Mandolin gathering at the "Great 48" Bluegrass jamming fest?

[craigw]

In 2008, following the demise of the big indoor Bluegrass festival, Supergrass and it's sidekick, Loarfest West, a grassroots gathering of Bluegrassers was held in an effort to keep the spirit of Supergrass alive. The event held the 1st weekend following the New Year, has been taking place at the DoubleTree hotel in Bakersfield, CA and has been supported by all the major Bluegrass organizations in the state including the CBA, BASC, SWBA, BSCC, SDBS and the NCBS. From the 1st year when attendance was about 65 the event has grown exponentially as the 2012 event (it's 5th year) saw close to 100 rooms in the hotel occupied by attendees and approximately 400-500 in attendance. Dubbed the "Great 48 Bluegrass Jam" since it originally covered from Friday through the early hours of Sunday with non-stop Bluegrass jamming, it is actually more than 72 hours now (but 72 doesn't rhyme with "Great") with the addition of a Thursday evening Bluegrass band contest for which the proceedss benefit a local charity. The event also has had a Bluegrass band scramble and open mic on Saturday evening but for 2013 we will be having Rhonda Vincent and Rage appearing in concert in the hotel ballroom.
Room rates are reasonably priced at $89/night and there are a number of good restaurants in the area as well as the Buck Owens Crystal Palace nearby.
Last year Steve Sorenson and I got together at the event and did some show and tell with our mandolins. Since then Steve and I have been talking about contacting some of the other builders as well as polling the mandolin community at large and determine if there is interest in holding a mandolin gathering for the 2013 "Great 48".
Mando geeking could go on throughout the event but we could feature Friday, January 4 for concentration and cap things off with the Rhonda Vincent concert. (She is a pretty good mando player after all.)
We'd like to keep it simple but let us know your interest and ideas for the gathering if we decide go ahead with it.
Thanks,
Craig W

[StevenS]

Yes, you are reading Craig's calm note correctly. Just to highlight the key points --

> A day for us mandolinquents to get together, Friday, January 4, 2013 at the Bakersfield Great 48!

> Followed by mando-Goddess Rhonda Vincent and the Rage live and in concert!

> Turning into non-stop jamming that will continue for more than the next 48 hours!

Count me in!

Steve

[sgarrity]

Fridays are a little tough for me, at least early in the day. But I'd try to come up and bring some of my collection.

[DataNick]

Hi All! New to the list...I live in North County San Diego and a friend and myself who both play mandolin amongst our instruments are planning on going...we'll keep a llokout for the "Mando Geek" gathering...really looking forward to the jamming...BTW Summergrass here in our neck of the woods was last weekend and a blast (though I missed A.J. Lee)...
Nick

[DataNick]

Dude,

I just watched one of your videos, "Southern Flavor" one of my favorite Monroe tunes...nice job!
Is that Wiens worth the $15k price tag..sounded great, but it's a little hard for me to tell much of a difference in Mandos past the $5-7k range. I'd love to hear you play it in person...hope you get a chance to come to the Great 48.
Nick

[craigw]

I thought it was time we revived this thread since the Great 48 is less than two weeks away. Dana Thorin of the traveling events music store, Music Caravan (Suite 239), has graciously offered to host (along with Steve Sorensen and I) the serindipitous Mandolin Gathering throughout the Great 48 with focus times for show and tell or other such things to be determined and postd as this develops. Music Caravan is also hosting midnight band showcasing on Friday and Saturday nights.
I talked to Roger Siminoff this morning and he was already planning to be at the Great 48. He said he will be bring over a couple of items which should be of real interest to us mando geek types. He has some extremely historic items that we shouldn't miss seeing but he has not shown his hand, so to speak, as yet.
Feel free to weigh in and let us know who all might be coming. Rooms at the Doubletree are $89/night in our Bluegrass block. Go to: www.cbaontheweb.org and click on the link to the Great 48, then on the link for hotel reservations.
Thanks. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

[f5loar]

Being somewhat of a "Nudie" junky I was in "Nudie" heaven when I visited Buck's Palace. His one of a kind display of his long career in museum quality form is well worth a trip to Bakersfield. And the steaks ain't too shabby either. It was the last time I saw Dempsy Young as we sat down to eat a steak at Buck's place. Also this area has great "mexican" food.

[craigw]

Too bad you live so far away Tom. I'd love to see that Nudie suit of yours again that you had on at Loarfest West. That was a great time and really historic. The hotel we're now in is the Doubletree and only about 1/4 mile from Buck's Crystal Palace. It would be an easy walk from the hotel. I hope to see you next year in Raliegh

[f5loar]

I was hoping to wear the "Nudie Loar Suit" to IBMA in Raleigh but I just can't bare the thought of upstaging Doyle Lawson. I think he bought stock in an Australian Rhinestone Factory.

