Mandolin tasting

[Ken Sager]

I didn't get any pictures of the Gilchrist, but we had quite a time last evening with Chris Baird, Steve Santora, Chip Booth, Tom Smart, and myself.

On display are Chip's new (in the white) Arches F5, my Arches F5, Chip's Old Wave, Tom's Smart F5 and Mandola, my Bussman guitar, and a Martin D18. Not pictured are a visiting Arches A5 and Gilchrist 5A.

What a night. I'll try to post sound clips soon. I let the H2 run for a couple hours... lots to listen to before posting.

Here are a few pix:

Chip with his new Arches
http://kensager.com/26dec07/Chip.jpg

[Ken Sager]

Chip's Arches back
http://kensager.com/26dec07/ChipsF5Backside.jpg

Cocobola overlay
http://kensager.com/26dec07/ChipsF5Tuners.jpg

[Ken Sager]

Headstock in Tom's hands
http://kensager.com/26dec07/Headstock.jpg

Chris explaining
http://kensager.com/26dec07/Inspection.jpg

[Ken Sager]

Red Spruce
http://kensager.com/26dec07/ArchesF5.jpg

Lineup (Bussman guitar, Arches F5 in the white, Ken's Arches F5, '23 Vega Tubaphone Tenor Banjo, '85 Flatiron F5, Bussman A5, Smart F5, Smart Mandola, Martin D18)
http://kensager.com/26dec07/Lineup.jpg

[Ken Sager]

Arches Headstocks
http://kensager.com/26dec07/ArchesHeadstocks.jpg

Smart Headstocks
http://kensager.com/26dec07/SmartHeadstocks.jpg

[Ken Sager]

Arches Backsides
http://kensager.com/26dec07/ArchesBacksides.jpg

Chris Baird
http://kensager.com/26dec07/Chris.jpg

Thanks for looking!

[jferg9]

Those are some fine looking instruments there on the chesterfield.....thanks for sharing.
Peace,
Jim

[JEStanek]

Thanks Ken. That Cocobolo overlay is a beauty. Chris sure does make nice ones. They all look nice... That's a very respectable pile - o - wood on the sofa for sure. Good line up of folks too! Looking forward to the sound clips.

Jamie

[Mark Walker]

Ken - thanks for sharing and all the great photos!

My wife and daughter annually do a 'Toast of the Season' wine tour in Michigan's Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas - usually encompassing a dozen or more vineyards.

Too bad we can't have a 'mandolin tasting' event where all the luthiers are lined up with a selection of instruments to 'taste test!'

[Ken Sager]

Ken - thanks for sharing and all the great photos!

My wife and daughter annually do a 'Toast of the Season' wine tour in Michigan's Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas - usually encompassing a dozen or more vineyards.

Too bad we can't have a 'mandolin tasting' event where all the luthiers are lined up with a selection of instruments to 'taste test!'
Oh, you're making me miss the MandoFest MandoTasting. 40 or so mandolins by various makers and eras. It was something. We did our own little version of this. I recommend others do the same. It's a great way to spend an evening. I'm still working on the sound clips. They'll happen soon.

Ken

[Chip Booth]

Thanks to Ken for hosting, Steve and Tom for playing and showing off their wonderful instruments, and especially Chris for building me a fantastic new mandolin! #I can't wait to get this thing finished and play the heck out of it. #I think all agreed that it is already sounding very fine and should become a wonderful instrument.

Chip



Here's the pair of Arches:

[Chip Booth]

My F5 in the white again. #The fingerboard is cocobola, and I think it's very beautiful.

Chip