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Thread: Weber Cutaway mandolins

  1. #1

    Question Weber Cutaway mandolins

    Hello all. I'm sure many of you have seen the new design the folks at Weber have come up with that was just previewed this year.

    http://webermandolins.com/instrument...away-mandolins

    It's a neat idea! I'd really like to hear how one sounds. Have any of you heard or played one of the new cutaway mandolins at NAMM or otherwise? What did you think of it?

  2. #2
    Troglodyte Michael Weaver's Avatar
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    Default

    I will say that the first thing it made me think of was this.

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    Which is not good...

    After I looked for more pictures, and this is all I could find. I now see what they are trying to do.

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    My problem I guess is that it doesn't really seem all that innovative to me. It just seems like the body style of a Gibson archtop cutaway.

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    I wonder what demographic they were shooting for? Believe me I'm all for innovative designs and new concepts but it just doesn't seem to me that this will catch on and make big sales. Hopefully they can prove me wrong.
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    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Weber Cutaway mandolins

    Looking at the photos was the first time i've seen this model of Weber. In Bluegrass,we have our "F" & "A" styles,so i wonder if this cutaway style mandolin is aimed more at those of a 'Jazzy' tendency ?.I'd certainly like to hear one to compare it to the styles we
    already know. Maybe it won't sell in a big way,but it doesn't really need to as Weber make a lot of other styles. I'm sure that some folk will love it,
    Ivan
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    Middle-Aged Old-Timer Tobin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Weber Cutaway mandolins

    Quote Originally Posted by Ivan Kelsall View Post
    In Bluegrass,we have our "F" & "A" styles,so i wonder if this cutaway style mandolin is aimed more at those of a 'Jazzy' tendency ?.
    That was my thought as well. Jazz or modern pop music, which seems to be gaining popularity within a certain segment of the mandolin world. Or, should I say, certain pop music elements are starting to gravitate towards the mandolin, and may perhaps be a ripe market for this style of instrument.

    Personally, I don't want my mandolin to look like a "little guitar". That just seems to encourage the annoying questions from people who think it is, actually, a tiny guitar.

  5. #5

    Default Re: Weber Cutaway mandolins

    Looks like an idea aimed at getting more Weber crossover sales from the guitar world. Which is a much bigger market, after all.

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    Default Re: Weber Cutaway mandolins

    Should also be more economical to produce and as stated above target a broader audience.
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    Registered User Jeffff's Avatar
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    Default Re: Weber Cutaway mandolins

    It intrigues me.
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    Registered User doc holiday's Avatar
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    Default Re: Weber Cutaway mandolins

    & they said the Breedlove/Bedell/Weber connection wouldn't change much.

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    Registered User foldedpath's Avatar
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    Default Re: Weber Cutaway mandolins

    It's an interesting idea, but I think the "Florida" fingerboard extension looks dumb on this model, especially on the oval hole version. Maybe doesn't look too bad on the brown-top with F-holes shown in the Mike's showcase image, but if they're going for a sort of guitar-crossover model, they should probably ditch the Florida. Not even jazz players are likely to use that, and it gets in the way of picking.

    I'm not sure these will fit in the usual mandolin cases either, although that won't be a problem if you're buying new with a Weber case.

    I wonder what the nut width is. If it's wider than "modern Gibson-ish," then it's a clue these are aimed at guitar players wanting something a little different in a mandolin.

  10. #10
    Registered User Bill Snyder's Avatar
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    Default Re: Weber Cutaway mandolins

    Not really anything new other than the Weber name. Other builders have been building very similar mandolins for several years.
    Bill Snyder

  11. #11

    Default Re: Weber Cutaway mandolins

    I think Bill is correct, I've seen several small builder mandolins offered in this style..and then there are the old mandolinettos that pop up now and again. I'd love to try an F hole model in this shape.

    Scott

  12. #12
    Registered User Charles E.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: Weber Cutaway mandolins

    I like the F-hole model quite a bit. It would be interesting to hear one. I think it would be a good look for a mandola.
    Charley

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  13. #13

    Default Re: Weber Cutaway mandolins

    Quote Originally Posted by doc holiday View Post
    & they said the Breedlove/Bedell/Weber connection wouldn't change much.
    I just bought a pre-owned one of these (made in 2015) and love it. Saw it at the NAMM show in January of '16, didn't pull the trigger, found it on Montana Lutherie's (Bruce Weber's) page for sale last spring. One of the reasons I sprung for it now is that Bedell/Two Old Hippies are doing Weber mandos now without Bruce, and they've ditched all the experimental non-Gibson-A-and-F-style stuff that Bruce was getting into (the "cutaway" model mando/dola/octave/'cello, the resonator instruments, the two- and three-point bodies, plus the availability of x-bracing) and sticking strictly to tone bar braced A- and F- styles.

    The Bedell connection changed things all right, it took away models like this.

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  14. #14

    Default Re: Weber Cutaway mandolins

    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Snyder View Post
    Not really anything new other than the Weber name. Other builders have been building very similar mandolins for several years.
    Have they done them with round(ish) soundholes? I've seen some cool guitar-shaped mandos, but they've all been f-hole instruments. I recently bought a used Weber cutaway with x-bracing and a D-hole, it sounds like a really good 'teens Gibson A.

    Attachment 179315

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