My first mandolin.

[beeson22]

Hey everyone, I have been wanting to play mandolin for a while and recently bought my first one. Mandolin is definitely different than expected but I am hooked. All of the videos on here have been very inspiring and I hope to contribute some in the future.
Scott.

[Ed Goist]

Scott, congratulations, that is a beautiful instrument!
Welcome.

[Kip Carter]

Scott,
Grats... welcome... and that is one nice looking mando.. got some history on it like when it was made and stuff. I've never seen one quite like that before! Get a chance we'd love to hear a chord or two on it.
Kip...

[beeson22]

Thanks Kip and Ed, I am not sure of any history to the mandolin. From what the seller said it is German and a hopf. Any good beginner suggestions for songs/scales to practice? Thanks again.

[Paul Busman]

Hi and welcome. That's one unusual mandolin. I hope it sounds as pretty as it looks.
Hopf apparently made a variety of musical instruments including guitars and fiddles. Back in my recorder playing days, I ran across several very nice Hopf recorders too. Fine German craftsmanship and all that. Enjoy yours.

[Ed Goist]

Here is a past thread about Hopf mandolins (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?75969-Hopf-mandolins).

[Jason Kessler]

Very similar to, but nicer than, my first mandolin, a Dofra, bought in a Manhattan thrift shop. It was all the mando I needed for a few years. Did yeoman duty in two bands. Still have it. May yours bring you the joy mine brought me, and more.

[HoGo]

This one looks remarkably close to Czechoslovakian "Cremona" mandolins, well. almost identical. I owned two of this style. Mine were simpler with back of just dark/light stripes but I've seen examples with all kinds of fancy patterns. Cremona made three styles of mandolins "German"- flat top and back, "Portuguese" - Flat top & arched back, and "Italian" - bowlback, in all levels of fanciness in thousands. Most of their production was exported and they rarely used anything else than small simple 1.5x1" typed paper label inside so rebranding is possible.

[MONami]

That is a very nice mando. I love the back. I am thinking that it is not a cheapo mando. Very good find.

[beeson22]

Thanks so much for all of the comments and the information! It is so fun to play but it is taking me a while to get use to. Hearing all of the music on here is great motivation though :grin: Thanks again
Scott

[robinsondd]

Thanks Kip and Ed, I am not sure of any history to the mandolin. From what the seller said it is German and a hopf. Any good beginner suggestions for songs/scales to practice? Thanks again.

Scott,

I started playing a Loar 520 mando last March and used these books with their DVDs to get me going quite nicely. Take a look.

Bert Casey
The Mandolin Primer
http://www.cvls.com/products/MP.html

Braid Laird
The Mandolin Handbook
http://www.cvls.com/products/MSB.html

Rick Williams
Jam Tunes Mandolin and Guitar
http://www.bluegrassbooksonline.com/index.htm

[John McCoy]

That is a terrific-looking instrument.

Congratulations.

I like the "brand:"


The "H" looks like a stylized segno
The "o" is a whole note
The "p" is a half note
And the "f" is like an eighth note with truncated flag, with the cross-hatch indicating it's to be played as two sixteenth notes.



That's really cool.



== John ==

[OzMando]

What a beautiful first instrument! Congrats and welcome mate.

[Barry Wilson]

Yes that is very pretty.

check on the main page of this site. start with the 2 finger chords. enjoy your new toy.