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Jack Roberts
Feb-11-2005, 12:12pm
I was first attracted to this mandolin by the cigarette burn on the sound hole. "Cool" I thought, but I was not in the market for an A-1, or any mandolin, really, I just wanted to hear the new mandos in the shop that came from NAMM. But for fun I started playing this one. What a sound! Volume, resonance, strength of character, and someone did a terrific job on setup, so it is easy to play. Not the prettiest mandolin in the shop, but the most amazing sound. So now I own it. Hey, I'm not a collector, I just like the sound.

Baron Collins-Hill
Feb-11-2005, 1:22pm
thats awesome and doesnt look bad neither

GnomeGrown
Feb-11-2005, 1:28pm
I sure wouldn't call that mando ugly.....It has just had many years of love, ya know "character" and all!

GBG
Feb-11-2005, 1:29pm
I have one just like it, only a 1916. For other than bluegrass it's hard to beat. Of course that statement turns off a big majority of mandolin players.

keithd
Feb-11-2005, 1:44pm
I have an A-2 as well (1919); it's a great mandolin, good tone all the way up the neck, etc. It looks like yours has newer fat frets; do you like them? I concur though, I wouldn't go too far trying to pretify it; just keep it in good repair and enjoy it!

Keith

s1m0n
Feb-11-2005, 1:56pm
The better an instrument sounds the day it leaves the shop, the more likely it is to look like that when it's 90 years old.

The commonest reason an instrument might get to that age unsratched must surely be because it played like a pig and no one felt like bothering for long.

Jack Roberts
Feb-11-2005, 2:30pm
Keithd: The flash on the camera caused a little detector "blooming" that makes those frets look like banjo frets, but they aren't. They seem to be somewhat newer (mandolin) frets. The setup that was done on it looks like a repositioning of the bridge (intonation is perfect), a cleanup and refret of the finger board, and slightly raising the nut.

It sounds like no other mandolin I've played, including the A-0 and two A-2s he had in the shop. It has a lot more volume and a clean, consistent timbre on all four courses, with a lot of resonances. I bought it mostly for classical playing, but I did jam with it last night. No bluegrass chop (I've got a Collings for that) but for the old-timey stuff it has lots of volume and will sustain for a week and a half.

S1m0n: Good point!

Gibsonman
Feb-11-2005, 2:45pm
I think it,s Cool Looking. I love the old stuff, and if it sounds great, that,s a plus.

atetone
Feb-11-2005, 10:42pm
That's not ugly. I have a 1916 that is ugly (in a cute sort of way).
I cant post a picture because it's all taken apart and lent to a builder for examination and measurements.
Yours is just showing its' sage maturity. Lovingly distressed. An old and faithful companion.
The stories it could tell if only it could talk!

MANDOLINMYSTER
Feb-11-2005, 11:27pm
The more beat up the better sounding it seems http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

fmspinc
Feb-12-2005, 11:07am
Here's some (good) ugly 1919. Some wear, yes, cracks - sounds fine.

Dagger Gordon
Feb-12-2005, 3:26pm
I love these pictures, I'd far rather see that than a whole pile of pristine ones.

I've always thought the mandolin Andy Statman plays on the cover of Flatbush Waltz was great. Seen plenty action, sounds fantastic.

I must post pictures of my Sobell. I tend to use nail varnish if the scratches are getting a bit too deep, It looks like it's been played a lot, which of course it has.

neal
Feb-12-2005, 4:30pm
That is not ugly. None of them. It's beauty that can only come from age.

Feb-12-2005, 5:12pm
I think it looks good. Usually those Gibson's with the ###### look sound a hundred times better then the ones with the new finish.