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View Full Version : Is there a Mandola in stock anywhere in N. California or Reno



Dan Co1e
Jun-13-2013, 12:01pm
Somewhere in the back of my brain, MAS is telling me to order a custom Weber Mandola to act as the bigger sibling to my current Weber mandolin. Having never played a mandola, I think it wise to at least test drive one to see if the instrument is a practical investment or if it would simply be a closet collectable.

If anyone might be able to direct me to a store in Northern California or Reno that has one in stock, I would like to at least kick the tires and take it around the block...

Thanks,

Chip Booth
Jun-13-2013, 12:31pm
I can't help with finding you one to play, but I highly recommend checking out the mandola. I think it depends at least a little bit in the style of music you play, but I find the mandola to be one of the most useful tools in my musical toolkit. I am lucky enough to play a Lawrence Smart F style F hole mandola, and he is considered one of the finest builders making them today. So my experience may not be universal, but, as I described to a friend just a day or so ago, when I play the mandola it feels like I just picked up a bazooka. The power, projection, and low midrange punch is really amazing. I don't think of the mandola so much as mandolin with a C string ( I have a 10 string for that) but as a unique voice, with more emphasis on the low mids. Most of the range of the mandola is shared with the mandolin but they don't sound or act the same. I have adapted my playing style to make best use of the 'dola.

I especially love the mandola for singer/songwriter style ballads. It and an acoustic guitar with two voices is about the best combination of sounds I can think of. With a good mic and PA set up the 'dola can carry the same weight as the guitar with no problem, while still being as delicate as it needs to be for melody work. The Smart 'dola also has a nice punchy chop that is perfect for jazz comping and swing chords. Last year I played a jazz fest with it, and the combination of piano, mandola and bass was outstanding. Aside from live projection (which isn't an issue with a modern PA), I wondered all week long why the other tenor players (banjo and guitar) hadn't discovered the infinitely more pleasing voice of the tenor mandolin.

So I say go for it, or at least do your best to get your hands on something and see for yourself if it works for you. I honestly believe the mandola is going to gain in popularity as more of the new crop of mandolin players begin to stretch out and try new things.

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Potosimando
Jun-13-2013, 1:11pm
Yes, everything Chip said.

I had a Weber mandola (Absaroka) for years, and found it to be head-and-shoulders above the other mandolas that I would run across from time to time, the only “equals” being other Weber carved-top mandolas. The one Weber flat-top mandola that I played fell significantly short of the Absaroka.

Then I came across a Lawrence Smart mandola (A-style) that far exceeded the tonal qualities of my Weber, not to mention the instruments’ other various qualities. Not only that, the scale-length of the Smart was more than 1½” shorter than the Weber’s, making the Smart much easier to play with my small hands.

Regardless, Weber makes a very fine carved-top mandola. If the cost of a Weber carved-top is prohibitive, then start with something that is affordable (Weber flat-top, for example, or a mandola by another builder), but do indeed get yourself a mandola for all the reasons that Chip discusses above, and for other reasons that you will discover on your own.

One last thing, I noticed on the Weber that string gauge made a tremendous difference in the tone of the Weber Absaroka mandola (both mine, and one that I borrowed for a few weeks), lighter strings bringing out the magic while heavier strings killed some of that same magic. This might have to do with the Weber’s long scale-length. At any rate, stick with Weber’s string recommendations, i.e. the strings that originally come/came with the new instrument (the good folks at Sound-to-Earth appear to understand the string subtleties of their fine instruments)--or, at least try out the original and/or thinner strings.

Have fun with your new mandola--you will not regret getting one.

Jack Roberts
Jun-13-2013, 2:12pm
Gryphon in Palo Alto always seems to have them in stock. Call first, but it's worth a visit anyway.

allenhopkins
Jun-13-2013, 4:23pm
Lark In the Morning in Ft. Bragg lists a couple mandola models on their mandolin page. (http://larkinam.com/Mandolins.html) They're not much like the Weber you're contemplating, though.

barney 59
Jun-13-2013, 9:44pm
Eric Schoenberg in Tiburon has a Gibson H1 --1917 I think.

barney 59
Jun-13-2013, 10:53pm
Banana Levinger - Players Vintage Instruments - in Inverness is sitting on a H4.

barney 59
Jun-13-2013, 11:10pm
Tall Toad Music in Petaluma has a Eastman "Dawg" mandola listed on their website. This store is my great secret that I'm letting out here. Tall Toad probably has more mandolins in stock both new and vintage than all the other music stores in the Bay Area combined and I sometimes feel as if I'm the only one that knows that. Well maybe not ALL combined but on their website today there are 84 and always because of their association with the big Dawg himself some real goodies!

Gottliver
Jun-14-2013, 9:07pm
Maybe sylvans music in santa cruz.

Toycona
Jun-16-2013, 6:08pm
Dan, I just PM'ed you.

Folkmusician.com
Jun-25-2013, 11:56am
I have a Trinity College Mandola in stock. It is not setup, but if you give me some notice it can be. :)

JFDilmando
Jun-25-2013, 1:20pm
There are several H-5 Loars on the market right now... about 1/3 of the existing H-5's.... you can corner the market if you wish !... just would take about 300 k for all three...

JFDilmando
Jun-25-2013, 1:25pm
I missed the mark, sorry.... I think there about 18-20 in existence... so you would not be able to corner the market with three I guess...

Paul Statman
Jun-25-2013, 9:52pm
I bought a used Eastman MDA615 blind through the classifieds here. Great bang for the buck.

stevem
Jun-29-2013, 11:44am
Carmel Music appears to have several mandolas in stock that I have been eyeing.

Never heard of Tall Toad Music before; thanks for the heads up. Website could use some work: pictures of the mandolins would go a long way.

Gary Hedrick
Jun-29-2013, 1:08pm
Carmel has a Kimble in stock that I used to own before selling it for a Kimble reproduction of a Loar H5... It is a very very good instrument

Barry Wilson
Jun-29-2013, 3:09pm
I bought a mandola last weekend and am loving it. It is a Gold Top ya, but I bought the GT OM and I enjoy it a lot. the mandola just fits in with guitar so nice. the next solo night I do I am taking the mandola. I have done the solo with mandolin and guitar, and took the OM out to play some songs but I can see fitting a set of mandola pretty easy.... and it is still small enough to pack on the motorcycle rack.... something the OM or guitar can't really do