Bluegrass Unlimited

**sunburst** · Nov-26-2004, 3:47pm

Thought I'd go ahead and start the inevitable thread on the mando Mike Compton is holding in the picture on the cover of the new BU.
Comments?

**mandomood** · Nov-26-2004, 7:00pm

what kind of mando is it?...

**sunburst** · Nov-27-2004, 8:19am

I'm expecting to find out. It has an oval hole. Anyone know?

**AlanN** · Nov-27-2004, 8:29am

Gilchrist

**Walter** · Nov-27-2004, 9:19am

I have not seen the picture, but he also has a Kimble, and a '27 Gibson A jr. ??

**John Flynn** · Nov-27-2004, 10:13am

Mike has had that oval Gilchrist for several months now and has been performing with it a lot. I have twice gotten to see it and hear it played within touching distance and it is sweet! I am not sure what the issue is with it being on the cover of BU, or why this is an "inevitable thread." What exactly is your point here?

**sunburst** · Nov-27-2004, 10:20am

Originally Posted by (jflynnstl @ Nov. 27 2004, 11:13)

What exactly is your point here?

No "point", in particular. Just curious as to what the mandolin was, and thought it might be somewhat controversial to show up on the cover of BU with an oval hole mandolin in a blue grass band.

**John Flynn** · Nov-27-2004, 10:44am

Originally Posted by

it might be somewhat controversial to show up on the cover of BU with an oval hole mandolin in a blue grass band

I think with Mike's credentials and credibility, playing an oval in bluegrass just became a lot less controversial!

**mandomood** · Nov-27-2004, 11:14am

I actually played that F4 within a few weeks of him having it I believe, when he came thru in May of this year. I played it for a good 25 mins. with him sitting across from me playing his Gil F5 and then we switched...he makes that F4 sound huge...

he also played it with NBB and it sounded great in context of the tune. That F5 just roars though...

He was very very happy with the F4 and having some recordings of him and David Long, you can hear a great difference when he picks it up but they both sound huge to me...

**futrconslr** · Nov-30-2004, 10:18am

Last time I saw him.....a month ago? He was playing the gibson Ajr. That mando had an oval hole and we was flat out pounding. Sounded great. Matter of fact, Charles Johnson has one on his web site that looks just like it. If I can come up with a grand or so here at christmas I may try to hook it! Or if I am a good boy maybe I will get it for Christmas

**Darryl Wolfe** · Nov-30-2004, 11:12am

I posted some pics of that mando right after he got it..I'll see if I can find 'em

**levin4now** · Nov-30-2004, 11:52am

I suppose if a guy like Mike Compton shows up on the cover of such a magazine with a mandolin that is recently acquired, or at least, not one of his main axes over the last few years, this thread was inevitable. Good call sunburst.

**Kevin K** · Nov-30-2004, 11:57am

He had the Gil oval hole at a workshop I attended back in April and he mentioned not having it too long at that point. It sounded awesome and even with a different tone, there was plenty of volume there. Great sound and very nice looking mandolin

**futrconslr** · Nov-30-2004, 12:33pm

Lest my post be taken as a slam of burst it was not....I think given the fact that most professional players that play bluegrass use an instrument with F holes sunburst has a good point. Other than Compton, Grisman is the only other player I can think of off the top of my head that has consistently used oval hole...Norman Blake also....anyone else?

**jefflester** · Nov-30-2004, 3:21pm

A couple of pics of him playing it at the Symposium concert:
http://www.mandomusic.com/pages/8/index.htm

**John Flynn** · Nov-30-2004, 4:49pm

Originally Posted by

Other than Compton, Grisman is the only other player I can think of off the top of my head that has consistently used oval hole...Norman Blake also....anyone else?

Andy Statman: Gibson A-4 blackface
Don Rigsby: Red Diamond Two-Point Oval
Curtis Buckhannon: Gibson A-4 blackface
Peter Ostrushko: Two different custom A-4's and a Gibson A-4
Thomas Sneed: Gibson A-4 and Weber Bridger F

**jim simpson** · Nov-30-2004, 6:05pm

Quote
Other than Compton, Grisman is the only other player I can think of off the top of my head that has consistently used oval hole...Norman Blake also....anyone else?

The Mandocrucian!!

**Mike McCoy** · Nov-30-2004, 8:28pm

Andy Statman, Peter Ostrusko

**evanreilly** · Nov-30-2004, 8:53pm

Red Rector was a round-hole kinda guy also!

**AlanN** · Dec-01-2004, 4:55am

And Jethro used Ol' Red quite a bit, a customized A-5, which was a round hole with F-5 appointments.

**mandolooter** · Dec-01-2004, 6:55am

It's nice to see Thomas Sneed mentioned here at the Cafe...in any context, he's one fellow who has the "sound" I strive for. In an attempt to not steer too far from the posts subject, some of the best sounding mandos out there have those squashed circles for sound holes. Im still dreamin of a Gibson A w/O-hole I heard at Weiser F.F. last year...wow...loud, sweet and tasty all in one box!