Open Road's Caleb Roberts

[Zed]

Bio pic on their web site shows him with a Gibson (MM, perhaps?) http://www.openroadbluegrass.com/bio_caleb.html
Just wondered if anyone knew for sure if that's what he always plays?

[sgarrity]

I seem to remember reading somewhere that he had Loar. But I could be wrong about that.

[Brian Aldridge]

yes, that's a Loar Caleb is playing in that pic. He got it from Harry West about 4 years ago, I believe.

[rose#1]

he plays a loar and his back up is a sargent

[AlanN]

Yep, Brian is right, a '23 I believe. The headstock had the Monroe thing going on, someone bound the jagged edge in w-b-w. It had fine tone when I picked on it at Harry's maybe 4 years ago.

[jjboone101]

Do you recall what it was going for at Harry's four years ago Alan?

[Zed]

Heh... I wondered if it was a Rose
It certainly has The Tone, man. I've only heard a few live recordings (of OR) but have always been struck with what I consider to be The Tone. Full bodied yet punchy and thunky. Heh, no blinkin' wonder. #

[f5loar]

It's a nice Loar for sure but the sound and tone is in his right hand not the mandolin.

[Zed]

Wellll.... yeah, i'll give him 1/2 the credit. But, if he was playing a $49 Rogue it wouldn't quite have the same tone, would it?

[G_Smolt]

#73490...may 29th, pretty sure.

I got to pick on it for about half an hour after he warmed it up at a recent show.

He kinda hovered for a sec until I started playing "South Saluda Ramble"...he gave me a big ole grin and wandered off to sign more cd's...

[mandopete]

Smolt, you dog!

It's kinda interesting too - it had the scroll knocked off (you know, the Bill Monroe modification) and rather than have it reattached, the binding was laid back down over the broken edge. Never seen that one before!