My 'managerie'

[Orrin Star]

Having enjoyed browsing in this area for quite a while, and having recently assembled all my mandos for an in-house tasting, I thought it appropos to share a couple pics of my stable.

Orrin
www.orrinstar.com
Upcoming Mando Workshops:
June 7: Washington DC
June 21: VA Beach, VA
June 22: Lancaster, VA

[Orrin Star]

From Left to Right:
Rose #27; Gibson F5G (2002); Kettler #112 (1979); Elliott Burch #13; Vern Bryant #18; Rose #33; Bryant #7 (1975); Bryant #65.

[Orrin Star]

The rear-view.

[piknleft]

Good lookin' herd for sure. And if you could keep only one?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif??? Which one do you reach for the most? Thanks for sharing, Mike

[Eric F.]

No chickens? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Nice-looking herd, though!

[Orrin Star]

Misc notes:
The Rose's were both made for me; the rest were met prior to purchasing.

The F5G is my newest instrument; just had it out with me for
my two-week CA and NV tour. (since the photo was taken I've sanded the finish off the back of the neck; I also plan on rounding the V slightly; it's a little severe for my taste.)

The Kettler's back and sides are made of Padouk; that's the natural, unstained color (cf my avatar). You can hear and see the Ketter in action on this video from a show Jimmy Gaudreau and I did at the Kennedy Center a couple years ago: http://www.kennedy-center.org/program....REAUST# (http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/millennium/artist_detail.cfm?artist_id=GAUDREAUST#)

Bryant 18 and 7 are both Gibson reproductions (ie The Gibson on the headstock but with Vern's label inside). They also each have an abalone strip just below the binding on each side of their necks. (Never understood the reasoning there, and these are the only two of his I've seen that on.) You can see/hear 18 on this later Kennedy video from a show with John Seebach: http://www.kennedy-center.org/program....RRORRIN (http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/millennium/artist_detail.cfm?artist_id=STARRORRIN)

Bryant #65 (with 'Bryant' on the headstock) is from 2007, and is a little wider that the standard F dimensions; he calls this his 'Super B' model (though it's not reflected on the label anywhere). Leon Morris (DC-area bluegrass elder who played with Buzz Buzzby years ago) has the mandolin that followed this one (another Super B) and is using it now as his primary mandolin.

[MojoMando]

Hey Orrin... nice grouping. I think I remember you holding the Kettler on the cover of one of your albums. They're all beauties!

[Orrin Star]

And if you could keep only one?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif??? Which one do you reach for the most? Thanks for sharing, Mike
The answer to that changes over time. If I want a classic bluegrass sound, then Bryant #7. Lately I've been playing the Gibson a fair amount (as I get to know it). Probably the sleeper in the bunch is the Rose A (which I am planning on playing more once it gets some needed neck work).

(Am starting to think about thinning the herd a bit so
you may be seeing a couple of these in the classifieds before long.)

Orrin

[mandopete]

I thought it appropos to share a couple pics of my stable.
You sir suffer from MAS in the worst way!

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

[Orrin Star]

No - I WAS suffering from MAS; now that I have too many
I'm no longer feeling the pain;)

Orrin
www.orrinstar.com
Upcoming Mando Workshops:
June 7: Washington DC
June 21: VA Beach, VA
June 22: Lancaster, VA

[shadco]

I'm partial to Rose #33

It sounds quitea bit like my Weber Diamondback except that Orrin makes em both sound great.