Paul Duff

[Big Joe]

I've been at a Bluegrass Festival in the Nashville area all weekend and had the great pleasure of meeting and spending some time with Paul Duff. He had a couple mandolins with him and we got to look them over and play them. It was a great time and it was fun to compare mandolins and different ways to do things. In all, he is one great guy making one great product and if you get the chance to meet him you will be better for the experience.

[jasona]

So, how did the mandolins sound? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Big Joe]

They sound great. He had one with a gloss varnish and one with a satin. They were both great instruments. All of his that I have seen over the last ten years have been good mandolins. Of course, I still like my MM, but sure would not mind having one of his some day.

[f5joe]

Joe, thanks for the note on Paul. As I mentioned in an earlier thread, I had the pleasure of spending an afternoon with Paul last week.

Both of those mandolins are Excellent +. Joe

Paul sure can make a killer mandolin.

[KevinM]

Just signed up to join the club in May, 2006. Excited about it.

[f5joe]

Kevin: Congratulations! You'll be more than happy with Paul's product.

Paul's be able to get with us on his last two trips to the states. We're in the East Tennessee area. Stay in touch.

[KevinM]

X braced or tone bar, that is the question - any impressions out there?

[Harry H]

Kevin,

Re the bracing question:

1) Why don't you ask Big Joe what type of bracing
# # #the Duff mandos he played had and what they
# # #sounded like in comparison to the Master Models
# # #(especially if they were X braced with Adirondack;
# # # might be a real interesting comparison to the
# # # tone bar Gibsons).

2) Duff uses Adirondack tops. I've read
# # an interview w/ Gilchrist stating that when Adirondack
# # is used, the overriding factor isn't the bracing pattern,
# # it's the Adirondack. Having said that, you're still
# # hooked in to Paul's vision of what he wants to build,
# # so:

3) See what Paul is recommending. I had thought
# # that most of his mandos are X braced, though
# # he may be moving in a different direction (or not!).
# # Why don't you ask him what he thinks? Maybe
# # he could direct you to a player who has a tone-bar Duff?

In closing, I just want to say what a good feeling it is to have
some one from Gibson (Big Joe) not only say something nice about a custom builder (Paul Duff), but actually start a thread
about it! Think about it. Big Joe, you are a gentlemen and
a Brother in Arms! #It is good to be part of the same community!

HH