Sutherland OM

[Jon Hall]

The fiddle player in our band bought a beautiful OM made by Tony Sutherland. Has anyone here owned or played one? I believe there is one in the cafe's eye candy.

[steve V. johnson]

I believe Tony worked with Stephen Owsley Smith on an instrument that was raffled off for Roger Landes' Zoukfest in 2003. Other than that, I don't know any more of his work. That instrument that they built for Zoukfest was fantastic-looking! I bought a bunch of tickets for it. But I didn't win... <G>

[PCypert]

I've always wanted one of his two points listed on his site (the perfect 10). Never had any first hand experience with him. Was kind of hard to get a hold of by email. His wife responded and asked that I call. Never got through though. Probably be another one of those I almost had one when they were cheap stories. I've been building up quite a bit of those lately. Everyone should just follow the builders I talk to and end up not buying from. One year later they're always huge.
Paul

[steve V. johnson]

Hey Paul,
What's Sutherland's website addr?
And I've marked my calendar for that year you mention... <GG>

[PCypert]

Hey,
I followed the link in the eye candy section. He's listed under CBOM's. Go to Gallery and take a look. Interesting work. Like his OM's and mandolins better than his guitars. That's usually the case though. Guess I'm biased. Will admit to being more than a little interested in Sobell's guitars. THOSE are gorgeous.
Paul

PS Steve, I bet you'd be interested in this. Have a Crump on the way. Hopefully in the next couple weeks.

[steve V. johnson]

Hey Paul,

Thanks for the directions! I shoulda thought of looking there... I'm a little distracted, preparing for the Tommy Peoples concert and workshop... I keep forgetting stuff, routine, everyday stuff...

I generally like luthiers' mandos & OMs better than the guitars too. An exception are the Arrows. I sure wish I could afford that Arrow mando in the classifieds!!!

Hey, congrats on your Crump! Which one is it, how big? Tell all? <G>

[PCypert]

It's the guitar shaped cutaway. I believe it's going to be 24 inch scale. Cedar topped, mahog backed. Would have liked one like yours (love that style), but needed one quickly as I'm leaving the country in May and he had that one already started as a side project and offered to sell it to me. Sometimes I'm worried I won't like the guitar bodied as much, but know I'll love the sound.
Paul

[danb]

Tony's website is www.sutherlandguitars.com (http://www.sutherlandguitars.com). I traded him the site design for a big block of Koa http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif Tony's stuff is very nice. He had an all-koa octave mandolin at that last zoukfest that nearly had Kevin MacLeod's wallet out in the bright of day. He eventually chickened out with some sort of fiscal responsibility as his excuse. Oh well.

[steve V. johnson]

Paul,
Always better sooner than later with a custom luthier, eh? LOL!!
I have no notion of guitar-bodied zouks. It's a personal blind spot, I guess. I've never played one, not been in a room with one, and it's sort of a non-sequitur to me. I have friends who love them and go all ga-ga over them, tho. I'm sure you'll love yours, the pix of the gtr-bodied one(s) on Phil's site are definitely gorgeous!

I guess I wanted something that's entirely separate from the guitar world. My Crump is -almost- too close to guitar tone as it is, with it's big, deep voice.

Dan,
"... nearly had Kevin MacLeod's wallet out in the bright of day." LMAO!!!

Thanks for the URL!

[Jon Hall]

My bandmate's Sutherland OM is a three point with an oval sound hole, arched back and top. The b & s are koa and the top is a incredible piece of spruce that came from a fallen log with over 300 annual rings! The tree was over 300 years old. It has a "big" tone and really projects. If you don't hold back you can start drowning other instruments out.

[kmmando]

Foul calumny!!! ... I seem to recall spending all my hard earned cash pouring tequila down DBs throat, in the vague chance he would stop playing! Didn't work, and I left Taos broken koa hearted!

[zoukboy]

Foul calumny!!! ... I seem to recall spending all my hard earned cash pouring tequila down DBs throat, in the vague chance he would stop playing! Didn't work, and I left Taos broken koa hearted!
Hi Kevin and Dan!

That Sutherland OM sold to a friend of mine here - a b#$jo player who doesn't play it much but one of the guys in his band won't let it out of his hands. I suspect the situation might could be exploited...

Tony is in the process of making me a 4 course zouk/8va mando. Very similar to the 2003 raffle instrument but with lighter bracing. I'll post a report when I get it.

Roger Landes
http://zoukfest.com

[zoukboy]

My bandmate's Sutherland OM is a three point with an oval sound hole, arched back and top. The b & s are koa and the top is a incredible piece of spruce that came from a fallen log with over 300 annual rings! The tree was over 300 years old. It has a "big" tone and really projects. If you don't hold back you can start drowning other instruments out.
That was Tony's first 8va mando and his only arched top one, *I think*. He sold it to Michael Mandrell, a great guitarist who used to live here who relocated to Portland a couple of years ago. did your bandmate buy it from Michael?

Roger Landes
http://zoukfest.com

[danb]

Kevin, the only trouble was you kept missing my throat and pouring it down your own.

'tis true, I started playing a strathspey on it, and kevin marched over with lips pressed together, brow furrowed.. snatched it away and put it in it's case.

The night before he left, I saw him playing it outside under a lamp and cussing to himself.

[Jon Hall]

Roger,

You're correct, Mike Mandrell was the previous owner. He and my bandmate played in a group together during the late 70's - early 80's and have been good friends ever since. I had no idea that it was Tony's first 8 stringer or his only arch top. That makes a fine instrument even more special. I'll appreciate more every time I play it.

Jon