Trying again

[allenhopkins]

Since the September dust-up (https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/threads/141746-In-need-of-help-identifying-recent-library-donation) in which I was involved, I've been "lurking," as they say, and not posting on the Cafe. I must confess to some hurt feelings; whether deserved or not, up to others to determine.

But I do miss interacting with other members of this mandolin community, so I'm going to resume former levels of involvement. I hope my participation, of whatever value it may be, will be met with the usual Cafe level of courtesy -- and that those who disagree with my opinions, will express their disagreement sans vituperation. On my part, I'll try to do the same.

In December, I gave myself a holiday/birthday present of another Larson-attributed instrument, a Stahl mandola from Bernunzio's. Traded in two Eastmans, a DGM-1 and a MDA-615 mandola, and an old koa Regal tiple, plus a bit of cash. It's a very strong-sounding instrument, in decent shape (two small repaired back cracks) with apparently all-original parts. The enclosed tuners are a bit stiff, even with a bit of Tri-Flo to lubricate, but I hope they'll free up a bit with use. No case, so it occupies a well-padded Cordoba tenor ukulele gig bag.

173823

Having just passed my 75th birthday, I plan to gently "downsize," trading in multiple instruments for a few special ones to which I'm attracted. Traded in three for the Larson-made Stahl mando-bass, and three more for the 'dola. Following this procedure, I may well end up at death's door, with a manageable number of higher quality instruments. At least, that's what I tell myself...

Anyway, going to try to "get back in the saddle," here; hope to reconnect with friends.

[August Watters]

Lovely instrument! Thanks for the update.

[Mandoplumb]

Welcome back.

[Eric Oliver]

Thank you for coming back.

[Bob Clark]

I am glad to have you back, Allen. And I am glad you bought that instrument. I had been watching that one!

[Frankdolin]

Welcome back. Remember we are here for fun, education, and maybe a little banter. Don't take it too serious, it's just a web site. Albeit the best site.:mandosmiley:

[Zach Wilson]

Welcome back, Sir.

[Mark Gunter]

Downsizing in and of itself can have some positive effects. I always enjoy your contributions here, Allen, welcome back.

[Phil Goodson]

I missed you.
Your plan sounds good.

[pheffernan]

Might be time to update your signature, Allen. :mandosmiley:

[Caleb]

Allen, not mandolin-related at all, but I’ve always appreciated your excellent use of grammar and punctuation here. Hardly anyone uses a semicolon anymore! And I bet you still write in script (cursive), and possibly with a fountain pen?

As far as mandolin-related, that’s a beautiful instrument you’ve got there. Welcome back.

[jaycat]

Glad to have you back. I've probably gotten more good advice from you than from any other poster. And, as noted above, your posts are always a delight to peruse, whether or not I'm directly interested in the subject matter at hand.

[tmsweeney]

Alas mando addiction has won in the end, we are hopeless cases.... I always enjoyed the "Alan N" perspective

Hey man you are one of the originals- I was there when it happened, so I aught to know!

[Jeff Mando]

Good to hear from you, Allen! I have learned a lot from your expertise and have enjoyed your wit over the years.

I did note your absence, and hoped that you were ok, healthwise. FWIW, I did check your website and saw you had many bookings in Dec, so that eased my mind.

I'm looking forward to another 15,000 postings from you! :mandosmiley:

[FLATROCK HILL]

Hi Allen.

We are polar opposites in many ways; a fact that you and I have discussed. And I admit that my eyes glaze over and I can't suppress the yawns at the mere mention of the term 'bowl back'.

Even so, I've appreciated your clear, concise and thoughtful posts. Especially appreciate your willingness to help others.

Don't be a stranger.

Clark

[Br1ck]

Trading quantity for quality is IMHO, always a sound move.

[Eric Platt]

Glad to have you back. Always appreciate your insights on things.

[Bertram Henze]

It's good you're on air again, Allen. After all, who can hurt the feelings of an eagle flying?

[Vega CB]

Glad that you're back Allen. I've always enjoyed and appreciated your thoughtful posts.

[allenhopkins]

Very much appreciate all the "welcome back" posts. I won't go through and add a "thanks" to each one, but please accept this as a blanket expression of my gratitude.

To a couple specific points:

A. Updating my signature: yeah, it would be nice, but since I posted the current one, there have been a number of accessions that would take me well past the character limit, as I understand it. Since I wrote the list in my signature, I have added a Martin 1919 Style A, a Waldo mandocello, a Gibson TL tenor lute, an Eastman DGM-1 (since traded) and DGM-2, a Regal Octofone, a 5-course fanned-fret mandolin/dola that Bernie Lehmann built for me, and now the two Larson/Stahls, the mando-bass and the mandola. Plus, I failed to list a few nondescripts hanging around, such as my Holdrio Piccolo "pocket" mandolin, my no-name mandolin banjo stamped with the logo of a long-defunct Rochester music store, Levis Music, and my unknown-origin Jordan solid-body electric mandolin. The point, to the extent that one exists, is that I can't fit all my stuff into the signature limit, so I'm leaving it as I wrote it in 2006.

Grammar/writing style: Not sure I deserve the compliment, but I've always valued clarity of expression, and even elegance, if attainable. However, my last fountain pen was lost long ago, and most of my written communication is via keyboard these days. I do like a well-written post, from another or one I wrote, and ever since college and high school, I've kept to some kind of forum where I could write, whether professionally or just recreationally –– newsletters for my folk club or for fellow public employees, on-line forums, a personal weekly e-mail list, publicity for the venues I help sponsor. I try not to sound too "Harvard," if I can avoid it...

Feels good to be back.

