New / Used Clark 2-Point #39

[mando.player]

I recently picked up a Clark from the classifieds here on the Cafe. Having never played a Clark before I was floored with how perfect it was for my playing style. Fretting notes is effortless and the tone/volume from string to string is incredibly balanced.

It shipped with in a Travelite case, I took it to Elderly to get an Eastman fiberglass case and a strap button installed. While I waited for the button, I got to play the wall of the mandolins there. I'm sure part of this is a honeymoon phase, but nothing on that wall of mandolins felt or played better than the Clark. That's a nice feeling to have. Anyhow, enough of my gushing....here are some pics I snapped off.

[mando.player]

And a few more...

[Skip Kelley]

Charlie, that is a sweet looking two-pointer! It looks like it would be gun to play! Congratulations and enjoy!

[DSDarr]

Great looking mando Charlie! Enjoy!

[John Hill]

I really, really like Clark's take on the 2 pointer.

[Chris Biorkman]

Congrats! I was drooling over that one when I saw it in the classifieds. Sure is a looker.

[hank]

Beautiful mandolin Charlie, Glad she was the pick of the litter at Elderlys. That's a good feeling when you roll the dice and win big. I see moderator under your avatar, your fellow moderators have done an outstanding job here, welcome.

[Chris Biorkman]

He's been a moderator as long as Jamie and Mike. He just doesn't post twenty times a day.

[Austin Koerner]

I'm going to bet that you won't play many mandolins that come close to your Clark.

[JEStanek]

He's been a moderator as long as Jamie and Mike. He just doesn't post twenty times a day.

Hey!

Jamie

[mando.player]

I feel really good about this one. I've played/owned enough mandolins to know what works for me. My standard has always been a Rigel neck. The closest I've come to that is the Breedlove. It's only been a few days, but the Clark has set a new standard for me. From time to time I'll hear folks say this instrument or that instrument "just plays itself". Usually I dismiss these comments with a grain of salt. This is the first time I've come close to feeling that way. It's just a very easy to play instrument. It just happens to sound great too.

[Chris Biorkman]

Sorry, Jamie. 15 times a day. ;)

[JEStanek]

Chris- That's more like it.

Charlie, more importantly, that's a sweet Clark. Congratulations.

Jamie

[Mike Snyder]

We didn't get a good look at the neck in the photos. Would that be wide and beefy? It's a beauty.
Congrats.

[mando.player]

It's a 1 3/16" nut width and I'd classify it as a C shape profile, medium on the chunky scale. The important thing to me was I picked up the mandolin and fired off a few tunes without ever thinking about the neck. It was such a good fit for me that the profile never entered into the equation. Which makes for a great evaluation period. I wasn't fighting the mandolin or trying to figure out how it wanted to be played. I was able to concentrate on other things like tone, volume and balance. All of which exceeded my expectations.

There were a lot of mandolins out on the floor yesterday at Elderly and I had a good time playing them. I had a better time making the 90min drive home knowing I had the best mandolin for me in the passenger seat.

[MandoNicity]

That is one sexy looking two-pointer! Congrats!

JR

[hank]

Thanks Chris, I guess my mouse was asleep at the monitor and missed a moderator. Charlie, again congratulations on your beautiful Clark mandolin.

[Chris Biorkman]

He really nails those red-bursts. I'd love to get my hands on one of these things someday.

[Ted Eschliman]

Good stuff. My Clark JM is still my first call, "go-to" stage instrument. It also remains the signature icon on the front page of the JazzMando.com website.

[Scotti Adams]

I'm going to bet that you won't play many mandolins that come close to your Clark.

I agree..I couldnt be more happy with my F model. Im..uh..we are very lucky.

[mando.player]

One last glamour shot. I participate in a photo twitter feed called the daily shoot (@dailyshoot / www.dailyshoot.com (http://www.dailyshoot.com)). One of the assignments this weekend was curves. What better subject than the Clark. The pickguard provides some gentle symmetry to the punchy lines that the binding provides.

