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Thread: A4 snakehead w/virzi

  1. #1
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Now here is something you don't see every day. This one isn't in the archive, but there are 2 other Virzi'd snakehead A4s within 10 serial numbers of this one.

    Last auction I posted turned out to be fake, so buyer beware!
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    Lyon & Healy • Wood • Thormahlen • Andersen • Bacorn • Yanuziello • Fender • National • Gibson • Franke • Fuchs • Aceto • Three Hungry Pit Bulls

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    Registered User cooper4205's Avatar
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    i think those are some of the prettiest A-models ever made. how does the virzi sound on an oval hole? i know there are alot of opinions good and bad about it in F5's, but what's the take on how it effects the tone and volume of an A4 or F4 (generally speaking)?
    Wes
    "i gotta fever...and the only prescription is more cowbell!!"

    '87 Flatiron A5-JR/'25 Gibson A-JR

  3. #3
    Cafe Linux Mommy danb's Avatar
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    Nice back on that one too..

    I had 81564 for a while, they have a very nice tone indeed. Not typical snakehead sound, more ethereal and longer sustain..

    Here are the archive photos I took and here is a
    sound clip of 81564
    The Mandolin Archive
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    "The wheel is turning, but the hamster is dead"

  4. #4
    Registered User cooper4205's Avatar
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    wow- i just listened to it, sounds different with that virzi as compared to the my old oval hole. i knew i should have waited for one of these to come around, who'd of thought one would come up so soon
    Wes
    "i gotta fever...and the only prescription is more cowbell!!"

    '87 Flatiron A5-JR/'25 Gibson A-JR

  5. #5
    Hester Mandolins Gail Hester's Avatar
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    quote: "more ethereal and longer sustain.."

    Dan, that has to be the best description of how a virzi effects the sound I've ever seen. I installed one in an F4 and its difficult trying to describe what it does to the sound but that statement while a bit "ethereal" is very accurate. I love them in ovals and I'd like to try one in an F-hole instrument.
    Gail Hester

  6. #6
    Registered User hanknc's Avatar
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    Gail, Is installing a Virzi in an extant F4 similar to building a ship in a bottle? Did you have to take the back off?

    Curious,
    Hank
    hanknc

  7. #7
    Hester Mandolins Gail Hester's Avatar
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    Hank, I built it into a new F4 but there's probably a way to do a "ship in a bottle" retrofit.

    Pictures here:
    http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin....=hester
    Gail Hester

  8. #8
    Registered User Ken Berner's Avatar
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    Gail, I just saw the finished F4 and it is absolutely stunning. I am not asking the price here, but do you have a count on lady-hours spent in the build?

  9. #9
    Hester Mandolins Gail Hester's Avatar
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    Thanks Ken. While I don’t keep track of hours I think it’s generally accepted by builders that an F5 mandolin takes between 300 and 400 hours to build and about half of that for an A-style. The F4 was at least as time consuming as an F5 and was built in a batch with an A-style snakehead mandolin and an H5 mandola. It complicates it further when I consider repair and setup work but the 300-400 hour estimate seems reasonable to me.
    Gail Hester

  10. #10
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (Hester mandolins @ Jan. 25 2007, 18:23)
    Hank, I built it into a new F4 but there's probably a way to do a "ship in a bottle" retrofit.

    Pictures here:
    http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin....=hester
    Really?

    I had someone ask whether it would be possible to put a Virzi into a Rigel I'm selling.

    I told him "not without taking it apart," but if you think you could do it, I might hop on the boat and bring it over to Poulsbo.

    But not until he pays me for it.
    Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.

    Notorious: My Celtic CD--listen & buy!

    Lyon & Healy • Wood • Thormahlen • Andersen • Bacorn • Yanuziello • Fender • National • Gibson • Franke • Fuchs • Aceto • Three Hungry Pit Bulls

  11. #11
    Hester Mandolins Gail Hester's Avatar
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    Sorry Martin, I should have been more clear that I was kidding about that. The problem is that the feet of the virzi have to be fit to the top much like a bridge base. You are correct, the back would have to come off to do a retrofit.
    Gail Hester

  12. #12
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    I once inquired about installing a Virzi in a Rigel. The cost was estimated at $750-$1000.

    Curt

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