Arrow mandolins - how to contact?

[scgc.om]

My 1st Arrow encounter was a few yrs ago in a Radim mando class.

On the wknd (at WinterGrass) I saw a young guy (teens) playing an Arrow Octave mandolin - he was really making it sing. I didn't want to get in the way of his jamming so only asked a few questions. Apparently he has one on order and that this one was a loaner.

Oh ya - he also told me was that at a recent Music Camp (can't remember which one he said), Tim O'Brien was so keen to play the Arrow OM that loaned out his Giomel (sp is wrong - you know what I mean!) and played this Arrow a LOT.

I've tried to find Arrow Company but found nothing.

Anyone know a link?

[MikeEdgerton]

Check out the top listing in this search of the builders database.

A google search using the keywords "paul lestock mosier, or" (without the quotes) returns a telephone number and address in Mosier, Oregon as well.

[steve V. johnson]

Hey Mike,

Those "G" model mandolins and OMs were just tremendous looking. #The last time I saw Paul's site up it said he wasn't doing the G models any more, do you know anything more about that?

Or... (gulp) do I have to ask him? #

Thanks,

stv

[Patrick Gunning]

Hey, that was me and thanks for the kind words. Glad you liked the octave. Paul had taken a break from building for a while to build a new house and workshop, but he's back in business now. No website or e-mail for him these days, but if you'd like I can PM you his phone #.

As for the Tim O'brien connection, that was at the 2006 Mandolin Symposium that he was an instructor at. He was teaching octave mando parts for the ensenble piece (the Kid on the Mountain arrangement from "The Crossing") that we were prepping and used the Arrow octave after loaning out the Giacomel to a student. I was playing Mike Marshall's Monteleone mandocello in the ensemble, so I wasn't complaining about the loss. Hopefully I can get back to the symposium this year, it was a life-changing experience.

If you (or anybody else for that matter) has any questions about the Arrow octaves and mandos, feel free to PM me or just post here.

-Patrick

EDIT: He is still producing G-style mandolins. His website had been out of date long before it went offline. Check out www.myspace.com/timconnellmusic and the tracks "Odeon" or "Naquele Tempo" for a guy playing one of the new Arrow standard-scale G's.

[BBarr]

Anyone have a picture to share?

[John Rosett]

Here's a picture of the mandolin that I used to own. It was a great mandolin, but I couldn't handle the increased string tension that came with the longer scale length.
The last time I saw Paul(summer, '06), he had a G style mandola with a 16" scale that I fell in love with. Paul, if you're reading this, I still want that mandola!

[steve V. johnson]

Patrick! #Great news that Paul is still building and that G's are alive and well. #Thanks for that and for the myspace tracks, too!

Mandorose, thanks for the picture, too. #I have that one, labeled as a "prototype". #I had a couple of pix of G octaves, that I saved immediately upon seeing them for the first time, but they are archived to CDrs somewhere...

I have an Arrow flyer here somewhere... let's see if I can find it...



It seems to me that I saw the Giacomel some time after I saw the Arrows, and I was pretty shocked at the similarity then. #Both pretty amazing...

stv