Got Brunk?

Although some may feel that I have said too much about this mando, I would Like to tell a cool little story about Brunks first visit to Mandolin Brothers. Plus I would also like to give a bit of feedback for those curious about how the mandolin is holding up. And if it is still everything I thought it was when I first received it.So this is kinda a review aswell.
# # # First off I prooooooomise I've got no special deal with Martin and have no finacial interest whats so ever. I promise!!!!! But honestly if anyone is in the market for a new mando that has that aged woody tone that you only find in reaaaaaaaly high end mandolins right away. I highly recommend trying a Brunkalla out. I believe he will have a booth at the IBMA trade show in October. He will have two mandos with him I think. Don't quote me on that but I think so. Now on with the story
# # # I brought my Brunkalla to Mandolin Brothers in staten island a couple days ago to choose a case for it, and I gotta admit, also to put it through a little test up against some mandolin heavy weights. Such as Collings, Apitius, Gibson Adam steffey, and some other high end gibsons. After really sitting down with all of them, It was obvious the Brunkalla lived up to all of those, Although I think the collings is great and the apitius is amazing too. Out of all the mandolins they had there I liked the apitius alot!!!!! As for Brunkalla, the sales man, also the repair guy that works there really freaked over how loar like it sounded. So much that the repair guy said, mind if we show you an actual gibson loar? Now what I wasnt expecting before going there was that Brunk would be played side by side with a 23 loar. Well it was too late to run now, I thought they may have been mocking Brunk, by tearing it apart with this loar. Well they brought out the loar and a distressed model. I was like oh geeeze..... The loar was amaaaaaazing! and you know what? hats off to gibson with that distressed model. I am amazed at how nice that mandolin sounded. Now aside from the scroll I know youd like brunk too. The repair guy there loooooooooved it.And hes all about the loar. Now you gotta give an instrument some credit when its being played with a loar side by side and not put right back in the case immediately. But wow guys I gotta say that loar was amazing. So wasnt the distressed gibson.
But if your interested in a new mando check out Brunkalla. Martin Brunkalla, is also a pleasure to work with when getting a custom mandolin built for you. Take care!

--------------
Dem

[Joe Parker]

GDAE-take a break ,son. Play your mandolin,enjoy life,order another mandolin,but please-take a break!

JPP

hmmmmm......

[mandoJeremy]

I am I mistaken or did I already read this same story on another thread?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[Professor PT]

I think you've just experienced Brunk back-lash.

[mandoJeremy]

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[Tom C]

Round 4 -The Broomhilda review.

mando jeremy,
you got those strings you were tellin me about? Im curious to hear how they would sound.
thanks man......

[mandoJeremy]

I sure don't have them yet and I am still waiting on them to come in.

I just got a set of the exp coated strings, what do you think of those?

[gdae85]

Oh my god. Just shut up

[recklessmando]

What this thread needs is a good pear salad recipe.

[neal]

GEEZ guys! Let him talk, he's obviously excited, and be happy for him. I know the other thread lasted a little longer than it should have, but man, just don't respond if you don't want to. Heck, don't read it. That's the beauty of the board here.

Personally, I think this second post is appropriate, as the first one was just puppy love infatuation, and now seems to have developed into true love, with all the friends who've met her in an approving state of mind.

But if I see this mandolin in the classifieds anytime within the next millenium, I'm gonna be mighty dissapointed in you. Not that you should care...

[mandough]

After reading all these threads on this Brukalla mandolin, I had serious doubts.

But...I just talked to GOD and he seems to agree to with gdae_boy1 that this is the GREATEST mandolin ever built.
God also agreed with the "repair guy/mando lover" at Mandolin Brothers on Staten Island that the Brukalla mandolin sounded better than the 23 Loar that they had sitting around collecting dust. Quote: "Tis' not thou finest Loar I have ever heard with thine ears. Maybe thou shalt tryest with Nanowebs ."
God later told me that the "repair guy/mando lover" was actually an Angel sent down from heaven.

My mind had been changed about the Brukalla. From doubter to a True Believer!
The Brukalla HAD to be the Best Mandolin EVER built. After all, GOD HIMSELF said so!!!
Unfortunately, later that afternoon, he mentioned to me that He thought the "Fried Peanut Butter/Banana Sandwich" was the greatest sandwich ever invented.
I have lost my faith in God.

