Anyone familiar with Cricket Fiddle mandolins?

[MandoDave1]

I'm contemplating a mandolin from TeeJay at Cricket Fiddle Instruments. His stuff is really interesting, but I'd be interested in hearing from someone who's owned or played his mandolins.

Thanks!

[Cecily_Mandoliner]

I have played a couple of his mandolins at the Blackbird's Music shop in Minneapolis, MN. I liked the tone of them.
Good luck to you.

[harper]

I have a short scale Thomas Jessen OM. It's made of beautiful woods. It as a warm, sweet sound, though not cutting or loud. It's probably best for Celtic. Here's a photo of the back. This is one of his older instruments.

[Bill Snyder]

I took a gander at his website. I don't know about all of his instruments but he has a photo of one with a rule across the nut. It is 26/16 or 1 5/8 inches wide. That is HUGE. It might be just what you are looking for but I would want to play it before I purchased it. 1 1/16 or 1 1/8 inch nuts are common and 1 1/4 inch nuts are considered wide.

[Marty Jacobson]

Bill, that's a 5-course instrument, so it is pretty wide, but not ridiculous.

[Mandobart]

I've got two of TJ's instruments, and they are my favorite instruments of the ~15 I currently play. The tone and workmanship are the equal of instruments I've played costing over twice as much. And no one builds a cooler case (scroll down to near the bottom to see the case on my F4 OM). I have the "huge" 10 string 'dola; the fingerboard is about like a guitar.

Here is a sound clip:



Here is a clip of the F4 OM:


I have NFI, but I consider TJ a vastly undiscovered gem in American luthiery. He is completely honest and a straight shooter as well. You can't get a better instrument for your money. See more here at our social group.

[Bill Snyder]

Bill, that's a 5-course instrument, so it is pretty wide, but not ridiculous.

Talk about not seeing the forest for the trees. Don't I feel stupid.

[MandoDave1]

Thanks to all for your replies. MB, very impressive videos! I enjoyed your playing as well as the beauty of the instruments.

[David Rambo]

I have 2 of his mandolins, and I like them very much. Number 58 is his answer to the Gibsons from the 20's, and after I bought it, he made number 68, an octave mandolin, to closely match number 58. He does a fantastic job and his mandolins are fun to play. He also makes more "exotic" instruments as you can see on his website. I got to see and play the 10 string, and then watched Ian Kimmel really play it. Someone is going to get a great instrument when that one sells.
I think you would really like his work and workmanship. I was lucky; I live about an hour away from him, so I could visit and watch his progress as mine was built.