Re: Silverangel praise
Originally Posted by
DocT
I've listened to a lot of SA mandolins on the internet and the sound is really nice. SA is not at all like most other mandolins. These seem to be warmer, and a little darker. It seems they have just the right sound. Of course, it is really hard to know precisely because it is all recorded and then uploaded so the sound is probably not exact.
They have a highly distinctive voicing. There is a lot of low end there... and they are quite resonant. It's a big, 'rich' round with plenty of volume. It works especially well in totally solo, unaccompanied situations. The voicing/texture sound substantive and 'full'. It is also good in a small ensemble, old-time, etc. They are quite a long way from the 'dry, cutting' voicing of a Loar (Lloyd, that is). In the interests of balance there are two possible 'negatives' (depending on taste, intent and technique): 1) They can be rather prone to 'pick thump' - a consequence of that very extended low frequency voicing. I'd base that observation on owning two of them at various times . 2) In a hard-driving bluegrass context up against a banjo the 'complexity' may not be what you need. Something more mid-rangy and focused might work better. Neither of these are absolutes, and (as they say) YMMV...
Gibson F5 'Harvey' Fern, Gibson F5 'Derrington' Fern
Distressed Silverangel F 'Esmerelda' aka 'Maxx'
Northfield Big Mon #127
Ellis F5 Special #288
'39 & '45 D-18's, 1950 D-28.
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