[Professor PT]

You know, I hate to beat the proverbial dead horse, but there was something familiar about that scroll...I recently received a Musician's Friend catalogue, and they have this F style Rogue mandolin in there( I think it's only $199 ). The scroll looks almost exactly like that of "The Brunk." I'm sure "The Brunk" sounds better, but I agree with many who've already pointed this out: if you're going to build an F style mando, that scroll needs to be tight. Geez, now that horse is beaten beyond recognition; you'll need to consult dental records to make a positive i.d.

[ShaneJ]

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[toddr]

i've been keeping up with these threads since the beginning and i have finally given in and decided to post one reply......hey dem please take the advice of JPP.........just play the mandolin and whatever opinions you have about comparing your brunk to a loar or whatever, be it in tone or playability or craftsmanship.....just keep it to yourself for a while. #man you seem to be fishing for something and i dont know if you just want to get a rise out of some of these posters, but you're just digging your hole deeper every time you post a thread. i could go on about my fern all day, but i'm sure people don't want to hear it and i dont have anything to prove anyway. #i'll give you a little advice.......probably 90% of us that own a mandolin probably think that ours is the best out there, but everybody's ears hear different. #and unfortunatly, 99.99% of the posters on these threads have'nt heard your brunk. # i dont personally know you...and i'm not criticizing you or am i going to make some childish comment like some on these threads, but come on dem just play your mando and be happy.

Wow thats a bit freaky..... I dont remember disrespecting on the loar. Could it be? Im sleep typing?

[mandoJeremy]

Well I do recall that you said it sounded better or equal to the Loar in question and it is nice to be able to edit your post. But, come on, if it was even close to a Loar Mr. Martin will be headed to a great future! I have only played 10 or 11 Loars in my time and I can assure you that not everyone of them is perfect but there is no one able to reproduce that sound except Gibson and the DMM; I do think you stated before you edited that your Bunkie...I mean Brunkie sounded better than the Distressed MM. I would love to hear that comparison or actually make it myself! Of course, the best mando I have ever played was Grisman's Loar and I would like to see ANY builder build one that compared to that one! By the way, what is the repair guy/mando lover's name and who does he play with? Does he play any mando besides that two finger D chord?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

Now wait a min, I never said the Brunkalla was better than the Loar, nor did I say the loar was better than the Brunkalla. Even before I edited my reply and you know that. All I said was that the Brunkalla had hints of the loar in its tone. Why is that so bad to state? And gdae85 why would you tell me to shut up? Dont you think thats a bit rude?

[delsbrother]

The last time I was at Mando Bros (years ago) the repair guy was Flip Scipio. Anyone know what he's doing nowadays?

Anyway, HE HAD THE BRUNK. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

The repair that is there currently there is named Peter.
Go ahead call him I dont care.

[toddr]

now dem.....i hoped that you would heed my advice, but i guess i was wrong. #and please dont misunderstand, my post was in no way sarcastic or critical. #but come on....i truly do not understand your last post if it was directed toward me. #you plainly mention comparing your brunkalla to a '23' loar. #i dont know if you mean that you physically could not put the loar down or if you didnt mention the loar in your post. #if it was the latter, dude you have serious problems. #there is nothing wrong with being proud of a new instrument, but a line has been crossed here so im going to shut up and i wont post again. i think there are a lot of good folks on this site who are probably just tired of these threads....... including me. #so as i said before, #just enjoy your brunk and if someone does'nt agree what difference does it really make anyway.

[toddr]

sorry dem....just saw your edit. i didnt accuse you of disrespecting the loar. i've only played one loar and wasnt impressed, but thats only one. my point is....i know curiosity is natural and it would'nt be normal not to compare but if you love your brunk that much...why even mention that you compared it to a loar or any other high-end mandolins being vintage or not. with your standing in this site, you're just asking for criticism. WHY DEM WHY??? i will shut up now.

