I asked a couple guys if they wanted to play a new mando . . .

**StevenS** · Jun-28-2012, 2:30pm

. . . and they said, "Yes."

(Please excuse the background noise. We were about 100 ft from the main stage at the Huck Finn Jubilee.)

Much thanks to Mike G and Scott G for spending a good bit of time working-over this new F8 mandolin, and allowing me to post their improvisations.

Steve

**billhay4** · Jun-28-2012, 3:17pm

Nice sounding instrument; pretty good players. :-)
Bill

**greg_tsam** · Jun-28-2012, 5:26pm

Scott G is looking pretty "gangsta" these days.

**StevenS** · Jun-29-2012, 12:35pm

Greg,

You can see, even in this little clip, that Scott is starting to push his mandolin playing into some frontier zones that are really exciting. Can't wait to see where he grows from here!

Steve

**greg_tsam** · Jun-30-2012, 4:20am

Absolutely, Steven. Scott has been studying with Evan Marshall for so long that his potential is who knows how high. I remember being impressed by his early youtube vids when he was a young teenager. Nice mando!

**cobraman428** · Jun-30-2012, 7:14am

RE: Scott Gates video.......That a perfect reason I dont let people play my mandolin. Planting their finger on the top, crazy right hand fingernail scratches, and the impression that they are trying to break it.

**StevenS** · Jun-30-2012, 6:58pm

Cobra,

Watching Scott push the mando was great. It stayed clean and was up to everything he threw at it . . . which was what I was going for with this F8. It is a bluegrass machine.

Here is Lou Reid taking a gentler approach after a Seldom Scene set --

Steve

**mandolinlee** · Jul-05-2012, 11:51am

Found the video of Scott G. and Evan Marshall playing Maiden's Prayer followed by Lady Be Good. Really good!
Also, noticed both have their straps tied to the peghead, not the famous F5 strap hanger. Interesting.
Lee