Good choice for to play Irish Music

**Richard Moore** · Apr-22-2012, 4:31am

My Touchstone was sapele/spruce like Bertram's. Certainly not cheap looking at all as Bertram said and very well built and comfortable to play. I had the opportunity to compare it directly with a friend's Single Malt model at a festival. Subtlely different tones but both excellent choices for ITM.

I live in Scotland but am not a peaty man. I tend to go for the lowland's or Speyside's myself.

**Bertram Henze** · Apr-22-2012, 11:10am

Originally Posted by Richard Moore

I tend to go for the lowland's or Speyside's myself.

I still have a half bottle of Balvenie which will be slightly less than half full by the end of the day...

**Richard Singleton** · Apr-22-2012, 2:03pm

I am very happy with the sound and playability of my Weber Aspen 1 which I've used to play Irish traditional music for the last 12 years, but agree with everyone that just about any type of mando will work fine.

**JP07** · May-09-2012, 5:38am

After a long search I succeed in finding a bottle of Ardbeg Ten. Excellent ! I tasted with Laphroaig 10 and Caol Ila. It was a good time ! Unfortunately, I had no more Laphroaig 15, Lagavulin 16 and Bowmore... Only empty bottles... So, I have still a lot of tastings to do...
And we have not spoken about Burnahabhain and Bruichladdich. Never seen a bottle !

It seems to be away from the question of this thread. No !

All that has decided me to order the Fylde Single Malt Touchstone Mandolin !

Now, I just have to wait. It will be long !

**Bertram Henze** · May-09-2012, 8:09am

Originally Posted by JP07

After a long search I succeed in finding a bottle of Ardbeg Ten. Excellent ! I tasted with Laphroaig 10 and Caol Ila. It was a good time ! Unfortunately, I had no more Laphroaig 15, Lagavulin 16 and Bowmore... Only empty bottles... So, I have still a lot of tastings to do...
And we have not spoken about Burnahabhain and Bruichladdich. Never seen a bottle !

It seems to be away from the question of this thread. No !

All that has decided me to order the Fylde Single Malt Touchstone Mandolin !

Now, I just have to wait. It will be long !

So much to look forward to - there's a happy mandolinist!

Bruichladdich, b.t.w., is a much more light&fruity affair - it's almost Caribbean compared to those peaty tar soups.

**Jim Nollman** · May-09-2012, 12:16pm

+1 Balvenie

**mikeyes** · May-10-2012, 9:24am

If you go to the Social Group section and pick "Song of the Week" you can see a large variety of mandolins playing Itrad. This is probably the best source on the planet for such a comparison. It's almost as good as playing them yourself.

Mike Keyes

**Avi Ziv** · May-17-2012, 4:11pm

Originally Posted by Jim Nollman

+1 Balvenie

+2

Balvenie 21 is really very nice

**JP07** · May-18-2012, 5:24am

Among the non peaty whiskies, I find Oban nice.

**JP07** · Jun-09-2012, 12:24am

Hi,

Just one question about the strings gauge you are currently using on your mandolins for ITM.

My Weber style A oval hole was delivered with d'Addario J74 strings, so a medium gauge, 11 15 26 40.

Fylde mandolins seems to be delivered with Picato strings with the same gauge as the J74.

I am actually playing with d'Addario J73 on my Weber, a light gauge, 10 14 24 38, and I find it more adapted for ITM, playing and sound.

What are you thinking about these gauges ?

Thanks and regards

**Bertram Henze** · Jun-09-2012, 1:14am

For every stringed instrument, there is an optimum gauge depending on how heavy the top is built, i.e. the gauge should not be
- too light (not being able to move the top)
- too heavy (deforming or breaking the top out of its proper vibration shape)
At optimum gauge, the strings and top together deliver maximum output (which is what you need in Irish music).
The optimum gauge must be found out individually for an instrument; the gauges the instrument originally came with are a guideline to start from. I used to do careful experimental shifts in gauge when it was time for restringing until I found what I liked (ended up with heavier strings on my Fylde OM than what Roger Bucknall is putting on, and the Fylde is solid enough to take a little more pressure, but that is also a matter of personal taste and playing style - I am a heavy-handed doublestop banger).

So, if you found a different gauge that you like better, that's good on you. Trust your ears.