[Jim Garber]

Great to have you back on board, Allen. I see you are not afraid to use the dreaded L*rs*n attribution. :)

As for myself, I am always willing to consider the possibility of a positive attribution and also open to a civil discussion.

I found a nice clear frontal photo of your mandola (not in pdf) for hysterical porpoises, you know...

173830

As an aside: I recently played this Euphonon flattop (http://retrofret.com/product.asp?ProductID=8464) at RetroFret. A truly amazing guitar. Lots of bucks but that is where the L*rs*n mystique started, not with mandolins which are still relatively modestly priced.

As for the downsizing, it must be in the air. I am in the process of doing similarly. My closet is still insanely crowded and scary even to me. Stay tuned. I do like the idea of trading multiple instruments for one more desirable, but even a transaction for a few cubic foot of breathing room could be a breath of ...well... fresh air.

[Graham McDonald]

Good to see you back. I always enjoy your commentary.

Cheers

[Randi Gormley]

Glad to see you back! And that's a nice instrument you have, there!

[LadysSolo]

Welcome back Allenhopkins, as a fellow bowlback lover (although my appreciation is for mandolins, not mandolas, but not all tastes are the same!) I just figured you were busy over the holidays (as many people are.)

[CarlM]

It is good to see you are back. Your posts have always been useful and interesting.

[foldedpath]

Good to see you. Your instrument collection was always a good reminder of "the path not taken," because we can't all take the same paths. It's still interesting to see that side of the mandolin world. ;)

[Mack2]

Interested. More details please.

[Charlie Bernstein]

Downsizing? If you need a safe place to park that Triolian . . .

[allenhopkins]

Interested. More details please.

Downsizing scorecard:

#1 -- 1957 Martin D-18, 1970's Guild F-212XL 12-string, 1930's (?) Gibson TG-0 tenor guitar -> Larson brothers' Stahl mando-bass

#2 -- Eastman MDA-615 mandola, Eastman DGM-1 "Giacomel clone" mandolin, Regal koa tiple -> Larson-attributed Stahl mandola.

Six instruments down to two. I continue to keep an eye out for really attractive, unusual instruments, that warrant trading several less-played instruments (yeah, Charlie, the National Trolian mandolin might end up in the mix, though it would have to be a real gem that I wanted!) in the deal.

[Caleb]

I continue to keep an eye out for really attractive, unusual instruments...

Have you seen what these folks are making? https://lamehorse.net/

This one in particular grabs me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R0QLETUIxg

[Bill Clements]

Allen, the Café is a better place with you in it.
Good to see you again.
Enjoy that mandola!
~Bill

[Jim Garber]

Have you seen what these folks are making? https://lamehorse.net/

This one in particular grabs me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R0QLETUIxg

Lovely, of course...

All guitars start at $8000. This includes rear access panel, adjustable playing action, Calton travel case.

I was at the Woodstock Invitational Guitar Show last fall. There were quite a few wonderful luthiers there including Lame Horse in that price range. That video had some excellent playing by Stuart Ryan on that parlor guitar. It almost sounded like a banjo with emphasis on the high and mids:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R0QLETUIxg

[Tom Sanderson]

Welcome back Allen. I’ve always enjoyed your posts and I’m happy that you’re back.

[pops1]

I'm not hearing the banjo sound, but is sure doesn't sound acoustic. It looks like two mic's, but the sound is not what I would expect of any acoustic guitar, parlor or otherwise.

[Tom Haywood]

Allen, I somehow missed your hiatus and the reason for it, but welcome back. I always appreciate hearing your perspective - even that one time you were pretty tough on me for causing a thread to be closed. I reckon we sometimes inadvertently step on someone's sacred cow and get whacked for it. Glad the pain is wearing off. Dang, I hate that I missed that '57 D-18.

[foldedpath]

I'm not hearing the banjo sound, but is sure doesn't sound acoustic. It looks like two mic's, but the sound is not what I would expect of any acoustic guitar, parlor or otherwise.

I'll eat my hat if that sound clip wasn't compressed in the mixdown. It almost sounds like an electric guitar with that much compression. And added reverb too. You don't get that kind of reverb from close mic technique. It would have been interesting to hear what it actually sounded like.

[allenhopkins]

With all due respect to the Lamehorse people, the "really attractive, unusual instrument" that would tempt me, would more likely be an early-20th-century Shutt mandolin, or an Epiphone Strand -- something like that -- rather than even an excellent product of contemporary luthiery,

And yeah, Tom, that D-18 was pretty special; braces scalloped by the late Eldon Stutzman, "tortoise" pickguard, Grover Sta-Tite tuners. I'd owned it about 40 years, but I have my 1970 D-41 and my 1940 00-28G/00-42 "conversion," and I wasn't playing the D-18. Plus I knew I'd get a good trade-in allowance (about $3K) from Bernunzio for it.

[Denny Gies]

Glad you're back; you were missed.

[Larry Mossman]

Welcome back Allen.
I always appreciate your shared wisdom.
Larry

[Caleb]

Lovely, of course...


I was at the Woodstock Invitational Guitar Show last fall. There were quite a few wonderful luthiers there including Lame Horse in that price range. That video had some excellent playing by Stuart Ryan on that parlor guitar. It almost sounded like a banjo with emphasis on the high and mids:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R0QLETUIxg

Very cool guitar, but I can think of a lot of other uses for $8k.

[allenhopkins]

Again, a blanket "thanks" for the "welcome back" posts. I'll try to stay out of trouble...

[bigskygirl]

I'm glad you decided to come back, I always enjoy reading your posts. There are some I don't particularly care for here, thats what the ignore button is for...