New Jessen Blue Octave Mandolin

[TJ.]

Hi everyone. I think I said I was going to make a blue one some day? Well here it is. I barely had time to get 12 coats of varnish sprayed on outside last week when the temps were in the low 60's, and I started assembling the hardware on Thursday afternoon when I saw the first snowflake come down. Yesterday, after shoveling 6 inches of snow, I finally strung it up while Avi Avital was playing a nice classical Mandolin tune on Minnesota Public Radio.

Ladies and Gentlemen... I now present to you... Blue Octave (#86) 'The Ice Age'. This one (and a few of my other Mandolins) will be on display (and for sale) at the Winter Bluegrass Weekend on March 3-5 at the Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West.

http://www.minnesotabluegrass.org/wi...s-weekend.html

No price tag yet (the case isn't finished) but I'll have all the details and more photos up on my web-site by the end of this week, and I'll also put everything up in the classifieds after the show next weekend.

[Bad Monkey]

needs a sound clip for sure. and probably an estimate on when it can ship.

[Mandobart]

That is really cool! I normally like the all natural look but that faded blue jean color is pretty sweet!

[Freddyfingers]

That is gorgeous Would love to hear how it sounds. Easily worth a kidney.

[TJ.]

Will definitely get video/sound samples at the show next weekend. (I hope!) And that is my first attempt at blue stain. And the color changes, too, depending on light and photos. It's kind of eerie, actually, but I'm glad it turned out the way it did. It certainly could have looked worse! Thinking of maybe a Lilac Lavender one next. And the sound... Well I did a comparison with an A style I made a year ago out of Walnut with a Redwood top (Fairly soft woods) This new one is made of hard rock Maple with a Spruce top, and you can definitely tell, hear, FEEL the difference. Blue one will take a while to break in I think. The old one has a resonance that shakes your bones!

[NotMelloCello]

Pretty! Me want.

[Mandobart]

NFI, but as a TJ/Cricketfiddle devotee (addict?) I can guarantee that whoever takes this one home will not be disappointed....

[foldedpath]

That looks great! It should also look very nice when the wood ages down a bit with UV exposure over the years.

I also like your take on the headstock scroll, with the added relief in the carving.

[TJ.]

Thanks everyone for the compliments! I must add too that the main inspiration for the last few years has been the mysterious and elusive John Monteleone.



(I have a story about how I came to check out his recent creations, but I'll save that for another time) So John, if you ever come prowling around this forum and see this... just want to say Thank You especially. (And Mandobart too, for consistently keeping me gainfully employed. We'll be talking about a Hardanger Viola some time soon, I think)

And one more thing concerning the blue stain I used: It is specially designed to help keep you cool when playing in 90 degree heat, and also comes in handy when Orcs or Goblins are near:

[NotMelloCello]

An artiste of Mr. Monteleone's stature is truly a worthy source of inspiration. I'm sure he would approve of your creation.

[Papalobo]

Absolutely stunning craftsmanship! Did it sell?