Introducing Sam

[Jim Hilburn]

I just returned from a wonderful week at the Symposium. I met many fine folks from all over the world, but I'd like to introduce you to one of them in particular.
This is Sam Crossan and he was in the builders workshop. Sam is 70 something and has lived in New Zealand for the last 20 some odd years. However, he's actually from Scotland and certainly hasn't lost the accent.
He made the mandolin he's holding and can play jigs, reels and fiddle tunes all day on it.

[Jim Hilburn]

Here's a little closer look. You may notice that the tonebars are on the outside. Makes for a nice artistic touch.

[Jim Hilburn]

Here's a close-up of the peghead. Any guesses?
Well that is an antique cake server with the handle removed. The fingerboard markers are slices of a screwdriver handle.
Notice that he plays left-handed? Well when he handed it to me to try I told him I wouldn't know how to play it and he said yes I would. Look at the strings. He learned to play upside down.

[Jim Hilburn]

How about a very unique tailpiece?
This is from a whisky decanter.
Sam was a joy to be around, a free spirit who isn't carrying around many of the hang-ups so many of us do. And it's great to see some free-form thinking in the mandolin world. Sound great, too.

[Antlurz]

Great innovations! Love it!

Ron

[Chris Cantergiani]

Whoa!
Free-form thinking indeed.
What a character...
Thanks for posting those pictures.

Chris

[amowry]

That is truly wonderful! Thanks Jim. I'd love to hear more about the workshop.

[Ward Elliott]

That is just too cool Jim! Thanks for telling us about him and especially for the photos!!

[JEStanek]

Wow! Jim, Talk about a Green Mando Builder, recycled peghead and tailpiece covers and position dots, very interesting sound hole and tone bar construction. Did the tonebars get in the way (I'm guessing not) and if you press on one does it change the tone at all more so than touching the top of an internal tonebar mandolin?

That is a neat-o design. I bet he was cool to hang and talk with.

Jamie

[jim simpson]

"Notice that he plays left-handed? Well when he handed it to me to try I told him I wouldn't know how to play it and he said yes I would. Look at the strings. He learned to play upside down".

But he is from Down Under, right?

[barricwiley]

I am speechless!
Wow,
RDW

[fishinNbanjo]

What a need idea for fretboard dots, I guess they could be made out of most anything come to think of it.

[Jim Hilburn]

Sorry, but I was just showing a friend my photo's from the Symposium when I realized I had another of Sams mando that I hadn't posted and I'm sure your going to want to see it.

[JEStanek]

Concave sides! Get! Out! How does he build that? That is so cool.

I nominate Sam Crossan for coolest mandolin design of the decade.

Jamie

[Antlurz]

Those concave ribs are a real trip! Love to know how he did that. Carved?

Ron

[mandoman15]

HOLY COW. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif

[tnpathfinder]

That's super cool. I wonder if he plays "Whisky" before breakfast. Ha!

[Mark Walker]

Wow... How wonderfully unique! That one sure breaks the mold, eh? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Lane Pryce]

That is a great story ----- and talk about thinking outside the box !! Lp

[Dena Haselwander]

Truly a great story--nice to be shoved out of the little world of rules and controlled thinking...


Dena

[B. T. Walker]

That is one cool looking mando. And it only got more interesting with the shot of the concave sides.