John duffey

**Stringbanger** · Jun-18-2007, 8:16pm

I've read that Akira Otsuka is the current owner of Mr. Duffey's mandolin - what I don't know is who is the builder? .... Also read Mr. Ostuka said the mandolin had a real high action and a mere mortal couldn't play the instrument. Don't know whether that's fact or fiction, but as an entertainer John Duffey is sure missed. Had the pleasure of seeing him with the original Scene many times, starting in '73. Moved to Atlanta in '86 and went into Scene withdrawal for a number of years - struggle to see them through the early 90's.

Glad to hear that the new Scene has a CD coming this summer or fall - anyone heard the same?

**Jim Broyles** · Jun-18-2007, 8:18pm

I thought John built it.

**allenhopkins** · Jun-18-2007, 8:38pm

What I've heard:
There were two of the "duck" mandolins, built by Duffey,and Otsuka has one of them.
Duffey mostly played an F-12, or an F-12 conversion.

Probably a search on this BB would turn up your answers.

**MandoSquirrel** · Jun-18-2007, 10:52pm

Duffy's day job was instrument repair, so he did conversions as well as building the 2 "Ducks", one of which (As cited) he passed on to Otsuka.

In other words, I agree with jbmando & allenhopkins

**Rroyd** · Jun-20-2007, 9:39am

Do a thread search, as there was an extensive discussion on the "ducks" sometime in the last year or so that should answer any questions you might have. It seems like the subject mentioned the "Duck" as part of the thread name.

**Peter Hackman** · Jul-08-2007, 12:18pm

Originally Posted by (MandoSquirrel @ June 18 2007, 23:52)

Duffy's day job was instrument repair, so he did conversions as well as building the 2 "Ducks", one of which (As cited) he passed on to Otsuka.

In other words, I agree with jbmando & allenhopkins

I have mentioned this before; in 1969 glued the neck back on my Levin Aristokrat - humidity and the bumpy roads between Bean Blossom and
Indianapolis had taken their toll. The shop was located at Lee Heights,
a shopping center just off the Lee Highway in Arlington, Virginia.
His wife, Nancy, worked there
too, and there was also a big dog of theirs (not sure of its function).
A sign announced that the dog would do no harm
unless "given reason to" - a Duffey-ism, I suppose.

This was after he left the CG; however, a couple of
days later I watched him as he sat in for Gaudreau
(who was off to some reserve meeting or whatever you call it)
for two nights. That's the best Bluegrass I've ever heard live.

**flatthead** · Jul-08-2007, 3:41pm

Akira does own one of the Ducks; I can't remember who owns the other one. The mandolin that Akira plays mostly though is a 30's F-7 that John owned and played from about the early 70's until his passing. I think the DCBU.org has a tribute page (masterfully done, BTW by Dudley Connell) with some pictures of John with that mandolin.

Did the original F-7s from the 30's have shorter scales, like an F-4?

I may be mistaken but I believe that John built a longer scale neck and installed it. As was mentioned, he made his living as an instrument repairman in Arlington VA for a pretty good long time.

In regards to the action being high; as I recall, it's fairly "manly". Also the bridge is very tall with the neck cocked way back. As Akira explained it to me, John felt that bridge height/neck angle thing was important to the sound he wanted to get.

One more thing: You can see and feel the truss rod as it peeks through the back of the neck around the 12th fret or so.

**Peter Hackman** · Jul-08-2007, 10:46pm

Originally Posted by (flatthead @ July 08 2007, 16:41)

In regards to the action being high; as I recall, it's fairly "manly". #Also the bridge is very tall with the neck cocked way back. #As Akira explained it to me, John felt that bridge height/neck angle thing was important to the sound he wanted to get.

Indeed, he set back the neck angle on my mando. He also demonstratively
left the pick guard off (but he didn't throw it away).

**june39** · Jul-09-2007, 10:01am

I recently asked Akira for the string height off the top on Duffy's mandolin. Currently, from the mandolin top at the bridge to the top of the string, the measurements are E 7/8" G 15/16". His Duck # 2 measures the same. I don't know if John had the strings higher, but I would guess he did.

Doug McCash

**flatthead** · Jul-09-2007, 4:01pm

Sweet Pete said:

...... He also demonstratively
left the pick guard off (but he didn't throw it away).

He probably used it as a coaster for a good stiff liquor drink......

**Willie** · Jul-10-2007, 3:57pm

John at one time played a "Borrowed" F-7 but only a short time, his mostly played mandolin was a 1937 F-12 that he converted to what might be called an F-5....The "Duck" had a higher degree slant to it and the bridge was set real high so the strings at the bridge are a little high off of the body but not really high off of the finger board...I knew John pretty well and can tell you he was always adjusting everything on his mandolin so the way someone seen it 15 years ago might not be the same as it was later...Listen to his recordings and you will even hear a difference in tone and quality on cuts that were made at different times....Good post....Willie

**Stringbanger** · Jul-10-2007, 7:22pm

To all who joined in on my question - thanks for all the great information. Great to hear about the instruments and Duffy's tinkering. Seems to fit both his "curious musical" nature and his stage personality. I'm going to be in the DC area in mid August - anyone know whether Mr. Otsuka is actively playing with any group or "sits in" occasionally? Any clubs in the DC actively promoting bands/nights? Will visit DCBU for some info.. any additional info appreciated.

