Gary Vessel mandolin on Cumberland Highlanders last night

[Don Grieser]

The Cumberland Highlanders show on RFD-TV featured Karl Shiflett's band. The mandolin player, CJ Lewindowski, was playing what looked to be the Gary Vessel copy of Big Mon's Loar with Gibson dug out and all the distressing on the body. Sounded great!

[Bernie Daniel]

Yes that mando did sound great! Thanks for filling me in on all that Don! I did a double and a triple take on that mandolin and finally decided that the guy must have had someone make him a copy of the famous F-5 before THE GREAT REPAIR.

What do you know about CJ Lewindowski? And thanks also for spelling his name! He has his own style of picking that I mostly liked. Definitely Monroe-like.

I also liked the rest the Karl's band and all their big stepping around in place while they play -- great entrainment for sure. Great banjo and fiddle and Karl carries a mean guitar.

BTW you probably know this too what the story with that break-down that they played -- some-friend-of-Monroe's breakdown -- that tune sounds a lot like Southern Flavor to me.

I did like it when David Long was with the band too though.

[Don Grieser]

I know Gary Vessel made an amazing copy of Mon's Loar at that time period and posted photos of it here. Just looking at Shiflett's website, it says CJ Lewandowski (correct spelling) plays and endorses Glenn mandolins. Maybe there's more than one copy of Mon's Loar out there.

Edit: After doing some searching, I found the thread with the Vessel copy.

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...ghlight=vessel

The one on the show last night had the carved out peghead logo from the earlier time period but with the distressing/wear from the 80s/90s. Whoever made it, it did sound really good.

[Willie]

That show will be repeated late Monday night at 12:30 AM on RFD-TV, channel....I`ll be sure and tape it if I can`t stay awake that late....

Some years ago the end pin of my custom made "Gibson F-5" Mandolin came out and i dropped it and broke off the curl just like Bill`s, I started to dig out the Gibson name but thought better of it, although mine had the fern inlay it wouldn`t have been like Bill`s....I just glued the curl back on and haven`t had any problems with it since....

Willie

[f5loar]

There are several Monroe copies out there. There's even some imported copies from Wade I think. I thought it was the Vessel too but not sure after reading he played the Glenn mandolins of which I've not seen one. Monroes looked pretty distressed right before the headstock was repaired by Gibson in 1980. Even after that it retained it's worn finish on the body and neck just sported a new headstock overlay with the Gibson lopo proudly displayed once again.

[jim simpson]

I met C.J. last summer at a nearby festival where he was playing. He saw my ad in CL listing my Glenn mandolin and a double mandolin case. He purchased the case and checked out my Glenn. I got to play the Glenn that he is pictured with. It sounded good and loud and played well, much like the Glenn I was selling.

[Don Grieser]

So that Monroe copy is a Glenn. It sure sounded great, and like Bernie, made me do a doubletake.