics I've taken are large.... you can see more at: # http://members.aol.com/mandonewbie

http://members.aol.com/mandonewbie/Cole14.jpg

Gary
Atlanta

[Mandodoc]

Man that's pretty. Congrats.
jon

[dj9124]

Absolutely gorgeous, congratulations!!!!!!
Dave

[jasona]

Can you get some maple with a little more quilt? Outrageously pretty!