Jacksonville, fl mando players/teachers/luthiers!?

[Mandosurf]

Hi cafe, I live in Jax bch, fl and I'm wondering if any of you live around here too? I've been recently obsessed with the mandolin, and no one to jam with or talk mandolins! Also wondering if there's any teachers/luthiers within a reasonable distance.. Thanks!

Ty

[GTison]

Here is a link to NFBA. If you like bluegrass, it would be a good place to start. I started playing the mando in Jax 30 years ago this year, wow. Selah. Took beginner lessons from Mike Elin He still is listed as a teacher along with others I see.

[Mandosurf]

GTison, thanks for the response and info! 30 years of playing mando!? Longer than I've been alive haha yea I love bluegrass, so I'll become a member.. I'm located at the beach, hit me up if you ever want to jam and talk mandos, I'll drive wherever

[Tom Sanderson]

I'm pretty close, I live in St Augustine

[J.Sloan]

There's some good mandolin teachers here in Tallahassee and a couple of good shops too. I offer custom builds and repair work and there's a bi-annual bluegrass festival in Thomasville, Ga that's usually a good time and worth the travel... just a couple of hours away.

Jason

sloanmandolins@facebook

[Mandosurf]

Cool Tom, we'll have to get up! I go to st. Aug once in awhile for shows... Thanks for reply
Jason, I drove to Tallahassee to check out the Mando Shop last November, and purchased a J. Bovier A5, which I just sold last week to fund my Gibson F9. So there's other shops as well.. Cool. So you're a luthier who builds mandolins!? I've become obsessed with the instrument and ultimately want to be able to build a mandolin someday. What a great talent to have. If I wanted to change out the rosewood bridge on my F9 for a Cumberland acoustic I have lying around, you take that kind of work? Looks like I'm already wearing divots in the frets, so maybe some Evo frets installed too? Thankyou for your reply Jason.. I'd really love to come out there one day and talk mandolins, maybe pick your brain as much as I can! Haha

[J.Sloan]

Sounds like you definitely caught the mandolin bug...and there's no cure for it! These instruments are quite intriguing and keep many a luthier up at night. I'm looking forward to also getting into building some oval hole F & A's....maybe even add a virzi. The late teens and early 20's F4's are just beautiful to me. I had a chance to sit next to Mike Compton's Gilchrist F4 and the sound of that mandolin has yet to leave my memory. I've heard a few oval mandolins thru the years, but it had something very special going on. Anyway, we'd love to have you over if you're ever in my neck of the woods.

[Mandosurf]

Wow Jason thank you for the great thoughtful response! I have definitely caught the bug! I think a lot of the reason I've become so obsessed with the instrument is because of this website and the amazing people like you on it.. From playing guitar for 13 years and owning 5 of them, to now only having ONE instrument, my Gibson F9! Haha and I couldn't be happier
I've yet to hear an oval hole in person, but on videos they sound so warm and fat, with that tubby low end. MAS for an oval hole I fear is coming next for me haha
From what I've read, Gilchrist is one of the greatest mandolin luthiers to ever live, so to hear one of his instruments played by one of the best mandolinist (Compton) must've been a real treat! Watching and reading things about the virzi just blows my mind! As does the great Lloyd Loar..
My brother lives in Tallahassee, so I have a place to stay and an excuse to come see him now. Thankyou for the kind invite, I very much look forward to meeting you, hopefully soon Jason. I'm an assistant golf course superintendent, so it's hard for me to get a weekend off, crazy as that sounds, but I'll stay in touch sir. And again, thankyou Jason

[outsidenote]

Ty, I am just up the road in AB. We could try to meet an pick a bit. Supposed to be good surf this weekend so I am planning on a bit of that for sure.

[Mandosurf]

Outsidenote what's up! Yea man I'm down, anytime.. I work at Atlantic bch country club and grew up in AB.. Small world! Yea man I need to surf too, hope it's good. Thanks for the reply man