Christmas came early- Weber Bighorn oval hole arrived

**Barb Friedland** · Dec-03-2009, 9:30am

It's a good thing the weather between it's departure point and my location is very similar. There is no way I could wait 24 hours to open the box!

First impressions- besides being physically gorgeous, I am very happy with the sound: very round and open, as expected, and with really nice sustain. Nice bell-like upper tones. As it's previous owner pointed out, it could use a bit more bottom end. Anyone have ideas on that?

I've been interested to see the posts about how added mass on the headstock has an impact on tone since this instrument has an F-5 style scroll headstock rather than the traditional Bighorn one.

I do plan to get a setup job done on it as I like my action a tad lower and want to use Jazzmando flatwounds on this baby.

For those who haven't already seen pictures elsewhere, here it is

**leroyspuds** · Dec-03-2009, 10:50am

Congratulations!!

Just yesterday I received a 2006 Bighorn oval hole I ordered from Elderly Instruments. I'm just a beginner and probably shouldn't have splurged on this. To my novice ear it's loud, full sound as opposed to the high end tinky tink sound I hear in other mandos, and it sustains forever. Now I just have to learn how to play it! (Been a guitar player for 40 years.) I'm taking it to Weber to have it re-certified and have the set up checked for ease of playing.

What kind of music do you plan to play on it? Can you recommend strings, picks, and strap for this instrument? Thanks so much.

Sharon - Montana

**Chuck Naill** · Dec-03-2009, 10:56am

That has to be one of the most attractive stain and finish I have seen. Congratulations.

**Barb Friedland** · Dec-03-2009, 12:14pm

Originally Posted by leroyspuds

Congratulations!!

Just yesterday I received a 2006 Bighorn oval hole I ordered from Elderly Instruments. I'm just a beginner and probably shouldn't have splurged on this. To my novice ear it's loud, full sound as opposed to the high end tinky tink sound I hear in other mandos, and it sustains forever. Now I just have to learn how to play it! (Been a guitar player for 40 years.) I'm taking it to Weber to have it re-certified and have the set up checked for ease of playing.

What kind of music do you plan to play on it? Can you recommend strings, picks, and strap for this instrument? Thanks so much.

Sharon - Montana

Hi leroyspuds,
Congratulations back! I looked at that one as well. Bighorns do produce really BIG sound. I think that's because the sound chamber is bigger than even their F-style mandos. I plan to play old time, folk, Celtic, and Jazz on mine.

We have a lot in common. I came to mandolin after a long time as a fingerstyle guitar player. There's nothing wrong with a beginner having a really good instrument. It may inspire you to play more and progress faster in fact. I think that's been the case for me.

You asked about strings and picks. Here's my take on that- experiment. Strings and picks (with the exception of blue chip picks!) are relatively inexpensive ways to figure out what works for you, your instrument, and your music. As a matter of fact, if you send me a mailing addy by private message, I'll send you a sample pack of some mandolin picks that I don't use anymore at all.

As far as strings go, you'll want to figure out what gauge fits what you play and pick around until you figure out what you like best. My personal journey has taken me through a variety of standard mandolin medium gauge strings to light gauge Elixirs and finally to what I like best- Jazzmando flatwounds.

Straps are yet another personal preference thing. Some folk like round braided ones, some like flat ones. I just ordered a new one from Lakota Leathers.

I do have some recommendations for you: try a McClung armrest made by Doug Edwards- this thing will put your picking forearm at an optimal angle. And consider using a Tone Guard. There are tons of threads around the cafe about both.

Welcome to mandolin land!

**Rick Schmidlin** · Dec-03-2009, 12:50pm

Congrats,happy campers.

**Kevin Briggs** · Dec-03-2009, 1:09pm

That looks saweet!

**John Gardinsky** · Dec-03-2009, 7:32pm

Really pretty mandolin.

**hank** · Dec-03-2009, 8:53pm

Congratulation Barb and Sharon. What a great way to celebrate Christmas.

**Barb Friedland** · Dec-03-2009, 9:01pm

It sure is! And it isn't just that it looks sweet. This mando has a totally different character from my BRW and for some tunes it is THE BEST! It's really a wonderful thing to be able to have these different voices to work with.

**GRW3** · Dec-04-2009, 9:45am

Wow that is one pretty Bighorn! But Barb, isn't "more bass" and "Jazzmando Flatwounds" moving in opposite directions? I had the latter on an Eastman two point I owned for a while and really liked them but I appreciated the smooth, evenness of tone across all four courses and easy playability for jazzy bends and streches most of all. Bass heavy they were not.

**hank** · Dec-04-2009, 10:08am

Barb I agree with George on your string selection. J75's or EXP75's are usually suggested for a stronger bottom end but I would recommend Gibson Bill Monroe strings instead because of the lighter treble strings but same .041 G string. They are also bronze wound for the sustain you probably want with an oval hole. Just for fun you might even try Gibsons Sam Bush strings with the same .041 G string but both D & A a thousandth smaller. They are not only strong in the bottom end but also explosive in response speeds but probably decay too quickly for Celtic and Old Time tunes.

**Barb Friedland** · Dec-04-2009, 2:25pm

Originally Posted by hank

Barb I agree with George on your string selection. J75's or EXP75's are usually suggested for a stronger bottom end but I would recommend Gibson Bill Monroe strings instead because of the lighter treble strings but same .041 G string. They are also bronze wound for the sustain you probably want with an oval hole. Just for fun you might even try Gibsons Sam Bush strings with the same .041 G string but both D & A a thousandth smaller. They are not only strong in the bottom end but also explosive in response speeds but probably decay too quickly for Celtic and Old Time tunes.

Interestingly I believe it has something like the strings you are suggesting now. I haven't put the Jazzmando FWs on it yet. I've honestly never liked traditional BG strings. I've been using the JM strings for a while on my BRW and LOVE them. I suspect that part of the issue is playing the dickens out of this new mando and getting a really good setup done.

**Gerry Cassidy** · Dec-05-2009, 8:39am

Hi Barb,

I'm really happy you are enjoying the Bighorn. The strings that are currently on it are the ones STE put on when it was visiting them a few months ago. I am not sure what they are. I assumed they were standard D'Add's or something along those lines.

I had put on a set of D'Add FT's and they sounded phenomenal. I didn't set the nut up for the wound AA course, so I took them off after a little project I used them for was completed.

I think you will certainly lose some sustain using the flatwounds, but the character of the tone you will get, especially from the 5th fret on up will most likely be pretty darn amazing.

The mando will be Jazz Prima, for sure.