Kelley F4 mandolin a/b comparison

[Skip Kelley]

I have two video’s comparing two F4 style mandolins. The first is an F4 that I made in 2013. I have played this mandolin regularly. It is made in the style of the old Gibsons. 12 fret neck made of mahogany,red spruce top, transverse brace, oil varnish.

The second video is one made in December os 2018. This one has a neck joined at the 13th fret, maple neck with a walnut middle insert, red spruce top that is 100 years old, transverse brace, and oil varnish.

I had always wanted to do one like this to see how it would sound. It sounds close to my older one but, it feels a lot like I’m playing a longer neck mandolin. I know it sounds crazy because it’s only one fret longer.

I hope you enjoy. Please excuse my picking!


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=i-2g3aVoWcc

[Skip Kelley]

Here’s the link to the second video:https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wiqOOAD0Khw

[Steve Sorensen]

Fine picking and great tone.
Steve

[Drew Egerton]

they both sound great to me Skip, nice job! I think I prefer the new one at least through my cheap headphones.

[Mark Wilson]

That was fun. Hard to say - the first one sounds like mic was a tick closer or something. I might have to drive down to Thomasville to say for sure

I think they both sound great - really nice oval tone. And they sure do look fine. Thanks for sharing

[Ken]

Sounds great. I do like oval hole mandolin. The older mandolin sounded a little fuller. Maybe like Mark said closer Mic placement, or maybe just a lot more played in. The newer mandolin seemed a little more percussive, good for getting heard among other instruments. Both very nice.

[Skip Kelley]

Thanks guys for the kind words! I enjoy sitting and picking on my oval hole mandolin. My older one seems fuller to my ears, maybe because it's been played for 5 years now. I can tell the potential that the newer one has. I think it will open up a lot as it is played. I have the same monel strings on them and used a BC td50 pick in both videos. You can see my technological ignorance because I can't figure out how to embed the videos in the post and I also thought that I had titled the videos in youtube but there is just a bunch of numbers and letters there! Maybe I'll get better, or not!

[CES]

Both sound and look great! I agree the older one sounds a bit more mature, but give the new one a few months. I’m amazed at how much my 2018 A5 has changed in the past year. It was great out the gate, but keeps getting better, IMO...

Down, MAS, down! You have two kids in college, you have 2 kids in college, you have 2...

[Skip Kelley]

Thanks Chuck! I’m partial to the older one. It fits me like an old shoe! I’m glad you are enjoying the mandolin!