Vintage mandolins - the photos

[5stringpicker]

My first post did not include the photos, so I'll try again.

[MrTidy]

man! I want a mandolin bass sooooo bad!

[5stringpicker]

This is the 2nd of 5 photos. I couldn't upload more than one at a time.

[5stringpicker]

This is the 3rd of 5 photos.

[5stringpicker]

This is the 4th of 5 photos.

[5stringpicker]

This is the 5th of 5 photos.

[Rroyd]

Here is a little history on some of the instruments, and the event pictured. They were taken at the spring opening of a local museum, which has possession of the mando-cello and mando-bass. Through an agreement with interested local parties, those instruments have been restored to playing condition, and will be used by the local college and school of the arts, with which the mandolin orchestra pictured is a part of. Those two instruments had been a part of a collection gathered by a local music teacher some 50 years ago, most of which were donated to the museum.

[Jim Garber]

From your other thread:

These photos were taken during and after a concert by a small mandolin
orchestra, which features the teens-era Gibson mando-bass, mando-cello,
and mandola. The concert was performed at the museum where the
mando-cello and mando-bass reside part of the year. Through a
cooperative effort between the museum and interested parties, the two
instruments owned by the museum were restored to playing condition by
the cafe's own MandoMedic, and are being made available by the museum
for use by local groups connected with the area university and Community
School of the Arts during the school year. The vintage mandola is held
by its owner, who organized and directs the mandolin
orchestra.

I don't know why you are so coy with details... are you protecting some privacy? The only clue I have is your mention of mandomedic so I assume that this is happening somewhere in the Northwest, likely Oregon?

Any reason you are so stingy with the details? Who are these folks; what are their names; what is the name of the orchestra; what music are they playing; dates on the instruments; name of the museum?

5stringpicker and Rroyd: are you in this group?

Don't be so shy...

Jim

[Jim Garber]

man! I want a mandolin bass sooooo bad!

They are quite cool but not for the faint of heart. The scale length is considerably longer (at least on the Gibsons) than a std electric -- in fact the scale is 42 inches which is comparable to a std 3/4 upright bass. I had one for a few years and ended up selling it because the back seam would open up every winter and it was costing me a bunch in repair bills.

Jim

[brunello97]

Yeah, Jim, do the Perry Mason thing. I think we have a 'hostile witness' here.

I wonder if they are playing something from the "Mingori" folio? "Abajo los Estudiantes Espanoles" perhaps?

More photos, more factotums please.

Mick

[MandoSquirrel]

Nice pics, nice mandos.

I remember reading in a thread about these instruments a couple months back, but not what thread it might be; someone could do a search, if interested enough.

[Rroyd]

No, neither of us are involved in the mandolin orchestra at this point, but were in attendance at the concert. #The group is called Rondolin, and although we did discuss posting the pictures, we did not discuss disclosing the identities of the performers, so thought it best not to do so without their permission. #Also, the same goes for the museum. #As they do not specifically advertise these instruments as being part of their collection, we felt that we should respect that decision. (After last week's Cafe discussion about the D'Angelico mandolin that had been listed on Ebay, full disclosure seemed inappropriate in this case, since we didn't care to be a party to next week's listing of "old mando-chello, $500. #Send payment via Western Union to Nigeria. My friend will deliver it to your house.") #Regarding the mando-bass: #it has the nickname of "mando-beast", primarily because of the scale length and the roundwound strings, which give the bass player a real workout.
For those who have expressed their feelings of curiousity, hopefully this explanation is satisfactory. #However, if you are really interested because you wish to relocate so that you can be involved in this musical endeavor, you could PM me. #

[Jim Garber]

Interesting... it is honorable to respect the privacy of people, for sure. However, it looks like they blew their own cover (as well as that of the museum): Grande Rondolin

The Grande Ronde Valley (namely, La Grande) has acquired a mandolin orchestra. This was made possible by the repair of early 1900 Gibson mandolin instruments by Ken Cartwright. The instruments belong to the Union County Museum and are on loan to the orchestra. The little group of eight-stringed instrument players (including Matt Bell, mandolin; Anna Snook, mandolin; Dave Felley, mandola; Matt Snook, mandocello; and Luke McKern, guitar/mandobass) have begun getting together to rehearse their choro and ragtime songs in preparation for the mother's day debut at the Union County Museum (May 14). Until then, keep your eyes peeled for the legendary giant mandolin bass and mandocello at various open mic's...

As for the eBay scams, you posted the photos already. Any scammer can get them and use them anyway, regardless of where they were taken and who was in them.

Jim

[brunello97]

Wow. They hung John Brown for his efforts.

I'll have to look closer at Curry's oeuvre for more mando-references. Is this painting referencing some kind of bowl-back abolitionist movement? Or maybe banjos?

Mick

[Rroyd]

Well, my one hope is that when I am hanged, they will harvest my organs and sell them to the highest bidder on ebay, and the money can be used to restore other fine old instruments.
Yes, privacy was one of the issues, motivated in part by a personal experience with potential ramifications a bit more serious than an ebay scam, which happened some years ago. #I was contacted by phone by an individual who lived half a continent away who was inquiring about any instruments that I might have owned that I might be willing to part with, and how I might be contacted personally. #Red flags started waving as he spoke, so I politely ended the conversation. #I found out months later that he had made similar calls elsewhere, and that the "personal contact" involved a visit by "contract thieves", who then passed any bounty on to a middleman for a few cents on the dollar. #So I have since had concerns about the "benefits" of publicity, and with the web, the list of suspects would be large indeed.

[5stringpicker]

Well, now that everybody knows who some of the players are, you might as well know of an opportunity to play music with some of them. #I can't guarantee their attendance, but some may be at "Bluegrass in the Blues" August 10-12, 2007. #It is a very relaxed weekend of camping and spontaneous acoustical bluegrass jamming in the scenic Blue Mountains of northeastern Oregon. #There will be no schedules, stages, band performances, or contests. #You may want to leave your watch at home. #This year it will be at Emigrant Springs, near Meacham (I-84 exit 234). #Go to Bluegrass in the Blues for details

[JeffD]

next week's listing of "old mando-chello, $500. #Send payment via Western Union to Nigeria. #My friend will deliver it to your house

I almost coughed up my Cheerios laughing over that one.