trip to the czech republic

[french]

i'm planning a trip to the czech republic next year with the aim of picking up an f-style mandolin that sounds great and will appreciate in value.

would appreciate any tips on where i should visit...

thanks in advance.

- tom

[doc holiday]

From the mandolins I've seen I would make sure to see Jaroslav Prucha.

[mandobob]

Tom
Mandolin advice; none to share sorry.
Beer advice; go thirsty, and fear not REAL Budwieser.

[JiminRussia]

Yep! Go to Prague and visit the piva bar Uflehu. It is a beer bar that has been in continuous operation or over 500 years! Can you even immagine how much beer that is? While you are there ask for Soldat Schveck. He's famous around there. Prague is my favoite city in Europe. It is absolutely incredible. Lots of music and some great musicians. I envy you.

[GBG]

Try to look up Eduard Kristufek (Krishot Mandolins) in Prague.

[french]

great tips. keep 'em coming.

actually, i'm in a great position both for beer and visits to prague, living in germany.

are there any other places in prague i should czech out? what about the rest of the country? i've heard there some good luthiers in vogtland (germany) on the czech border...

thanks, agin!

- tom

[sunburst]

Be sure to give us a beer report when you return!

If you go to see Jarda Prucha tell him John Hamlett says hi (and see if he remembers who it is http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif).

[mad dawg]

No advice to offer here, but Prague has been on our "must visit" list for a few years. Please report back on your visit, and be sure to post a pic of your new mando too!

[gdae85]

Go to Prague
Get Drunk, Get Laid, Have fun http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Undercover Brother]

I have to agree - Prague is fantastic! Haven't been there since 1989, but it's flat-out one of the best cities I've ever been to. There's really cool Art Nouveau art and architecture EVERYWHERE. Check out the Mucha museum while you are there - http://www.mucha.cz
No mando advice, but I'd love to know how your trip goes!
JimInRussia - is Uflehu the bar who's name means "3 Cats"? If not, look for 3 Cats too!
Beer, Mandolins & Culture. Good plan.

Chris

[Dru Lee Parsec]

If the band "Fragment" is playing anywhere then go see them. They're a GREAT bluegrass band from the Czech Republic. I saw them last weekend at Summergrass and they were awesome. THey tour in the summer and stay at home during the school year

[August Watters]

So much to do and see in Prague -- where the beer is cheaper than water. Here are some good trip-planning websites:

http://www.alovelyworld.com/webtche/czech.html
http://www.prague-photos.com/obrazky.asp?kat=999
http://www.praguecitybreaks.com/
http://praguepost.com/

For mandolins, check the Cafe builders list by country (http://www.mandolincafe.com/cgi-bin/builders/searchdb.cgi?uid=default&view_records=1&keyword=Czech).

The most experienced builders:
Jaroslav Prucha
Eduard Kristufek (Krishot)
Rostislav Capek
Jiri Lebeda
Ondrej Holoubek
Pavel Janish

There are newer builders too, and they may be more willing to deal with an individual tourist-customer.

Have a great trip! And don't miss the Pilsner Urquell brewery in Plzen.

August W
http://www.galleryofstrings.com

[Dagger Gordon]

Check out Acoustic Music Co's website (front page of Mandolin Cafe -with UK flag) for quite a bit of info on Czech builders in their mando section.

Had a long weekend there myself about 3 years ago. The main square where the clock is is where tourists all go. Across the Charles Bridge from there is a lovely cathedral where we heard an organ recital about 5 pm. I enjoyed that. They're also big on puppet shows!
Just walking around is interesting. Best to get a guide book (I think we used Rough Guide) well in advance and think about what you really want to see. We packed a lot in. A sight-seeing bus tour isn't a bad idea to get your bearings quite early on, and things like Prague Castle are must-sees.

[craigtoo]

Woo Hoo.... I'm heading there in 2 weeks! # can't wait... Trying to arrange a meeting with Jiri Lebeda.. see if he can put a fingerrest on my F5PP.

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif) # # # #

craig

[craigtoo]

hey french...
where are you in Germany..?

I'm in Nuremberg...!

[french]

thanks to all for the suggestions.

craigtoo: i live in a place called korschenbroich, between duesseldorf and moenchengladbach.

[craigtoo]

Hey Guys...
Back from Czech Rep. #I was able to meet with Jiri Lebeda and see a little bit of his workshop. #He also installed a new pickguard for me...! #He was a great host. #He was able to pick me up at my Hotel. #He invited my sister and I to his home where I saw his assembly workshop. #I played a few instruments while he was installing my pickguard including an *awesome* mandola.

I took some pics of the instruments that he has on his workbench now...Some are going to European customers...Some to American...he hopes to have some left over for IBMA.

About the Mandola ..I have lots of pics...If you are interested in purchasing it, please send me message and I can send them your way...! #I played it for 1/2 hour and thought it was awesome. #I play irish trad (melody only) and it just doesn't fit my style... I was *very* tempted though... (usual disclaimers apply...no financial interest..just trying to help him out...)

