The search continues...

[pops1]

I posted before about a 23V, but it was a typo, I have a 21V. It had not been played much before I got it, it was bright on top and dead on the bottom. Refitted the bridge as I believe a new mandolin top will settle due to the string tension so the bridge was refit. Play, Play, Play now this same mandolin is warm in the highs and very nice in the lows with much sustain and balance. I am in the middle of prototyping some new strings for GHS and am waiting for the new heavier gauge of wound strings to come hopefully next week. They make this mandolin even better. In my opinion it has changed hugely for the better and I haven't found one I like better. I get MAS and play others, but I keep coming home to mine. The grass always seems greener until it is tasted then you know the sweetest grass is at home. For me, so far at least. I know there are mandolins out there that I will like better at some point, time will tell, but until I find one this is the one. It is very distressed with many gigs and thousands of hours of playing and it makes me smile every day.

[pops1]

Another note on the Brentrup, I left for ten or so days and took another mandolin as I knew I wouldn't get to play much and the environment wouldn't be great. When I got home the Brentrup had shut down, it of course opened back up with about 20 minutes of playing, but if the one you are looking at hasn't been played that is something to consider.

[Jim Garber]

The one Apitius I played had a very narrow neck, even too narrow for me and I prefer narrow necks (like 1-1/8" or even less) vs. wider (like 1-1/4"+).

As for mandolins that change over time... I am not a firm believer in that. I think the player is the one who changes. If you pick up a mandolin and play it for at least 30 minutes you should have a very good idea of the tonal qualities and potential. Yes, it can change with improved setup or different strings, picks etc. but I still think that if it is not close to what you perceive as your tonal ideal, then walk away. It might change some but not in a large way IMHO.

[grassrootphilosopher]

Although I will admit I do like to chase, I really am at this point just looking for a mandolin
that'll inspire me. feel and tone are everything to me, and then esthetics. The mandolins on
that list are the ones I'm trying to decide from currently.

For the record: What especially does inspire you? What tone are you looking for? What´s the feel that you want? And what is improtant aesthetically.

I know that I sometimes feel prejudiced in favor or against an instrument... What is it with you? Explain please.

[The Musician's Wife]

Hi All,

I've updated the blog recording my wonderful husband's adventures in mandolin hunting... There are a few especially interesting new videos to check out:

http://themusicianswife.weebly.com

Enjoy :-)

-Kate

[Demetrius]

I love that I get to share this experience with my sweetie...
She caught me lusting over a Bretrup V8 with my mum.
I think my mum liked it too. I really wish I could track a nice
used one of these at a good price.

[pops1]

I love that I get to share this experience with my sweetie...
She caught me lusting over a Bretrup V8 with my mum.
I think my mum liked it too. I really wish I could track a nice
used one of these at a good price.

Saw one at Carters if I am remembering right, 18K tho

[Demetrius]

Can someone please help me find this mandolin?
Maybe the owner would be willing to share their
thoughts on it, or maybe even willing to part with it.
https://brentrupmandolinregistry.wor...08-eclipse-v6/

[pheffernan]

And then there's the problem of picks: the pick in the photograph of Kate's blog attenuates the high end. They're good picks, I use them too, sometimes, when I want to attenuate the highs. But no one is going to explore the full range of an instrument's tonal possibilities with a pick that's reducing its frequency range.

I too find the Wegen TF140's to be bright (but oh so comfortable to hold). What pick(s) would you use or propose "to explore the full range of an instrument's tonal possibilities?"

[August Watters]

What pick(s) would you use or propose "to explore the full range of an instrument's tonal possibilities?"

On an acoustical level, I think what's needed is a pick that doesn't attenuate any part of the instrument's frequency range -- you can learn, in time, to do that with your technique, but if you start with a pick that's eliminating part of the frequency range, you're losing some of the sound up front. Sometimes you WANT to do that, for aesthetic purposes (I sometimes use the Wegen for Bach) but I think it should be conscious choice. And if that's your path, that's great -- nothing wrong with focusing on one set of possibilities over another; we all do it all the time.

I don't like most guitar picks for the same reason, plus the standard shape is not ideal for me. I like the Clayton Ultem picks (NFI) because the material is neutral enough not to absorb highs, and there's a small teardrop-shape for mandolin. But that shape isn't ideal either, at least for me. The small elongated pick by Dogal designed by Ugo Orlandi is excellent, and has recently become available from Strings By Mail (again, NFI). But they're designed for bowlback and the heaviest one is not heavy enough for most carved-instrument players. I suspect Blue Chip would be a good choice, except the shape and weight is all wrong for bowlback mandolin, which is what I play most.

So I don't have a perfect solution to recommend (for now). Marilynn Mair recommends buying guitar picks and cutting them down. I am however working with a manufacturer to address this problem, and expect to have an announcement soon.

[Steve Sorensen]

[Jim Garber]

I love that I get to share this experience with my sweetie...
She caught me lusting over a Bretrup V8 with my mum.
I think my mum liked it too. I really wish I could track a nice
used one of these at a good price.

