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I was blessed to know Earl Scruggs as well. I was at his house and we were sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee. We were talking about whatever comes to mind when two friends get together. ...

The Flatiron made several models in that time period. Each was different in several ways and everything affects tone. You did not mention which Flatiron A model you have. They are good mandolins,...

I have 2 grandsons that are guitar players. One is a fair guitarist, the other is really good. They both wanted to try mandolin but couldn’t afford one. They were shocked at the cost of mandolins...

The Smother’s Brothers were an incredible influence my life. The hard part of getting old is seeing the people you love and respect leave this world. They were as good as it could get.

I find it somewhat disheartening to see Bill Monroe bandied about by many who did not know him. You never even knew the man and you are afraid of him? That’s ridiculous. The man has been dead...

A lot of the big guys are playing Jonathons mandolins. I sure would if I could. A bit out of my reach for a retired guy.

We used carbon fiber for repairs where structural integrity needs to be restored, or attaching broken necks/ headstocks. It was excellent for what we needed it for, but it can be a bit of a pain to...

Many musicians do not read music, but that doesn’t mean they can’t play just about any song without having to have the notation. Some play just by ear, and are very accomplished. The Nashville...

Herschel and his wife , Joyce, have been dear friends for many years. Of course, he was one of the finest mandolin players and his style set the stage for many of the good ones to follow. He was...

I got my first BC pick in 2015 and it is the one I still use on mandolin and guitar. About 10 years ago I got a second. Now I have one in with my mandolin and one in with my guitar. Best non TS...

I have always held a fascination with wood. Not just for instruments, but certainly a great part for instruments. While at Gibson I was sent to the “Wood University” at Gibson. Fortunately it was...

About 30-40 years ago we began seeing instruments made in China arriving at a music store near you. They were poorly made and the wood was terribly green when they used it. They did not cost much,...

I don’t think the mandolin makes it a jazz mandolin, it’s you and what sounds best to you. Jethro Burns didn’t have much of a choice in his day, but he sounded like a great jazz player no matter...

Brian is one of the good guys. He also knows mandolins. It doesn’t surprise me that he showed you his Loar.

I have been fortunate to have a couple mandolins that were my holy grail. Unfortunately, they had to go because of medical issues. After 35 surgeries and disabilities that have made keeping my holy...

I am in my 70’s, and I have plenty of arthritis to share. I find two things that help me. I play guitar, mandolin, and bass. I play mandolin the most, and don’t ever want to quit. The first...

I really don’t know. If I did, the years have erased it from my memory.

The A model mandolins built during Charlie’s domain were not a master model master model. They were just everyday master models. He believed the most significant issue in making great A models was...

Hans and his wife are special people. They were always a joy to spend some time with. He had some interesting ideas about mandolin building, and they seemed to work great when he built them. He...

This is sad news. Roland was a dear friend and was a joy to be around. He was always fun to jam with and made everyone in the jam feel like they were a star. I saw the character of Roland when he...

Much of a response would entail a lot of personal opinion. Personally I have not seen a laminate back mandolin that I would want. However, a laminate back would be preferable to not having a...

The only thing wrong with laminated backs and sides is the image people have. A well done laminated wood instrument can be every bit as good as a solid wood instrument. There are a couple important...

I heard he gave mandolin lessons, so I called him and set a time for the lesson. I drove to his place and he welcomed me in. He was a very nice man and I enjoyed his ties to his heritage. He asked...

I understand how hard it is to leave a work you love due to things out of your control. I went through a similar situation about ten years ago. I broke my back and have never been able to go back...

I was blessed to spend a lot of years with Charlie Derrington, and he was one of my best friends. Danny Robert’s is in that same place. All those that were in the bluegrass division while I was...