View Full Version : Fine Resophonics resonator mandolin
kmmando
May-21-2004, 9:58am
I recently acquired a wonderful instrument from Mike Lewis in Paris. It's now on the eyecandy at
http://www.mandolincafe.com/archives/builders/resonator.html
I went to London to meet Mike who kindly brought the metal mandolin he makes for me to try. He turned up with this prototype wood bodied resonator mandolin as well, and I preferred it almost straight away, and went home with it. The metal one was lovely, I just preffered the wooden one for various reasons. There was no difference in price either.
It has a laminated quilted maple body - 11 ply hand made laminate, solid quilted maple neck, with a support pole running right through under the maple cone well, supported by National style "pit props".
The fretboard is ebony, and the neck is really easy and fast to play. The sound varies from a rounded slightly metallic resonator tone to a rich wooden, classy, high quality mandolin tone. This is achieved in a very small range of the point of playing on the strings, so it's very easy to dynamically vary the sound as you play. It's also loud. And I mean loud!
I wanted an instrument that was stable in humid conditions abroad, replaceable in the event of theft or damage, of studio recording quality, affordable, stylish - this is a stunning looking instrument, light to carry, and powerful enough - it's more than - to play in sessions with noisy instruments. It has the standard 9 inch guitar cone and biscuit, which allows easy installation of the Highlander pickup system, and easy replacement of the cone, in the event of damage.
I would certainly recommend it, particularily to those seeking a "Celtic" style mandolin, with a ringing tone, and for those who wish to play in sessions where they normally can't hear their mandolin, and I am delighted to own the prototype.It now means I won't have to risk my 21 year old Sobell (the one on the eyecandy as well) to the brutalities of the airline baggage handlers and the weather!
Kevin
Dolamon
May-21-2004, 9:05pm
Outstanding Kevin! Congratulations. A few questions - What is the scale length, what weight strings are recommended for it and ... will you be playing slide reels any time soon?
berkeleymando
May-22-2004, 11:28am
I'd be interested in knowing what sort of a wait list Mike has for ordering.
I've been thinking or resonator mandos for a long time. I really like the Dave King F-style resonator mando on the London Resonator Centre (www.resocentre.com) web site.
Is there is a significant tone difference between the wood and metal bodied ones?
Thanks!
kmmando
May-24-2004, 3:04am
It's a standard scale length, but I'd have to measure it to give you an actual length, and I'm using standard J74 D'Addarios, which I like, and can get easily. I suppose it would work for slide, hadn't thought of that yet. Still too many things to try and master.
I think you'd better phone/email Mike Lewis in Paris and discuss waiting times. I don't know anything about that aspect of his business. That was another reason for buying it at a show as I did - didn't have to wait and instant gratification!
The wooden ones seem mellower, more mandolin like to my ears, but still very loud. Grisman's Tone poems 3 has good examples of different resonator mandolin sounds, and the Dobro wooden bodied one onthat cd sounds really sweet to me, whereas the others are honky, some a bit tinny, and others just not nice. Depends what you want and like to hear. The F resomando that Dave King makes looks wonderful, but it seems to have a small cone 6" maybe, compared to the 9" cone in the National style. I think this could make a considerable sonic difference, but as ever, each person has their own opinions on sound, and it's what takes your fancy that matters. It's when you take an instrument into a high end recording studio that you begin to find out how good it really is. For example, I didn't realise how sonically fabulous my '22 F4 was until it was recorded properly. I'm keen to do more with that sound one day.
hope this helps #Kevin Macleod
http://mysite.freeserve.com/kevinmacleod/
I was there with Kevin that day- wonderful sound, quite mellow and gentle, yet with that nice resonator boost in volume.
Bob DeVellis
May-24-2004, 6:42am
Well, I did something I thought I never would -- bought a resonator mandolin. I'd played a bunch, attracted by their very cool look. The Nationals I'd played didn't have a tone I found particularly attractive. They seem like they'd be best for Hawaiian music. Also, the Nationals I've encountered seemed to have very little string clearance above the cover plate, despite having middling string action. I suspect that results from the cones collapsing a bit so that the saddle is sitting too low. And the the Dobros I've tried in the past all had horrific intonation problems, probably the result of partially-collapsed cones.
Then I found a wood-body Regal/Dobro that had been worked on to put it in proper playing condition. The neck had been reset and the cover plate had been replaced with a new National style. As a result of the neck work, the scale length was correct (a rarity, it seems, on old resphonics) and intonation was accurate up and down the neck. Best of all, at less than $500, it was a real bargain, perhaps because the beneficial repairs made it no longer "original."
Kevin's description of the tone for his newly-acquired wood body fits this instrument as well. There's an undeniable "resophonic essence" but the instrument still sounds like a mandolin -- a rich, warm, very loud, mandolin.
