View Profile: KoalaBear - Mandolin Cafe Forum

Today, 2:36pm

Br1ck replied to a thread upgrade thoughts in Looking for Information About Mandolins

$1500 is a great budget in the used A style market. I’m Silverangel biased, particularly if you are not prone to bluegrass, but you’ll find some...

4 replies | 76 view(s)

Today, 2:28pm

Br1ck replied to a thread Education in General Mandolin Discussions

I do lust after Gibson..........and Ellis and Gilchrist and Dudenbostel, and Heiden.......but I’m just curious to know at this point. And individual...

7 replies | 487 view(s)

Today, 2:11pm

Br1ck replied to a thread Just to put myself on notice for some accountability... in General Mandolin Discussions

I picked up mandolin at age 65. Who knows where my skill level will be when my body gives in to the inevitable decline. But look at it as a journey...

10 replies | 686 view(s)

Today, 1:56pm

Br1ck replied to a thread Northfield love in General Mandolin Discussions

There is nothing close to the value of an F5S. Nothing close. Yes, the wood figuring leaves something to be desired, ranging from slight figuring to...

6 replies | 232 view(s)

Today, 1:44pm

Br1ck replied to a thread UPS rant in General Mandolin Discussions

Well, I’m guessing the shipper, a business, contacted UPS because it was delivered Saturday. Had I not been proactive, it would have taken another...

17 replies | 802 view(s)

Today, 12:46pm

Jim Garber replied to a thread Ebay F-4 seller with low feedback in eBay, Craig's List, etc.

I understand your concern. Also, none of his other transactions as a seller were for musical instruments. OTOH his description seems above board. He...

2 replies | 94 view(s)

Yesterday, 11:05pm

Jim Garber replied to a thread Another Mystery Bowlback (to test your patience) in Looking for Information About Mandolins

Can't see your attachment, NickR.

7 replies | 417 view(s)

Yesterday, 3:09pm

Br1ck started a thread Education in General Mandolin Discussions

In an ongoing quest to educate myself I try to play as many mandolins as I can. In my area that is pretty much relegated to a few brands. Collings,...

7 replies | 487 view(s)

Yesterday, 2:52pm

Br1ck replied to a thread Like this site but for guitar.... in General Mandolin Discussions

Forums self perpetuate. Everything's subjective, nothing ever settled. As Bullwinkle says in the movie, why do we drive by the same town over and...

14 replies | 643 view(s)

Yesterday, 1:01pm

Br1ck replied to a thread UPS rant in General Mandolin Discussions

Well I guess my call had some effect, because my delivery is now Monday. All the more frustrating because it is now four miles from my house.

17 replies | 802 view(s)

Dec-06-2019, 8:38pm

Br1ck replied to a thread Eastman gig bag on sale again... in Equipment

Well the MD 315 comes with a gig bag, and TMS upgrades everyone to a hard case, so they have a lot of them piling up.

12 replies | 415 view(s)

Dec-06-2019, 8:35pm

Br1ck started a thread UPS rant in General Mandolin Discussions

I know, carriers are all the same, but I have a guitar that is going to take four days to finish the last 60 miles of it's journey. Why? Because they...

17 replies | 802 view(s)

Dec-06-2019, 8:28pm

Br1ck replied to a thread Ellis F5 vs. Gibson F5 vs. Collings MF5 in Looking for Information About Mandolins

If an old friend speaks to me, it is generally because they have forgotten our last encounter.

37 replies | 12306 view(s)

Dec-06-2019, 8:24pm

Br1ck replied to a thread Tuner machine advice in Looking for Information About Mandolins

I think we need to separate the issue. Mandolins fluctuate more than any other instrument I've played. It is the nature of the beast for all but...

8 replies | 505 view(s)

Dec-06-2019, 6:34pm

Jim Garber replied to a thread Circa 1940 Mandolin- Flat Top- recessed tuners- very odd. in eBay, Craig's List, etc.

Weymann, Bauer and Stewart (all connected) seemed to be among the Philadelphia makers that used these front loading tuners.

10 replies | 333 view(s)

Dec-06-2019, 6:30pm

Jim Garber replied to a thread Kerman Mandolin status as of 2019 in General Mandolin Discussions

The last time I heard that Kerman was charging about what a quality F-5 would cost here in the US. Did he quote you a price and how long it would...

12 replies | 513 view(s)

Dec-06-2019, 6:19pm

Jim Garber replied to a thread Again with the picks in Equipment

Tony: You say your guitar picks don't cut it but what guitar picks are you using? And what it is about your picks that don't work or is it you are...

52 replies | 4517 view(s)

Dec-06-2019, 6:06pm

Jim Garber replied to a thread Another Mystery Bowlback (to test your patience) in Looking for Information About Mandolins

I agree with Nevin that the bowl looks like rosewood. Most bowlbacks were either maple or rosewood, rarely except in lowest level did they ever use...

7 replies | 417 view(s)

Dec-06-2019, 5:53pm

Jim Garber replied to a thread Is this a real Larson? in Vintage Instruments

And from a few Maurers. It seems like the mid-line and fancier had these collars and the others none.

28 replies | 1183 view(s)

Dec-06-2019, 5:49pm

Jim Garber replied to a thread Is this a real Larson? in Vintage Instruments

Here are a few more collars from various Stahl mandolins:

28 replies | 1183 view(s)

Dec-06-2019, 5:41pm

Jim Garber replied to a thread Is this a real Larson? in Vintage Instruments

NickR: I am not sure why those uploads didn't take but I re-uploaded and added a few more. I hadn't played that one for awhile and I want to put some...

28 replies | 1183 view(s)

Dec-06-2019, 3:52pm

Jim Garber replied to a thread Is this a real Larson? in Vintage Instruments

As for the identifying true Larson creations, I think there are multiple characteristics for the guitars that don't really work with the mandolins....

28 replies | 1183 view(s)

Dec-06-2019, 3:28pm

Jim Garber replied to a thread Is this a real Larson? in Vintage Instruments

As others have noted, this mandolin resembles the Harmony-made mandolins sold by Sears-Roebuck under the Supertone label. Before we lose the photos...

28 replies | 1183 view(s)

Dec-06-2019, 1:15pm

Br1ck replied to a thread F-4 owned by Norman Blake in Vintage Instruments

You know, when I read about an instrument once owned by someone, all I can think is here is an instrument a discerning musician rejected as a keeper.

18 replies | 1093 view(s)

Dec-06-2019, 1:09pm

Br1ck replied to a thread Like this site but for guitar.... in General Mandolin Discussions

Acoustic Guirar Forum lost me when someone asked about an obscure mandolin and I said if they posted here, someone should know. The post was in the...

14 replies | 643 view(s)

Dec-06-2019, 10:20am

Jim Garber replied to a thread Is this a real Larson? in Vintage Instruments

Stahl mandolin at RetroFret

28 replies | 1183 view(s)

Dec-06-2019, 3:00am

Br1ck replied to a thread Tuner machine advice in Looking for Information About Mandolins

Tuneing issues are very rarely caused by tuners. More common are strings not installed correctly and nut slot issues. The main difference between...

8 replies | 505 view(s)