Glenn oval

[Ron O]

Has anyone tried a Glenn with an oval hole?
Opinions?

[Roydw3]

I don't know if he makes one. If he does, I will get one. I'll write him and ask. My F-5 is awesome and I'd love to have an F-4 or A-4 to go with it.

[Roydw3]

I just received a reply from Alan Jones. He has made a few oval holes including one just used by Tim Crouch to record "Pickin on Carrie Underwood"

Ok, I wasn't interested in new mandolins but now, I have MAS again...and for another Glenn

Denny

[bradeinhorn]

i hope i'm not offending anyone, but "pickin on carrie underwood"http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[Bill Snyder]

I don't know anything about it but Pickin on Carrie Underwood (http://www.amazon.com/Do-You-Remember-Underwood-Bluegrass/dp/B000E5KU60) available at Amazon.com. Apparently it is instrumental arrangements of some of her songs.

[jefflester]

I'm waiting for Nickel Creek's appearance on "Pickin' on Britney Spears." http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Steve Perry]

There's about a gazillion "Pickin' on" CDs out there...

Pickin' on series at Emusic (http://www.emusic.com/browse/l/b/-dbm/a/0-0/1400133946+1200000286/0.html)

... and you don't have to be very famous to have one done either. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

And yes, there is a Nickel Creek version...

Pickin on Nickel Creek (http://www.emusic.com/album/Pickin-On-Series-Pickin-On-Nickel-Creek-A-Bluegrass-Tale-The-Bl-MP3-Download/11041183.html)

What's even weirder is that I think Mike Compton did the mandolin parts on it. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Roydw3]

Two things, one, while I know it isn't bluegrass, I do find some of the tunes on some of these "pickin on" series to be pretty good and I enjoy hearing the mandolin used in various ways. I love the fact that we are seeing it more and more in country music. Of course I much prefer to hear Doyle Lawson, Del McCourey, Seldom Scene, etc. My favorite cd's are Mandolin Extravaganza and Tone Poems. Anyway, my point is that while the pickin on series is not my favorite, aparently somebody likes them and is buying them or they wouldn't keep producing them. Besides, maybe someone will hear them and become interested in the mandolin.

Two, regardless of who is using it, it is amazing to me that there are several cd's that have been put out professionally that have Alan's Glenn mandolins used in the recording. Bryon Sutton is a real "guitar hero" and he uses a Glenn mandolin and has recorded on his Glenn. My point was not to start a "pickin on" bash, but to say that Alan Jones does make an oval hole mandolin in either an F-4 or A oval and that they have been used in recording.

So back to the original question, I don't know about the oval hole mandolins but I understand they are loud with great sustain. I do know that my F-5 is a fantastic mandolin and I expect to play it for years to come.

Denny

[Roydw3]

Alan sent me some pictures. They look good to me. Of course I am sure you can work out the appearance with him as to what colors and features you want on the mandolin.

[Roydw3]

here you go

[Roydw3]

and another - student model as I understand it

[Roydw3]

With the quality of work Alan does and the value of his selling price, I just don't see how you could go wrong. My F-5 with every bell and whistle was less than many others A-5's. I sold my Breedlove (which was a great mandolin) and my Eastman 504 to get the F-5 and I am glad I did. I have a high quality mandolin that was comparable in price to the Pacrim F-5's in price. However, it is not a pacrim mandolin. It is an American made, custom made mandolin. I am going to start moving toward getting me one of the F-4's. I guess I'll sell my motorcycle...it has been sitting in a shed for longtime as I never ride it anyway. Oh well, hope the pictures help.

[weymann1]

I had Allen build me an oval 2 point which turned out pretty nice. The sound is very good but I have a few a models with f holes from other builders that have a more bassy boom to them. The Glen seems a little thinner in sound. Is it due to ovel hole? I dunno. It sounds good enough that I plan on keeping it. You may also like a little thinner sound. It's a matter of choice. Dan

[mandoforme]

I haven't had the chance to play an oval-hole Glenn mandolin yet, but I am definitely enjoying my Glenn A-5 mandolin, especially for the $600 that I paid for the mandolin. Mine has plenty of bass boom for me. My Glenn A-5 sounds great with the Sam Bush monel strings. I recently sent the Glenn back to Allen Jones, where he removed the Stew Mac bridge, fitted a new Cumberland Acoustic bridge, and new bone nut. The Cumberland Acoustic bridge has made a huge improvement in both tone and volume.

If your two-point oval hole Glenn has the Stew-Mac bridge, then it might be worth sending your mandolin back to Allen for a new Cumberland Acoustic bridge. Allen did great work for an unbelievably low price, and was very prompt in completing the work. For me, it was money well spent!

[Roydw3]

As for the low end, I don't really have anything to compare it to, such as a good Gibson, Collings or private builder. It is much better on the low end to the Breedlove and the Eastman I had so I am very happy with it. I do also like the chop compared to those other two. You may be right, it may be thin compared to some of the big dollar mandolins, but man, for what I paid, this thing is the bomb...ok, I really don't talk like that...it is fantastic.

[mandoforme]

Denny, I kept the Sam Bush monel strings on my Glenn four weeks before changing back to D'Addario J-74's. The Glenn sounded good on the Sam Bush monel strings, but it sounds so much better with the J-74's. The Sam Bush strings gave the Glenn a darker, woodier tone, which the Glenn already had a woody tone before. The J-74's make my Glenn A-5 louder with a brighter tone than the monels.

I believe the Sam Bush Monels are good for someone that wants their mandolin to have a darker and woodier tone.

Denny, just wanted to let you know my thoughts on the Sam Bush strings. If you decide you want to try the Sam Bush strings, I will send you a set, as I have an extra set that I will probably never use. After playing the Sam Bush strings four weeks, I believe the phosphor bronze wound strings sound much better on a Glenn mandolin. YMMV!

[Roydw3]

Mandoforme, I am interested in trying the Bush Monels. I have had the EXP74's on for a couple of weeks and enjoy them. I seem to have a little bit harder time keeping the A and E strings in tune. The J74's never did this to me. The last week it has been much better but it sure did take a while for the strings to break in. I still want to try the bush strings and I want to try the EXP75's...already bought one set.

I am still amazed at how good this mandolin sounds for the value. I know it isn't a Gibson DMM but man, for the price, this is a great mandolin.

Hope you have a great holdiday.
Denny

[mandoforme]

Denny, I got the email you sent me. I will mail those Bush monels to you in the next day or two. After you try them, let me know your thoughts. They are good strings, but for me they gave my Glenn A-5 too dark of a tone. I am liking the J-74's again. It takes a couple of days for them to settle in, but they are sounding nice.

[lovethemf5s]

jefflester... c'mon, give Brit a break. She's looking older and she's put on weight. In other words, she's becoming a real person after all. Now if she could just sing.