Jiri Lebeda - Still building.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Through the kindness of a fellow 'cafe member,Gerry Cassidy,who has a luthier friend in the Czech.Republic,i've managed to make contact with Jiri Lebeda.
Jiri is still building,but almost on a 'private' basis. It seems he tired of the larger scale of production that he was into at one time.The crash of currencies against the $,didn't help either ( who did it help ?).
Personally,i'm very pleased that his skill is still available to those who want one of his instruments.My own Lebeda was built by Jiri alone & the build standard is a testimony to just how good that guy is. I get a gut feeling that his 'own build' instruments,made solely by him from superior materials quote - " with the well aged wood and french polishing finish..",will be as good as it gets. I'm almost wringing my hands in anguish that i currently can't afford to order one from him. Of all the Czech.builder's instruments that i've seen,Jiri's instruments are the very finest for their build standard (IMHO) - & i'm in no way inferring that the other Czech. builder's instruments aren't good,
Ivan

[swampstomper]

Ivan, that's great news. It fits with what Jiri told me the last time he came to EWOB, I think in 2009, before "retiring", something like "when you see what I come up with in my new shop you will want to sell all your mandolins -- even the Lebeda you love so much -- and get one of my new ones." I am eagerly awaiting a review / sound clip from whichever Caféer gets one.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Hi Swampy - I remember 'somebody' posting that remark a while ago,i'd forgotten that it was you. I received another e-mail from Jiri yesterday & he asked me to put his contact e-mail address on here so :- jiri.lebeda@email.cz
It would be a nice gesture for those of us who have a really good Lebeda mandolin,to e-mail him just to say hello & thank you. He's a great builder by any standard. Jiri knows his own mandolins like no other,& if he's of the opinion that his current ones are 'that much better' than his previous ones,then there's something very good deep in the heart of the Czech.Republic !!,
Ivan

[blueron]

I look forward to learning more about Jiri's new creations.....

ron

[jazzphil]

Thanks for the update. I own an F5 premium + and a J4 and would absolutely concur with your opinion on the build quality.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Jiri's build standard & his attention to detail,is simply first class. Look at the headstock binding width in this pic.,& see how it's the same as the fingerboard binding width - it just ''looks right''. My Weber Fern,although it's a great mandolin,looks a bit odd,as the headstock binding is less than 1/2 the width of the fingerboard binding.As for his materials,they're as nice as any i've seen,
Ivan

[almeriastrings]

Very nice indeed... that top looks as interesting as the back.

[Ray(T)]

Is the pickguard original Ivan, or is it something you've added? I have been thinking of adding one to my Holoubek.

[Buck]

...My Weber Fern,although it's a great mandolin,looks a bit odd,as the headstock binding is less than 1/2 the width of the fingerboard binding....

It's all a matter of perspective. To my eye the headstock binding should be smaller. It's more traditional anyway.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Almeira - The top is 'Bearclaw' Spruce. Ray - The pickguard is original.Here's Trevor's TAMCO pic.When i saw it,i just had to ask Trevor for a part-ex.I did however remove the pickguard as i didn't like the 'fat-ass' shape of it. A few months ago,i re-shaped it similar to the shape of an Ellis pickguard ie.more slender & with a square ass.It looks a lot better,(IMHO).
Buck - I agree !.Personally i like a bit less plastic,
Ivan