So what mandolin does avi avital play?

[Elliot Luber]

Avi Avital (http://youtube.com/watch?v=RokcZ33VblI)

[mrmando]

Arik Kerman (http://www.aviavital.com/Default.aspx?tabId=113).

Tom Cohen (http://tom-cohen.com/58251/biography) also plays a Kerman.

[Jim Garber]

From the website of the Israeli Mandolin Quartet (http://www.mandolin.co.il/index-1.html):
Alongside the development of playing technique and repertoire, new technical means were needed to our mandolins in order to have a rounder, fuller and stronger sound than that of the Neapolitan mandolin, (which has a bright and a kind of metal tone).
In that point a connection was made between Beer-Sheva school and the mandolin artist-builder Arik Kerman, who developed in the course of time, his building formula with attention to our needs and style of playing and even to the repertoire of the Beer-Sheva players.
Kerman's mandolins are known in their powerful and especially long tone resonance and in their sweet round sound.

Image from Avi Avital's site:
http://www.aviavital.com/Portals/1/Gallery/Picture07%20(for%2005H).jpg

[mrmando]

Whoa there! Kerman isn't in the Builders database here! But Boaz Elkayam is. Any other Israeli mando-builders of note?

[Elliot Luber]

These mandolins are very interesting. They sound great on Youtube, but I suspect these talented musicians have something to do with it too.