Originally Posted by
JeffD
At what must have been one of my very first folk music festivals there was a vendor selling tune books. I was a young hungry mandolinner just recently introduced to Irish music, contra dance tunes, and the like. I discovered the great yellow "O'Neill's Music of Ireland", and "Ryan's Mammoth Collection". O'Neill's had 1850 melodies in it, and Ryan's and 1050 fiddle tunes in it. I bought them both and thought I had all the music I would ever need.
I thought O'Neill's was the end of the search, and I discovered it was just the beginning. Had I known what this was all going to turn into... Well thank goodness we don't know such things. It was but a seed that grew into many six foot long shelves of tune books.
That first O'Neills turned faded pale with numerous coffee rings, especially in the section of O'Carolans. It eventually fell apart and I had to purchase a second one, which by that time was published by Mel Bay.
In any event, O'Neill has been a feature of my music life from nearly the beginning, and, quite frankly, I cannot think of too many moments as a mandolinner that I didn't know about O'Neill.
As far as mandolins, I wanted to add to your thoughts the amazing and number of flat top mandolins available. I really (really) like the sound of a flatty in Irish music, as it is so un-Gibson sounding. A mandolin without any bluegrass taint. (Don't get me wrong, I do play bluegrass, with an arch top of course, and I love it. But when the music is not bluegrass, for me so is the mandolin not bluegrass.) Flat tops are amazing values for the quality and workmanship. Its just since the universe of mandolinners is very arch top biased, flatties cannot command the same prices. Just a thought.