David hodson, rip

[sugarinthegourd]

Heard the very sad news over the weekend that David Hodson passed away. Some of you may know David for his "Djangolin."

http://www.hotclub.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3910




John

[Brad Weiss]

Terrible news. I owned a djangolin once, and David wrote to me to ask for serial number info, etc. I asked a few questions, and he was very patient and thoughtful -I had purchased it used, so it wasn't like he stood to make anything, just obviously stood behind his work. A real craftsman, and always gentleman.

[Bill Snyder]

This is sad. We emailed back and forth a few times two or three weeks ago when I emailed him about the Djangolin and to say that the price list on his website was difficult to read. He changed the color scheme and emailed me back to ask if it was easier to read.
He seemed very responsive and he built some nice looking instruments. I would still like the chance to try one of the Djangolins.

[Ted Eschliman]

Wow, this is a shock. I had a Djangolin, too. It was one of the most fun instruments I've owned. I enjoyed slinging it around airports in its blue metalflake case, and could always count on it for a conversation starter.

David was a true pioneer, and will be missed.

[RichM]

I'll add to the list of voices praising David Hodson. In addition to being a terrific luthier, he was an awfully nice man, and a very accessible builder. He was genuinely concerned that people enjoyed his instruments, and was very generous with his time. He will probably be best remembered for his Selmer-style guitars, but the Djangolin will remain his truly unique contribution to the world of luthiery. I consider myself very lucky to have owned one of his instruments, and to have been a frequent email correspondent.

[Bob DeVellis]

I first "met" David at the tenor guitar registry after reading about his superb instruments in Nick Freeth and Charles Alexander's The Acoustic Guitar. We corresponded a bit and then, one day he appeared here on the Cafe. I was happy to pass on his reputation as a builder of fine Gypsy guitars and an all-around good guy to other Cafe members. I never heard of anyone having anything other than an excellent interaction with him. He was a person of integrity who had a true love of his craft and will be missed.

[Bob A]

Very sorry to read the sad news. David was a decent, concerned, gentlemanly and talented person. His warm personal style in dealing with the many folks who commissioned his instruments, and his interest in keeping tabs on the instruments he made, made him stand out in his field. He was generous enough to send me, gratis, a case for my Djangolin - mine had been made before he embarked on getting custom cases for the instrument. I believe he sent me one of the prototype cases. He refused my offer of payment, insofar as he was not satisfied with the design of the case. A remarkable man. I'm happy to have an instrument to remember him by.

[RichM]

Some small tribute to David, my messy version of Nuages, played on (what else?) my Djangolin, here..

[Brad Weiss]

Nice touch, Rich; my Djangolin recording is here - My Favorite Things.

[Mandobar]

very sad new indeed. i do remember though that david had had a least one heart attack.......one actually after i ordered my djangolin. i believe he was moving his shop to a larger space during that time also.

[delsbrother]

Holy cow, what sad news. I own a Djangolin as well as an Eddie Freeman Special replica made by David. We spoke via email many, many times. I knew he had health problems, but I had hoped he was better.

[steve-o-reno]

I was stunned to hear this sad news. I'd been e-mailing David over the last few months discussing an instrument I thinking of having him build. We hadn't been in contact for several weeks, and now I hear this.

He was such a gentleman and so very helpful. My prayers go out to his family.

[Steve Scott]

I am so sorry to hear of David's death. I bought a Djangolin from him several years ago. It remains one of my favorite instruments - it just makes me happy to pick it up. David was very easy to work with. Everything he said he would do, he did - and right on time. So long, David - and thanks!

[stevep21]

Sorry if this off-topic for mandolins but I wanted to add the voices of many members of the tenor guitar fraternity to express sincere condolences about David's sudden passing to the wonderful messages here. I am involved with running http://www.tenorguitar.com and an associated Tenor Guitar Registry discussion forum. Many members of this forum own Selmer Maccaferri-style four string guitars, made by David - mainly the Eddie Freeman Special and the Tenor versions. They have reported that they were very impressed with them, as well as noting that David was excellent to deal with when he was building their guitars and that he did everything possible to ensure that their requirements were met. He even sent me progress photos of a six string Selmer Maccaferri style guitar he was building for me! As a more lasting contribution, David has almost single handedly renewed significant interest in the Selmer Maccaferri Eddie Freeman Special, a fascinating four string guitar model that was sadly neglected when it was first produced in the 1930s. He recently acquired his own original 1930s Eddie Freeman Special which he felt would help him to continue to improve his version of this instrument, which makes his passing that much sadder. He told me that it had even inspired him to learn to play it so he could perform in public. It seems unlikely that this interest in the EFS will continue to be encouraged in David's absence. I was always very happy to recommend David's wonderful instruments in response to the many enquiries that we received through the tenor guitar web site and the TG discussion forum. I hope we have all played some part in encouraging David to continue building his four string/course models. I am still in a state of shock over his death and I now know from many postings that I have read that he will be sorely missed by the many folks in the guitar and mandolin communities who appreciated his high quality instruments that were always such excellent value for money. I will now treasure the three David Hodson guitars I own for the rest of my life.

[Scott Tichenor]

I picked up on This Day in History that it was on this day two years ago that David Hodson passed away. My condolences to his family, friends and the many fans of his work, including many of us here. David to my mind really lit a fire under the gypsy jazz flavored mandolin building subject a few years back, making some great little instruments he called Djangolins. They were affordable and captured our imagination, and many of them are still being played. I think he probably produced more Selmer influenced mandolins on his own than any other builder. I never met David but had enjoyable email exchanges with him and think it would have been terrific to have known him in person.

[zeke]

"Tis a noble thing, to bring to mind those of us who have passed on, to reflect upon their glory and mourn their journeys end."

Thanks, Scott.

[Scott Tichenor]

RIP, David. Your mandolins still making music.

February 14, 2007.

[Bob A]

A little early, perhaps, but my Djangolin still rings out in David's memory.

Rest in peace, David, but not in silence. Thank you for the music you helped make.