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Thread: Pomeroy review

  1. #1
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    Now that I've had the pleasure of three months of torturing this little beaut, I can post an honest review. #The only thing lacking with this mandolin is me. #Honestly. #I am primarily a bluegrasser and this little beauty has guided me into heretofore-uncharted waters of tonal wonder. #At first I was stunned with the volume. #It was strung with j74s but now sports monels and sounds fantastic (IMHO). #I've never owned an oval A before, so it's all-new to me (the shorter scale has taken some getting used to). #It is balanced with nice low end and clear ringing tones in the mid to high (it blows my F5 away here for sure). #Fiddle tunes with open ringing strings are a blast to play. #My wife prefers the sound to my F5 as well and she was skeptical of my need for a second mando.

    It’s a well built, tightly fit, finished, and playable mandolin worth far more that what Don is asking for them.
    Proud owner of:

    Bill Davis F5 #10502
    Martin 000-M

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    How about a few pictures here?
    J. Mark Lane
    Stanley #10 F5
    Pomeroy #72 F4
    Brian Dean #30 Bowlback

  3. #3
    Registered User luckylarue's Avatar
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    Yeah Jeff, great to hear you're quite satisfied and let's see some pics. #75 is in the final finish stages so it won't be long before I'll be joining in the chorus.

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    well, if i must...
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  5. #5
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    baby's got back...
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    j mark how's #72?

    lucky-you are lucky...you won't be disappointed in #75
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    Suh-weeeet! I do like that color.

    #72 is a joy in all respects. The slightly wider fretboard (which I requested) turned out to be just the right thing for some of what I (try to) play. And the tone is really clear and loud.

    Lately, I have discovered something interesting. I have always loved Baroque music, and I have a bowlback on order (from Brian Dean) that I suspect is going to be out of this world. So I thought this would be a good time to turn to some of my favorite music and learn some Bach and Handel et al for mandolin. Silly, I know, but it just seems like that is the right thing to do with the bowlback, and I wanted to have a few pieces ready to go when it arrives.

    I ordered some music and figured I'd work on the stuff using the Pomeroy F4. Holy smokes! The tone of the Pomeroy is *perfect* for this kind of music. It just seems to have found its voice. Loud, clean, bright, perky, it seems like it was made to play Baroque music. So I'm having a lot of fun with it.

    What are you doing with yours, JD?
    J. Mark Lane
    Stanley #10 F5
    Pomeroy #72 F4
    Brian Dean #30 Bowlback

  8. #8
    Registered User RichM's Avatar
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    I have been playing a lot of Bach lately, and I find it sounds great on an F4-style mandolin (though mine is not a Pomeroy, but some day...). Conveniently enough, the other mandolin I use to play bach is my Brian Dean flattop... I bet Brian's bowlback will be great!

    Obligatory Pomeroy content: I wish I had one...

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    Hi Rich,

    What are you using for sheet music? Where do you get it? And is it tab or notation? And if it's notation, is it "proper" (meaning is it transposed down an octave or written for the "correct" notes)? I guess this question is out of place, and I apologize to JD. Just curious.

    Also, Rich, I've been meaning to reply to the very thoughtful email you recently sent me, but it has had me thinking a lot and I guess I haven't reached any conclusions...other than that you are a true gentleman.

    Mark
    J. Mark Lane
    Stanley #10 F5
    Pomeroy #72 F4
    Brian Dean #30 Bowlback

  10. #10
    Registered User RichM's Avatar
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    I don't think this is too far off-topic, since you said you played Bach on your Pomeroy...

    I've been primarily working out of the Mel Bay book, JS Bach for Mandolin. It has both standard notation and tab. I've also been getting tab from www.mandozine.com and alltabs.com (although this site appears to be temporarily unavailable).

    I really want to get Mike Marshall's Bach book... perhaps Santa will bring it.

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    j mark, no apologies necessary here! #i've been working on my fiddle and irish tunes as the wife and i are off to the fair isle in the fall. ##73 is going across the pond with us (and to many a pub i hope). #also been fooling around with some classical pieces from the co-mando site and i dug out my jazz fake book and have been fooling around with chord changes/progressions. #the thing just won't give me the whompy bluegrass sound i'm so used to so i've been pushed in other directions (which was needed for sure). #i would also like to re-learn how to read music while i'm at it, but the ready availability of tab has made me lazy.

    now i really want one of Don's F4's.

    jd "i'm playing powerball every week" cowles
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    Martin 000-M

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    Rich -- I got that same Mel Bay book. Pretty good. Also got the Mel Bay book "Baroque Music for Mandolin" by the same editor, which is a little more diverse. I too want the Marshall book, but I suspect it's a bit over my head at the moment.

