Monteleone Baby Grand Speciale with inlay

[SternART]

After several years of waiting my new Monteleone Baby Grand Speciale has arrived. I ordered this back after John was at the Mandolin Symposium when I first made a deposit. Then the recession hit and I was selling my instruments rather than buying them, just to keep my studio going. John was kind enough to put it on the back burner until I got on my feet again. I've had some nice Public Art commissions the past few years and was financially able to have him complete the instrument. He was very honorable in dealing with me, considering his prices have gone up, and I consider him a friend.

In the meantime he has had a good run with a show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY titled "Guitar Hero's" along with D'Angelico and D'Aquisto. John mostly builds carved top guitars these days and fewer mandolins, with some world class musicians, real guitar heros as clients. Mark Knopfler has several guitars and even wrote a song titled "Monteleone" on a recent CD. Eric Clapton has a guitar in the same honey blonde finish as my mandolin. John just finished a black top Grand Artist mandolin for John Jorgenson the same time as my instrument. Most know him as a gypsy guitarist, but he has a BG band too where he plays mandolin. Here is info on the Met show:
http://blog.metmuseum.org/guitarheroes

It feels, plays, and sounds as good as it looks. John Monteleone is really an artist, a master luthier, I feel like I'm playing a sculpture with this instrument. I love the floating wood tailpiece, to my ear it creates a warmer slightly less percussive sound than his cast metal tailpieces, where each note in a chord rings out like a choir as you hear the individual notes. It is VERY sensitive to touch and attack, really offers the player many expressive voices. Having a bit of John's spirit in my life to play every day is really inspiring, of course I'm not the kind of player like some of his clients, but I'm sure I appreciate it just as much! Photos were taken at John's workbench.

[sgarrity]

What a stunning instrument. Enjoy that thing!!

[Dale Ludewig]

I really like the slope shouldered points. The back view makes it almost look like a face/ head is looking out at you. Beautiful.

[mcgroup53]

Guess he couldn't find any figured maple for your instrument!

[DavidKOS]

Lovely instrument!

I wonder why they scooped and false-fretted the extension? On that beautiful and curvy a design it could have just been cut of at a curve at the last real fret.

[Gary Alter]

So sweet and elegant, share a sound clip with us Arthur?

[pglasse]

Just gorgeous. Congrats on acquiring this wonderful instrument.

John Monteleone is indeed a remarkable artist. I join you in finding the act of playing notes on one of his mandolins one of the great, ongoing, daily pleasures in my life.

Enjoy!

[SternART]

I wonder why they scooped and false-fretted the extension? On that beautiful and curvy a design it could have just been cut of at a curve at the last real fret.

I had pick click on my previous Monteleone & asked John to scoop it for me........ and it works perfectly. I like the traditional Monty board shape. His Radio Flyers have a different shaped board, he uses this one on Grand Artists and Baby Grands.

[Eric F.]

Fantastic! That is a work of art. You do like your two-pointers, don't you? Congratulations, and enjoy it.

[JFDilmando]

I love his Baby Grands.... I have one with a very elaborate vine inlay on the fretboard... all you mentioned about the tone and sustain are indeed spot on....

All that said, I think that I will be letting mine go, to fund another acquisition.... it will be a bitter sweet day... John's choice of woods are amazing, as the tiger of both mine and yours are stunning.

Congrats on a great mando

[Steve Sorensen]

Beautiful!
Steve

[mugbucket]

It's about 89 degrees with a high humidity and jealousy factor here in central VA.

Very, very nice. Looking forward to some vid/audio?

Ski

[Mark Seale]

I have not seen a baby grand with the floating tailpiece before. That is a thing of beauty. Welcome to the blond beauty club.

[JKA]

Stunning.

I predict this will become an important piece in years to come. When we all join the big jam in the sky, someone will be forever grateful if you write your story and stow it safely with this work of art. How cool would it be to have cast iron provinance and a history of how this came into being.

Congratulations and enjoy.

[Mandomusic]

Bravo!

How does it compare to your F-5 Monteleone?

[SternART]

Bravo!

How does it compare to your F-5 Monteleone?

The F5 is more Loar-like & percussive. And it is all broken in and LOUD. It is #64. It is the next to the last F5 John built, he had been doing Grand Artists for several years, but a few clients wanted the traditional F5 scroll & headstock. It has a few GA appointments, suspended pickguard, and cast Monteleone tailpiece.

The Baby Grand has a sweeter sound........a smooth and even sound. It is #210. Some might call it a more modern sound, but whatever you call it... has a voice like an angel. Great on the Jazz chords, each note in a chord rings out like a choir as you hear the individual notes. It is VERY sensitive to touch and attack, really offers the player many expressive voices. Good for any kind of music really, just an even balanced tool for making music. I look forward to hearing it mature, but it is special right out of the gate.

[Jim Garber]

Congratulations, Art! That is a real beauty. I love John's work but like his "classic" models, GA and BG. Thereis a BG that lives not far from me and it is possibly my favorite mandolin of all time. I am pleased to own a GA mandola but do regret not having splurged for a mandolin after ai got that one. John even gave me a "repeat offender" price.

[Don Grieser]

Congrats, Art! A thing of beauty and a joy. Very elegant and I'm sure it sounds elegant too.

[UlsterMando]

I have always loved this take on the fretboard extension and
would regard the integrity of its silhouette as absolute; it enlivens the
overall design with a daring balance of deco elegance and
medieval warmongery.
A scoop may not be everyone's buttered parsnip but, once ordained,
I say false frets are an essential in carrying off this bold aesthetic flourish.
It's a bonny thing!

[djeffcoat]

Absolutely gorgeous! Congrats Art!

[Ivan Kelsall]

Hi Arthur - I've always liked your taste in mandolins,& you've had a couple that made my eyes pop !.This one is no exception. I'd love to pull that one out of my case at my local Folk club,but i reckon that there wouldn't be much playing done afterwards. That's not just 'another' mandolin,that's a brand new ''Classic'',
Ivan

[Skip Kelley]

Wow! John's work is amazing! Enjoy!

[mtucker]

Really really nice! Congrats! Now you need a pic of her riding shotgun in that old rag top!

[JEStanek]

Just lovely. So glad you have reached the culmination of a long build.

Jamie

[JeffD]

if you write your story and stow it safely with this work of art. How cool would it be to have cast iron provinance and a history of how this came into being.

Yes I am very enthusiastic about this kind of thing. Include a picture or two of you with the mandolin. Leave it with the story all in the case for the next owner. Include also some encouragement for the next owner to do the same. If everyone does this selfless act, the history of the instrument will stay with it.

I think its a good thing to do with all our instruments, but for something destined for collectable significance like that beauty, it is even more gooder an idea to do.