View Full Version : Stringband with Mandobass
bluesmandolinman
Jun-07-2005, 2:35pm
Just found this photo in a google search :
I hope the link works
Mandobass rules http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
<a href="http://images.google.de/imgres?imgurl=http://vilda.alaska.edu/cdmg21/image/473.jpg&imgrefurl=http://vilda.alaska.edu/cgi-bin/viewer.exe%3FCISOROOT%3D/cdmg21%26CISOPTR%3D472%26CISORESTMP%3D%26CISOVIEWT MP%3D&h=550&w=720&sz=186&tbnid=UorxYlDKYscJ:&tbnh=106&tbnw=139&hl=de&start=13&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmandobass%26svnum%3D20%26hl%3Dde%26lr %3D" target="_blank">
Philipino Strinband</a>
Baron Collins-Hill
Jun-07-2005, 8:44pm
i gotta get me one a those...
baron
mario515
Jun-07-2005, 10:21pm
kinda hard to get it thru the door,,,
delsbrother
Jun-07-2005, 10:31pm
Not disputing your title (and it appears to be likely, going by the visual evidence) but the caption at the site reads:
Interview notes : (l. to r.): Unknown, Jack Reed, George Benson, Sheldon Jarres, Harry Bremner, Mr. Young, Charlies Jackson, Willie Benson. They comprised the orchestra that played for many events in Yakutat.
None of those names sounds Filipino. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif How did you come to this conclusion, and do you know anything else about this photo?
I'm trying to track down more info on Filipinos and mandolins (I am part Filipino). I know there's a huge tradition of Rondalla music in the Philippines, and I know Dave Apollon's band was made up of Filipino musicians. That's about all I know, I'm afraid! Can you be of any more help?
pathfinder
Jun-08-2005, 12:14am
Hmmm, not a banjo in sight anywhere! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
bluesmandolinman
Jun-08-2005, 1:17am
delsbrother
Unfortunatly I canīt help you with your research. The reason why I called them "Filipino" is simply because I know that Dave Apollon once played in a Filipino band and the folks looked similar to me. Sorry to disapoint you http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif
plunktone
Jun-08-2005, 10:14am
Judging from the listed location of the photo (Yakutat, which is a bit north of Juneau), these gentlemen seem likely to be from the Tlingit tribe. Not quite filipino, unless you want to follow the mitochondrial DNA trail back a few thousand years. Cool picture, though.
-j
delsbrother
Jun-08-2005, 7:21pm
delsbrother
Unfortunatly I canīt help you with your research. The reason why I called them "Filipino" is simply because I know that Dave Apollon once played in a Filipino band and the folks looked similar to me. Sorry to disapoint you http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif
No pansit for you!
..though maybe we could rustle up some smoked salmon? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
Jim Garber
Jun-08-2005, 10:10pm
As they once said... "every one a Gibsonite." Amazing that everything except maybe the fiddle was made by Gibson. I suppose those Gibson salesmen made it up the Alaska even back then.
Jim
John Flynn
Jun-08-2005, 10:35pm
Amazing that everything except maybe the fiddle was made by Gibson.
In that time frame, its not like they had a ton of choices, especially for the bass.
Jim Garber
Jun-08-2005, 10:59pm
In that time frame, its not like they had a ton of choices, especially for the bass.
They would have had plenty of choices for less expensive instruments, including the bass. THey probably could have played an upright. Gibsonsm even in those days, were not the least expensive. I think it was amazing that Gibson was available way up in the Alaskan territory. Tho, of course, there is that possibility that that was a visiting group of musicians from elsewhere.
Jim
toddjoles
Jun-11-2005, 2:25pm
Gibson probably made the fidddle too. There are more than a few examples of Gibson fiddles out there.
Jim Garber
Jun-11-2005, 3:07pm
Gibson probably made the fidddle too. There are more than a few examples of Gibson fiddles out there.
Possible, tho depends on the time that this picture was actually taken. Gibson only made violins during WWII when German imports of violins into the US were curtailed. Most of those instruments pictured were from the teens.
Jim
Big Joe
Jun-14-2005, 9:34am
The cool thing about the Gibson mando bass is that it is a fretted instrument. I've never played one, but that would be a weird experience. We are restoring one in our shop for someone and it is a really cool job. We had to remove the back which was nearly off anyway and replace most of the braces. Then we had to put the back on and rebind it. We are now builing a replica tailpiece for it. We have the original bridge and are going to try to use it. We may have to refret it to repair the fingerboard, but it is one cool instrument. It may be done in the next couple of weeks. I think the owner wants to sell it, but I am not completely sure.
Jim Garber
Jun-14-2005, 9:43am
I had a mandobass years ago and played it a little bit. The big problem was the back. In my New York City heated apartment the back just split -- I think it was multiple pieces anyway. I had it reglued twice and then decided to sell it.
Frankly, for the size a string bass is a better instrument -- more projection and better tone. The bass instrument that was used for years in the New York Mandolin Orchestra was a contrabass balalaika. I asked the bassist if he used a mandobass and he said that he did but the balalaika worked much better. je played it with a pick made from shoe leather.
Jim
jefflester
Jun-14-2005, 8:55pm
I found this cool pic of Hilary James playing mandobass on Fairport Convention's website (they've opened for Fairport and are playing Cropredy this year). Simon Mayor should be playing mandolin, though. :-)
Originally from:Fairport news (http://www.fairportconvention.com/news22.htm)
jefflester
Jun-14-2005, 9:02pm
There are also a number of mandobass pics on their website:
Hilary James and Simon Mayor (http://www.mandolin.co.uk/)
delsbrother
Jul-08-2005, 6:12am
I think this one is begging for some captions..
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics19/00009197.jpg
[Edited to link instead]
I think this one is begging for some captions..
True enough but what comes to mind wouldn't make it past the censors. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
GVD
BoydWood
Jul-08-2005, 9:51am
Could it be Dan Ackroyd and Steve Martin?
They look like two wild and crazy guys.
mandroid
Jul-11-2005, 12:32am
Bridge over Love Canal, perhaps?
delsbrother
Jul-11-2005, 2:00am
For you LA area MCers, that (believe it or not) is a bridge over a canal in Venice... California, that is!
vkioulaphides
Jul-11-2005, 1:48pm
Well, The New Yorker does run a monthly contest, offering a cartoon and soliciting possible captions. For the one with the mandobass and the two ladies on/by the fence, I would guess something like:
She says: "Wow! THAT's a big one!"
He says: "Why, thank you!"
That, at least, would have been a likely submission to The New Yorker. Ye censors, blame it not on me! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
<span style='color:purple'>Is that a bow? or are you just happy to see us?</span>
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics19/00009197.jpg
mandoman15
Jul-21-2005, 2:48pm
guitar player: whish i played the mandobass....grumble http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
mandoman15
Jul-21-2005, 2:58pm
:*)