I think i was very lucky to find this one. Most of the old Dobro wood-bodies I've tried have had horrific intonation problems. I'm glad th hear that someone is building new ones. The concept is very appealing and the advantages of a new one, with all the parts in the right condition and places, seem considerable.
Since I've had this reso, I find that it's the mandolin I pick up first when I just want to play a quick tune. The tone is very satisfying. I switched from the heavier strings (probably J-74's) it came with to Martin lights, just to see how they'd be. I really like the combination. The playing feel is buttery with the light strings and there's volume to burn. Hammer-ons and pull-offs are easy and ring really crisply. I've gotten burnt on occasion by buying what I thought was a bargain on impulse (a handsome but tonally uninspiring Weymann comes to mind). But this Regal is a winner.
kmmando
May-24-2004, 10:08am
Sounds like you've found what you want, Bob. Makes the point that not all the expensive lookers are the best sounding ones, and you really only know what you're getting if you try an instrument.
Dan was incredibly helpful on the day I bought the Fine mandolin, even if he had one eye on the *CENSORED* he had with him for the craic! We had a great tune at ike Lewis's stand, on the two Fine resonator mandolins there, and if there had been a few pints available, it could have got favourably out of hand!
Kevin
*cough*, SSSH KEVIN!
and now back to our regular scheduled conversation
Incidentally, I recently acquired wonferful and very loud mandolin. Anyone interested in a National/Supro mandolin? I find I no longer need it for the volume!
Anyone interested? It's a bit more yellow in tint than in this photoset. It has a thick perfect-fitting foam gig bag with it. It could use a new nut (The one on it works ok but has odd string spacing between the A&E).
I find myself needing to raise a little cash for a recoding trip this summer.
The painted ones with the national badge instead of the Supro one go for around $2200.. Any offers on this one will be considered ! This was made by National (a similar one is pictured in the Brozeman book). The Body, cone, and neck are identical to the triolian mandolin. The coverplate is slightly thicker than a standard national, and has a variant pattern of holes in the top. Unusually, the neck is very straight and the intonation is great on this one.
I discarded the pickguard shown in these pictures- it was a very poorly made replacement (originals were transparent!)
kmmando
May-25-2004, 3:51am
Whoops, sorry Dan, slip of the keyboard!
This is a great sounding mandolin, throaty, rich and honkingly good. If I hadn't got the Fine Resophonics I might have taken it off Dan and got a new nut on it. Grab it quick, someone.
Kevin
Dagger Gordon
May-25-2004, 4:00am
Would you use it mostly for pub sessions?
How much?
emailed you a response Dagger..
kmmando
May-25-2004, 8:55am
Dagger , we could have a session together without being in the same part of Scotland!
berkeleymando
May-25-2004, 10:12am
The thing that holds me back from buying a vintage instrument is that there is not a huge difference between its cost and the cost of a new instrument from a luthier.
I looked at a bunch of resonator mandos and unfortunately the only good vintage ones seemed to be the ones that had had an expensive neck reset to make it playable.
2280 Euros for the basic Lewis resonator mando (around $2800 US) seems reasonable in light of the cost of vintage national mandos, and that it is for a brand new instrument by a great builder.
It seems like there are so many great old axes and new luthiers out there, we live in a golden age when we can pick from vintage stuff or have wonderful new instruments made.
berkeleymando
May-25-2004, 10:15am
Oops I failed to mention that I got that price off his web site:
http://www.fineresophonic.com/mandolins.htm
Dagger Gordon
May-25-2004, 12:03pm
Indeed Kevin, but it's time we were in the same part of Scotland!
Lets make an effort. What about a gig in the Ceilidh Place, Ullapool. Ideally placed between Achiltibuie and Invergordon, bound to get a few people to go, no worries.
berkeleymando, I'd sell my national for $1500 if you're interested. Doesn't need a neck set, could use a replaced nut (though it's playable at the moment)
I like saying "Achilltibuie".
kmmando
Jun-18-2004, 8:07am
Anyone get in touch with Fine Resophonics about their mandolins?
Kevin
No, but actually I might swap my National for one of Patrick's "Chanticleer" tenors. Anybody here looking for a National Tenor guitar ? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
If anyone is looking, those wood-bodied ones like Kevin just acquired are spectacular. Fine Resophonics mandolins are really very nice
kmmando
Jun-23-2004, 10:53am
Dan, I can think of a couple of interested mandoheads up here - drop me a line and I'll put you in touch. That's a very nice early example of the single cone tenor you have, and in great condition. It compared closely to my own, and is cosmetically better by 10% I'd say. Fabulous instruments for sessions and recording.
Kevin