Anyone Play a Beardsell Mandolin?

[jmkatcher]

http://www.beardsellguitars.com/mandolin.htm

[Eric F.]

Yowser! I took a look at his guitars, too. Very interesting stuff. Wonder how it sounds.

[jmkatcher]

His guitars have a great reputation, but I've never read a thing about his mandolins.

[Mike Crocker]

Played several of his guitars but only one of his mandolins. It was very very good. If you like a variety of tones and timbres beyond the typical Gibson and Gibson clones, Beardsell is a good option. Would have made an excellent folk/celtic/swing mandolin to my ears. Great projection. Fit and finish almost beyond peer.

Peace, Mooh.

[Lee]

Yeah, but what's his marketing strategy? #

[Eric F.]

Lee, I think you need to buy one and give us a report.

[Lee]

Don't push me Eric.

[Eric F.]

Lee, I think you just need more of a gentle nudge than an actual push. Some day, I just want to spend a day with your collection.

[Lee]

Philly's nice this time of year.
The door's open, dinner's included.

[Eric F.]

Thanks, Lee. I wish I could make it, but it seems unlikely anytime soon. Do they still sell soft pretzels on the streets?

[Lee]

Soft pretzels are very popular either from a street cart or from people working the traffic islands at street corners. Oddly enough, a soft preztel or three with mustard is a common breakfast for lots of people. Still warm from the oven they're wonderful.
A local Rita's Water Ice place went out of business and renovated into a soft pretzel bakery. #They're making money hand-over-fist. #They put hot dogs inside pretzel dough much like a corn dog, and also put different toppings on the pretzels like bagels; sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic, onion.
The regular soft pretzel is currently at 60 cents or three for $1.50.

[Eric F.]

Man, I miss those. We used to drive to Reading along these back roads, and there would be guys standing at major intersections with pretzels for sale. Those things they sell at snack bars are pretzel-shaped objects in comparison. I don't know why they can't make a good pretzel outside of Pennsylvania.

And, if you're ever in beautiful far southern Illinois, the same invite applies. Of course, the door's not usually open because it's about 90 percent humidity here this time of year, but if you knock, I'll let you in.

[otterly2k]

If you ever make the trip, Eric, let me know, and I'll bring your Breedlove for a visit.


And I'll bring pretzels that haven't been sneezed on by the guys selling them at traffic intersections:D

[Eric F.]

Haw! It's a deal. I'll bring my Arches for you to play.

[Lee]

You didn't tell me you had an Arches! I've been wondering about those. PM me with a very extensive review, photos, sound clips, the whole nine yards if possible. So that's where Otterly got her Breedlove, eh? Small world.
Over in the Northeast off Roosevelt Boulevard where the Philadelphia Baking Company factory is located the smell of baking soft pretzels wafts in the breeze before the sun rises.
The absolute worst soft pretzel ever was purchased outside Madison Square Garden after a Grateful Dead concert. The dude looked like he'd just crawled out of the gutter with his pretzel cart made of plywood, plexiglass, and duct tape. The pretzels were heated with something that smelled like burning roofing tar that impregnated the pretzels with a horrible taste. After sneezing and wiping his runny nose with his hand he thankfully wiped them on his grimey pants before breaking off my three pretzels. Blech

[Jim M.]

Lee, if you haven't checked out Chris' website yet, do so: Arches
Lots of pictures and sound clips there.
I have one of his flat-tops, and he's building something else for me too. I know you and I have some similar mandos in our collection, so I think you'd probably like Chris' work too.