In other news, #Jiri has changed his "Form" #the body shape, the F holes and the scroll are all now slighty different...

Scroll: #He's tightened it up some and the "arm" that curls in is thicker. #I'll post pics.
F-Holes: are slightly narrower
Body: #Width across the soundboard is slightly narrower.

Jiri made the comment that none of these changes were to change the sound. #And in fact won't have an measurable influence whatsover. #He just wanted to make these changes for asthetic reasons...

I'll post more pics on my website too....

enjoy,
craig

[craigtoo]

"Old" Scroll Design from Back....Lebeda F5 PP #(Mine)

[craigtoo]

"New" scroll Design...Lebeda F5... Not yet finished...

[craigtoo]

here's a front view..."old"....

[craigtoo]

"New" scroll... if you compare the F holes...you can see how they are slightly thinner (a bit exagerated due to camera angle here...)

[craigtoo]

"Old F Hole"

[craigtoo]

New F-Hole...

[craigtoo]

Couldn't resist these next two...

Charles Bridge in the beautiful city of Prague...

[craigtoo]

Pickin' at the Main Trainstation....(notice the *real* Budweiser...)

American Bud... "King of Beers"
Czech Bud... "Beer of Kings"

(thought that was funny....)

[craigtoo]

Darn....I am bald....How about a little photoshop action?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif can anyone help? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

[grsnovi]

I was in Prague this summer and I would have had to push people in the river to get a picture similar to the one of you sitting on the bridge. Was the bridge crowded that day?

[craigtoo]

Hmmm...Yeah it was crowded...but it wasn't as you describe it...it was during the week tho...so maybe that helped

here's a shot of the bridge...

[grsnovi]

I didn't have much say in my itinerary and ended up on a beautiful, sunny, July Sunday. I suspect that might have had something to do with the load of tourists. That's a nice shot of the bridge - did you take it?

[craigtoo]

Yeah...that's from the tower right at sunset...the same day I took the pic of me on the bridge...

If you blow it up..it is kinda fuzzy, I'm no photographer...(unless you shrink my pic's down to postage stamps...)

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

craig

[sunburst]

Darn....I am bald....How about a little photoshop action?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif can anyone help? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif
If you don't like the style we can trim it later....

[mandoJeremy]

I definitely love the changes he has made on the mandos! Very nice. I also love the fro above. Maybe just a little trimming!http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[craigtoo]

Love the hair...!

The changes do look good. Subtle..but nice. To close the scroll up slightly, he brought the body up to close the gap. It makes the scroll itself a little thicker. Jiri also mentioned that he is slowly increasing the number of instruments he builds each year. He is very much committed to quality and wants to make sure that when someone plays a Lebeda, they get the same high level of tone and workmanship that one expects from these instruments. He's in a great situation where he has a comfortable back order but won't use it to "make a fast buck" he's in it for the long term.

craig

[craigtoo]

Gonna try to post a pic of a Loar F Hole here..76547 (my favorite Loar)

[craigtoo]

Looks like Jiri went a little more in the Loar direction on the F-Holes, but I appreciate the fact that he's not just 1:1 duplicating and still maintains his own style in making.

[manjitsu]

Can't tell you guys how happy I am to see this thread- my wife and I are leaving for Prague in about ten days. Great beer, excellent luthiers, beautiful city...can't wait!

-Chris Rorrer

[Jeffers]

I was in Prague in June this year. Had a great time! - mostly on a beer holiday with a bit of sightseeing. I was hoping to have a look at some nice mandolins while I was there, but didn't see any!

It seems like you're doing a fine research job already, french, but my advice to you is to work out where to go before you get there because you need to know where to look if you want to see some mandos!

[Bill Snyder]

Not quite so extreme.

[Rick Schmidlin]

hey french...
where are you in Germany..?

I'm in Nuremberg...!


I was just in Nurnberg last monrg showing my Doors and Elvis films.

Rick
I was just in Nurnberg last month showing my Doors and Elvis films.

Rick

[craigtoo]

Hey Curious...
Didn't notice a thing...looks alllllll natural baby...!

Rick,
Too bad we missed each other...lemmieno when you'll be down this way again...I'll take you on the pub circuit...

Also for someone looking for a BG Jam in Prague...There's a pub called Red Hot Blues. Dont ask me the address... The owner was out in the city one night and saw me in my Clemson sweatshirt with the F5 case over the shoulder and asked me to stop by...sadly I didn't have time.. Google it and you'll probably get something...

craig

[Christopher Howard-Williams]

Yeah, a great city and some fine Bluegrass musicians all over the country if you're into that. It is the Bluegrass capital of Europe as they have a traditional style of music (Tramp music, I believe it is called) that is similar.
Fragment are great and so are Monogram and many more.
Before I went the first time I visited their association web-site and found a contact who gave me perfect details of how to get to a club where Bluegrass was playing one night.
Enjoy - and I can confirm the beer is very good.

http://bacr.czechweb.cz/english.php

[french]

what beautiful pictures!

[craigtoo]

Especially the ones where I have HAIR...!