[DanaT]

I am looking forward to hosting the Mandolin gathering at The Great 48. More information will follow after Christmas, but Music Caravan & West Threads will be co-hosting a room that will be the scene of several activities during the weekends. Music Caravan sells a variety of musical accessories - picks, capos, strings, instruction books, gig bags and cases, along with some instruments and West Threads will have shirts, jammie bottoms, boxers and pick sacks.

At midnight on Friday and Saturday nights, two different bands each night will be featured in a showcase setting. The main mandolin gathering will probably be held on Saturday afternoon.

[sgarrity]

Any word on a schedule yet? I'm trying to see if I can make it up for Saturday.

[StevenS]

Shaun,

Looks like we will be getting together starting either at 2 or 3 PM Saturday afternoon at Dana's Music Caravan suite. More details to follow from Dana . . .

My goal is to bring the Sprite Two-Point mandola that I have working on these past few weeks -- in the white -- for some feedback and play-time. I'll also have a couple of other Sprites, a Pacifica and perhaps a Californian guitar.

Craig Wilson will have some new mandolins and hopefully we'll be adding builders to the list as we come down to the wire.

Steve

[DanaT]

Ok, here is the basic information on the Mando Gathering at The Great 48 Hour Jam in Bakersfield:

Bring you mandolin or your desire to be up close and personal with many mandolins to the Music Caravan/West Threads room (#239) at 3:00 p.m. Saturday, January 5th. Craig Wilson will bring up to four of his Wilson Mandolins, Steve Sorensen will have three Sorensen mandolins and Roger Siminoff will be bringing some F-5 mandolins.

This will be a great opportunity for show-and-tell and sharing!

[sgarrity]

I just booked a room. I'll bring a few to pass around as well.

[Eddie Sheehy]

I just got a room Fri to Sunday... I hope there's no snow on the Grapevine...

[craigw]

Weather Channel says partly cloudy Friday and Saturday, no rain predicted.

[craigw]

Well, I'll have some of my mandolins there and be in and out most of the of the entire event but on Saturday my band, the Roustabouts, is doing showcases for a couple of the Bluegrass associations in their suites at 3 and 4 pm. Dang, not the best timing but we can be hanging out unofficially over the whole weekend and I'll leave mandolins in the suite for show and tell for the official gathering. The Roustablouts and Central Valley Boys will also be doing a midnight showcase Saturday (wee hours Sunday) in the Music Caravan Suite.
On another note, we got word yesterday that the hotel is now booked solid Friday night with maybe a few opening Thursday and Saturday (if they're not already gone). There are several other nice hotels within a half block to two blocks away. If you haven't gotten a room yet try the Hilton Garden Inn, Courtyard by Marriott, Hotel Rosedale, Springhill Suites or the Clarion among others.
The Best Western-Crystal Palace and the EZ 8 and a few more are just around the corner on Buck Owens Blvd.

[DanaT]

Ok! Update on the Mandolin gathering at the 48 Hour Jam!!!! Craig Wilson and I had discussed starting the gathering at 2:00 p.m., so he scheduled a band showcase for 3:00. So, we are going to start at 2:00 p.m. People will be lingering for some time I am sure, so be sure to come see some nice mandolins! Music Caravan will be in room 239.

[craigw]

Last word I had heard was the official gathering was going to be at 2 pm Saturday and the showcases had already been scheduled when word was posted that it would be at 3 pm. Thanks to Dana T. it is being advanced now to 2 pm and I'll be there at least for a while. Thanks Dana.

[sgarrity]

Well that was fun!! It was great meeting everyone and playing some fine mandolins!

[Eddie Sheehy]

Yep, I had a blast. As an introduction to Blugerass music it was like jumping in at the deep end but I got lots of encouragement and hope to back next year. BTW, Shaun, that Gil is a CANNON. When you were playing it on Sat. night it cut through all the other instruments...

[Eric Charles]

I enjoyed the mandolin get together at 2:00. Was great to try the Sorensens and the Wilsons and get some opinions on the two Weber Yellowstones I brought.

Shaun, I think you were sitting across the room from me doing some very nice picking (Dusty Miller among others). Didn't see you Saturday night pickin' though...so much to do...so many fun jams.

Thanks gents and gal, for putting on the mandolin tasting.

[StevenS]

Nice start! Hopefully we can keep growing it in the years to come.
Steve

[randolin]

Thanks to all the pickers that stopped by to play the new Sorensen mandolins and the in-the white Sorensen Sprite Mandola. Your comments were appreciated.
And special thanks to Dana Thorin of Music Caravan for hosting the mando tasting.
Let's do it again next year!
Randolin