Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: Paul Buskirk's HOT PICKIN' and the mystery 5-string

  1. #1
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    13,087

    Default Paul Buskirk's HOT PICKIN' and the mystery 5-string

    In 1975, Paul Buskirk released an album on Stoneway Records called HOT PICKIN', featuring a 5-string electric mandolin. It must be heard to be believed.



    This was several years before Tiny Moore's two albums on Kaleidoscope. So unless I'm greatly mistaken, HOT PICKIN' is the first U.S. album with electric mandolin as a lead instrument on every track.

    What I'd like to know is, who built the wacky 5-string (long scale, 2 pickups, tremolo bar) Paul is playing here?

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Buskirk_5string.jpg 
Views:	186 
Size:	31.6 KB 
ID:	176318

    It's a known fact that Houston violin maker F.A. Thorp admired Buskirk's playing and built some electric 5-strings modeled after his famous Jim Harvey doubleneck guitar. But the 3 Thorp instruments I've seen don't look much like this.

    What's really wacky is that on the cover of another Buskirk album, THIS TIME...BANJO, there's a color photo of a very similar 5-string, but it's red, not white! Paul may well have owned a pair of these things.

    Any clues?
    Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.

    Notorious: My Celtic CD--listen & buy!

    Lyon & Healy • Wood • Thormahlen • Andersen • Bacorn • Yanuziello • Fender • National • Gibson • Franke • Fuchs • Aceto • Three Hungry Pit Bulls

  2. The Following 6 Users Say Thank You to mrmando For This Useful Post:


  3. #2
    Mandol'Aisne Daniel Nestlerode's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Picardy
    Posts
    2,176
    Blog Entries
    81

    Default Re: Paul Buskirk's HOT PICKIN' and the mystery 5-string

    Hmmm...
    Red or white (or maybe mahogany?) it looks like the same maker.

    Can't help even a little! But I'm hanging on an answer, and enjoying Hot Pickin'!

    Daniel

  4. #3
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    13,087

    Default Re: Paul Buskirk's HOT PICKIN' and the mystery 5-string

    Another likely suspect is Huey Wilkinson, a Houston luthier/repairman who was a close friend of Buskirk and the executor of his estate.

    According to Deke Dickerson, Buskirk owned his Bigsby 10-string well into the '90s, until it was sold to raise some dough. He also had a '54 Strat that had been renecked as a 5-string tenor, but the whereabouts of that one are unknown. But you can see it in this photo of Buskirk and Freddy Powers.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Buskirk_and_Powers.jpg 
Views:	292 
Size:	750.3 KB 
ID:	176361

    Michael Kang and Ron Oats popularized the "baritone mandolin" for the 21st century. Jonathan Mann and Sierra Hull are on the bandwagon as well. Lowell Levinger plays what he calls a "5-string tenor" by Alberto Giacomel. But they're just doing what Buskirk was doing sixty years ago.
    Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.

    Notorious: My Celtic CD--listen & buy!

    Lyon & Healy • Wood • Thormahlen • Andersen • Bacorn • Yanuziello • Fender • National • Gibson • Franke • Fuchs • Aceto • Three Hungry Pit Bulls

  5. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to mrmando For This Useful Post:

    clemMarkus 

  6. #4
    Mandol'Aisne Daniel Nestlerode's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Picardy
    Posts
    2,176
    Blog Entries
    81

    Default Re: Paul Buskirk's HOT PICKIN' and the mystery 5-string

    Nothing new under the sun.
    Cool stuff.

    Daniel

  7. #5
    Oval holes are cool David Lewis's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Sydney, Australia
    Posts
    1,461

    Default Re: Paul Buskirk's HOT PICKIN' and the mystery 5-string

    The headstock looks a little like a Dean, but I don’t think they were around then.

    Great tone on it though.
    JBovier ELS; Epiphone MM-50 VN; Epiphone MM-40L; Gretsch New Yorker G9310; Washburn M1SDLB;

    Fender Nashville Deluxe Telecaster; Squier Modified Vintage Cabronita Telecaster; Gretsch 5420T; Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat: Washburn Banjo B9; Ibanez RB 5string; Ibanez RB 4 string bass

    Pedalboard for ELS: Morley Cry baby Miniwah - Tuner - EHX Soul Food Overdrive - EHX Memory Toy analog Delay
    Fender Blues Jr Tweed; Fender Greta;

  8. #6

    Default Re: Paul Buskirk's HOT PICKIN' and the mystery 5-string

    It looks like something Bozo Podunavac would have made during his more "colorful" building periods. Just a swag on my part. Thanks for posting mrmando.

    Len B.
    Clearwater, FL

  9. #7
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    13,087

    Default Re: Paul Buskirk's HOT PICKIN' and the mystery 5-string

    The album is back on YouTube!

    Last edited by mrmando; May-14-2020 at 4:48pm.
    Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.

    Notorious: My Celtic CD--listen & buy!

    Lyon & Healy • Wood • Thormahlen • Andersen • Bacorn • Yanuziello • Fender • National • Gibson • Franke • Fuchs • Aceto • Three Hungry Pit Bulls

  10. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to mrmando For This Useful Post:


Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •