View Full Version : My New Ellis A Deluxe
KMaynard
Aug-16-2016, 6:37pm
Just received my new Ellis A Deluxe. Impeccable craftsmanship and the sound is soulful, piercing, woody, clear, bright and loud all mixed together. A strum across the strings makes the thing come to life with sound and vibrations. I'm going to love the journey with this mandolin. Sugar Maple back, sides and neck, Adirondack (red) spruce top with gold Waverly tuners and gold James tailpiece.
sgarrity
Aug-16-2016, 6:38pm
That's beautiful. Tom makes a fine mandolin. Enjoy! :mandosmiley:
yankees1
Aug-16-2016, 8:00pm
Beautiful ! Now you need a sibling named F5 !
Northwest Steve
Aug-16-2016, 8:21pm
Sweet...great looking mandolin.
almeriastrings
Aug-16-2016, 8:31pm
Superb.... congratulations. A truly fine mandolin.
Mark Wilson
Aug-16-2016, 8:47pm
Such a classy looking A5! Congratulations and happy pickin'
Glassweb
Aug-16-2016, 8:49pm
like Mark said above... super classy, great-looking wood and, best of all, NO SCALLOPED BOARD! congrats... play the hell out of it!
KMaynard
Aug-16-2016, 9:03pm
Thanks all. I feel fortunate to have the Ellis A5. I have a 2003 Gibson Master Model, but wanted to add an A style and after searching and researching, I just felt the Ellis, for the money, was the right choice for me. Lots of sound coming out of these F holes. :mandosmiley:
Denman John
Aug-16-2016, 9:37pm
Nice ~ Enjoy it in good health!
Steve-o
Aug-16-2016, 9:42pm
Thanks all. I feel fortunate to have the Ellis A5. I have a 2003 Gibson Master Model, but wanted to add an A style and after searching and researching, I just felt the Ellis, for the money, was the right choice for me. Lots of sound coming out of these F holes. :mandosmiley:
Congrats KMaynard! And welcome to the club. My Ellis A is just as you described. I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on how it compares and contrasts to you Master Model.
Ron McMillan
Aug-16-2016, 11:26pm
One word: envy. :)
Ivan Kelsall
Aug-17-2016, 3:35am
Congrats on your new Ellis you'll never regret buying it. My own Ellis De Luxe "A" style (serial # 215-10) came 'used'. Apart from the huge bass guitar strap button that the previous owner has screwed into the neck,& a few dings / scratches,it was fine. I told Tom about the strap button & he was far less than pleased. The mandolin sounds superb & i decided to stick with Tom's ''go to'' strings GHS A270's. I can't imagine it sounding 'better' with any others,different maybe but..........!.
I use a very soft leather strap placed under the fingerboard & around the mandolin & it works superbly well,
Ivan;)
148974
Randi Gormley
Aug-17-2016, 10:30am
Just beautiful. Congrats!
KMaynard
Aug-17-2016, 1:11pm
Steve, I've only had the Ellis for a day, and I do expect it to get better. However, that will just be icing on the cake because the Ellis right out of the gate is very impressive. Comparing the Ellis A5 to my Master Model, the are so much alike, but still different. They both have very good projection, drive and a sweet tone. They are both responsive and vibrate like crazy when strummed. I think the Ellis would be adept at more genre's as compared to the Gibson, which is more of a bluegrass instrument. Tonally, I would say the Ellis is a bit more modern sounding, very "Engelman or Italian Spruce" feel and sound but with Adirondack spruce power. I would say the Ellis A5 also has more sustain. I'll get a better feel for the Ellis after a few months.
9lbShellhamer
Aug-17-2016, 1:37pm
I LOVE the gold tuners/tailpiece on the Ellis. It's gorgeous.
mcgroup53
Aug-17-2016, 2:24pm
Very nice. It will be a year I've had my tortoise bound F5 Special I got at IBMA 2015. Fabulous instrument. 148985
Nate Lee
Aug-17-2016, 3:14pm
Looks great!
terzinator
Aug-17-2016, 3:19pm
That really is beautiful.
When I bought my most recent, it was between an Ellis A and the two-point Sorensen Sprite. I'm in love with my Sprite, but I can't count out the possibility I might have MAS again for an Ellis.
Stunning back on that one. Looks old.
I've played a few Ellis mandolins, and all were excellent. Enjoy!
DataNick
Aug-17-2016, 7:25pm
Congrats....a beauty!
lflngpicker
Aug-17-2016, 7:43pm
K-- Great choice! I am envious. Enjoy the journey with your newest mandolin.
Ivan Kelsall
Aug-18-2016, 1:43am
From KMaynard - "I think the Ellis would be adept at more genre's as compared to the Gibson, which is more of a bluegrass instrument." IMHO,that all depends on who's playing it.
Shortly after i'd bought my Ellis which i'd re-strung with my favourite strings DR MD11's,i took it down to one of the largest music stores in Manchester UK to show to one of the guys there. He's a Classical mandolin / mandola player & he's good. As he said,the Ellis was ''strung for Bluegrass'' - but,he produced some of the most sublime tones from it i'd ever heard from any mandolin. His technique enabled him to do that. I'd maybe have liked to have heard it with the GHS A270's that are on it now. I decided that the MD11's which are very powerful strings,robbed it of some of the sweeter tones when played slowly / more quietly.
In the right hands,i think we'd all be surprised at how our little instruments can sound,
Ivan