Can someone please help me find this mandolin?
Maybe the owner would be willing to share their
thoughts on it, or maybe even willing to part with it.
https://brentrupmandolinregistry.wor...08-eclipse-v6/

I have a feeling that Hans only made a few of these. So far I have seen maybe 3 or 4. I wonder if Larry has a list of how many of these he made.

Frankly, that blackburst has been at Carter's for a few months (at least). If this is the dream of yours, why not contact them and work something out?

I assume that you contacted G. Fisher who, I think, owned this one?

[Mandobar]

Make an offer. All they can say is "no".

[darylcrisp]

may not be the style you want or like, but here's another one

http://www.guitarrodeo.com/mandolins...-mandolin.html

maybe contact Hans himself, never know, he might have one stashed at home that he hasn't let go of.

d

[Jim Garber]

may not be the style you want or like, but here's another one

http://www.guitarrodeo.com/mandolins...-mandolin.html

maybe contact Hans himself, never know, he might have one stashed at home that he hasn't let go of.

d

OP seems to have ruled out oval holes, or at least he says that. Then again he mentioned bowlbacks but we are not allowing that. I have no control over the ruling board for oval holes on this case and so I refer that matter to the Mandolin Advisory Commission.

[Jim Garber]

I don't like most guitar picks for the same reason, plus the standard shape is not ideal for me. I like the Clayton Ultem picks (NFI) because the material is neutral enough not to absorb highs, and there's a small teardrop-shape for mandolin. But that shape isn't ideal either, at least for me. The small elongated pick by Dogal designed by Ugo Orlandi is excellent, and has recently become available from Strings By Mail (again, NFI). But they're designed for bowlback and the heaviest one is not heavy enough for most carved-instrument players. I suspect Blue Chip would be a good choice, except the shape and weight is all wrong for bowlback mandolin, which is what I play most.

I use jazz picks on mandolin for the most part these days, mostly BCs and ultems and the now discontinued (in the Gibson tradition) black Gibson small teardrops. In the past I also liked John Pearse jazz picks. At one point those were the favorites of Carlo Aonzo on his bowlbacks. Every player tho has his or her preferences and the mandolins and strings also dictate the best tone.

I tried the Dogal picks and did not like them for bowlbacks or anything else. Not only were they too small for me but they were a bit too soft as I recall.

[Mandobar]

I believe the oval hole at Guitar Rodeo was consigned by Hans himself

[Jim Nollman]

A few of us over here in the Pacific Northwest have lately been discussing the excellent qualities of the mandolins made by the Canadian Luthier, Alan Beardsell. Haven't heard any mention of him yet, in this thread.

[August Watters]

Every player tho has his or her preferences and the mandolins and strings also dictate the best tone.

I tried the Dogal picks and did not like them for bowlbacks or anything else. Not only were they too small for me but they were a bit too soft as I recall.

Fair enough, and agreed, we all find something different. But all of my Italian mandolinist friends I've asked (including Carlo), who have had the opportunity to study Ugo Orlandi's method, report that they departed from Ugo's path only after years of study.

To make an observation about trends: The Dogal picks are standard issue for Ugo's students in the Italian conservatories. To me, that makes them worth an experiment -- to see how the technique and tone develops with this tool. Another trend: looking at mandolin picks left from from the golden era, or representations of them in old books. You see a lot of teardrop shapes, narrower than guitar picks. Weights tend to be light by today's standards. My view is that you don't need a heavy pick to get all the bass response, you just need to cultivate the right hand.

My favorites are a few old picks I found in different places -- weights from .72mm to .86mm. Love the old Pettine picks!

[The Musician's Wife]

In an act of final desperation, Demetrius' mandolin search is being put to a vote. Whatever mandolin gets the highest number of votes wins.

​-Gilchrist F5 (used)
-Gilchrist model 3 (used)
-Wiens F5 (used)
-Givens A6 (used)
-Brentrup M23V (used)
-Apitius F5 Classic

[JKA]

In an act of final desperation, Demetrius' mandolin search is being put to a vote. Whatever mandolin gets the highest number of votes wins.

​-Gilchrist F5 (used)
-Gilchrist model 3 (used)
-Wiens F5 (used)
-Givens A6 (used)
-Brentrup M23V (used)
-Apitius F5 Classic

My vote would be buy a good Eastman and spend the rest on therapy🙂

[Sheryl McDonald]

>>In an act of final desperation, Demetrius' mandolin search is being put to a vote. Whatever mandolin gets the highest number of votes wins.<<

That means Demetrius hasn't met the right mandolin yet. :-)

[jaycat]

My vote would be buy a good Eastman and spend the rest on therapy��

Or donate to charity. Enough of all this one-percenter angst.

Sorry to sound preachy, but it is Sunday morning.

[UlsterMando]

[QUOTE=The Musician's Wife;1510202]

In an act of final desperation, Demetrius' mandolin search is being put to a vote. Whatever mandolin gets the highest number of votes wins.

​-Gilchrist F5 (used)
-Gilchrist model 3 (used)
-Wiens F5 (used)
-Givens A6 (used)
-Brentrup M23V (used)
-Apitius F5 Classic[/

I was wrong, this is not a mando-drama, it's a soap . . .

[Josh Levine]

I think it's called "first world problems"