speaking of Dave Cohen. . . (and my new A5!)

[fatt-dad]

I've known Dave for many years. I've owned a lot of mandolins. He's worked on many of them and I've played quite an assortment of his instruments over the years.

Dave's described more to me about mandolins, their acoustics and materials than I'll ever remember. I fully understand his passion being an engineer (i.e., geek) myself.

Here's Daves take on an A5 in redwood and walnut. I asked for a fleur de lei on the peghead. I also asked for the worm under tuners and we used the "Golden Age Restoration tuners" and just drilled the post spacing like the old days. These are the cream knobs. The peghead's overlay is ebony and the binding is maple. He used a varnish finish, but no stain (the varnish may impart some color though).

I'll never be any good at describing the tone. It's different in a good way, projects like a ventriloquist and the ringing notes echo on for hours. The sound is developing and I'm learning its voice.

Hope you enjoy the photos.

f-d

84005
84006
84007
84008
84009
84010
84011

[Markus]

Don't take that one to the beach!

If it sounds half as good as it looks, you've got a keeper. Wow.

I love his design, and I like your wood choices a lot. Perfectly executed ... it looks like your mandolin and no others. I love that.

Congratulations. Enjoy. Happy spring!

[George R. Lane]

A great looking instrument, I love the soundholes and the design of his bridges is very interesting. Hopefully he will chime in and explain the bridge design.

[Jim Garber]

That is a beaut, papa gordo! I love the walnut back too.

[Lee]

That really is a beauty. More important are the thoughts that created its design and the ingenuity during its creation.

[Charles E.]

Wow, what a nice mandolin. I really like the bridge design, Kasha inspired perhaps? Enjoy!

[Chris "Bucket" Thomas]

Very nice !

[rgray]

A stunning beauty. Congratulations.

[Grommet]

FD-We'll all be looking for a clip of it in action over on the SAW group!

Scott

[Spruce]

...projects like a ventriloquist...

:)

Beautiful!!

[Chris Rogers]

Looks real nice. I just brought home the parts for a walnut/redwood mandolin, my second build. You've double my enthusiasm to get started.

[mandomiss]

Awesome fatt-dad! That is one sweet lookin' Cohen! The walnut on that puppy is gorgeous. I imagine you are just as pleased with your new instruments as I am with mine. In which case you are already planning the next instrument you want Dave to build you (I've got my heart set on a two-point mandola).

Congratulations!

[Ed Goist]

Rustic yet modern. Classic yet unique.
Magnificent.
Congratulations!

[John Kasley]

Lovely. the natural looking fleur de lis is a nice touch. I think I might have seen this one, or one very similar, in the raw during a visit w/Dave at his shop.

[Steve-o]

Very nice, F-D. I love that combination of tonewoods, and I've played one of Dave's C# mandolins with that wood combination. It blew me away and still haunts me. Don't let that one get away. Enjoy!

[fatt-dad]

Dear All,

Thanks for the kind words. Regarding the bridge, Dave makes them for low mass. I'm sure that the footprint shape is somehow related to either an aesthetic or the vibration. He's been doing this for some while.

Regarding another Cohen, I'm somewhat interested in hearing the "Sonic Sitka" parlor guitar he's building - not that I need another guitar that is. . .

f-d

Oh, I wanted to mention a few other specs. It's 1-3/16ths at the nut and a 12-in radius.

[sgarrity]

Dr. Cohen makes a damn fine mandolin. I still kick myself for letting a certain koa F5 get away. That was a nice axe!

[Rob Fowler]

Congrats, Fatt-Dad! Can't wait to see a video of you pickin' an old fiddle tune on it!

[JEStanek]

Sweet. Glad to see you got your Cohen!

Jamie

[Dale Ludewig]

Very Nice! David can make a fine mandolin. And he's a good fellow on top of it. He even knows what he's talking about.

[tburcham]

Fatt-dad,

As you know, I love Dr. Cohen's mandolins....and hope to own one myself...someday. That is a beautiful mandolin...love the walnut back/sides. Like the rest of the Cafe, crew, I'd love to hear a clip or two. Congrats!

[Rosemary Philips]

Stunning! Enjoy!

[Jill McAuley]

Gorgeous! Love the walnut back and that peghead inlay is pure class!

Cheers,
Jill

[Bob DeVellis]

Absolutely beautiful mandolin!

[fatt-dad]

Here's the problems with video clips. The laptop microphone and the quality of the talent. That said, here goes. . . me playing, "Sally in the Garden" on my new Cohen.

Hope you enjoy.

f-d

CaOECIBI0dI

[Randi Gormley]

Beautiful instrument. A really intriguing tone on that.

[fatt-dad]

much of that "tone" is my heavy hand and poor technique. I am learning though and really do enjoy the journey.

f-d

[Bob DeVellis]

Worked for me, fatt-dad.

[robert.najlis]

Thanks for posting the video. Sounds great. Redwood and walnut, wow, what a combination.

Do you spend any time with a mirror looking inside at the wacky bracing? (No disrespect there, in fact nothing but amazement at the work Mr. Cohen has done on acoustics and bracing. I was just referring to how his bracing was described in another post here which I enjoyed).

[fatt-dad]

I saw the bracing before it was all glued up. Here it is:

84107

f-d

[robert.najlis]

that's pretty wild

[fatt-dad]

update: I love my new mandolin! Here it is in action this past weekend. I had no idea this photo was being taken. I'm preparing to leave the church retreat and playing "Seneca Square Dance."

85173

f-d