Aspen #1 Flat top

[J.C. Bryant]

I love mandolins and especially love flat top mandolins. I have an older Weber Aspen #1 (1997) coming and would like to know your experience with this mandolin and what strings you like using. thanks, J.C. Bryant

[PhilGE]

I used to own one and wish I'd never let it go. I hope you enjoy yours! Can't recall what strings worked best for it. Best wishes!

[Kay Kirkpatrick]

Although I can't answer your question about strings, I'd like to add that I played one a couple of times at a mandolin gathering and really enjoyed it. While I'm not looking for another mandolin, if an Aspen fell across my path I'd get it.

[JeffD]

I have the Aspen II, which as i understand is basically the same with a little fancier decorations. I use regular D'Addario EJ74 on it. The sound, however is very different than same strings applied to an arch top.

It is difficult to talk about sound without sounding like a jerk, but here we go. To my ears, the Aspen has a more "bell" like sound. Very un-Gibson sound. (One of the things I love about it.) I use it often in old time, and various other genres where bluegrassiness is not required.

The volume is as loud as I could want.

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/a...chmentid=50736

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/a...chmentid=61236


Briefly Weber made the Aspen in a beautiful shade of stone washed denim blue. If one of those came down my stream i would real it in. So beautiful.

[darylcrisp]

I used daddario EJ 73 and 74's on the one below. it played very easy with either and had a sweet bell tone character. really nice feeling mandolin, looked killer.

below is a thread on the Aspen #2 I picked up a while back, unfortunately I sold it and really miss the thing. the new owner actually contacted me a few months ago and retold me how much she loves it, and thanked me for the sale.

very cool mandolins, I replaced the solid bridge with an adjustable one, you could contact vern brekke and he can give you instructions on how to measure so he could send you one(adjustable height).

by putting an adjustable bridge on mine, it allowed me to dial in the setup to a really low easy playing action. I had a brekke side adjustable bridge for an arch topped mandolin sitting around so I flattened the bottom and did some adjustments to the saddle pieces.

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...pen-2-uh-oh-my

[VernBrekke]

Thanks for the recommendation Daryl. I do sell an adjustable bridge that is specifically designed for flat-top mandolins...

Vern Brekke
Bridger Products

[J.C. Bryant]

Thanks to all! I got the Aspen and really enjoy it! Merry Christmas