New Stuff From Bruce Weber & Co.

[pickinNgrinnin]

Yesterday,I was talking with Paula Jean Lewis from Sound to Earth/Weber. She told me that they will be coming out with a "Jethro" 2 point Mandolin soon. They also have plans to build Flat Top Guitars and Arched Top Guitars. They feel the Guitar line is a natural progression.

I'm certain these new additions to the Weber family will be as nice as the instruments in their current line. Sooo sweet. The Guitars should be awesome.

The good folks at STE are enjoying their new building. Much more room and different views to boot. They were able to make the move in a few days and did not lose any Mando production time in the move. Quite a feat! Check out the pictures of their new home: http://www.soundtoearth.com/updates_remodel.htm

Beautiful area around the new shop. Easy to see why they wanted to stay in Montana.

This article makes brief mention of the Guitars:
http://www.export.gov/exporta....04.html (http://www.export.gov/exportamerica/SuccessStories/ss_soundtoearth_0104.html)

BTW, Paula Jean Lewis is the best in the business, hands down. NFI here, just love the Weber line http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[Walter Newton]

Awesome...Thanks for the update. Can't wait to see the Jethro model, hope it has those sharp SG-style points I've always thought of as "Devil" horns...

I've always thought of STE as a "sleeper" brand, not mentioned much here esp. given the hubbub about Montana Flatirons/Gibsons etc...let's hope they continue to provide innovative, customizeable, and relatively affordable high quality instruments for those of us "in the know" for many years to come!

[Steve L]

I think the perception that Weber mandolins are not often discussed on the board is rather strange. They seem to have the noteriety and good reputation that they deserve. Lots of happy owners, aspiring owners and admirers from what I've seen.

[ethanopia]

case in point, one thread down is an F5G vs Yellowstone, you hear about them a lot I think, as much as anything else. With the exception being Loars or course :-)

[jlb]

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif I hear about Webers all the time on this board. Maybe too much???

[Big Joe]

Me Too!!! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif .

[VernBrekke]

We do have a couple of two-point prototypes in the works. One with F-holes has been finished and two with sound holes are in sanding and finish. The standard model will have our Traditional Beartooth peghead with a new "shield" inlay design, radiused fingerboard with a single cut-away and a sound hole. The one in sanding is a standard model and we are waiting for it to be finished before posting a picture on our web site.

We don't know what we are going to call the model yet. Our "F" styles are named after Montana rivers and our "A" styles are named after Montana mountain ranges. The two-point is in-between those two styles.

We would like to name it after a Montana mountain river or possibly a lake, but we haven't found a name that stands out yet. We have also tossed around Montana city names: Bighorn, Centennial, Choteau, Manhatten, Madison, Two Dot, Teton, Glacier, Sonnette, Sapphire, Ronan, Java, etc... but so far none of the names have generated universal excitement. Although, we have pretty much ruled out DePew, Condon, Shambo, Ubet and Terminus.



Vern Brekke
Sound To Earth

[diamond ace]

I'm sure the new mandolin will be very nice I'm sure. I recently got a very customized yellowstone and man it is the best mandolin i have ever owned! (and I've) had plenty! You guys are right about Paula Jean to she is hands down the best costomer relations person I have ever delt with. Weber dose really great things and I'm glad to hear they are branching out but I hope the mandolin line dosen't take a back seat. Mando Jeremy was a big help to in helping me get my mandolin ( we sort of colaberated on the things we thought would really be nice on it and we were right)!!!!

Vern, when will the luthiers page be finished on your website? inquiring minds want to know.

[Eric F.]

Well, Vern, may I humbly suggest a little name-that-mando contest? The prize for the winner ... let's see ... hmmmmmmm. How about a new Weber 2-point? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Nick Triesch]

Big Joe, isn't it great that we have so many options to buy with new mandolins? It was just a few years ago when I walked into buffalo bros in San Diego and asked if they had any mandolins. They only had a few because flatiron was on it's way to Nashville and there were no Flatirons at all for quite some time. But look at things now. In just a few short years we have more great mandolins to choose from than ever before. And also the quality is way up on all of them including Gibson. About 1986 a friend of mine told me we were in the new renaissance of mandolin making. I think he was wrong. We are now in the new renaissance of guitar and mandolin making. America makes the best instruments in the world and all you builders out there should be very, very proud to be a part of history in the making. Nick

[BigJoe]

You are right Nick. I remember about twelve years ago wanting to find a nice mandolin that was better than what I had. I could not find one in Nashville or Minneapolis or Chicago. That was pretty sad. When I finally got my Flatiron I went to find a nice strap. Not only could I not find a good strap in Nashville, I could not find ANY strap. I went into the strap business just so I could have one. I made them much like AlanN does for several years. Of course, there is not enough money in it to make it worth the effort, but it was fun while it lasted. If I could just get the wife to braid them for me.........oh well. Better dream about something else.

Now we have so many good builders and every place you go there are a plethera of good instruments. Not just Gibson. Not just Gilchrist, but many many choices. I may have my own personal preferences and think I am the harbinger of all truth, but in reality there are so many good ones. It is a joy to be a part of what is happening today. I know the instrument we are building in our shop are going to be regarded as the best in our companies history in time, but there are other builders who will be well remembered many years from now. Some of those names are already known and others will rise to the occasion. It is a sunny day in mando land!

