At least the instructor in the video is right twice on each string!
At least the instructor in the video is right twice on each string!
Three times if you count the tritone, still not a great success rate.
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That just proves that one should never do bong hits before recording an "instructional video".
Charley
A bunch of stuff with four strings
Y'all are overlooking an important advantage... Acccording to the seller:
"There is no fret wear."
Imagine that! "No fret wear", almost like it's brand new & never been played, hmm I wonder what could possibly be the reason for that?
Seller further states:
"...would play perfectly with a fret level."
Oh, well heck if that is all it needs to "play perfectly", someone better buy it quick, wouldn't want to let such a golden opportunity get away.
It might be fun to learn some weird fingering to get just one (specially chosen) tune out of it, then hand it to someone else to play.
I can now safely relinquish my long-held title of 'World's Most Useless Mandolin Player' . . . that 'instructor' has me beat my a mile!
Time to bring another oddball instrument to this lovely thread. This on French eBay. The French are especially creative in the oddity department, the most famous of which are the Gelas instruments. This one is by a German who lives on the French border and had some interesting ideas. This is his fretted 6-string version. According to the seller, "These came in several varieties – some had six strings, others eight, some with frets, others unfretted. He called the unfretted versions Violins and the fretted type Mandolin Violins."
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
I found the site that had the photo of Engelbert and his wife playing plus the catalog page for these instruments. There are other variants on the wall behind them. He plays the 8-string violin version and his wife the mandolin.
He is listed in my Henley violin book as only "Resident at Völklingen (Saar). 1924."
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
The idea lives on: Grand concert mandolin by Brian Dean:
https://reverb.com/item/5964228-gran...-by-brian-dean
Just what I don't need, another oddball, but lucky I did get outbid. Anybody win this beauty on Shopgoodwill.com? Workmanship is a little dodgy but interesting. Hard to tell if it is playable or even sounds like anything.
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
I am a luthier specialising in historical and world stringed instruments. You can see more info at my website.
Jo: yes that mandolin was made by a Norwegian to imitate the style of a hardingfele and has sympathetic strings.
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
I am a luthier specialising in historical and world stringed instruments. You can see more info at my website.
I am a luthier specialising in historical and world stringed instruments. You can see more info at my website.
Another star-shaped one I just saw on wikipedia:
I am a luthier specialising in historical and world stringed instruments. You can see more info at my website.
Well, it has been quite awhile that this site has been updated. Here's a wonderful odd-looking violinish and very red mandolin made by James Pappas in Newark, DE in 1957 currently on eBay. I am impressed by the graceful(?) scrolled headstock. Go for it, you treasure hunters... https://www.ebay.com/itm/225579884363
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
I agree, but it wasn't without context. The waning art nouveau movement and the beginning art deco movement were in the vocabulary of many architects, designers, decorators etc. In that context the F style with its curly bits and pointy extrusions would not have been entirely out of this world or unexpected. That is my reading of it.
I guess I wasn't keeping up with this thread ... but now it's back. (Thanks, Jim, for your habit of doing that now and then.) So somehow I missed this. And what Jo said. You saw this on wikipedia? I'm stumped as to in what context. Hardly seems exemplary or otherwise instructive. I do like what the description says: "forma anomala" - in English, "abnormal shape." It certainly is!
Anyway, I tried searching for "mandolino" at the wiki but didn't get too far. Though I did find a reference to this oddty by that name. My best guess is Les was messing with his best guess of what one might do with a mandolin - other than play one, you know, because he seemed intent on merely emulating one. Interesting to see the video creator also avoided the mandolin, eschewing any such imagery, while including many other instruments.
But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller
Furthering Mandolin Consciousness
Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!
I am a luthier specialising in historical and world stringed instruments. You can see more info at my website.
This just landed in the classifieds.....
https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/211293#211293
Charley
A bunch of stuff with four strings
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