Tribute site for john zeidler

[jmcgann]

My tribute to John Reed Zeidler, one of the finest luthiers ever.

[mandolirius]

Nice tribute. A work of love obviously. How many mandolins did he make? I've never heard of them until I visited your web page. They certainly look wonderful.

[cgwilsonjr]

John, that is a very classy and dignified tribute page. His instruments are certainly very beautiful but I've never encountered one in real life. Maybe someday. Seemed to be a great guy as well. Chuck

[jmcgann]

Rough reckoning has mando family instruments around 30. He did make a single mandola and single mandocello, both of which I played on my "Plays Bach, Debussy and Rodrigo" recording.

You can hear John's mando on the first track on my below listed myspace page.

I will soon be adding many photos of John's work.

[SternART]

Boy John....those Lost in the Shuffle photos....interesting glimpse at your youth.

[Mike Black]

A good freind of mine has a Zeidler. He ran over with his truck once. Paul Schnider put it all back together for him. It's still a great instrument. I sent him a link to your tribute site.

[jim simpson]

John,
Great job on the tribute. Pictured is a friend and former bandmate, Rob Amadio, from Bucks County, PA holding his Zeidler flat-top guitar. He also owns a banjo made by John. Rob told me he and John were friends and that he did some electric and/or alarm work for John and received the instruments as payment. It was through Rob that I learned of John's banjo playing.
John refretted a mandolin for me mid-90's. He said it was the last work he would take on as his building was taking up most of his time. He did say that he would continue to do maintenance on it though. I've had folks look at the fret-work and recognize it as John's work.
He let me play one of his mandolins that he had just finished when I went to pick up mine. It was remarkable. I wish I could have had one made at the time.
Thanks again,
Jim

[Jim Garber]

This is a Carrara from one of his later catalogs.

[RichieK]

John was a good guy. When I was in dental school I got him a handful of mirrors of varying sizes so that he could see inside better...and I let him borrow my new, in 1978, Monteleone #16, to get some ideas and compare building techniques. There wasn't a lot of information sharing back then. There was no Mandolincafe!
Thanks for making the tribute site, John.
Richie

[mandolirius]

That Cararra is so elegantly styled it takes your breath away. As nice a re-thinking of the classic design as I've ever seen. Definitely has some Monteleone-like qualities.

[Michael Lewis]

John, thanks for the site and insight into the life of one of the most focused craftsmen I have met. I met John at the Healdsburg Guitar festivals some years ago. One time we had a great discussion about D'Angelico retorations. His knowledge of metal work seemed encyclopedic, and for sure his attention to details was unparalleled.

[mandomick]

Very nice John. A heartfelt tribute befitting a true friend. It takes a true artist to take a traditional design like the F5 and with minimal deviation, make it his own.

[BradKlein]

John,

It’s fascinating, the people who influence our lives in subtle or obvious ways. I shared an apartment many years ago with one of your old band-mates, Michael Pearl. I worked in the warehouse at Rounder Records in those days. But listening to Lost in the Shuffle rehearse was one of my first exposures to a live bluegrass band. And that helped inspire me to start playing the mandola (A Gibson that had belonged to my girlfriend’s grandmother).

Twenty five years later; and I’m still playing mandolin, and have the pleasure of coming across your Zeidler tribute, seeing pictures of LITS just as I remember you folks, and of reading your thoughtful posts here on the café.

Best wishes, Brad

[mandolirius]

I found this story about how his fellow builders came together to support John Zeidler after he contracted leukemia:

http://thepracticeroom.typepad.com/the_pra....ro.html

Makes me wish I wasn't just hearing of him now. Seems like he left a deep impression on a lot of people.

[jmcgann]

Thanks, there is a link at the very bottom of my page for the Zeidler Project Guitar which details these great luthiers coming together.

[Ivan Kelsall]

John,i posted a note on here many months ago re.John,having seen one of his Mandolins,the 'Carrara' which was for sale. It's possibly the most elegant musical instrument i've EVER seen. The style & proportions of that Mandolin,are just perfect IMHO.
I know that he was great friend of yours & that you play instruments made by him,but your tribute says so much more than the fact that he was a superb craftsman,that fact is self evident - well done,
Saska

[Bob Clark]

My tribute to John Reed Zeidler, one of the finest luthiers ever.

Hello Folks,

In yesterday's "This Day in Mandolin History," the anniversary of the passing of Luthier John Zeidler was noted. I thought I'd bump this thread today to also to note the fine tribute to this amazing luthier that was put up by John McGann. Professor McGann was the OP of this thread and the story of his relationship with John Zeidler is brought out in this tribute. It makes for very interesting reading and demonstrates how a chance encounter between the right individuals can lead to amazing developments for each of them, with all of the rest of us as the real beneficiaries.

Best wishes, Bob