Campanella 2 point

[Don Grieser]

Just got this one from the classifieds. (Thanks, Danny!) After going to the Campanella Strings website and reading about Joe Campanella Cleary's building methods, I called him up and talked to him about the mandolin for sale. I was extremely impressed with his views on building, his thought process, and what he was going after. This mandolin has it all--amazingly pure tone, all the volume you want, easy to play, and the violin edges are very cool. Lots more pix and sound clips at the Campanella Strings website. NFI, and this one won't be for sale any time soon.

[Danny Clark]

congrats Don
it is a great mandolin!!
Enjoy

[sgarrity]

Those are such innovative, interesting looking mandolins. I hope to get to play one some day. Congrats on another very nice instrument!!

[telepbrman]

Does Jamie play one of these?

[Don Grieser]

I believe Jamie Masefield does play one. He and Joe Campanella Cleary play the sound clips on the website.

[Ted Eschliman]

Joseph's F's aren't bad either!

[Crowder]

I"m intrigued by these and appreciate the fact that someone is doing something truly different. We're fortunate to have hundreds of nice F-5 copies to play and consider, but this guy is going in a different direction that's not just cosmetic. Me likey.

[Don Grieser]

Played it at couple gigs this weekend. I'm even more impressed.

[mandopluker]

Don,

Not that I told ya Glad you love it....

[Lee]

Harumpf, so that's where that went
more pics!

[pjlama]

Alright you need to tell me when you're in town next! I'm dying to try some of your new instruments. At least you make my mandolin purchases look mundane

[mdlorenz]

Joe Jaime & Doug Perkins just played my wedding ceremony & cocktail hour. Canon in D led the Bride down the aisle, & Angeline the baker for the recessional, & an hour or 2 of other tunes for the cocktail hour. Was pretty awesome. Joe also played the A that he build for my wife (as a wedding present for me) me during the ceremony. Truly a great guy, Joe makes an amazing instrument. I guess I'm lucky to have the guy who built my instrument 15 minutes away from home...

[Jonas]

Don: How would you describe it's tone? Do you know what kind of tonewoods it's made of? I was really impressed with the soundclips of the A5 on the webpage, I believe it was made of red spruce and sugar maple.

[Don Grieser]

You're right about those A5 soundclips. Jawdropping good. Anyone who can build a mandolin that sounds like that knows what they're doing.

My 2 point is Engleman with X bracing and European maple. Joe said the maple is on the hard side. I'm generally not an X brace fan, but what impressed me when I talked to Joe, is that he chooses the bracing pattern based on what will work best for that particular piece of wood. His Engleman comes from wood he harvested with Lawrence Smart in Idaho, and he knows this wood very well, obviously.

This 2 point reminds me of a 2 point Nugget I owned once. The soundclips of the 2 point on the Campanella Strings website are very close to this one. Very versatile tone, from sweet singing tone to Monroe bite. Fast response, lots of pop, you hear the attack of the note. Hope that helps.

[mdlorenz]

@ Jonas...

The A soundclips on the website are of mine. It's Red spruce top & sugar maple sides & back. One of the cool things on the "Bluegrass break" soundclip, is that both the chop & lead are the same mando.

Here's a shot in the white:

[Jonas]

Thanks Don. Sounds like a winner!

Man...
This is definitely something for me to keep my eye on. One of these might just be the ticket for me.

Mdlorentz, could you please talk a little more about your A5? How long have you had it, and what is it like getting to know your Campanella? I need more... just a little, please?

[mdlorenz]

To start:
Look here

It was really amazing getting a BRAND new instrument that was still breaking in. When I first got it it was a bit wild in it's tone. Overtones ringing... It was cool playing it in & listening to the tone change over time... Now it's almost been a year & I'd bet that the tone is about what I'm gonna get from it. It's LOUD. Out in front it's a cannon. Great bark. Amazingly sweet tone too. Very versatile.

[Jake Wildwood]

Pretty classy... I like the fiddle trim, too!

[mandopluker]

It was a tough decision folks but I had to start somewhere thinning the herd and be ready to pull the trigger on the right vintage piece.... Since my head is firmly planted in the Monroe Camp --well there ya have it!

I would not hesitate for one second recommending a mandolin like this nor Joe. He was a class act when I discussed this mandolin with him and continues to be a class act. I am still considering a violin, ahhh I mean fiddle from Joe. He is a fine violin builder also!

Don, much continued excitement and enjoyment with the 2-point (Due)!

[Jonas]

Thanks for the info mdlorentz. Do you have any soundclips of you playing that thing?

[mdlorenz]

soundclips are on joe's site Campanella Strings

[Jonas]

Ah, I've already heard those, they're fenomenal!
Do you have any of your own playing?

[mdlorenz]

Only our Myspace page. Which is mostly from about a year ago. Not terrible, but not great either.

[Jonas]

Thanks. That mandolin just jumps out at you! Nice picking too. How was it recorded? One mic?

[pjlama]

I got to play Don's two point this morning. Wow, it does have amazing tone. It sounds very similar to my Giacomel, very open, loose with detail and complexity all the way up the neck, great highs while remaining balanced, I could keep going. For the money this mandolin can't be beat, sounds like 10k. The work was beautiful, very much sticking to violin building techniques , no sanding just scraping. Having been a double bass player I really appreciated the violin family look and feel. Overall this mandolin really stands out among all the Gibson derived instruments on the market. My hats off to Campenella, very impressive!