Tom Ellis A4

[trevor]

I just received this stunning A4 from Tom Ellis for a customer.

[BBarton]

Sweet!!

[red7flag]

Trevor, thank you for sharing those lovely pictures. Tom, that is a beauty. Would love to hear that instrument.

[Jeff Mando]

Wow!

[Tom C]

Beautiful. I like his take of the rosette. I would have preferred a more traditional short neck with 12 frets to cross piece. A-4 1/2?

[trevor]

Hi Tom,

OK I am sure Tom will be delighted if you order one that way.

[terzinator]

Beautiful. I like his take of the rosette. I would have preferred a more traditional short neck with 12 frets to cross piece. A-4 1/2?

That's funny. That's what I was thinking, too.

This is what I picture when I hear A4:

[trevor]

Not in the same league in my opinion, but as they say, horses for courses. And I have to admit that the last snakehead A4 I had in was outstanding, its a shame I can't compare the two.

[Mark Christensen]

I have to agree with Trevor, I think the Ellis is in another league, I own both an Ellis A5 and A4. I no longer have any Gibsons.

[KarlinJackson]

Prettiest oval hole I've seen, incredible

[pops1]

Just what I am looking for, long neck oval hole. Nice

[Al Trujillo]

Beautiful! What is the finish on that one called? Really pretty.....

[Jim Garber]

Beautiful. I like his take of the rosette. I would have preferred a more traditional short neck with 12 frets to cross piece. A-4 1/2?

I was going to ask the same question... Looks like an A4 hybrid of sorts. What kind of bracing?

[Ron McMillan]

As I said on your Facebook page, 'lucky customer'.

[trevor]

I didn't check the bracing and its packed now ready to go to my customer.

I don't know what Tom calls the finish but I have asked for it on the A5 I have on order.

[Ivan Kelsall]

That mandolin is a very beautiful instrument indeed. However,it's no surprise to me. It's what Tom Ellis seems to come up with all the time.
One ''personal' point - i'd love to see a Pava F5 with that finish,maybe a bit more in my price range,
Ivan

[Al Trujillo]

One ''personal' point - i'd love to see a Pava F5 with that finish,maybe a bit more in my price range,
Ivan

Absolutely, Ivan! Truth about the price range for me as well.

[trevor]

I have asked... watch this space.

[trevor]

The next Pava player oval and A5 arriving at TAMCO will be in that finish.

[terzinator]

Not in the same league in my opinion, but as they say, horses for courses. And I have to admit that the last snakehead A4 I had in was outstanding, its a shame I can't compare the two.

Sorry, I didn't mean to compare tone/playability/fit-finish/workmanship between Tom Ellis' mandolin and an old Gibson. Totally not the point of my post.

I was just replying to Tom C's comment above about the name "A4."

Oval hole, sure, but I always thought a "4" would have had a 12-fret neck, not a 15-fret neck. (Regardless of whether you're talking F's or A's.)

[trevor]

To me and I think most people A4 means A body style and oval sound hole and the terms A4, A5, F4 and F5 have become generic in use and generally understood. If the 4 refers to a twelve fret neck what should we call 4s with different neck/body joins?

Of course for the pedantic (not meaning you Chris) the first A5 was... but then... and... let's not go there...

[Jim Garber]

There is another Ellis A4 pictured on their website. This one looks more like the Gibson pictured above but also has the longer neck and different headstock inlay and rosette. I would love to play one to hear how they sound. Too bad the photo is so small.

[terzinator]

To me and I think most people A4 means A body style and oval sound hole and the terms A4, A5, F4 and F5 have become generic in use and generally understood. If the 4 refers to a twelve fret neck what should we call 4s with different neck/body joins?

Of course for the pedantic (not meaning you Chris) the first A5 was... but then... and... let's not go there...

No worries! I'm sure the terms have become interchangeable, with all ovals being 4's and F-holes being 5's. But I rarely see a longer-necked oval-hole using the "4" designation. That was the whole reason for the joking behind the "4-1/2" designation.

Yeah, the first A5 was the Griffith A5, no? (15 frets, right?)

[trevor]

Here's one I sold in 2011.

[terzinator]

Yah, that's a beauty, for sure.

I'm not saying Tom doesn't build them, or that they don't exist, but I don't know that I've heard the term "A4" to describe them. That's all.