Hilburn #59

[Jim Hilburn]

This is the 4th octave I've made. Check out the Waverly's because it will probably be a while til I use them again.
This was clearly the best sounding one yet as soon as I got it tuned up. Like a grand piano.

[Jill McAuley]

Absolutely gorgeous Jim!

Cheers,
Jill

[dcoventry]

It's beautiful, to be sure, but man am I a sucker for bound f-holes. Yow! Sexy!

[Denny Gies]

Very nice, you should be proud.

[Cheryl Watson]

Gorgeous. Maybe you will get a sound clip up on your site someday soon(?)

[Max Girouard]

That is really amazing!

[Loretta Callahan]

Beautiful!!

[mandolirius]

It's beautiful, to be sure, but man am I a sucker for bound f-holes. Yow! Sexy!

Yes indeed! A fabulous-looking instrument. Love it.

Bound f-holes also turn my crank, on a guitar size/shape instrument. On regular mandolins, not so much for some reason.

[Steve-o]

Striking! Let's hear that grand piano Jim.

[Marty Jacobson]

Beautiful work.
I want to be Jim Hilburn when I grow up.

[Jonathan James]

Wow, that is truly exquisite work. Hats off to Jim and congrats to the lucky owner!

[Kagey]

A masterpiece

[Steve Sorensen]

Wow.

[Mike Black]

Another beauty Jim! :grin:

[Tavy]

+1 on the wow!!

[Skip Kelley]

Jim, that is a real work of art! Beautifuly done!!

[OldGus]

It looks Amazing! Beautiful dark Ebony fretboard. I bet it sounds great. Your stuff doesn't just look good... you're indicating the harmonics and pronunciation are great when you say it's like a Grand Piano? Perhaps a bit tight in response? What top wood did you use on this one, Jim?

[Don Grieser]

Beautiful. Wow!

[Ed Goist]

Breathtaking.
Congratulations Jim!

[Jim Hilburn]

Here's a couple of new shots. I had mis-numbered the front shot but I wanted to get a shot of the tailpiece to show Larry in Tucson. Larry is my brother in law who is a master machinist at a large production shop specializing in custom work for the aerospace and defense contractors. I muddled through the first couple of these but I'm neither skilled enough or tooled up properly to get the holes drilled and the recess for the string balls done accurately. So Larry did a precision job of it for me and made a bag full of the brass string stops as well as 4 of the tp blanks.
The first octave Imade was for myself. I actually thought seriously about getting one from Bill or Fletcher because I had mandolin orders to do but my wife shamed me into doing it myself. That required the design work, the mold and template work but it's turned out to have been worth it.
I had no wood for that first one but I knew if I got an englemann top from Don Musser it would be well seasoned and I did have a nice piece of quilt big enough for the back and sides. The next 2 were red spruce and red maple. This one is englemann and red maple. The upcoming one will be red top and bigleaf back.
Gus, tight isn't a word I'd use, more like "open".

[OldGus]

I meant tight in a good way like a Martin guitar. Tight but not too tight. I think of the piano type response as being quick, pronounced and controlled. I'm glad your wife talked you into building one, it seems it is leading toward many more!

[Gerry Cassidy]

Beautiful, Jim! I'd love to have a go on this fella'.

I really like the trap tailpiece as well. Both of my OM's have them and I wouldn't have anything else. They are as stable as any other I've used and they make string changes a breeze.

I am not sure why you made the comment about the Waverly's but if your experience was the same as mine; I played a mandocello that had the same set you have on here and they are nice, but not $300-400 nicer than a good set of the others that are available. I was kind of disappointed when I gave them a twist. They didn't turn any easier than the Schaller's, or the others that are on my other mandos'. Maybe my expectations were too high? I guess that was my fault.

Anyway, not to take away from the wonderful instrument you have created. Wish it were mine!

[Brad Weiss]

Cripes. That's a peach. Reminds me of my tenor guitar - only much more beautiful, and it'll play in G (while my TG is still keeping me on my toes in C). Well done!.

[Jim Hilburn]

The wavs are great, but this is only the second set I ever used and not many are willing to spring for them. But it's the clients choice.

[Ed Goist]

I love the look of a trapeze-style tailpiece on a floating-bridge guitar-bodied instrument. Classy...
Wonderfully functional also.
Jim, this instrument is totally off the chart.

[Jim Hilburn]

I got 59 recorded last night. I'll write more about the session later but here's the tunes.

[Don Grieser]

59 sounds every bit as good as it looks. Congrats on another fantastic instrument!

[Mark Seale]

Really nice Jim!!!

[OldGus]

It sounds fantastic! Super deep, powerful and resonant. Your right Jim, it seems very open already. Congratulations!

[Jim Hilburn]

I had to go walk the dog before it got to hot.
I went back to Coupe with John McVey engineering. Dave Goldenberg is one of Boulder's young guns and he was in the top 5 at Winfield last year. He and Jordan Ramsey were recognized as 4th and 5th but all the armchair judges I know put them 2nd and 3rd. The first tune is "Shove the Pig's Foot a Little Farther in the Fire" and he played it the same way I remember his playing in the contest, starting with a fairly basic version of the tune and then embellishing on it as he goes. I added the rhythm guitar and I wanted it mixed way in the back but I might get John to send me another version where it's a little more present. What do you think?
The second is a freeform "Cluck Old Hen". I wish you could hear them in the control room!

[Max Girouard]

I know it is very hard to get a real life example of what the instrument really sounds like in a recording, but regardless, both tracks sound wonderful. I can only imagine what they sound like in person. Thanks for the clips!

[Rick Albertson]

Jim's latest -- Octave Mandolin #59 -- is now up on his site along with remixed sound tracks. As usual, an amazing build looks-wise and sound-wise!

http://hilburnmandolins.com/gallery59.html

[Cheryl Watson]

Jim, this OM sounds very articulate with full, strong, deep tone! Thanks for the clips. I hope to play and perhaps own one your fine octaves one day.

[pjlama]

Wonderful work, very impressive in every way. I have this friend... who wanted me to ask... if its available?

[Jim Hilburn]

Sorry, but this one is safe in it's new home.
My wife told me the guitar on Pigsfoot (me) wasn't strong enough in the mix so John sent this new version.

[Steve-o]

Wonderful work, very impressive in every way. I have this friend... who wanted me to ask... if its available?

:))

[jasona]

Sustain all day long.

Want!