View Full Version : 1970 Paganoni
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Sounds dry and old. Shot with IPhone on a shelf. Best technology I have. Still, too cool not to share.
Larry S Sherman
Mar-23-2013, 7:07pm
Sounds like the real deal! I noticed that Ringo was watching very intently.
Do you have a Pag case too?
Larry
Bernie Daniel
Mar-23-2013, 8:33pm
Mighty fine! Is that a test drive or is it your baby?
MyName1sMud
Mar-24-2013, 12:31am
Sounds great!
Yes. It's mine. I've had it for about a week so we're still getting acquainted. I spoke with John Paganoni , who is a true gentleman, and he gave me the history of this instrument.
I have some photos that I can't seem to post from the "album" section of my phone. If anyone would be willing to post these, I would be appreciative.
And yes, it came with a Pag case that adds to the mojo.
You have to choose the pics from your "camera roll", not the album and it should work.
I'm also near Atlanta and it would be interesting to compare that Pag with a Northfield I got a month ago, I've only played one Paganoni and it was a goodun.
D C Blood
Mar-24-2013, 9:05am
One of the great sorrows I've had in my mandolin life was having to sell my Paganoni. I ordered one from John shortly after I met him in 1971 (I believe it was). I had to sell it in '75, to Randy Wood, in Nashville, due to having some pressing bills to pay. Can anyone help me track this one down? Not to try to buy back or anything, just to see where it's ended up. I don't know the serial #, but it was a fern.
Jeff A
Mar-24-2013, 10:07am
Can't wait to give her a whirl. Lots of mojo in that mandolin. We are back from the Texas grandbaby/ BBQ tour on friday so I will see you in a week.
billkilpatrick
Mar-24-2013, 10:59am
lovely ringing tone - you got a good one!
G. Fisher
Mar-24-2013, 3:00pm
Very nice mandolin. Where did you happen to find it?
Very nice mandolin. Where did you happen to find it?
The family of the original owner had it in their posession in Arkansas for the first 40 years. For 30 of those years, it sat in a closet after the original owner passed away. Interestingly, the second owner lives about 30 miles from my home.
100176
I took the pickguard off to check the condition of the top. Looks pretty good to me. Maybe fodder for a different discussion, but I think I prefer playing without the guard. I always left them on in the past. People talk about volume and tone. I don't notice much difference, but the instrument feels lighter in the hands without it. I don't plant my pinkie so it's not really an issue.
Bernie Daniel
Mar-25-2013, 10:48am
Is it an optical illusion or is the scroll on the Paganoni more "upright" -- looking at the front -- than the Gibson template? Another way to say it it seems to me the scroll does not project as much to the left as you look straight on the face of the instrument?
barry
Mar-25-2013, 11:18am
Is it an optical illusion or is the scroll on the Paganoni more "upright" -- looking at the front -- than the Gibson template? Another way to say it it seems to me the scroll does not project as much to the left as you look straight on the face of the instrument?
I'd say that is correct. The details of the craftsmanship are not as precise as what is offered by builders these days. Then again, the resources available to builders today did not exist back then. Part of the coolness factor is that John Paganoni sorta "freehanded" a Loar copy at a time when very few luthiers were doing that. Why would they have? You could get an original Loar then for about a grand.
barry
Mar-25-2013, 11:21am
Here is the Pag next to a recent Kimble for reference...
100180
Tim W
Mar-25-2013, 11:49am
Dang, two nice ones. You're just spoiled rotten ain't you?
Bernie Daniel
Mar-25-2013, 6:19pm
That's a great pic. I think it is good that not all F-styles are carbon copies -- I like to see subtle differences. That is a great contrast pic comparing the work of two of the best builders -- one long established the other more recent on the scene. Gotta be fun to compare the sound of the two.
f5loar
Mar-25-2013, 6:25pm
Pag was also the first luthier to Xray a real Loar to learn more about it. This had to be one of his first ones. Can you tell us the story he told you on it?
Beautiful. That must be a very early one, maybe #1 or 2?
Danny Clark
Mar-26-2013, 6:40am
i bought this Pag out of the woodworks about two yrs ago,i bought it from the niece of the orginal owner ,i have always been a Pag fan ,since getting my first one from Doyle about 10 yrs ago,
theres something about finding a mandolin thats been hid away for 35 yrs! almost like uncovering a Loar
i will let the new owner tell the story
Danny
AlanN and F5Loar,
That is correct. This is the second one he built.
It was signed March 15, 1970. John Paganoni originally built it as a retirement gift for a Commanding Officer that was also a close personal friend of his. The owner retired and moved to Arkansas. He passed away some time later and the mandolin remained in the closet of his heirs for over 30 years. A couple of years ago, the original owner's niece contacted Danny Clark and the instrument made its' way into the mandolin community.
Interestingly, Mr. Paganoni has lost track of the first mandolin he built. It was last known to reside in California. The original owner has probably long since passed on. It could be in a closet as well, just waiting to be uneathed. I know Mr. Paganoni would like to know about it if anyone has any information. Until that time, this one will serve as the example of his earliest known work.
Best,
Barry
Marvy, thanks for sharing.
I originally posted this thread 2 years ago. At that time, this mandolin had been mostly unplayed for 30 years. I thought it would be interested to see if there was any perceived change in the sound over the last two years of daily play.
I attempted to recreate the first video as closely as possible. I feel a difference. The mandolin feels smoother and more resonant. Is there a perceptible difference in sound?DjK4mXQMAak
Pagfan1993
Apr-26-2015, 1:54pm
Hi Barry,
Thanks for posting the comparative video made two years after the original. I am a long ways from an expert, but to my ear the Paganoni now has more volume and tone quality on every string with great balance full scale. Please don't wait another two years for additional examples of the instrument's voice.
kudzugypsy
Apr-27-2015, 4:27pm
just got my old (#35) Pag out last week after sitting in the case for about 4 years. set of new strings and WOW - what a great mandolin! these really are, imo, the closest in sound to vintage F5's - they have that dry, hollow, mid-range sound and are very even across the tonal range. you just don't find that in modern mandolins. i've been mostly playing my Gilchrist for the last few years and it was fun to sit down with the Pag again.
here i am at a Fiddlers Convention some years ago.
133426
Atlanta Mando Mike
May-01-2015, 10:59am
Well iPhones have definitely come a long way since then! I like the tone better on the latest video-seems more resonant, but hard to know how much is the phone vs. the mandolin.
Well iPhones have definitely come a long way since then! I like the tone better on the latest video-seems more resonant, but hard to know how much is the phone vs. the mandolin.
Good point. I considered that too. I originally recorded the "2-year later" video on my old IPhone specifically for that reason. However, I could not get the old phone to download to my YouTube account. I recorded several takes on my new phone and listened to both recordings though earbuds. The sound was about the same. The picture was clearer on the new one, though. :-)
Can anyone help load this properly?
http://youtu.be/A-U8C6AuSoI
GKWilson
Jun-11-2015, 1:29pm
Here ya go Barry.
A-U8C6AuSoI
barry
Jun-19-2016, 12:40pm
Paganoni #2 in its' natural habitat. Paganoni case with original Geib hardware.
Ken Waltham
Jun-19-2016, 12:54pm
Boy, that's a nice looking package. The case is particularly nice!