Maybe mandolins are not really fragile, if they can cause injuries requiring hospitalization. I don't want to try it and see, though.
S.F. is not the same place it was during the summer of love.
Things can be very risky walking downtown these days.
Sad but true.
Billy Packard
Gilchrist A3, 1993
Stiver Fern, 1990
Weber Fern, 2007
Gibson F4 Hybrid #1, D. Harvey 2009
Gibson 1923 A2
Numerous wonderful guitars
I wonder if the victim is a member here on the Cafe'.
Whether or not, I wish him the best.
-- Don
"Music: A minor auditory irritation occasionally characterized as pleasant."
"It is a lot more fun to make music than it is to argue about it."
2002 Gibson F-9
2016 MK LFSTB
1975 Suzuki taterbug (plus many other noisemakers)
[About how I tune my mandolins]
[Our recent arrival]
Second incident this year, the first involved a ukelele - but they beat him with a hammer rather than with the uke.
Be careful busking in 'Cisco y'all.
WWW.THEAMATEURMANDOLINIST.COM
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"Life is short. Play hard." - AlanN
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HEY! The Cafe has Social Groups, check 'em out. I'm in these groups:
Newbies Social Group | The Song-A-Week Social
The Woodshed Study Group | Blues Mando
- Advice For Mandolin Beginners
- YouTube Stuff
I'm wondering if they beat him with the instrument in the case? My Calton would do a whole lot of damage. A normal hard shell case would be pretty vicious. This might be a real reason to own a Travel-lite case. I feel for the guy. You lose the instrument, you lose your money, and you lose your sense of security. Sucks. I'd like to know if this was a Cafe member as well.
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
I've sort of watched for this kind of incident in the news.
It is very rare, but there have actually been two reported murders in the last 20 or so years with banjos. Rather ugly murders, both of them (both can be found with a web search for "Banjo Murder"). These were interesting to me, mostly because banjo is my major instrument, but also because so few other instruments have been reportedly used as murder weapons.
It's been a while, but I seem to recall also reading of a murder-by-flute.
Of course there is the proverbial drop-the-piano-on-the-person trick, but in reality the only records I've seen of this happening were accidents.
I think the only other murder-by-musical-instruments that I've known about was a Vienese Waltz played by Victor Borga. (Not to mention various bluegrass tunes falling victim to a brand new fiddle player.)
Last edited by dhergert; Nov-13-2017 at 10:38pm.
-- Don
"Music: A minor auditory irritation occasionally characterized as pleasant."
"It is a lot more fun to make music than it is to argue about it."
2002 Gibson F-9
2016 MK LFSTB
1975 Suzuki taterbug (plus many other noisemakers)
[About how I tune my mandolins]
[Our recent arrival]
My National Triolian could inflict fatal injuries easily; steel body, hefty weight, long neck for a dangerous swing.
On the other hand, the Howe-Orme mandolinetto couldn't cause a bruise. Another testimony to the lovely variations among mandolins.
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
The banjo murders were probably posted here.
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
WWW.THEAMATEURMANDOLINIST.COM
----------------------------------
"Life is short. Play hard." - AlanN
----------------------------------
HEY! The Cafe has Social Groups, check 'em out. I'm in these groups:
Newbies Social Group | The Song-A-Week Social
The Woodshed Study Group | Blues Mando
- Advice For Mandolin Beginners
- YouTube Stuff
If I had a nickel for everytime my wife threatened to beat me with my mandolin if I didn't stop playing during the TV commercials :D
I hope it was an A-style. Anything with points could do hideous damage to a person.
Kevin Stueve That was too funny. Lol
That's the problem with the curley pointy type, now if it had been an A style that would have had a possibly different outcome!
I never fail at anything, I just succeed at doing things that never work....
Fylde Touchstone Walnut Mandolin.
Gibson Alrite Model D.
For wooden musical fun that doesn't involve strumming, check out:
www.busmanwhistles.com
Handcrafted pennywhistles in exotic hardwoods.
Reminds me of the old joke:
Judge: "First offender?"
DA: "No your Honor, first he hit him with the Gibson, then the Fender."
Being right is overrated. Doing right is what matters.
Northfield F5S Blacktop
Pono MND-20H
Sheesh, I took a long stroll with my mandolin in its case just last week--after dark--and passed just two blocks from there.
I do think crime rates are at relatively low levels, historically speaking. Can't pin down a precise comparison between 1969 and now, but in 2014 SF had the lowest homicide rate since 1954...
Still, I think I'll take my A-style on such walks from now on. My Pomeroy F is solidly built. Could do some damage.
Nawwww. Carry a poker. Poker beats mandolin, any day. Unless you're facing Charlie D.
New to mando? Click this link -->Newbies to join us at the Newbies Social Group.
Just send an email to rob.meldrum@gmail.com with "mandolin setup" in the subject line and he will email you a copy of his ebook for free (free to all mandolincafe members).
My website and blog: honketyhank.com
Being right is overrated. Doing right is what matters.
Northfield F5S Blacktop
Pono MND-20H
Speaking of beating with instruments, I thought this article from The Music Trade Review, July 16, 1913 was interesting.
Joseph Bohmann Robbed
"A spectacular battle between four alleged burglars and police was fought last Thursday when Detective John Lavin discovered four men said to be attempting to rob the store of Joseph Bohmann, a dealer in musical instruments at 1161 West Madison Street. The Bohmann store is on the second floor of the building, and the burglars gained entrance by placing a ladder against the rear wall and prying open a window. They were first discovered by Detective John Lavin. The detective saw a ladder against the building, and also a man who appeared to be acting as lookout. Firing his revolver to bring other policemen to his aid, Lavin started after the lookout, who had already given the alarm. Detectives Jeremiah Laughlin was on a street car when he heard the shots. Running into the alley, he was joined by Patrolmen Delaney, Shaw, Courtney and Cooney. After a number of shots at the fleeing burglars they were overtaken and subdued. The prisoners used banjos, violins and other instruments in an attempt to beat off the officers."
www.vintagefrettedinstruments.com
All this begs the obvious question, "who walks down the street at 5:45am carrying a mandolin?"via Imgflip Meme Generator
He was probably going home after a great night out.
Article didn't say what kind of mandolin? I guess the point of the story was the victim's recovery, health-wise, rather than recovering the stolen mandolin. Provided it wasn't damaged in the mugging.....
Very strange story on so many levels, IMHO.
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