Inverness mando gathering 2008

[Treblemaker]

This year's Norcal Mandolin Gathering in gorgeous Inverness, CA was graced by glorious sunny weather, a lot of fine mandolin and mando family instruments, some great pickers and a terrific, friendly welcoming vibe courtesy of David Crumney (and Family) and Jim French. Both these cats are not only nice, but great pickers to boot.

Banana brought his usual assortment of all sorts of interesing instruments, including a matching Giacomel mandolin and mandocello in redburst and a horde of other curious 8 stringed beauties.

Arthur Stern was there as well with his two gourgeous matching Lawrence Smarts: a mando and mandola that he designed, as well as his kick butt Monteleone.

Ed Neff held a few private and group lessons and jammed a bit on his Kemnitzer #1 and Butch Waller showed up with a killer Newsom for sale and his Loar which didn't seem to come out of the case.

Other notable mandolins I tasted or heard included David Crumney's awesome Red Diamond Vintage F, Finn Taylor's amazing Heiden F (a little bird told me it will soon be up for sale), Dave Berry's terrific Gilchrist A, Bob Blanchards' Gilchrist F and a great Vessel F owned and played by Darren Weiss.

Of course there were other very cool instruments, inlcuding my heavily beaten on Lawrence Smart F - #124, Eastman's, Collings, Gibsons, Martins, and so on ad infintem...

A fine time was had by all and as I told our hosts, this being the 5th or 6th one of these events I've attended, I always wind up driving home through the gorgeous Marin County Landscape like a dog with tongue hanging out the window and my ears flapping in the breeze.

Ain't these mandolins the greatest?

-Treblemaker
SF, CA
www.WorldWideTed.com

(Below is Banana and Arthur Stern. Arthur is holding his beloved Monteleone)

[Treblemaker]

Here's some goodies from Inverness

[Treblemaker]

And more...

[Treblemaker]

And again

[Treblemaker]

And then some...

[Treblemaker]

Juicy, Ain't it?

[Treblemaker]

So many mandolins - so little time/cash/fingers...
(www.WorldWideTed.com)

[Treblemaker]

Last good one I got...
Regrettably for you all I did a lot more pickin' then snappin' photos, but that's just how it goes at these things ya know.

Enjoy - Treblemaker
(Jan Kahdeman ® and pal pickin' and grinnin'.)
www.WorldWideTed.com

TS

[AlanN]

Thnaks for the lovely pix, Ted. What is that Bigsby lookin thing in there?

[mandolooter]

wow...we need one of these in Idaho!

[Treblemaker]

I didn't play that one - but it's the typcial Bigsby 5 String 'lectric played by the likes of Tiny Moore back in the day...(http://www.emando.com/players/Moore.htm)
(BTW - Happy Bday Jethro Burns)...
TS

[djweiss]

David and Jim sure know how to throw a party...It was great seeing you again, Ted. Thanks for the Dawg's Waltz lesson. I'm already looking forward to next year...if you really want to make everyone jealous, you should include a picture of the view off the deck (of Tomales Bay and the rolling hills)...what a place to pick! I can sit there all day (and did!).

-Darren

[David Newton]

Hey! There's my harp! David Crummey's actually. Neat display.

[SternART]

It was nice to see Artie & Harriet Rose out & about. My lady friend Barb Montoro Swan, had a swell time playing bass.
Turns out Mary Gibbons from the All Girl Boys was there & Barb had played on a tour with them, and Butch Waller had once
hired her....many years ago....as her first BG gig, so she was right at home. I think she knew as many folks there as
I did, but different ones. Good to see everyone........ maybe the next one will be in Benicia!

[jasona]

I regret not being able to make it out to the Bay Area for this event. I went to one a few years back and had just a wonderful time, even if my picking was too poor to play with the main groups. Jim French went out of his way to play a few easy fiddle tunes with me, which really meant a lot. I now know Cherokee Shuffle so am ready for the next time.

