Wonderful pictures and sounds of wood and strings. Just what I needed today. Pete
Thank you, Marty. I am eagerly awaiting the mandolin's arrival. I greatly appreciate your artistry and engineering skill in designing the type of instrument I am seeking. It has been a pleasure working with you. Evelyn
Beautiful, Marty! Really nice balance, and a sweet, ringing tone. Congrats on a wonderful mandolin, Evelyn. Yo're going to be VERY happy when you get this one home!
Beautiful instrument. I love the "Jacobson" endorsed on the tail piece, but most of all, I love the sound. This has to be among your best instruments so far.
Really fantastic looking mandolins, sounding great too! Some happy new owners I'm sure. Soon we'll be able to start the Jacobson mandolin orchestra.
Beautiful. Sound and presentation. Could say lots more. Love my #37 Koi! Keep 'em coming!
On Janury 13, 2015, I posted a poem (Parody of "The Chambered Nautilus") in anticipation of receiving Jacobson #32. The mandolin arrived yesterday and I have had some hours to play it. Here is the rest of the poem: Like a long awaited friend, it arrived by night, Mandolin of delight, A marvel of wood and wire. From these sweet strings may clearer notes transpire Than ever Orpheus drew from golden lyre. While on mine ear it rings, From its sonorous, thrumming depths I hear a voice that sings: “Release from these strings the pregnant spells they hold, The wordless poems untold The speech of shimmering air With power to grant illusion or ensnare Or quicken feet and hearts and banish care. Our travels shall be long And all our wandering byways paved in silver song.” My next post will have a bit more detail. Evelyn
Happy, happy, happy #32 arrived yesterday. It is a Concerto Nautilus with several modifications. Marty built this mandolin to be suitable for my small hands and have a warm, clear, resonant tone throughout its range for classical and Celtic music. Sound is everything to me, and this mandolin has it in spades. Looks are simply stunning, understated and elegant with one of my favorite desert flowers (trumpet vine) carried out in the ornaments on the headstock, 12th fret and tailpiece. It has a 13 inch scale and U neck, which are very easy for me to play. It also has Savarez Argentine strings on the G and D courses, Thomastik mediums on the A, and D’Addario plain steel .010” E’s. These are somewhat light strings. My friends and I just played the Concerto for about 2.5 hours, mostly Irish tunes I had arranged for 3 mandolins. They loved the mandolin and I am thrilled with it. Most pleasing to me is the evenness of tone and volume across the strings. The G course is a pleasure to play and doesn't sound this good on any of my other mandolins (Rigel Q95, National RM1, Morris A4, Breedlove OO, Vega 203) except maybe the Vega 203. Everyone agreed that the volume and clarity are also exceptional. The Concerto held its own very well when the others were playing the National RM1(!) and a Parson. Also, the neck is very well designed for my small hand. I find it much easier to play 7th fret in 1st position than on my other instruments, even though both the Rigel and Morris have custom 13 inch scales. I will be taking this instrument to CMSA in October. Those interested would be welcome to see it. [RE dusty miller] Jacobson mandolin orchestra? Absolutely! Mille grazie, Marty. Evelyn
Today I played #32 in two St. Patrick's Day church services with a Celtic harpist (Mary Radspinner of Banish Misfortune) and a cellist (Prudence McDaniel of the Marian Anderson String Quartet). We played traditional Irish tunes in somewhat classical settings prepared by me or Mary. Mostly I played accordion, but I used the mandolin for two tunes: The Butterfly and Captain O'Kane. It was a joy to play and had plenty of power for the trio. Thanks again, Marty.
I love it. The harp/cello/mandolin power trio.
Thanks for the feedback, Evelyn. I may be able to make better mandolins in the future, but it would be impossible to get better feedback on an instrument than this. Glad you're enjoying it!
Killian, our harp/cello/mandolin power trio needs a name. If you have an idea, please share.
How about "Gravitas" Personally, I love the word and it's definitely powerful. The three instruments in your trio, to me, denote a certain musical sophistication and seriousness (thus adding to the bands Gravitas) I could see Robert Fripp wanting to play with you.
Marty - Which one of your mandolins is Ted Eschliman going to be reviewing? I just read about it on jazzmando.
Love the sound clips of #34 at your site, Marty. Wonderful celtic tone.