**Steve L** · Jun-09-2012, 8:07am

I've been using GHS A 250s which are actually a little lighter than yours. I like them for what I do which involves lots or hammer-ons and pull offs for ornamentation. They seem a good fit on everything but my Mid Missouri where they feel a little too light for some reason. I may try the J 73s and see it I prefer those.

**Randi Gormley** · Jun-09-2012, 9:25am

I used to use Martin lights on my strad because that's what I had been using on my bowlback (its predecessor), but I switched to the J-74s a couple of years ago and I like the sound better. The strad is a pretty sturdy mandolin, of course. My Eastman (which I also use for Irish) came with J-74s and that's what I keep on them, but I also have used my rescue bandolim for Irish, and that uses J-62s; it's a lighter sound and a more bendy kind of string, but it suits the bandolim. Like Betram said, you need to experiment a bit and see what you like.

**JP07** · Jan-30-2013, 11:33pm

Hi,
After long months of waiting, my Fylde Single Malt Touchstone Mandolin is finished and will be shipped.

I will do a few pictures, and give you my opinion about the sounding.

Roger said to me that the sound is "very sweet".
Now I just have to choose the Single Malt that will be accurate to receipt it correctly !

**Bertram Henze** · Jan-31-2013, 1:15am

Excellent choice JP!

With a sweet sound, I think a sherrycask flavour would go best, such as a Balvenie or a Macallen.

**Dave Hanson** · Jan-31-2013, 2:08am

My latest bottle is a Lagavulin 12 year old cask strength 57.5 abv. superb.

Latest mandolin is a Bitteroot F5 also superb.

Dave H

**Richard Moore** · Jan-31-2013, 5:31am

Hi,
After long months of waiting, my Fylde Single Malt Touchstone Mandolin is finished and will be shipped. I will do a few pictures, and give you my opinion about the sounding. Roger said to me that the sound is "very sweet".
Now I just have to choose the Single Malt that will be accurate to receipt it correctly !

Excellent news and I hope it will suit you very well!

A Highland Park would certainly not be a bad choice, nor a Jura...

**Bertram Henze** · Jan-31-2013, 5:41am

Originally Posted by Richard Moore

A Highland Park would certainly not be a bad choice

I must say that reminding me of an unopened bottle in my cabinet back home with 6 hours to go at work is just not fair

**John Kelly** · Jan-31-2013, 12:09pm

Bertram, you scoundrel, how can you be browsing this site while you are working? Shame on you man!

Still, it's a very long time to have to wait to get the bottle open!

**Bertram Henze** · Jan-31-2013, 2:07pm

It's over now John, it's over... everything's alright

**JeffD** · Jan-31-2013, 2:28pm

Originally Posted by JP07

Hi,
After long months of waiting, my Fylde Single Malt Touchstone Mandolin is finished and will be shipped.

I will do a few pictures, and give you my opinion about the sounding.

Roger said to me that the sound is "very sweet".
Now I just have to choose the Single Malt that will be accurate to receipt it correctly !

I think you made an excellent decision. I have played a few Fylde mandolins and the sound will really be excellent for IT. It will be a mandolin you can be happy with for the rest of your life.

My taste runs to Laphroaig, by the way. Quick Laphroaig story:

I was in Edinburgh, back years ago, with some new found friends, in a pub underneath a theater. We were riding Laphroaig into the night.

Next morning, (late morning), one of my new friends joined me at another pub for breakfast. We tucked into some eggs and sausage and bacon and stewed tomato and beans and bread pudding and.... Anyway, my friend remarks, "Fer @##%$ sake, these eggs taste like Laphroaig.... <pregnant pause> ... Not that I'm complaining mind you."

**Bertram Henze** · Feb-01-2013, 1:36am

Originally Posted by JeffD

these eggs taste like Laphroaig....

Peat smoke flavor easily survives one washback and two stills - how hard could a night in your mouth be?

**JP07** · Feb-06-2013, 10:35pm

Hi,
The Single Malt Mandolin is at home ! A really nice instrument, with a great sound and a high quality finish. The wood looks particularly very nice.
No regrets !
I will post a couple of pictures as soon as possible.

**JeffD** · Feb-06-2013, 10:38pm

Originally Posted by JP07

Hi,
The Single Malt Mandolin is at home ! A really nice instrument, with a great sound and a high quality finish. The wood looks particularly very nice..

Congratulations! You will love it.