[Sonomabob]

I agree with everything said above. It was an amazing day. Never considered that I would be able to play any of these much less on the same day.

My fingers are still sore.

Bob

[SternART]

Lots of good pickers from Bay Area bands were in attendance.......Treblemaker Ted was in in the Chazz Cats and now is in Belle Monroe & the Brewglass Boys among other gigs, Larry Cohea and Butch Waller from High Country, David Thom ex-DGBX, and has his David Thom Band, Paul Shelasky plays with David & is in several other bands with his hot fiddlin', Olivier Zyngier ex Baquette Quartet now in Way Blonde. In fact I had just seen Way Blonde the night before & noticed Olivier's cool 2 point walnut backed Michael Lewis mandolin, got to play it on Sunday. Coupla interesting antique mandos were there, a D'Angelico mando & a D'Angelico guitar, along with a 1905 Orville labeled Gibson with the black & white binding.....numerous other good players & cool instruments I'm sure I'm leaving out. Was that a Kimble dola I caught outta the corner of my eye? .....I'm not a banjo expert but I couldn't help but notice Lowell Levinger & Larry Cohea had near identical vintage axes.

[djweiss]

There was a Kimble Mandola on the table near the kitchen...number 50-something, I believe...sounded good to me, and looked like a bigger version of my Kimble A5 (#122)...

Also, David Crummey's watermelon mandolin sounded very good, in spite of its very unusual appearance...Really, I don't think I played a bad mandolin all day, and there was enough variety there to suit anyones playing style...A, F, 2 point, bluegrass, jazz, classical, etc, etc...

[theBlood]

Last good one I got...
Regrettably for you all I did a lot more pickin' then snappin' photos, but that's just how it goes at these things ya know.

Enjoy - Treblemaker
(Jan Kahdeman ® and pal pickin' and grinnin'.)
www.WorldWideTed.com

TS
Hi Ted,

I had a great time doing swing tunes on the porch with you, among other treats at this gathering. This was my first of these particular gatherings, and really couldn't believe how many great mandolins there were to play, and with a great jam to jump into with whatever you've selected. I was holding back a little on arrival, but saw a Gilchrist sitting there and knew the tune being played, so I plunged.

What an afternoon. My head was filled with sounds for the drive home.

We should get together and jam sometime, my girlfriend has a place down there...

JY

[mrmando]

Holy cow, is that a Bardsong zouk in between Art's Smarts?

[Treblemaker]

Q: You know what they call a dear with no eyes?

A: No eye dear....

[tuhker]

I love this event and this was one of the best! My only regret is I don't remember pickin any with Crumney!

[f5loar]

Nice gathering. Looks like Gibsons don't rule in CA. Such a wide assortment of everything. Love that 50's EM200 Florentine. Did anyone plug that up?

[Treblemaker]

While Gibson's as a rule - don't rule round these parts - most of what is shown in these pics is for the most part the collections of David Crumney, Banana and Arthur Stern with a few odds and ends tossed in.

There were many more mandos at this gathering, in the hands of pickers and on a table on the other side of the main room - but I picked so much music I never got a change to snap more photos.

I am surprised more pics were not added here or taken at the gathering....?

just a few more pennies added to my .02.

Treblemaker:(

[SternART]

David, our host, actually has a very nice collection of Gibson prototypes......and I sold him a very special MM, it was Charlie's
personal July 9th copy signed by Derrington on a July 9th. Mike Stangland had talked Charlie out of it, and I bought it when Mike
started having hand problems, limiting his mando playing. It is a killer MM......I'm not sure if it was there this time though.

[djweiss]

The CD July 9th MM *was* there...I played it and what looked to be a Cliff Sargent (or similar) F5 copy built in 1999. I really liked the MM, as well as a DMM I played the day before in Berkeley.

[jasona]

That MM is one of the best mandolins I've had the opportunity of picking.

[tophill]

Holy cow, is that a Bardsong zouk in between Art's Smarts?

good eye!!
sorry for the dilatory reply, but it's my Bardsong OM.

~ Tony