Question for mando junkies

[Kathy-a]

First post! Have been visiting the cafe for a while now (and loving it) so it's about time to participate.
Yesterday I ordered the Ohana VK 70R vita soprano ukulele from Elderly and had it restrung for fifths tuning. I got the idea from another thread in the "Looking for info" forum "Nylon strings for mando". There is a sweet video that sold me.
I think I was first attracted to the mandolin by its shape. The Vita uke has unique sound holes and a teardrop shape. I'm looking forward to playing my mandolin repertoire on a uke that sort of looks like a mando

[Br1ck]

Before getting a mandolin, I already had built two electric basses, multiple partscasters ( five or six), a cigar box guitar, and a Missippi stomp box. I have a dobro, an old Stella for slide a Pono parlor, a Pono parlor 12 string, a Martin M 36, a Martin 00 15 custom 12 string, a 70 Guild D 35, and an Epiphone Texan circa 1965. So I guess you would call me the variety kind of guy.

I have never played in the big boy's sandbox. I don't personally hear enough difference to double down on the cost. Not saying that's not a valid viewpoint.

I'm real happy with the quality of my Silverangel and I'm leaning toward something along the lines of a Northfield F 5S, or a Weber Galatin or the like, but I could just as easily go for a vintage Gibson. I feel I should have one F style bluegrass mandolin. The very decent MK will necessitate a jump to one of the above for the substantial upgrade I'm looking for.


And yes,eventually I need a Flatiron pancake too.

Are there no collectors of Gibson Ferns out there?

[Billy Packard]

At the start you mention getting a vintage oval...

By blessed good fortune I picked up a Loar era 1923 Gibson A2 paddle head for less than half it's current value and I couldn't be happier. It is purely wonderful. Not perfect for every application but a truly wonderful sounding mandolin, the very definition of the word "woody."

Gail Hester had this to say about the Loar era ovals...

Hi Billy,

Actually I tracked dozens of mandolins, snake and paddle head. I have all the data somewhere but what I found was that pre-Loar the graduations across the plates were erratic, or not smooth (thick thin thick thin). During the Loar period I observe the graduations to be smoother and consistently smooth across the plates from one area to the next. If you are familiar with graduation maps you know that there are different areas of thickness on mandolin plates. It's mostly from one area to the next and those specific thicknesses that are in play here.

It's likely that other than the paddlehead, your mandolin is carved like a Loar snakehead. I have found the shape of the headstock, paddle or snake, not to make a noticeable difference. I have taken pre-Loar paddles and re-carved the plates and they sound like a Loar era snake.

As I said when I posted, there are al lot of great sounding pre-Loar paddles out there but as a group they sound different than snakes which tend to be more focused, punchy and louder. The carving data is objective while the sound is my opinion and subjectively based on my two ears Thanks for writing, feel free to call.

Best,
Gail

Good luck in your quest!

Billy