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fatt-dad
Dec-18-2006, 12:56pm
In April 05, I sent in my deposit to LARRY MUTH (http://users.accesscomm.ca/muthmandolins/) for an F-5 style mandolin. #Standard peghead, abelone "fern", red spruce top, big-leaf maple sides/back (cut "off-quarter"), 1 3/8-in nut, 7 1/2 (nut) to 16-in (saddle) compound radius and nickel hardware (James tailpiece).

Larry works on his own - one instrument at a time and he said it'd likely be a 1 1/2 to 2 year wait.

Now, I'm a gutsy type of guy. #I've never played one of his mandolins but I did some research with other owners and the word was more than favorable. #That along with Larry's build for the people (i.e., keep the price point down) philosophy were all I had to go on. #Needless to say, I'm excited and anxious at the same time. #Here are a few of the first photos. #It's stained, and has the finish applied. #Larry just has to polish, install the hardware, string and give it a week before shipping. #I'm expecting it in early January!

Maybe some of you have tried Larry's mandolins. #Please post. #Maybe some have photos to share. #Show them too! #In the meanwhile I'm offering a few photos and will update in good time - an archive to the Muth Mandolin.

fatt not-just-an-a-model-mandolin-player-much-longer dad

fatt-dad
Dec-18-2006, 12:57pm
The back. . . .

fatt-dad
Dec-18-2006, 12:58pm
The peghead. . . .

fwoompf
Dec-18-2006, 1:03pm
You should be careful with that thing, that back is going to burn your chest when you're playing it! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

tattiemando
Dec-18-2006, 1:13pm
Wow! nice.

MASadict
Dec-18-2006, 3:42pm
What a beauty!http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

mandopete
Dec-18-2006, 4:10pm
A friend of mine in Vancouver, BC has an A-style that's pretty sweet. This one looks to be a rel killer, congratulations Papa Gordo!

Dave Voyles
Dec-18-2006, 5:29pm
Larry's mandolins are up there with the best small builders. The one he built me was beautiful to look at and to hear. I only sold it to become a full time mandola player. I highly recommend his work and he is a delight to work with.

JD Cowles
Dec-18-2006, 6:07pm
I see that not even the mighty gordo can elude scroll fever...veerrry nice fatt-dad. Congrats!

Tim
Dec-18-2006, 6:37pm
The problem with that mandolin is that it will have people you only know from the internet showing up at your door. #I'll drive down from DC to try it next month. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Looks great - congratulations.

fatt-dad
Dec-18-2006, 6:41pm
I'll drive down from DC to try it next month. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Sundays at the Cary Street Cafe - 2:00 to 5:00. I'll be showing up with it when I get it! Come on down. . . .

f-d

MDW
Dec-18-2006, 9:19pm
Fatt-Dad,

Nice looking Muth. I've had mine about 2 1/2 years. Here's the back.

sgarrity
Dec-18-2006, 9:56pm
I'll be lookin' forward to trying this one out. Heard good things about them. I kinda like the way he does the body point. Very Monteleone-esque.

Shaun

fatt-dad
Dec-18-2006, 10:02pm
I am really anxious about the red spruce break-in period. How long does it take to open-up red spruce? I guess I'll learn all in good time. . . . .

f-d

mandopete
Dec-19-2006, 11:48am
Funny you should ask about Red Spruce. I have a Collings mandolin with a Red Spruce top and I find that even though the mandolin is pretty well broken in (3 years) it takes about a 30 minutes of playing to really get it going. I have heard others here on the Cafe make the same remarks as well.

AW Meyer
Dec-19-2006, 12:14pm
When I spoke with Larry in September, he talked about how his opened up suddenly a couple of years after he had built it. It's a very nice sounding mandolin. I had mine there (which was completed in June). It sounded a lot like Larry's. I feel that it has opened up even more in the last couple of months. It's really hard to be even half-way scientific, though, because it sounds different to me on different days. Know what I mean?

AW Meyer
Dec-19-2006, 12:16pm
The front:

bush-man
Dec-19-2006, 11:40pm
My gosh all the backs of these mandos are simply gorgeous!!!!

russell

jayn
Dec-22-2006, 2:24pm
Muths are relatively common around here as we are near to him and his mandos represent a great value (and are in CDN bucks). So, I've seen a number of them around, but I've only played one in a jam. That one played and sounded great. I'm sure you will be delighted with yours.

fatt-dad
Dec-29-2006, 2:08pm
With the hardware:

fatt-dad
Dec-29-2006, 2:09pm
Oops!

fatt-dad
Dec-29-2006, 2:10pm
the scroll:

mandolooter
Dec-29-2006, 5:06pm
thats a beautiful burst, both front and back1 I love the reddish hue mandolins.