[Andrew Reckhart]

For the new Weber 2 point I really like the name Bighorn that Vern mentioned. I think that the two points could easily be associated with "horns" and the name definately does fit with their Montana theme. Not that my opinion matters, but it was the only name mentioned that really caught my attention.

[Eric F.]

Big Joe's new sig:

Have a Great Day!
Joe Vest
Gibson Original Acoustic Instruments
Harbinger of all truth.

I LOVE it!

[jacobw]

If I may offer my not so humble and probably worthless opinion http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif, I'll second the vote for naming the two-point "Bighorn"

[duuuude]

I kinda liked Shambo & Terminus http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

[wah]

Since I grew up in Montana I have a lot of my favorite place names. If you're thinking of town names why not go for ghost towns? Elkhorn fits that two point image, but my favorite is Southern Cross(a Weber Southern Cross, hmmm). Of course Red Lion and Bearmouth both have their charms.

Wayne

[doanepoole]

I like Elkhorn alot!

Southern Cross?...maybe some negative connotations their.

Montana State Bird: Meadowlark.

I was thinking that might be a nice name for a flattop.

[mrmando]

Helena would be kind of nice

[diamond ace]

how about "the Weburns" since it is a jethro model.

[diamond ace]

just kidding! I love the name
Bighorn. Just sounds real cool
thats my vote.

[GVD]

Southern Cross?...maybe some negative connotations their.

I would hope that the mandolin community has not become so PC that Southern Cross would have negative connotations. The first thing I think of when I hear that term is the most famous constellarion in the southern hemisphere. The second thing I think of is the CSN song about that very constellation. Nothing else comes to mind after that because that song will be stuck in my head on an endless loop the rest of the day.

When you see the Southern Cross for the first time,
You understand now why you came this way.
'Cause the truth you might be runnin' from is so small.
But it's as big as the promise, the promise of a coming day.


GVD

[Kevin@bluegrassbrethren]

Agreed GVD!.......aw man get it outta my head http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[wah]

The Southern Cross can only be seen in the Southern hemisphere. At 7000 ft. in the clear skies of Montana it seems you can see every star in the sky, but you'll never see the Southern Cross. Why would an old mining town established and inhabited by Swedes and Finns be named for a constellation they could never see? Maybe one of them was a old sailor longing for the sea and a more hospitable climate. Like many Montana ghost towns Southern Cross has a rich history along with its many mysteries.

Wayne

[neal]

Bighorn for the weber 2 point.
"Harbinger of all Truth" for Joe's sig. Seriously, I like it. It fits in a fun way.

[John Rosett]

i like bighorn too. there are alot of "bigs"here in montana. towns like big fork, big sky, and big arm. maybe if there are several model, you could name one after a town. i know i'd buy a mandolin called the"big arm" model!
john

[pickinNgrinnin]

I've been stumping with Vern and Paula Jean to name the 2 points after Montana lakes.

For one of the two point versions I like the name "Two Medicine." Two points = Two Medicine. Two Medicine Lake is a lake in Glacier Park. Check it out here:
http://www.virtualguidebooks.com/Montana....kL.html (http://www.virtualguidebooks.com/Montana/GlacierPark/EastGlacier/TwoMedicineFerryDockL.html)

Or Here:
http://www.lmphotography.com/framepic/water6.htm

I used to live in Montana and we often camped in the Two Medicine area. Actually there is a Upper and Lower Two Medicine Lake. This area is sacred to the Blackfeet Nation. A Two Medicine two pointer would have some serious mojo.

I also suggested "Bighorn" as there is a Bighorn Lake on the Montan-Wyoming border. Bighorn is synonymous with Montana. Perhaps the cut away version could be named Bighorn.

Check it out here:
http://montanafilm.com/lakes1.htm

Course there are Bighorn sheep in Montana
http://www.wildlife-reflections.com/generic24.html

Also the Little Bighorn Battlefield:

http://www.nps.gov/libi/

So there you have it. How did you like the tour of Montana? Is there any questions why Bruce & CO. decided to stay in Montana? #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[wah]

pickinNgrinnin,

I agree with you about Two Medicine. That is indeed a powerful area. I wasn't sure why they were stumped on lake names since there are some good ones. Other Glacier Park lakes with good names are Avalanche and Swiftcurrent, I've always loved Glacier.

Wayne

[pickinNgrinnin]

I called S.T.E./Weber today to check on a serial number and I happened to speak with Mary Weber. I think Paula Jean was out of the office today. Mary gave me the information I was looking for. She was very helpful and seemed very nice. I told her I had sent some ideas for the 2 points to Paula Jean and Vern. Mary wanted to know what they were so we talked about them. She probably thought I was a nut! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif OK, I may qualify as such but I still like the Two Medicine name for the 2 point.

Yes Wayne, some great lake names up in Glacier. IMO, Glacier Park is Montana at it's very best.

[doanepoole]

GVD,

I was not trying to be a PC thug about the Southern Corss thing, just trying to excercise my admittedly limited marketing foresight. Southern Cross means one thing to one group of people, but to another, specifically urban or north-eastern folks, it could be mistaken to mean something entirely different. I would think from a marketting perspective, one would want to avoid offending any potential customers.

[KevinM]

Vote:
1. Bighorn or Elkhorn.
2. Harbinger of All Truth is a keeper for Joe Vest.
Mr. HAT for short.

[Eric F.]

Kalispell gets my vote. It's just such a fun name to say.