Weber vintage a oval hole

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Full Front

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Top

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Headstock

[Chris Biorkman]

You're getting yourself a really nice collection.

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Back of headstock

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Back

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Full back. There is a initial review in the "Looking for Information about Mandolins" section. I would like to add that the tone keeps coming out clearer yet more complex. That sounds like a paradox and probably it is. The highs seem clearer the bass notes more complex. This is definately a keeper. Take care all.
Tony

[Mike Buesseler]

Hey red7flag, not sure you are interested, but I got a set of black tuner buttons from Rick Banuelos for $10. I like them better than the original white ones... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Rick Schmidlin]

WOW

[red7flag]

Mike, I added the black tone tuner buttons to my Lebeda mandola and the result was awesome. So, I do know how good they can look. I will mull that over for a while and decide which buttons I would fit the instrument better. Thanks for the thought.
Tony

[Jonmiller]

I love this mando!!

[mandroid]

so the a5 neck type on an oval hole body, with the bridge shifted.

sound int the direction of the 5 part of the crossbreed, or the 4?

[Kevin Briggs]

so the a5 neck type on an oval hole #body, with the bridge shifted.

sound int the direction of the 5 part of the crossbreed, or the 4?
Whah?

[Mike Buesseler]

sound int the direction of the 5 part of the crossbreed, or the 4?


Since I own one just like this, I guess I can answer that (although I wasn't sure what you meant, at first....) I'd have to say mine sounds more like a 4 (if you mean "the oval hole" sound). Not sure Tony will agree. In fact, I'd say it's somewhere in between...or maybe a sound all it's own. Doesn't sound like my other oval holes...or like the Fs I've owned, either. Just nice! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Kevin Briggs]

Well heck, it sure looks nice enough.

[Steve-o]

Well heck, it sure looks nice enough.
I second that...coming out of MAS remission just now...

[red7flag]

I would agree with Mike. To me has a Celtic clean sound. Round but clear sound. Oval sound, but not tubby at all. Not like a 5 or a 4, but like Mike also says has a sound of its own. Sounds quite a bit like a mahogany Bitterroot, which was my first mando, but with a more complex sound. My guess from the old wood. Easy to play and tone to die for. Not a grass instrument though, but can play it adequately. Hope this helps.
Tony

[frankenstein]

Headstock
try these..

[Ken Berner]

I am a Weber enthusiast, as my first mandolin of quality was (and still is) a '99 Beartooth. I have never owned an oval hole mandolin, but this one, to me, looks gorgeous; the coloring is just what I would want. The pumpkin colored top really appeals to me; the sound must be unique. Do you know how old the wood is?

[Mike Buesseler]

Ken, Greg Boyd's site says, "made from wood 50-100 years old." I assume that means it was cut 50-100 years ago.

[bosco]

I have had my eye on one of these for a while now also. Does anyone know the story behing the 'old wood' - what type of spruce that top is? #I think I heard that Bruce bought a stash of this wood from a fiddle builder. Any possibility that this is German spruce?

[Mike Buesseler]

We need Rick Banuelos to pipe in here...RIIIIIIiiiiick!!

[wannabethile]

darn it!! i was foolishly hoping that in five to ten years it would still be for sale on that site for the same price and i could pick it up then, haha. congrats, man!! thats gorgeous!!

[mandolirius]

I had a Vintage A model to try out for about ten days. I played a lot, in a variety of situations. I'd agree that is has a great roundhole sound but it's got none of the Gibson "tubbiness". I like that sound, but it usually goes along with a lack of projection and less definition in the notes.

The Weber's X-braced, and that seems to change the nature of the roundhole sound. To me, it gave it more sharpness and projection, with the tradeoff being it doesn't have some of that deep Gibson warmth.

On the other hand, it was a brand new instrument, so who knows what would develop. And new or not, it had a very mature sound, not like a lot of new intstruments. But I'd venture a guess it would never sound like an older Gibson roundhole. It just felt like a different animal. I liked the extra definition and projection and felt it would be a lot more microphone-friendly than a lot of the Gibson A's I've played.

It was quite nice to play, with a comfortable neck and fingerboard. The one I was road-testing had medium frets which I liked, but they were the high-profile type, which I didn't like. I understand you can order them with whatever frets you want.
It is also incredibly beautiful, to my eye. I like simplicity and the combination of the classic Gibson styling with the blonde/black/red/white combination of the top, peghead, back and binding was very appealing.

I decided that I want one and am saving up.

[Rick Schmidlin]

I have been very interested in one from the future also.

[Michael Gowell]

waitaminute, we've skipped over that gorgeous F peghead with (presumably) replica Handel buttons. #Great!!!

[JEStanek]

Mike Blohm makes gorgeous replica Handel buttons. While I think they are very beautiful,I personally wouldn't like them on the mando from the OP. I would like ebony or another wooden kind. Maybe a cherry or something to compliment the back. Maybe even a well grained ivoriod that's more yellowed like on vintage instruments. Just me. I'm pretty sure Tony will make a switch to what floats his boat if he changes them.

Jamie

[Spruce]

"Does anyone know the story behing the 'old wood' - what type of spruce that top is? #I think I heard that Bruce bought a stash of this wood from a fiddle builder. Any possibility that this is German spruce? "

It's mostly Sitka and Bigleaf milled in the 60's or so....
There's some Engelmann and other maples in there, but for the most part it's 40-50 year old Left Coast species....

Check it out here (http://www.webermandolin.com/updates_wood.htm)....

[frankenstein]

waitaminute, we've skipped over that gorgeous F peghead with (presumably) replica Handel buttons. #Great!!!
these replica buttons are Mike Blohm's.. just a suggestion..

[red7flag]

This afternoon, I was fiddling with the Vintage A and the Stanley and the Collings (whoops, that was a faux pas in a mandolin thread). #Strangely enough, the Vintage A is more like the Collings as the note production is really clear. #The Stanley is really a different breed, more like the Gibson sound, with lots of overtones. #The Vintage A really is different from any instrument I have ever played. #Clear as a bell, but with something more complex, not really overtones, but just a rounder sound than something strickly bell like. #I am struggling to find a discription, as nothing is really like it. #It has opened up some, but I think it will be a slow process as it seems to be somewhat tight compared to those other two especially in the bass range. #Not at all what you would expect from an Oval. #
Tony

[Mike Buesseler]

I've been enjoying my CV oval hole for a couple of months now, not really thinking how the sound compares to other mandolins all that much. It is different. I'd think a big part of that might be that the neck joins the body at the 13th fret, compared to Gibsons at the....9th or 10th (I forget). Maybe we should be thinking of it as a hybrid? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

But, in any case, I agree that this makes a great Celtic instrument. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Rick Banuelos]

We need Rick Banuelos to pipe in here...RIIIIIIiiiiick!!
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sleepy.gif


http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sleepy.gif


...WHAH? HUH?!

Sorry for the delay in posting, folks.

First of all, thanks very much to Mr. Harvie for supplying you with the same link as I would.


The wood we use for the Vintage A comes from the stock you see pictured on the website, some of which is as old as Mr. Boyd indicates (and yes, that is CUT that long ago). Most of the stock was cut in the '60s, but we have found some pieces that are older; some significantly so.

For the record: the maple we use from these is bigleaf, and is just as old.

Was there anything else you all would like to know?

[red7flag]

Could someone give me a thumbnail sketch of the difference between sugar maple, broadleaf, curley, etc. I am most interested broadleaf. Thanks.
Tony