Chip Booth
Jan-02-2007, 11:50pm
Beautiful backside, F-D! Look forward to the report once you have it in hand.

Chip

Bill Van Liere
Jan-03-2007, 9:20am
I am really anxious about the red spruce break-in period. #How long does it take to open-up red spruce? #I guess I'll learn all in good time. . . . .

f-d
fatt-dad

My BRW has a red spruce top. Not knowing the instruments full potential I can only guess that it is not fully opened up after one year of regular playing. I am certian it changed over the last year, seems to have a little more 'pop' to it now than it had before.

My Brentrup (Italian spruce) took well over two years to sound the way it does today.

Anyway from the looks of things I am quite certian it will be a fun process for you. Just be sure to check in with us now and then.

fatt-dad
Jan-03-2007, 10:01am
Shipping update! Looks like Larry will ship my mandolin this coming Monday - overnight delivery. So, on the 9th, it'll be in hand with more complete report to follow. He say's it's getting it's voice already.

f-d

fatt-dad
Jan-10-2007, 1:07pm
News Alert!!!

It arrived. #Not only is it perfect, but I love it! #Very well made, great voice, perfect setup (well maybe a little low), and powerful - Number 59 if anybody is counting. #Not quite as red as the photos seem to make it. #No doubt it's a hand applied finish (o.k. there are a few marks of a hand-made instrument, but I like that too). #(It's like a Persian rug; you can only tell the value by the subtile flaws - if it didn't have any flaws it would be made in a factory.) #I'm ready to big-up Muth now so watch out. . . . . .

fatt now-I-really-got-to-get-better dad

Tripp Johnson
Jan-10-2007, 1:31pm
Congrats! Looking forward to hearing and seeing it.

sgarrity
Jan-10-2007, 2:00pm
Don't you love the feeling of getting a new mandolin? #Just makes you wanna play all the time and do your new instrument justice. #You ought to bring it to the jam on Sunday and let us drool, er I mean pick, on it for a minute.

Shaun

grandmainger
Jan-10-2007, 3:00pm
It's like a Persian rug; you can only tell the value by the subtile flaws - if it didn't have any flaws it would be made in a factory.
Actually, there's an old Persian proverb that says, "A Persian Rug is Perfectly Imperfect, and Precisely Imprecise". This notion of intentionally including slight and minor irregularities is derived from the religious belief that God is the only perfect being and that attempting absolute perfection would be claiming the position of the Almighty.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
Germain
PS: Congrats on the new mando http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif !!!

pickinNgrinnin
Jan-10-2007, 5:10pm
Congratulations FD! You've been waiting on this one for a long while. Have fun and play the heck out of it http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

jasona
Jan-10-2007, 6:58pm
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

AW Meyer
Jan-11-2007, 11:24am
Glad you like it, F-D. I was pretty sure that you would. It's sure a beautiful looking mandolin. I really like the way Larry finishes his instruments, and I like the little imperfections, as well. The inside of the scroll binding on mine is not pristine, but the tone --oo la la! You already have been given way too much feedback from me about what I think of mine. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

Eric F.
Jan-11-2007, 11:37am
Congratulations, f-d! Don't be "nervous" about the break-in time, just play the heck out of it and enjoy the changes.

fatt-dad
Jan-11-2007, 7:16pm
I'm having some trouble at work. I'm more interested in practicing. . . .

f-d

Tripp Johnson
Jan-15-2007, 7:58am
Well done F-D! #59 sounded great yesterday, I think you have a keeper! All around a gorgeous mandolin...I really like that back. Beautiful...

fatt-dad
Jan-23-2007, 4:43pm
Heck, I could have done this last week, but here is a little collage about my mandolin. Upper left: Vernon delivering the box. Apparently this box has been around! All throughout Canada and the U.S. Lower left: The innards of the box. You can see it's just commercial grade insulation cut to hold the mandolin. Larry ships without a case and this foam box (seams by Duct Tape), delivers the goods. I think it's all about shipping from sub-zero climates. . . . Upper right and lower right - self explanatory. Note my shoelace strap. This is truely a fine mandolin!

I'm going to work on my photography skills and post a few more. All in good time. . . .

f-d

wolfsong
Aug-06-2007, 12:20am
Thought I would post this one!

wolfsong
Aug-06-2007, 12:20am
one more

wolfsong
Aug-06-2007, 12:21am
Side

fatt-dad
Aug-06-2007, 9:03am
very nice!

f-d

MandoSquirrel
Aug-06-2007, 4:27pm
PURTYYY! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif