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Thread: Stefan Sobell mandolins and other instruments

  1. #51
    Registered User DaveL35's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stefan Sobell mandolins and other instruments

    Here's another example - date unknown, but it's another early one from the Turf House era. I bought it about 15 years ago.

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    Here's a link to a SoundCloud track with a couple of tunes played on it:
    https://soundcloud.com/#dave-lees-1/...-virginia-reel
    - Dave
    Paul Shippey 'Tone' (2016); Weber Gallatin A (2013); Andy Tobin (2006);
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    Bouzouki by Paul Hathway (1996); Martin D-35 (1980); Martin 0-18 (mostly 1950)

  2. #52
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stefan Sobell mandolins and other instruments

    Looking over all the instruments it strikes me that the Sobell bouzouki I had has a fixed bridge, not a floating bridge and tail piece. http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/al...chmentid=52109 I would have purchased that in the late 1980s, maybe 1989, in Edinburgh.

    Was mine unique in that respect, or was that characteristic of Stefan's earlier construction?

    I several years ago I sold that bouzouki to a fellow café member, and as far as I know it has been all set up and is being played and enjoyed.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

    The entire staff
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  3. #53
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    Default Re: Stefan Sobell mandolins and other instruments

    Was yours a flat-top? There seem to be a small number of flattops with fixed bridges around - Andy Irvine had one. Just a couple of days ago, Stefan Sobell posted the following on his website, along with a picture of a new flattop bouzouki:
    I last built a flat-top bouzouki in around 1985, when I made one for Andy Irvine, of Patrick Street and many other bands. Just a little after this I built him two guitar-bouzoukis....
    I don't think that the fixed bridge instruments are particularly characteristic of Sobell's earlier work. He seems to have started off with carved tops and floating bridges. Maybe they represent a direction he pursued for a while, then gave up? Perhaps the flattop, fixed bridge bouzoukis evolved into his guitar-bodied bouzoukis?

    Patrick
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  4. #54
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    Default Re: Stefan Sobell mandolins and other instruments

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Bevan View Post
    Here's my 10-string.

    The guy I bought it from (almost a year ago) said it's 30 years old -- any way to tell?
    It says "The Old School" on the label inside.
    Here's some rough dating info from Sobell's website:

    "Carol MComb has sent pictures of her early cittern, asking me to date it. The label gives no date but it gives my present Old School workshop address along with my home telephone number at the time, a short lived combination.

    I transferred my workshop from my home to the Old School in very late 1979, beginning work there at the start of 1980. In these pre-internet days, the telephone was vital, so I used an extension from my home phone even though this was one and a half miles away. This meant customers could contact me on the number I’d been using for several years.

    However, the system didn’t work well. My ability to make and receive calls depended on the correct option at the home phone. When Liz used the phone she pressed the button for a different option, and then had to press the extension option when finished. Time and time again this didn’t happen, leaving me no contact with either home or the outside world. Short of going home myself, my only option was to call home from the nearby call box and ask a completely unrepentant Liz to press the appropriate button.

    There was a further problem in that the extension line quality deteriorated drastically, giving more hiss than voice, especially in wet weather. Telephone company engineers were unable to find and fix the problem. For many years after I found myself shouting into telephones because of this.

    For the next year the telephone company wanted to quadruple the cost of the extension, so I had a separate phone (with my current 567 number) installed. Thus simultaneously relieving pressure on my throat, wallet and marriage.

    Only when engineers checked the line some time later did we find the cause of the poor sound quality. The line had been peppered with shot, piercing the insulation without breaking the wire. Clearly hunters shooting rabbits had found birds sitting on the line an irresistible target.

    So all instruments with an Old School Label and a Slaley 338 telephone number were built in 1980 or very early 1981.
    "

    From this, it looks like the earliest Old School labels were probably early 1980. If there's a phone number, you might be able to narrow it down a bit further.

    Patrick

  5. #55
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stefan Sobell mandolins and other instruments

    Quote Originally Posted by PseudoCelt View Post
    Was yours a flat-top? There seem to be a small number of flattops with fixed bridges around - Andy Irvine had one.
    Yes. That would explain it. I sold it, but I still miss it.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

    The entire staff
    funny....

  6. #56
    Registered User BBarton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stefan Sobell mandolins and other instruments

    Great thread, and great photos Kevin! I just missed a very nice maple-bodied version with spruce top that Charles Johnson had listed on the Cafe a while ago -- I was near the top of the list, but it sold pretty quickly! Anyone here get that one? I'm still looking...
    Too many instruments...too little time

  7. #57
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    Default Re: Stefan Sobell mandolins and other instruments

    Dave Richardson of The Boys of the Lough on a Sobell mandolin.