Finally - going to hate myself missing the CG 50th Anniversary at Watermelon Park ... looking forward to reports next week. Hope the weather is OK!

**Crowder** · Jul-11-2007, 11:34pm

Just tonight I heard a great Seldom Scene story.

I was talking to a client, a surgeon, and mentioned that I'd been over to another doctor's house to play some bluegrass this week. He is not a big bluegrass fan, but he said he once worked at Walter Reed Medical Center with an ear, nose and throat specialist who played with a band around D.C. He said that the band always had a hard time getting together to practice, because they all had professional careers, so they thought it would be funny to call the band "The Seldom Scene."

Now I wasn't thinking about the Scene being from DC, and Walter Reed being in DC. I was just thinking that this guy's pal had stolen their band name, possibly without knowing it.

So he fleshed out the story a bit and told me some of the places they used to play, including their original steady Thursday night gig at a club up there. Eventually he mentioned that the friend's name was John Starling.

The greatest part was that my friend wasn't aware of the success that the Seldom Scene had. He just knew them as his friend John's diversion from practicing medicine.

**Ken Berner** · Jul-12-2007, 10:52am

Hey Crowder, Neat story; you might get a couple of the "Scene's" CDs in your friends hands. I'm sure he will relish the music of John Starling and friends!

**AlanN** · Jul-12-2007, 4:25pm

or, as Duffey put it, John's specialty was Ear, Nose and Wallet.

**don richards** · Jul-12-2007, 8:46pm

....hee...hee... R.I.P. Mr. Duffey - thanks for the music - and memories. Moose.

#

**Scotti Adams** · Jul-19-2007, 7:05am

What was John doing before playing with the Gents? Not much history out there during that period of time.

**AlanN** · Jul-19-2007, 8:12am

Wearing diapers.

**flatthead** · Jul-19-2007, 8:40am

Originally Posted by (AlanN @ July 19 2007, 09:12)

Wearing diapers.

.....And smoking filterless Camels and drinking Gin & Tonics out of a sippy cup....

**dshipp** · Jul-19-2007, 10:21am

I've been looking for the story on the archives, but don't see it anywhere, so I'm going from (shaky) memory. John was playing the "duck" when the Scene got started. You can see the strange shape on their first album cover. But at some point he recovered the Gibson mandolin (F-12 conversion?) which had been stolen from him earlier, and that's what he played mostly. Akira has that one as well as a duck, and it looks pretty beat-up. But it's history.

Here's a photo of the Scene from Callaway, MD in 1973 (I think). John's playing the duck. You may not be able to read the lettering on his t-shirt, and the message board's filter won't let me use a common shorthand for flatulence, so I'll just point out the word "Super" and let you extrapolate. Always in style. I may have a better copy of this photo somewhere, which I'll post if I can locate it.

-Dan

**Rroyd** · Jul-19-2007, 8:03pm

Their Saturday afternoon set at Callaway, Maryland in Mid-September 1973 featured a special guest artist named Linda Ronstadt. Was this the same festival?

**Willie** · Jul-19-2007, 9:50pm

Dan...John had the F-12 when the Scene first started but it was stolen shortly afterward...I am from Md and made all of the Callaway festivals, played on two or three, that pix you sent might have been their second year, Callaway WAS their first public appearence but I am positive John had the F-12 there for their first appearence...I remember first seeing the duck at The Red Fox in Bethesda and I hung with John and didn`t miss many of their shows except the ones at The Birchmire which is another story and no one is interested in that I`m sure....Always good reading about John and the rest of that band...And I don`t remember Linda Ronstadt playing with them at Callaways, of course when you are my age the memory ain`t what it used to be...And I could have been off picking somewhere in the field...Good stuff....
Willie

**Rroyd** · Jul-20-2007, 9:15am

The Callaway festival I was referring to was the second weekend in September, 1973, and was a Jimmy Clark "Peace, Love, Blues and Bluegrass" production. (I think that's what the billing was.) I remember the location had been moved a couple of times, as one of his festivals earlier that year had turned into a Bluegrass version of Woodstock, with many thousands of people, inadequate facilities, and related problems, so several of the festival venues cancelled their arrangements with him, in fear of a repeat. Anyway, Linda Ronstadt showed up and did several numbers with the Seldom Scene that Saturday afternoon. (Incidentally, they were one of the few bands, if not the only one, to get fully paid for their appearances at that series of festivals, thanks to John Duffey's firm, yet polite, discussion with the promoter.)