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Thread: Mandolin on this British Sitcom?

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    Default Mandolin on this British Sitcom?

    I'm a big fan of Detectorists, a quirky British television sitcom with subtle humor set in a fictional small town in northern Essex that revolves around Andy and Lance, two members of the Danebury Metal Detecting Club (DMDC). In episode 3 Lance, who is a novice on the mandolin performs with Andy at the local pub's open mic. He's playing a hollow body acoustic-electric mandolin with volume control knobs on the body. Can anyone here identify it from the live open mic performance? There's tape over the headstock covering the brand name. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2J5tv0Paqc

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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolin on this British Sitcom?

    Hard to see any detail but I would guess it was one of these Asbury mandolins.

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    Default Re: Mandolin on this British Sitcom?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Garber View Post
    Hard to see any detail but I would guess it was one of these Asbury mandolins.

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    By golly I think you're correct Jim. There's a much better view in another episode where he's noodling around in his livingroom and it looks much like the Blue Moon BM-07 Electro Acoustic Mandolin. Thank you!

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    Mangler of Tunes OneChordTrick's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolin on this British Sitcom?

    My claim to fame is that I was at school with the actor who plays Lance, not in touch with him now though...

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    Default Re: Mandolin on this British Sitcom?

    Toby Jones, who plays Lance (and the mandolin), currently seems to specialise in American accents on the radio.

    Personally, I enjoyed the first two series of Detectorists but the third apeared to have run out of steam.

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    Default Re: Mandolin on this British Sitcom?

    Looks like a cheap Westfield with some tape over the name for some reason.

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    Default Re: Mandolin on this British Sitcom?

    I guess the TV producers didn't want to advertise that brand without getting some payment for the placement.
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    Default Re: Mandolin on this British Sitcom?

    From Jimmy Powells - "..with some tape over the name for some reason.". It's a BBC TV programme = NO advertising,however inadvertantly !!!,
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    Default Re: Mandolin on this British Sitcom?

    Having now had chance to follow apple's link, it looks like they've done the same with the guitar (it's a Crafter!). Why didn't they do the same with the Fender branded speakers?!

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    Default Re: Mandolin on this British Sitcom?

    Quote Originally Posted by apple View Post
    There's a much better view in another episode where he's noodling around in his livingroom
    We just started watching this show last night. In episode 2 prior to the open mic he is sitting in his room trying to work out the introduction ("this next song is about") to the "New Age Girl" song and the mandolin headstock is not covered up. Looks like a Stagg to me.

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    Like this, though the letters seem to filled in rather than just an outline.

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    Default Re: Mandolin on this British Sitcom?

    The mandolin player looked very familiar; had to look him up. Yes, Toby Jones. Been in lots of movies and TV shows, including some Harry Potter movies and a turn at Truman Capote, whom he resembles - none of those have I seen, though. His most memorable role for me was as a villain in an episode of the recent/current "Sherlock" series that stars Benedict Cumberbatch. I say that even though he had a major role in "The Electrical Life of Louis Wain," also starring BC, and I just saw that last week. He's much more made up in that, so I didn't recognize him right away. I'll have to check out this show. Looks like just my cup of tea.
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    Default Re: Mandolin on this British Sitcom?

    The whole 3 season series is sublime. Cast, writing, production and the celtic acoustic music is the perfect backdrop. Perfect pandemic binging.

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    Default Re: Mandolin on this British Sitcom?

    Quote Originally Posted by journeybear View Post
    The mandolin player looked very familiar; had to look him up. Yes, Toby Jones. Been in lots of movies and TV shows, including some Harry Potter movies and a turn at Truman Capote, whom he resembles - none of those have I seen, though. His most memorable role for me was as a villain in an episode of the recent/current "Sherlock" series that stars Benedict Cumberbatch. I say that even though he had a major role in "The Electrical Life of Louis Wain," also starring BC, and I just saw that last week. He's much more made up in that, so I didn't recognize him right away. I'll have to check out this show. Looks like just my cup of tea.
    The other lead actor (and creator of the show), Mackenzie Crook, is probably most known for his role in the Pirates of the Carribean films. He was also in Game of Thrones.

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    Default Re: Mandolin on this British Sitcom?

    They’ve recently repeated serie’s one and I watched the “mandolin” performance episode last night. Just a thought; but unless Toby Jones is a really tiny person, I think that he’s actually playing a mandola.

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    Default Re: Mandolin on this British Sitcom?

    The series was filmed in the fields around where I live and also our nearest town, Framlingham was used for the meeting hall and the pub (which in real life is the Castle Inn). I agree, it's a great programme and pleasantly odd.

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    Default Re: Mandolin on this British Sitcom?

    Quote Originally Posted by Ray(T) View Post
    They’ve recently repeated serie’s one and I watched the “mandolin” performance episode last night. Just a thought; but unless Toby Jones is a really tiny person, I think that he’s actually playing a mandola.
    He's 5'5", 1.65 meters

    The show is hysterically funny -- my husband stated that I play better than Lance. Whew! 🤣

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    Default Re: Mandolin on this British Sitcom?

    It's unclear whether Toby is actually playing. The cameras really avoid showing his hands on the strings. I'll have to try the show if I can get it.
    Robert Johnson's mother, describing blues musicians:
    "I never did have no trouble with him until he got big enough to be round with bigger boys and off from home. Then he used to follow all these harp blowers, mandoleen (sic) and guitar players."
    Lomax, Alan, The Land where The Blues Began, NY: Pantheon, 1993, p.14.

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