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    aka aldimandola Michael Wolf's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stefan Sobell mandolins and other instruments

    Here´s a Sobell bouzouki used in Asturian music.

    Tejedor




  9. #59
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    Default Re: Stefan Sobell mandolins and other instruments

    A few snaps from Mosaiks concert last night, with Rens Van der Zelm's Sobell mandolin and Andy Irvine's guitar bouzouki and mandola? A superb concert.

    Attachment 125034Attachment 125035Attachment 125030Attachment 125031Attachment 125036Attachment 125032Attachment 125033

  10. #60
    Registered User Steve-o's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stefan Sobell mandolins and other instruments

    I can't open the attachment Kevin.

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    Default Re: Stefan Sobell mandolins and other instruments

    invalid attachment message.

    Dave H
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    Default Re: Stefan Sobell mandolins and other instruments

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  13. #63
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    Default Re: Stefan Sobell mandolins and other instruments

    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Hanson View Post
    invalid attachment message.

    Dave H
    Thanks, I can see that. Broadband hassles here.

  14. #64
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    Default Re: Stefan Sobell mandolins and other instruments

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  16. #65
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    Default Re: Stefan Sobell mandolins and other instruments

    Struggling to get the images her for some reason .... here's my own Sobell at a recent gig, for what its worth.

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  18. #66
    aka aldimandola Michael Wolf's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stefan Sobell mandolins and other instruments

    Beautiful set Kevin. Would you mind to tell the names of the tunes?

  19. #67
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    Default Re: Stefan Sobell mandolins and other instruments

    Yes, Miss Susan Cooper, Calum Donaldson, and The Bonnie Isle of Whalsay.

    First two are by Ronnie Cooper, and the third is traditional.

    They may well be on the web tune sites.

    best wishes, Kevin

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  21. #68
    aka aldimandola Michael Wolf's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stefan Sobell mandolins and other instruments

    Thanks for this, Kevin.

    Some more music with a Sobell mandolin:




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    Default Re: Stefan Sobell mandolins and other instruments

    Hi all,

    I have no connection to the sale, but a friend of mine in Ireland has brought to my attention this Sobell Octave Mandolin on Ebay....

    http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Stefan-Sobell...-/191404247065

    ...which appears to be in excellent condition and isn't attracting too much attention. I can't personally vouch for the instrument, but I can vouch for the fellow that's selling it, who is himself an excellent builder of mandolins and bouzoukis.

    I hope this will be of some value to someone here!

    Cheers,
    Rob
    I am the repairman for SoundPure of Durham, NC

  23. #70
    Registered User BBarton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stefan Sobell mandolins and other instruments

    After playing a friend's Sobell mandolin (pictured early in this thread), I've been wanting one. 'Missed one earlier this year, but landed one just recently, and it's a keeper -- a spruce/birdseye maple (which is what I wanted), large-bodied model from '02 with its OHSC. I haven't had a chance to play it a lot yet, but from the little I have so far I'm really pleased with it!! Don't have a suitable photo to post right now, but it looks just about the same as the one featured in the mandolin section on Stefan's website. Now, back to the tunes...
    Too many instruments...too little time

  24. #71
    Registered User BBarton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stefan Sobell mandolins and other instruments

    The new toy!! 'Finally got a chance to provide images of my "new" 2002 spruce/maple Sobell mandolin (composite photo from photos taken by Andy Marshall, used with permission). Lovely instrument, and I'm having lots of fun with it!

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    Too many instruments...too little time

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  26. #72
    Registered User liestman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stefan Sobell mandolins and other instruments

    Yeah, but does it chop and play like butta? (Just kidding - welcome to my favorite club! I can't wait to try it out next time we are in the same state!)
    John Liestman -
    Eye new ewe wood lye kit!

  27. #73
    Registered User BBarton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stefan Sobell mandolins and other instruments

    Indeed John, one of these years!!
    Too many instruments...too little time

  28. #74
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    Default Re: Stefan Sobell mandolins and other instruments

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    5 course Sobell mandolin, sat beside my Girouard. This one is owned by a friend who's based in Cincinnati, Ohio.

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  30. #75
    Registered User mandrian's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stefan Sobell mandolins and other instruments

    Hi,

    Here is a photo of a Sobell mandolin I bought recently.

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    I think it’s from 1991 as it has 2591 stamped on the neck endblock inside the instrument. Nothing on the label. The year seems to make sense as an internet search showed an instrument from 1991 sold by Elderly that looked indentical. Asked Stefan, but no reply at the moment.

    Rosewood sides and back, but not sure about the top? It has that pleasant (to me at least) sweetish smell that I associate with old instruments that have lain in cases for decades and not been played. It has certainly been played very little as there was minimal fret wear.

    Sounds great and like most of us will be playing the mandolin even more in the months to come.


    Keep well,

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