He could, it seems to me, have had any type he wanted, and he often seems to have played those cherry sunburst, oval holed A-5s. How do they sound? Anyone have one or familiar with them?
Dave
He could, it seems to me, have had any type he wanted, and he often seems to have played those cherry sunburst, oval holed A-5s. How do they sound? Anyone have one or familiar with them?
Dave
Ray Dearstone #009 D1A (1999)
Skip Kelley #063 Offset Two Point (2017)
Arches #9 A Style (2005)
Bourgeois M5A (2022)
Hohner and Seydel Harmonicas (various keys)
"Heck, Jimmy Martin don't even believe in Santy Claus!"
It has been a few years, but I did encounter one. Once. It was only one example, of course... but... it seemed very heavily built, had a lot of (thick) lacquer checking and left a very underwhelming impression. Not much volume. Really non-responsive to my ears. Quite 'dead' sounding. It was in a store and they wanted a really high price for it. Interesting to see one, but was not remotely tempted to buy it. I cannot remember the exact year of the one I saw, but it was very close to this example in all respects, so probably '64-65.
Gibson F5 'Harvey' Fern, Gibson F5 'Derrington' Fern
Distressed Silverangel F 'Esmerelda' aka 'Maxx'
Northfield Big Mon #127
Ellis F5 Special #288
'39 & '45 D-18's, 1950 D-28.
I got to be around Jethro a few times in the '80's. He was quite the entertainer. Mandolin-wise, his mandolins were never the best available ..... to me. His two point was quite bright and thin sounding to my ear. Just my opinion, mind you. However, the music that he could generate was unbelievable. I wish I could have been around him more.
..... f5joe
Jethro's Red fit his thing. It was customized with an F-5 type headstock and presumably better woods. He claimed it was his favorite. The 2 times I saw him (with Steve Goodman), he was on a Gibson F-5. I think Sam Bush owns Red now.
I think Jethro would sound good on anything..........
Ray Dearstone #009 D1A (1999)
Skip Kelley #063 Offset Two Point (2017)
Arches #9 A Style (2005)
Bourgeois M5A (2022)
Hohner and Seydel Harmonicas (various keys)
"Heck, Jimmy Martin don't even believe in Santy Claus!"
My instructor has one and plays it on lessons. I do like the sound of it - plenty loud - light touch of oval honk which sounds great on swing/jazz - balanced. I'd play it if I had one
But it's best feature is it's cool looks. It has mojo with mojo to spare
Jethro said the red mandolin looked good on TV.
THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!
I've always liked them every time i see one it is out of my price range , but i do plan on having one someday. I have 2 other two pointers. A Sigma SM35 and a Kiso Suzuki V900 , the Suzuki sounds the best and has the cherry sunburst finish. Only paid $100 got it from a guy who said he had it for 40 years.
Ibanez 70's 524, 521, 3 511's,2 512's,513,1 514,3 80s 513's, 522
J Bovier F5-T custom shop
Kiso Suzuki V900,
The Loar lm600 Cherryburst
morgan monroe mms-5wc,ovation
Michael Kelly Octave Mandolin
Emandos Northfield octave tele 4, Northfield custom jem octave mandolin 5 octave strat 8
2 Flying v 8, octave 5, Exploryer octave 8 20"
Fender mandostrat 4,3 Epip mandobird 2,4/8, Kentucky. KM300E Eastwood mandocaster
Gold Tone F6,Badaax doubleneck 8/6
Never needed a Strap, Jethro tucked the mandolin under his right arm ,
& often shifted to just holding it by the neck, when not playing.
& singing duets with Homer Haynes, or telling Jokes.. which were often the point of the Songs
Homer's Big Arch Top Guitar filled in the Bottom End Nicely.
writing about music
is like dancing,
about architecture
Thanks for all your replies!
...He also endorsed Washburn mandolins and played one quite often on his shows...He seemed to be satisfied with mandolins of a lower quality, I am sure he could have afforded a more expensive mandolin....
Willie
I still have a couple of these 60's puppies and to me they sound like the A4/F4 of the 20's. Some did seem to have double dipped lacquer finish but most were quite nice. Short neck is hard for me to cut "Rawhide" on but it does great for that old time sound and of coarse if you want that unique "Jethro" sound. But keep in mind the regular stock model A5 was not the same as the custom one Jethro had made.
I remember a pic (in some '70s Oak Publication, I believe) of Jethro holding a '50s F5. Anybody know, if he played that one to any extend?
I have no idea how much Jethro played that particular mandolin but the picture you reference is on page 149 of the "Bluegrass Mandolin" book by Jack Tottle, an Oak Publications 1975 copyright. I bought that book around then at the same time I acquired my 1916 F-4 and still have both the book and the mandolin, 40 years ago...
Len B.
Clearwater, FL
FWIT...A lot of professional players posed with pictures of instruments that they never actually owned or played, if the money is good they will pose with anything...
Willie
I bought Jethro's custom, Japanese made, Washburn 2 point from Chet Atkins. It was not an inexpensive instrument.
Top quality materials and workmanship throughout.
It played like a dream and had very fine tone and a loud volume with the very low action Jethro preferred.
i had one of these A5s once and i loved it. had a very nice, balanced sound, great articulation and perhaps the most comfortable neck profile i ever played. a lot of these had binding and/or finish issues but mine didn't. kinda wish i had kept as it was a great sounding and playing round-hole mandolin. these days it's all about the F-hole sound... a shame, as a good round hole can be a thing of beauty. Statman's A- (no, it is not an A2Z... i've played it many times) certainly served him well for many, many years and recordings... that mandolin was the Bill Monroe F5 of A models... if that makes any sense???
I always liked this photo
Jethro could have made a shoebox sound good.
I have heard a couple of those and don't remember one blessed thing about them. That's a screaming endorsement for no part of nuthin'.
I sold probably fifty copies of the Tottle book, I think I might have a copy (with the floppy record) in a box someplace around here, or not.theres a shot of Levon Helm playing one in the liner shots on "The Band, Rock of Ages" if memory serves. One reason I was bitten by the mandolin bug, to be honest. That and seeing Jim Steigmeyer with the late Frank Salamone, and a few others before the "Bluegrass infection" set in. Hmm, "Bluegrass Infection" now that might me an interesting band name! Motto..."We'll make you sick!"
Timothy F. Lewis
"If brains was lard, that boy couldn't grease a very big skillet" J.D. Clampett
I remember playing with a friend of mine in the late 70's who had one,it's the only mandolin he's ever owned and I don't recall much about it either. I really abused that Tottle book when it came out,,I think there is an early picture of Andy Statman in that also...
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