Weber elite f no. 3130

[Rick Banuelos]

Specs:

-Port Orford Cedar Top
-One-piece back
-Scalloped extension & maple pickguard
-Gloss true spirit varnish

[Rick Banuelos]

The back

[Rick Banuelos]

Top & Pickguard detail

[Rick Banuelos]

Pickguard close-up

[Rick Banuelos]

Binding detail

[Rick Banuelos]

Headstock Detail

[Rick Banuelos]

Profile

[rekx]

Yes!

[Rick Banuelos]

Back in profile

[Rick Banuelos]

One more top detail

[JGWoods]

Binding detail
!!! a sidebound pickguard!!
now you really got me.
wonderful
somebody is going to be very happy with that fine instrumnent.
I'm saving for a Weber of my own. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Kevin Briggs]

Looks great, Rick. Holy moly!

Speaking of looks... how we looking this week? PM.... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Don Grieser]

That pickguard stands out a little too much to my eye. I like the matched burst maple pickguards like Nugget does. Otherwise, beautiful.

[johnM]

Nice, where's it goin'?

jm

[billhay4]

Is that pickguard scalloped? Nice! However, I think it should be a more complimentary color to the instrument itself.
Nice looking instrument, though. Very nice.
Bill

[JEStanek]

I'm with the others on the pick guard color being a little wrong to my eye. That's a ridiculous thing to nitpick over on such a fine looking instrument. Very clean and the side bound, scallopped pick gaurd is crazy - cool.

Jamie

[Kevin K]

mandolin = yes
pickguard= no

[j-hill]

My $0.02. #If it were just any old pickguard, I would agree with the above comments. #That's no ordinary pickguard and I think that the complementary color is a great choice. #I love the way the pickguard shape mimics the point of the mandolin and the 'wavy-ness' of the pickguard is outstanding. #Also, great headstock inlay.

I know there has been some discussion on builders (and their employees) posting pics of their creations but I, for one, love seeing innovative, or just extremely well executed designs.

Jason

[Steve Davis]

Beautiful instrument.

[sgarrity]

The mandolin is beautiful. The pickguard I could live without though....

[Kevin Briggs]

The pick guard....

Not sure about it. The only thing that seems a little off is the color shceme, obviously. I like the rest of it, particularly the binding and what not. It seem slike half of it matches the color shceme on the mandolin, and the other half is trying to match the burst.

I can see someone who wants something with a bold appearance wantign this. There's no rule that says evreything has to be one big solid color.

[Rick Banuelos]

Do remember: the camera brightens things up a bit... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

The pickguard is a bit darker in person.

[JGWoods]

I kidded Rick when he was showing off an earlier fine looking Weber that I was waiting for one with a sidebound pickguard...I almost think they built this one for me.

When I get my Weber it's going to have such a pickguard, though maybe in a more conservative dark tortoise style, or black.

[Rick Banuelos]

I kidded Rick when he was showing off an earlier fine looking Weber that I was waiting for one with a sidebound pickguard...I almost think they built this one for me.
The thought did cross my mind...

[Chris Biorkman]

I kind of like it. It's interesting, but then again a lot of your guys recent work has been.

[Bigtuna]

That pickguard stands out a little too much to my eye. I like the matched burst maple pickguards like Nugget does. Otherwise, beautiful.
I second that. It looks great, but not on that mandolin. But, I think I could live with it. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[mandomick]

I like it, especially the pickguard!

[MandoSquirrel]

Love the pickguard, hate the scoop(scoops RUIN the fingerboard look. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

[red7flag]

Like others I would do without the pickguard, seems forced. I would prefer and angled fretboard like Collins does it. To me the the Fla. scalloped extension is just silly. Talk about form over function. I really like the finish and would love to hear the sound. Webers are really moving in a very special direction. Rick, if you can, you should provide sound clips either here or on your website. I suggest the same song done by the same artist as it helps making a comparison. I notice that a lot of sites are adding clips.
Tony

[MandoSquirrel]

To me the the Fla. scalloped extension is just silly. Talk about form over function.
My point exactly; With frets to play, okay, otherwise, Why have it there? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[JGWoods]

To me the the Fla. scalloped extension is just silly. Talk about form over function.
It's an F style mandolin, all about form over function, otherwise everyone would buy A style mandolins.

[Shalebot]

Love the pickguard, hate the scoop(scoops RUIN the fingerboard look. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif
I personally love the scooped extension / pickguard.

You guys have been building some absolutely beautiful mandolins lately.

[Kevin Briggs]

I love that scooped pick guard too. I'm not too into pickguards, but I'd get it like that if I got one at all.

Rick, we demand soundclips.... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/blues.gif

[Rick Banuelos]

Regarding sound clips:

It's going to take one of our employees having the equipment to record at high quality in-house. We simply can't do it at the school; the cacophony of palm sanders, saws, hammers, and freeway traffic are enough to rule out any kind of studio viable enough to create a sound sample worth any of your ears.

I'd do it at my house, but I'm very close to the train tracks... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

...and, I'm not a very good picker. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

[Slim Pickins]

Just a beautiful instrument.

