Rice university

[Scott Tichenor]

This interesting tidbit came in email today. I know nothing more than what's contained in this email so, sorry! I'm going to post the guy's email that sent it but he didn't seem to know any more about it either when I quizzed him, and there's nothing on the Rice University web site about it. Interesting picture follows below.

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Hi, Scott

I thought you might might find this of interest. Students at a Rice University design class in the School of Architecture designed 11 mandolins. The attached jpg shows front and back views. Today at 3 p.m. cst., the students will show and share their mandolins at a preview followed by a musical performance. Guests are encouraged to bring their picks and try out the instruments. I work in the Rice library about 25 yards from the School of Architecture. I plan to play all of them. This should be fun. I also am curious to learn more about the implementation of this project, types of woods used, bracing, all the good stuff. The school of architecture at Rice is tough and demanding. Students may have had to make their own tuners for all I know. I will pass the information on to you that may be of interest. Who knows, one of these students may become a luthier instead of an architect.

Phil

Philip Montgomery, C.A.
Archivist / Special Collections Librarian
Rice University, Fondren Library
Woodson Research Center -- MS 215
pmontgom@rice.edu

[fwoompf]

I want one!

[Scott Tichenor]

Part of this makes sense now. Googled the instructor names and it appears Marchione is a fairly well know luthier.

[JEStanek]

Some of those look really cool, some may not be my cuppa tea but I gotta applaud pushing the design. I would love to have a larger version of that jpg to look at. I hope Phil keeps us abreast of the details.

Jamie

[Stephanie Reiser]

What a terrific idea!
Hey, now I know where Bill Bussman gets some of his ideas.

[wichitamando]

That would make a really nice poster for the wall.

[DryBones]

set as desktop, view at 1024x768 using the tile setting looks perfect. BTW, I'll take the 1st 1 on the left,love that galaxy swirl sound hole

[John Bertotti]

I bet these guys got their ideas from Bill!

My eye is drawn to the five on the left. The middle is ok the five on the right aren't my cup of tea.

[Will Kimble]

Wow, that's cool. #I wish I could check them out in person.

Will Kimble

[monk]

I went to the exhibit at the architecture school. You all would love it. Each builder had a detailed poster outlining the woods used and the design elements.

I played two of the mandolins. The image I sent Scott shows the backs and fronts of the mandolins. I played the fifth from the left on the bottom row. That mandolin fit like a custom made instrument, but it was fretless. The maker is a cello player, so she was more comfortable with a fretless fingerboard. It sounded great.

By the way, all the instruments were made with tone bars, except for one.

The second mandolin I played in the group was the seventh instrument from the left on the bottom row. It was fretted and sounded awesome. Very sweet. The student put about $650 worth of materials into it. I didn't get the type of spruce for the top or the back and sides materials, but it sounded great.

And you want to know where the students got their ideas? I asked them for their inspirations. They said Mandolin Cafe.
I told them to post info about their exhibit here and they were all excited because they said this site was the best source of information. They love this site. But then who doesn't love it.

[B. T. Walker]

I bet that was an interesting exhibition. Too bad it was so far from here. If I'd left the minute I read this thread, I'd just be getting there.

Monk, what was the turnout like at the showing? Was it too crowded to try them all? Did you get to talk to the instructors?

Great idea. A project you can use for the rest of your life.

[Scott Tichenor]

I emailed the link to this thread to Stephen Marchione and hope he takes me up on the offer to come and post some information about this project. Amazing student project in my opinion.

[John Bertotti]

These kids obviously put a lot of work into this project and they should all be commended. I'm watching the classifieds now.

[mikeyes]

My son's Alma Mater, he will be proud.

[Jim Garber]

Hmmmm... I see some influence of Corrado Giacomel in some esp #6 -- you know the maker of this one:


Jim

[RichieK]

My son is thinking about applying there for college...now it's looking even better,(at least to me)!
Richie

[fwoompf]

That fretless mandolin sounds awesome! I've always wanted to try a fretless mando. Oh how I wish Rice wasn't 700 miles away..

[Mando Medic]

Scott, thank you so much for posting those photos and any background that you had on this project. It is so inspiring to watch design from a fresh perspective. My hat is off to the project director/teacher. How cool!!! All is right with the world after all!
Ken Cartwright

[Soupy1957]

Drybones: sorry, but the photo of my daughter and I dancing at her wedding last weekend, STILL beats the mandolin photo.

I sent a letter to the folks at Rice to find out if anyone wants to sell there mando.....we'll see.

-Soupy1957

[JEStanek]

Jgarber, I was seeing a similar influence too.

I bet the fretless one is very thunky with almost no sustain unless you wore thimbles on your left hand. You may be able to mimic the sound by playing with your finger pads right on your frets. Those are all still way cool looking. I would love to see them in person.

Jamie

[bradeinhorn]

cool show. would love to check it out - but not a burst or blacktop in the bunch???

[mehrsam]

I'll take #3 (from the left) and the last one on the right - dig that retro look!

[Steve Davis]

I'd love to have one of the posters.

[monk]

Actually, the fretless mandolin is nice and it had good sustain when played by the cello player----and yes she used a pick not a bow. I got good sustain out of it too, but I had trouble finding the right notes....I had to close my eyes and play by feel to even find a stray note. There is a reason I don't play a fiddle---I make a violin sound like a cat tumbling in a clothes dryer.

Some of the students used French polish too.

Monk - aka Philip Montgomery

[Ted Eschliman]

I think I just died and went to heaven...