    JD -- I am the same way: tab has made me lazy. But what the heck, I figure I am not angling to join any symphony orchestras, so if it gets me what I want, it's good enough.

    Enjoy Ireland, JD. It's one of my favorite places on this planet. Dingle is a particularly cool town and area....

    Mark
    J. Mark Lane
    Stanley #10 F5
    Pomeroy #72 F4
    Brian Dean #30 Bowlback

  13. #13
    Purveyor of Sunshine sgarrity's Avatar
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    That is one fine lookin' mandolin. I can't wait until I get mine. Should be around April-May. I'm very pleased to hear everyone's positive reviews of Don's mandos. Made it very easy to send the deposit.

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    Registered User luckylarue's Avatar
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    I'll chime in for Butch Baldassari's "Cantabile" cd and music sheet for mando and guitar. I've been working on "Jesu, Joy...", and I'm starting "Recuerdos de Alambra" as well. I'm fixin' to start M. Marshall's Bach book next. I love his recording of the dm Partita Corrente on the Tone Poet's cd and can't wait to attempt it on mando.

  15. #15
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (JD Atewire @ Dec. 15 2005, 14:46)
    I've never owned an oval A before, so it's all-new to me (the shorter scale has taken some getting used to).
    Is the scale shorter or just the neck and where it joins the body?

    Jim
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    JD that is one great looking mandolin. I of course am also a big fan of Don's Pomeroys. The coloring reminds me of #64, I imagine "look into my eyes" would love to have a matching pair of pumpkins. I love my growling A2 and the ringing sustain you talked about. I have not tried the monel strings you mentioned, like to. Can you give me the details so I can pick up a set or two? Thanks. Also, has any Pomeroy owners tried Ted's new strings? Their getting some good reviews. Enjoy your beautiful Pomeroy and I hope an F4 is in your future.
    Richard

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    Richard -- I should mention that I have TI strings on mine, and I like them on it. I never liked flat wound strings that much on an F5, but they work nicely on the F4. I think the TI's also tune up to pitch with less tension, which makes it easier to get the ornamentation that Baroque requires (at least that's mine uneducated impression).
    J. Mark Lane
    Stanley #10 F5
    Pomeroy #72 F4
    Brian Dean #30 Bowlback

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    Thanks Mark, I am going to pick up a set of those as well. I am still putting on the J74's. Think I am at the point that I want to try different stuff, string types being part of that. I am also going to order that MelBay JS Bach book and give classical a go. I think there is some truth in getting inspiration in your playing by moving in and out of what your norm of playing is.
    No suprise, I like the thread.
    Richard

  19. #19
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Speaking of Bach:

    Lots of free downloads of Bach (and others) at the Werner Icking Archive. There is lots of Keyboard music there but I find the solo Cello suites quite playable and not so difficult, for instance, as the solo violin sonatas and partitas (which are also available on this site).

    Jim
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    hey jim-

    it's where the neck joins the body not the scale. #sometimes me no write good ;-) #i'm so glad to see that you all are doing your part to keep Don busy. #someday i'll order that F4...

    what about a pomeroy-fest? #scott?

    barricwiley- the monel stings are the gibson sam bush models. #i've used them exclusively on my F5 for years and threw a set on the A2 for the heck of it and ended up liking the sound. #more woody and less bright than the j74s



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  21. #21
    Registered User luckylarue's Avatar
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    Pomeroyfest? I'll vote for somewhere in Colorado. Maybe Rockygrass '06 or perhaps the Western Slope - closer to Don's locale (and preferably near some hot springs). FWIW, the jazzmando strings sound and feel great on my old Gibson and they'll go on the new A2 as well. I just can't handle the beefy G (.40) anymore.

  22. #22
    8 Fingers, 2 Thumbs Ken Sager's Avatar
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    Put me on your list for the Pom Fest. I'll be there. I need to get my Rockygrass tix now, don't I.
    Less talk, more pick.

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