[Kevin Briggs]

Regarding sound clips:

It's going to take one of our employees having the equipment to record at high quality in-house. We simply can't do it at the school; the cacophony of palm sanders, saws, hammers, and freeway traffic are enough to rule out any kind of studio viable enough to create a sound sample worth any of your ears.

I'd do it at my house, but I'm very close to the train tracks... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

...and, I'm not a very good picker. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif
Argh! Excuse accepted, for now....

[JeffD]

Just beautiful. And to show our aesthetic diversity, I really love the maple pick guard, scalloped and bound. Its a real nice detail.

I do not mind the florida extension. Its part of the history of the evolution of the instrument. We cannot afford to be too much of a stickler for form following function - we could lose the scroll and points.

Great job - tastefully innovative.

[Rick Banuelos]

Argh! Excuse accepted, for now....
We'll get 'em going; just have patience while things get spinning!

[Andrew Faltesek]

No wonder we all seem to succumb to MAS! Man, you're just knocking us over with these beautiful mandolins. I need a new job or more overtime or a trust fund...I can feel the MAS infection coming on! Beautiful.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Another supremely beautiful instrument from Weber - and i like the pickguard too !,
Saska

[swinginmandolins]

Greg Boyd has clips of another Elite on their website. Sound like great mandolins.
I'll record clips for you if you send it my way http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Rick Banuelos]

Nice, where's it goin'?

jm
Sorry. I forgot to mention that this mandolin is at Wichita Band in Kansas; Talk to Brian Kneeland.

[Jim Roberts]

I had a chance to play this mandolin yesterday and it is off the charts good. #Great thumping, woody low end and crystal clear all the way up the neck. #The harmonics at the twelfth fret are bright, clear and beautiful. #Fit and finish are perfect and the neck profile is very, very comfortable. #It is LOUD and I am not a hard driving player. #The one piece back is gorgeous. #My hats off to Rick and#the great folks at Weber...they are really building some fantastic mandolins.

[Reid Morsi]

Absolutely stunning!!!
The pickguard is a little bit intense, but unique nonetheless and flammed maple is always a cool look. Otherwise it looks gorgeous just like you'd expect out of a new Weber.
By the way Rick if you don't mind me asking where do you guys get your Port Orford Cedar? I know that it is a native tree to here in Oregon (also known as white cedar) I just wanted to know if you guys make special orders to obtain that wood as opposed to the Sitka that i am sure you guys get in bulk.

[Rick Banuelos]

By the way Rick if you don't mind me asking where do you guys get your Port Orford Cedar?
The Port Orford cedar that we used for this mandolin was buried deep within the stacks of spruce we bought from Hammond Ashley in Seattle. It was milled in 1968.

[Slim Pickins]

Rick, Is doesnt have the Brekke bridge. Was Brekke discontinued?

Make a joyful noise.

[Rick Banuelos]

Rick, Is doesnt have the Brekke bridge. Was Brekke discontinued?

Make a joyful noise.
The original Brekke bridge is still alive and well, and is standard fare on Bitterroots, Hyalites, Gallatins, and everything else on request.

[steve V. johnson]

Y'know... with all the nice $200 computer recording interfaces available today, and the nice $200 mics available today, maybe Weber/STE could afford to put some of that stuff in an office somewhere and make their own sound clips and such. #It's -real- easy.

Of course, it could be speculated that such nice mandolins, with such fine retail values, might deserve some better gear than that, but then ... #
who knows...? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

Just a thought...

stv

[Rick Banuelos]

Y'know... with all the nice $200 computer recording interfaces available today, and the nice $200 mics available today, maybe Weber/STE could afford to put some of that stuff in an office somewhere and make their own sound clips and such. #It's -real- easy.

Of course, it could be speculated that such nice mandolins, with such fine retail values, might deserve some better gear than that, but then ... #
who knows...? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

Just a thought...

stv
I agree, and I do have the know-how, BUT:

There are no quiet rooms in this building. Anywhere. We use the whole space.

[woodwizard]

I really like everything about this one, pickguard and all. If it sounds as good as it looks you got a winner. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[B. T. Walker]

I like it, pickguard and all. Very nice. Weber has always produced fine stuff, but lately it is just phenomenal.

[mikeo2]

amazing but i hate the way that pickguard looks against that mandolin. really amazing looking mandolin though... if it plays as good as it sound, wow!

[Slim Pickins]

Rick what difference in tone using the bridge on this one and the Brekkes Weber has been using. The pictured has thumb wheels. Any diff in tone in your opinion?

[Kevin Briggs]

Rick hasnot chimed in, but I will.

I've owned two Webers, both with the Brekke traditional (thumbwheels). You get a more aggressive sound with the Brekke traditional, in my opinion. The all-wood Brekke bridge is conducive to lots of things, but I think it is prone to sounding a little softer, with more bassy humming. I can see a demand for the all-wood Brekke on an oval hole mandolin. In particular, I think these specs would be great:

1. Oval hole
2. X bracing
3. Mahogany back and sides

That would be a humming, soft-sounding mandolin.