View Full Version : Joe Craven's "BedPandolin"
Treblemaker
Apr-18-2005, 5:48pm
I recently attended the San Francisco Festival of the Mandolin in my neighborhood in SF (Excelsior/Mission Terrace)...
One of the coolest things I saw there was Joe Craven playing a "BedPandolin." Her jokingly referred to it as a "Commodium," and a "Chamberlin." You decide for yourselves....
Treblemaker -
SF, CA
Now that's cool! Craven is a remarkable musician... I wish he would come through Salt Lake as a solo act (although seeing him with Grisman is great too).
Paul Doubek
Ted Eschliman
Apr-18-2005, 8:04pm
I was hoping to do a review of my recently acquired Commodium soon. Meantime I'll post a picture of it.
No financial interest, but anyone interested in acquiring one of these can contact the maker, Keith Cary at:
kcary@eccentric.org
These babies play well, and believe it or not, sound great!
I'll leave it to him to tell you how much they cost, but in general you will pay way less than $700, AND be the talk of the town!
It's the loudest mando I own, too.
Ted Eschliman
Apr-18-2005, 8:06pm
The "hind" end...
JEStanek
Apr-18-2005, 9:44pm
It even has an installed strap butt-on!http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif Any chance we could hear a clip of the tone? How does it sound compared to a resonator banjolin? It looks way-cool.
Ted Eschliman
Apr-18-2005, 10:12pm
I had a chance to A/B compare this with one of the new National Resophonics...
The consensus in a room full of mandolin enthusiasts (Mandobrunch at Mandofest) was the Commodium was louder and much bigger in sound.
Ted:
Good to hear your review of the Commodium. I have been saving my pennies to buy my one from Keith. It seems to me that it is probably the most cost effective serious resonator mando available today. We have the knowledge that the Commodium is made by a guy who spends his life playing, building and repairing instruments. I would also highly recommend his most recent album "The Joy Buzzards" where he plays his commodium on four tunes. And lots of other self-made instruments on the other tunes. A really interesting album, in my opinion.
for those interested in hearing the Commodium... his new album (The joy Buzzards) is distributed by CD Baby.
See also:
http://www.keithcary.com/
Jim M.
Apr-20-2005, 12:36pm
I've been to Keith's shop and have tried the Commodium. Despite its humorous origins, it is definitely a serious instrument. I was buying a different instrument from him, but if I was in the market for a reso mando, I'd buy one of these.
mandohack Posted
I had a chance to A/B compare this with one of the new National Resophonics...
The consensus in a room full of mandolin enthusiasts (Mandobrunch at Mandofest) was the Commodium was louder and much bigger in sound.
I was one of those people in the room and agree with Ted. I did like the feel of the National neck slightly more but all things considered I felt the Commodium was a much better value.
GVD
How does it sound compared to a resonator banjolin? It looks way-cool.
GEStanek:
Kieth Cary also makes a resonator 5 string banjo using the same or similar configuration. I forget what he calls it. It is on a new web site of his... Search "Cary Commodium" and you should come up with it.
jmkatcher
Apr-21-2005, 1:01am
Given that it's a wood-bodied instrument, I'd expect the National to be more subdued. What did people at Mandobrunch think of the National tone rather than the loudness?
Treblemaker
Apr-21-2005, 9:32am
I played a National Reso at the NAMM show and thought it was a very good instrument - but the price was stratospheric...It also was a shorter scale and I am used to Florentine scale length...
I'd be interested in checking out one of these Commodium's but then again, I have no real application other than recording in which to make use of it...
Treblemaker
mtnrose
Apr-21-2005, 12:38pm
So how heavy are these things?
Seems like it would be indestructable & great for fishing/camping trips. Since Im a nurse it does appeal to my somewhat sick/warped sense of humor.
Becky
"Seems like it would be indestructable & great for fishing/camping trips"
Becky,
It is pretty tough I understand, but not indestructable. Kieth fired a 22 caliber bullet into one and it went through.
HarmonyRexy
Apr-22-2005, 7:11pm
Hi!
I recently got the "Joy Buzzards" CD... I love the 'sound' of it! The bedpan mandolin definitely could be heard to full advantage.
(A couple of the songs are a little wild even for me...ones that I need to flip past so that my 7 year old wouldn't learn.)
It's definitely worth getting!!!
The letter from their shipping department alerting you that the CD is on a way is a hoot and a half.
I'm also thinking of buying a commodium!!! We have a musical comedy routine where it would be right at home!
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif