Well, my 48 hrs are up

[Frost]

Please forgive my excessive exhuberance for a Sunday night :)

Took delivery of a new mandolin on Friday, it was Girouard A5 Emsemble # 170 dated February 2018. I’ve played most of the weekend, the 48 hour trial period was up a few hours ago and I’ve still got the mandolin so I guess it’s staying.

After hours spent in a futile search for nearby mandolins that I was interested in and could afford, I contacted TME in hopes of a recommendation based on one of their demo videos and my best description of what I was hearing and looking for. The gentleman recommended a Girouard A5 Ensemble they had in stock as one that covers some of the same ground.

My crappy cell pics below will have to do. But you can find better ones online showing it in all it’s glory, if so inclined to go searching. I believe there was a photo on Girouard facebook page as well. Needless to say it is a gorgeous mandolin.

Sound clip - https://soundcloud.com/a-frost/new-toys

Unfortunately you might be hearing as much of the old broken mic & the basement as the mandolin, sorry. It’s just me fooling around getting to know the thing. Apologies for playing errors, I haven't been at this that long yet :). .

Pics:
166010
166011

Specs
• Big Leaf Maple back and sides
• Red Maple neck
• European Spruce top
• 13.875" SL
• 1.125" nut width
• Compound fretboard radius (12" - 7.25")
• Fretboard & peghead overlay: Macassar
• Bone nut
• Nickel steel frets
• Fret Size 043 x 080
• Fret Dots: MOP
• Tortoise binding
• Adjustable truss rod
• Soft V neck shape
• Allen tailpiece
• Rubner tuners
• Girouard bridge
• Inlay: Girouard script and Fleur-de-lis
• Strings: Curt Mangan
• Action Height: low (0.6060 bass & 0.055 trebble)
• Travelite case
• Stain Color: Hand rubbed dark burst
• Varnish finish

Very happy! Now I need to figure out a way not to need to work anymore so I can play it as much as I want.

[DataNick]

Congrats! and enjoy!

[MoreThanQuinn]

Awesome! As I mentioned in the other thread, congrats and enjoy.

No matter the mic quality, that is one sweet sounding mandolin. I really like the sound of it.

[Jill McAuley]

Congratulations! Your Girouard sounds great, and looks wonderful! I've got Max building me an A (Concert model with oval hole), and can't wait til I can get my hands on it! He and Lauri are making fantastic instruments!

[ccravens]

Congrats to you!

I've got two Girouard instruments, and count myself fortunate.

Play and enjoy in good health!

[Louise NM]

Oops, that 48 hours just slid past, huh? Congratulations.

[bigskygirl]

Wow, it looks great! Congrats!

[HonketyHank]

Sounds great! Thanks for posting the sound clip. Take good care of that thing.

[zedmando]

Cool
Enjoy!

[Gelsenbury]

The mandolin looks and sounds great, and you play it so well! Enjoy this new acquisition.

[Mark Wilson]

Congratulations! It looks and sounds like a keeper. Enjoy


Now I need to figure out a way not to need to work anymore so I can play it as much as I want.

Since I retired last year, playing mandolin all morning has become a routine.
I can say with certainty that "it doesn't suck" :mandosmiley:

[Bunnyf]

Looks great and you sounds great. Gee, I feel bad though when you say you haven't been "at it long". I must be doing something wrong. I hope that "not long" is actually fairly long or I'm gonna get depressed. Anyway, enjoy your lovely mandolin!

[MissingString]

That's a real beauty, congratulations!

[jab]

Apologies for playing errors, I haven't been at this that long yet :).


I wish I sucked that good :)

[V70416]

The last part of your original post reminded me of what David Grier said when asked how to get better at playing an instrument when only 30 minutes a day is doable. He said you can't do it in 30 minutes a day;so,quit your job. Or something like that.

Easier said than done.

[Charlie Bernstein]

That ain't kindling, man! Congrats!

[Denman John]

Very attractive looking mandolin and sounds great to boot!

Enjoy it in good health!

Joh

[LadysSolo]

The last part of your original post reminded me of what David Grier said when asked how to get better at playing an instrument when only 30 minutes a day is doable. He said you can't do it in 30 minutes a day;so,quit your job. Or something like that.

Easier said than done.
Yeah, if you quit your job you can't buy more mandolins! However, I will say that I make progress on an average of about 30 min/day (some days an hour, some days I have to miss) - it's slow progress, but it's progress!

[Don Grieser]

You made a wise choice. Enjoy!!

[seankeegan]

Congratulations on the new mandolin. Sounds and looks great.

Well wear!