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View Full Version : Arriving today - Lebeda F-5 Premium "Special"



Ivan Kelsall
Jan-13-2009, 1:58am
I've had a few issues with my Weber beartooth which has resulted in me trading it in for an affordable part-ex. Mandolin. This one is a 'used' instrument,made in 2001 & is the 86th instrument made by Jiri Lebeda in the Czech.Republic.
I dont have the full spec.yet,but i has a Bearclaw Spruce top & highly figured Maple back & sides. These pics.are from the TAMCO site in Brighton & show the front & back of the instrument,probably better than my own pics.will,but i'll post a couple when it arrives,
Saska

Chris Biorkman
Jan-13-2009, 4:25am
Congrats, looks really nice.

Elliot Luber
Jan-13-2009, 9:58am
Some good looking wood used there. Would love to hear it!

Jonmiller
Jan-13-2009, 10:13am
I had his F4 premium plus-the workmanship was superb! I love the Lebeda 2 point.

swampstomper
Jan-13-2009, 2:13pm
Welcome to the Lebeda club. I am up to 3 mandos and one mandola... The workmanship is superb as you know, and his selection of tonewoods and his approach to carving make a distinct sound and a very responsive instrument. Have fun!

Ivan Kelsall
Jan-14-2009, 1:51am
I had a Lebeda F-5 Premium Plus up to 12 months or so ago. The workmanship was excellent,couldn't fault it.The only 'fault' was my then lack of knowledge re.Mandolins & how they open up.Plus,i was having a few left hand problems with trigger finger. I bought my Weber Fern & found it easier to play than the Lebeda,so,i traded the Lebeda in for my Weber Beartooth,which had the same 'slim' neck / narrow fingerboard. Unfortunately,the Beartooth had a few building faults,which has resulted in me part-exing the Beartooth for the Lebeda. I believe that this "Special" is a different animal than the standard Premium model. I'm sorry to say that my aforementioned ignorance,led me to part with the Lebeda before i gave it a chance to 'open up'.
My left hand problems have got quite a bit better in recent months,so if the Lebeda does have a slightly 'chunkier' neck,it should be no problem,
Saska ~:>

mandolirius
Jan-14-2009, 4:29am
Played a couple of Lebeda's (do you owners call them "Lebs"?), not sure which models but both f-styles. I thought they were very nice mandolins. Recently I had a chance to play a Capek, another Czech mandolin, also quite nice. I have also heard a few good players from that part of the world. Seems like there must be a healthy mandolin culture there.

swampstomper
Jan-14-2009, 7:08am
Don't forget Prucha (also known for top-tier banjos) and Holubek. Yes, a thriving culture for mandos but also for folk music in general.

Ivan Kelsall
Jan-15-2009, 3:09am
Well,the Mandolin arrived fit & well. The workmanship is superb by any standard.The top wood looks beautiful.It's my first encounter with "Bearclaw" Spruce & i can see why some many folk love the look of it. The figuring on the back & sides is as nice as any i've ever seen & the whole thing just looks 'GOOD'. You folk know what i mean.You can almost tell,just by looking,that an instrument's going to sound good & this one certainly does. It sounds as close to my Weber Fern as could be,except,it sounds a bit 'tighter' - a sound property that my Weber "Beartooth" had,it's a bit 'punchier' all round.
This Mandolin has the advantage of being 8 years old (made in 2001),so it's been played over a few years,but as the condition is truly immaculate,with only the minutest of blemishes on the neck (looks like the previous owner 'may' have used a capo on it) 2 tiny,less than pin-head sized indents,
i don't think it's been played that often. It's going to share a LOT of playing with my Fern & i'll see how it goes on,but as of now - it's staying with me - permanently !.
I e-mailed Jiri Lebda re.the Mandolin & i'm waiting for him to contact me re.the Mandolin's construction,finish etc. The grain of the top wood,stands out under the finish ie. it's not 'mirror flat'.You can see the ripples of the grain under the finish,which makes me wonder if this could be a varnished Mandolin - any ideas ?,
Saska

Ivan Kelsall
Jan-15-2009, 5:14am
Here's a couple of pics. of the Lebeda "Special". You can see clearly near the scroll, the 'outstanding' grain (by that i mean the grain 'stands out') that's what's making me wonder if the finish is varnish. Having never been in the same room as a varnished Mandolin,i've nothing to compare it to,but it certainly isn't the high gloss,mirror flat finish as per.my Weber,
Saska:confused:

Arto
Jan-15-2009, 5:31am
Enjoy your Birthday present!
:) Arto

dulcillini
Jan-15-2009, 7:45pm
Great looking instrument, Saska !

When can we expect a You-Tube demo ?

:)

viv
Jan-15-2009, 10:33pm
Great looking instrument, Saska !

When can we expect a You-Tube demo ?

:)

what he said!

very, very pretty, saska, really. congrats, and enjoy!

Ivan Kelsall
Jan-16-2009, 1:57am
Unfortunately (or maybe 'fortunately' for you guys & gals) i currently have no means of making any
sound or vid.clips. That's a shame really,as i'm just AWESOME !!! (LOL).
It'll be nice to hear how the Lebeda comes along in a years or so's time. I know how my Weber Fern 'opened up' over a couple of years,so i have something to judge the Lebeda's progress by.
It is a very beautiful looking Mandolin.The finish is just a couple of steps away from being a 'matt' finish & shows the wood grain really well.
A word of thanks here would not go amiss,to Trevor at TAMCO in Brighton UK,from where i got the Lebeda. I'd had a few issues with another Mandolin which resulted in me returning it to Trevor in order for it to be sent back to the US to be made good. Initially,Trevor offered me the loan of the Lebeda while the 'other' Mando.was being repaired. Knowing that the repair could take a long time,i asked re.a part-ex.on the Lebeda & he was kind enough to agree.So,thanks to his kindness,i now have 2 beautiful & different sounding Mandolins,
Saska :mandosmiley: