John Paul Jones

**sgrexa** · Jun-11-2012, 8:50am

Is this a mandola? I have never seen a mando with what appears to be such a wide neck? Maybe I just have a case of the Mondays! Anyone?

Sean

**sgrexa** · Jun-11-2012, 8:51am

Not sure if I wrapped that right:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLU08...eature=related

**lenf12** · Jun-11-2012, 9:02am

Hi Sean,

It sounds like a mandolin to me. The notes are too high for a 'dola in standard tuning. You're right that the fingerboard looks a bit wider than 1 1/8" but I'm not familiar with who the maker may be. Nice version of GTC. Thanks for posting.

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

**Ben Milne** · Jun-11-2012, 9:08am

About thirteen seconds in it sounds like he hits an open E string coming through a run from a high G... So mandolin IMO.

**Bob Bronow** · Jun-11-2012, 10:00am

Whatever it is, it sure sounds great!

**sgrexa** · Jun-11-2012, 10:16am

Yes, I believe it is one of his Manson F-5s.

**sgrexa** · Jun-11-2012, 10:38am

Serious mando eye candy. I am not 100% sure this is a Manson, but Andy has built a lot of instruments for JPJ.

http://www.andymanson.co.uk/mandolin_family/

**Mandolin Mick** · Jun-11-2012, 11:14am

He's in standard mandolin tuning ...

**Gerry Hastie** · Jun-11-2012, 4:08pm

Nice clip. Always good to hear/see JPJ play mandolin.

**samlyman** · Jun-11-2012, 9:33pm

He plays mandolins built by Andy Manson... They look to be fine instruments but I have never played one...

**llg** · Jun-11-2012, 10:57pm

Can anyone verify that's Paul Gilbert on guitar? Sure looks like him to me and if so that's two "giant" musicians right there.

**Mike Black** · Jun-11-2012, 11:49pm

Originally Posted by llg

Can anyone verify that's Paul Gilbert on guitar? Sure looks like him to me and if so that's two "giant" musicians right there.

Yes, it's Paul Gilbert.

**Darren Bailey** · Jun-12-2012, 1:22am

As a bass player he probably prefers a a broader fret board - switching to a standard mandolin wouldn't be good for the brain after using the huge frets he's normally holding.

**Nick Quig** · Jun-12-2012, 3:19am

Sublime! love his Zep 4 symbol on the truss rod cover!

**Marty Henrickson** · Jun-12-2012, 8:43am

Originally Posted by Mike Black

Yes, it's Paul Gilbert.

Is it just me, or does Gilbert seem absolutely stoked to be playing with one of his idols? Judging by his head motions, he certainly seems to agree with every note JPJ plays.

**sgrexa** · Jun-12-2012, 8:55am

Stoked? I know I would be!

**Mandolin Mick** · Jun-12-2012, 9:33am

John Paul Jones is a master at instrument ornamentation as he demonstrates on this video. I've always thought that he was the most talented and interesting instrumentalist in Zeppelin ...

**Verne Andru** · Jun-13-2012, 3:55pm

Totally enjoyed that - thanks for posting it.

I always felt JPJ was the more versatile musician of the group. Then I read an interview with him where he basically describes himself as an airhead - claims he can't remember set-lists and gets lost in the middle of songs. I've watched a number of videos of him and can't quite figure out what he's on about...looks totally fine to me!

**Ed Goist** · Mar-16-2013, 11:37pm

Here's John Paul Jones on a solid-bodied electric mandolin-family instrument (mandola?) performing with Seasick Steve at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2012. So great.

**DeamhanFola** · Mar-20-2013, 5:26pm

Originally Posted by sgrexa

Is this a mandola? I have never seen a mando with what appears to be such a wide neck? Maybe I just have a case of the Mondays! Anyone?

Sean

Many 'teens/early 20s Gibson mandolins have very wide necks by contemporary standards. Just a perusal of the instruments currently in Elderly's inventory shows this: 1919 A, 1921 A4 & 1920 F4 all with 1 7/32" nut.

My custom Bridger has a 1 1/4" nut: the extra space is very useful to keep strings droning whilst playing a melody line.

**SternART** · Mar-20-2013, 6:29pm

And to think I sat next to JPJ in a few classes at the Mandolin Symposium in Santa Cruz, CA...... back in 2004. He did a really nice duet with Grisman during the final night performance.

**Nevin** · Mar-20-2013, 6:42pm

I saw him play mandolin about seven or eight years ago and it was definitely a mandolin.

**Bob Murphy** · Mar-20-2013, 6:45pm

Check this one out. It's one of my JPJ favorites

**JeffD** · Mar-20-2013, 7:17pm

Originally Posted by Bob Murphy

Check this one out. It's one of my JPJ favorites

And not but a bit ago I was defending multi-necks as being not "hit with the ugly stick" ugly.

**PJ Doland** · Mar-20-2013, 7:45pm

JPJ is one of a handful of people walking the Earth who are cool enough to play an instrument with three necks without looking like a complete d-bag.

"I celebrate his entire catalog."