[Scotti Adams]

..Ok men..cut him some slack.....If you dont like what you read then dont respond...when you do respond out of anger, jealousy, or just to be nit pickin then it just fuels the fire. I bet if you didnt respond and just went on..these types of threads that many of you get tired of would die out. The one thing that pisses me off on this board is if someones opinion is not with the majority then they get pounded on. Thats not good business...opinions are like a$$holes..everybody has them and they are entitled to them. If you dont like what you see or read then just move on. Things usually have a way of working themselves out. Now..Im going to work now...you all be good http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[mandomick]

Yea, ease up fellas. I know how he feels 'cause...........I'm STILL thinking about a BRW! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[OdnamNool]

Ordinarily, I would never consider contributing to a thread such as this, but... what the heck... I gotta few beers down me, so here I go...

Right on, Scottie.

Mr. Dem is the proud owner of a wonderful mandolin. We should all celebrate that fact and not criticise! The whole "scroll factor" kinda blows my mind! Gee whiz! Buncha picky scroll scrounges... As if it matters!

Hey Dem, I'd be happy to play with you, because you sound nice... Those others? Forget it! They'd be whispering bad things about my mando (and probably me too...) behind my back!

(Don't worry, Dem... this should be the end of the "thread.") I'm a Thread Killer...

[neal]

Nope, it's not the end of the thread, #'cause I have something to say. #All these posts, like the just shut up one, and the others, and there's a new topic meant to duplicate the first mystery post by Dem, but in a very sarcastic way, are childish and mean. #To quote some guy that wrote a lot of stuff that I never could get thru: "Me thinks thou doth protest too much". # Which indicates, in this case, jealousy, or just plain rudeness.

I've found it entertaining, and a little sad to see such fine people be rude to someone that obviously has a great love for his mandolin. #

And Dem knows that he's hit a note with some of you, and I don't blame him one bit for exploiting your irritation in such an innocent way as creating more topics to discuss his Brunk.

You all know how much peer acceptance means to you personally, it's universal. # Everyone gushes over someones BRW or MM or whatever, makes the owner feel nice and happy, gets to play on something that other folks wouldn't mind having. #Makes you want to play more, practice, look at the fine lines created by a good luthier, and fall in love with your hunk-o-wood all over again.

No, I'm not saying gush over something you don't feel like gushing over, just can the rudeness. #Stop trying to argue over the unquantifiable. #



It just makes one look small. #Consider yourselves spanked. #Now apologize. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

[Scotti Adams]

..Very good Neal.....now....let me find my paddle http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[mandoJeremy]

Neal, I didn't start the other thread to be mean or rude. Like I said, I have a strange sense of humor sometimes and I thought it would be fun and funny! Believe me AGAIN Neal, I am not jealous (or angry) over this mandolin at all because I have my mando for life and if you will recall that when I got it back from Gibson after the varnish refinish I posted three or four pictures for you guys to see what it looked like and that was it. So, excuse my "humor" in the other thread. Thanks for the spanking! You my daddy!http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[neal]

That's a good boy, now play nice. (I even posted in your other thread, so that makes me a hippo-kryte anyway)

[mandough]

C'mon! Don't make up!!!!
I kind of like all of this feudin'. It's like the Beatles Vs. The Rolling Stones. #Bob Dylan or Neil Young? #Jackson Browne Vs. Daryl Hannah...no, wait a minute...

[Scotti Adams]

..well Im home from work now and I see you boys have been good.....thanks...

[Scott Tichenor]

I'll agree with what Scotti said earlier. Find a way to get by this and be civil. That other thread had been removed and had no business on this board.

[Scotti Adams]

..Thanks Scott....see boys....isnt this alot better?...no bickering or fighting......

[Albert Whiting]

dude, the spanking thing is seriously scary and also kind of freaky

[Scotti Adams]

Albert..man..ya gotta have a sense of humor...

[neal]

...or a sense of kink... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

[Albert Whiting]

lol you guys are disturbed. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[JeffS]

Glad to hear the Brunkalla is standing up to the big boys. Any idea how many mandolins he has built now?

[grandmainger]

Any idea how many mandolins he has built now?
Well, why not ask him direct. I believe M. Brunkalla is a member of this board, under the username fidlmaker (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=Profile;CODE=03;MID=102-1092069233).

Germain