[Joe F]

Welcome to the Clark family! My #27 is an F5 with the red burst and triple-tortoise binding. I've had it for almost 2 years, and it simply gets better and better every time I play it (the tone, that is, not necessarily my playing!).

[swinginmandolins]

Congrats!! A Clark mandolin is definately one I would love to try, and from the reviews have someday. Enjoy!!

[ColdBeerGoCubs]

Chris- That's more like it.

Charlie, more importantly, that's a sweet Clark. Congratulations.

Jamie

Actually,


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From your profile.

[billhay4]

Austin is a great builder and a class act.
Bill

[nickster60]

A very nice Mandolin indeed one of nicest 2 points I have seen.

Nick

[Jason Kindall]

Those Clarks are my absolute favorite 2-pointers out there. Sweeeet! Enjoy!

[pjlama]

Beautiful! So what are the the woods? What's is sound like? etc???

[Glassweb]

I finally got to meet Austin in person at Wintergrass last week and test drive a number of his mandolins. Firstly, let me say that Austin is a superbly nice man... I really enjoyed talking mandolins with him and appreciated his unmistakable passion for the rather difficult task of making fine, arch-top mandolins. There were a couple of F5's there that were VERY nice and one in particular was scary good. We both agreed it was the superstar of the festival. Tough to find anything better (or as good) for the price. Highly recommended for anyone looking to move up to a "real" mandolin. If Ted-E plays one for his main axe you know it's happenin'! Power to ya Austin!

[kirksdad]

Yup; Austin's stuff look like superb examples of craftsmanship and artistry.......Congrats on that beauty.....how 'bout some soundclips ?

[Phil Goodson]

This is on my short list of "most beautiful mandos I have seen". Scary pretty!!

[mando.player]

The woods are Engelmann top and bigleaf maple back. Soundwise, it's very balanced and even string to string. The notes are a little more percussive coming off the this one compared to my other two mandolins. Once the note sounds with the string fundamental, it blooms sweetly. It's brighter than the Breedlove and Rigel, but not super bright. Again, balanced. As for chording, it's not going to bark like a junk yard dog but it's got a nice chop when you reach into it. 3 note jazz chords on the low strings really sound nice. I'm sure part of that has to do with how well it frets. It's really easy to grab chords on.

I'll try to get some sound clips recorded in the near future.

[mando.player]

I knocked out a few sound clips during lunch. Just quick and dirty into the Zoom H4, so please forgive the engineering and playing :)

[swinginmandolins]

Sounds Great!!

[hank]

Very nice Charlie to my ears a rich crisp & clear tone without a husky/woofy(woody?) component.

[JEStanek]

That's an excellent voice put to good use, Charlie.

Jamie

[wwwilkie]

Wow, that's what mandolin making is all about!

[grassrootphilosopher]

Nice looking and sounding instrument. Congrats.

[swinginmandolins]

Charlie what strings is the Clark strung up with in the recordings....just curious.

Oh and I noticed you haven't updated your signature with the new mando....I have to say again too, nice mando!

[mando.player]

If I had to guess, I think they are J74s. But I can't say for sure, it's whatever it shipped with. Austin says it's setup for J74s and since the original owner didn't play it much (more of a guitar guy) I doubt it's been changed. It would have EXP74s on it now, but I'm waiting on some top secret prototype strings developed at NASA. Well...I added the NASA part, but I am waiting to test out some prototypes. After that I'll probably see how the EXP74s sound (cause I got some in house) and then JM11s.

My gut tells me the JM11s are going to win out, but I'll enjoy the journey getting there.

[Mike Bromley]

Austin's mandolins (I've only seen two, at ROW last year) appear to be studies in craftsmanship, so if they sound good, that should be no surprise. I did play briefly on the A5, and it was lovely.