Show your cboms!

[steve V. johnson]

Brian said that he designed this OM for a soloist, sort of a la Tim O'Brien, with Brian's "weebit" top carving standard, and it is really bold and loud and has a real serious bark ... #This is -not- yer Irish bouzouki, it is a Big Mandolin with a 22" scale. #

Well, neither Mike B nor I play that way, so it's quite a challenge to find somewhere to meet it, somewhere betwixt our natures. # #It fits well in "roots" and American musics, and as designed, better with soloing than with chording. # It's a North American instrument, certainly.

It's walnut b/s with a sitka top and figured walnut plates on the headstock. #Fingerboard and bridge are ebony.
BD specified really heavy stringing, with a .052 on the G course, and while that was really, really deep and loud, both Mike and I have been going lighter with it. #I'm looking for the point at which the strings are no longer heavy enough to drive the top... #that oughtta be interesting... #Right now it's at my 'standard,' #.042, .032, .020 wound, .014.

It's quite splendid but I may not keep it... we'll see...

stv

[steve V. johnson]

Here's the sound port knotwork on the bass side...

[Gerry Cassidy]

Here's the sound port knotwork on the bass side...

Wow! Very, very nice. It's so...so... Well, 'Brian Dean', and I mean that in the best way. I really like his work. Some of it is a bit 'Out There' for my taste, but his more sedate work is some of the nicest available, IMHO.

[Gerry Cassidy]

Here is the best pic I have of my Crump Style 1G (guitar body zouk), the Sobell I just sold, and my Rozawood 2-pointer amidst all the other toys:

Hey Gerry,

What's the guitar between the Rozawood and the Tacoma ?

Nice collection!

stv

Steve, First off, Thanks! for the compliment. As for the guitar, it's a Breedlove Nylon String. It stays out on a stand in the music room for easy access. It's my 'Idea' guitar.

It's very interesting that you preferred the Rozawood to the Sobell, wouldn't have expected this. Would you like to give a more detailed comparison between the two?

Michael,

The Sobell is/was certainly a very nice, well made instrument, but the Crump is much better at accompaniment for my taste. With a 24.5" scale it has a more full, deep tone and is a bit more clear in that deep end. I'm sure many would disagree with me, but hey, that's okay.

The Rozawood has much more cut than the Sobell when playing melody, or 'Aggressive Chording Accompaniment'. It can hold it's own in straight accompaniment as well.

Keep in mind, this particular Sobell is 20" in scale. The less pronounced low end in these shorter-scale types of instruments was apparent in this one. I'm sure a person that plays better than me could make it sing like the choir, but I'm not them, so off it went.

I use .40, or .42's on the Rozawood and they seem to drive it pretty well. It's scale is a half inch longer than the Sobell at 21.5". It seems to add a bit of advantage.

[steve V. johnson]

Thanks, Gerry,

I noticed that it was a nylon guitar, but I sure couldn't recognize the maker. I like the looks of it a lot. I used to use a nylon guitar for writing arrangments, but I haven't had one in a long time. I've been thinking about another one, but have been shying away from the 'classical' style models in hopes of finding one with a bit narrower neck, more like a steel-stringed guitar. Mmmm, cool, Breedlove. Nice! Thanks!

stv

[Michael Wolf]

Keep in mind, this particular Sobell is 20" in scale. The less pronounced low end in these shorter-scale types of instruments was apparent in this one.
I use .40, or .42's on the Rozawood and they seem to drive it pretty well. It's scale is a half inch longer than the Sobell at 21.5". It seems to add a bit of advantage.

Ah yes, that's really short for octave tuning. In my experience scale length is an extreme important factor and it seems to be worth it to do play the longest scale possible.
The Rozawood that I tried had a shorter scale than yours, so it's not really comparable.

[zoukie]

Here's the sound port knotwork on the bass side...

Ooooh celtic knots on the side!!!!!!! How lovely. If I ever get a custom made thing I'll wish celtic knots on it.. (I'm actually thinking of ordering a Flatbush mandolin within a reasonable future..don't know if he can do knots though)

[Tim Porter]

Bought in a fit of MAS (Sobell OM cedar/cocobolo):




Gorgeous, loud and fun to play. I'm still much, much more proficient on guitar, but love this thing.

Tim

[steve V. johnson]

Zoukie sez, "Ooooh celtic knots on the side!!!!!!!"

Yeah, that's some gorgeous work. #I've experimented with covering it over to see what happens, and it doesn't change much
because the thing's so loud to begin with. #It does sound less 'in yer face,' but only in -my- face while I'm playing it. #It doesn't chang the sound out front at all (maybe that was obvious, but I had to test it anyway...)

The sound port does make it easier to play it more lightly in a big session. I've only played it once on stage, and I was glad for it then, too. We couldn't really rely on the guy mixing to get the monitors right, so the port in my face was helpful.

I see more and more instruments with side ports... I wonder if that's because the builders note that we're all experiencing loud stage volumes...? This is the first instrument with a side port that I've ever been able to spend any time with.

And... uh ... I didn't call the knotwork "celtic"... # # #

stv

[steve V. johnson]

Here is my Phil Crump B-II zouk, my main instrument these days, with the BD OM.

The Crump has a 25.4" scale, cedar top, EI rosewood b/s, the fretboard, bridge and headstock overlay are ebony, and the
neck is mahogany, and Phil regularly uses Allen cast tailpieces. # It's unison strung and tuned GDAD. #It has a PUTW #27 pickup and endpin jack. #The headstock decoration is a 1928 Irish bull shilling.

[zoukie]

Zoukie sez, "Ooooh celtic knots on the side!!!!!!!"

Yeah, that's some gorgeous work. I've experimented with covering it over to see what happens, and it doesn't change much
because the thing's so loud to begin with. It does sound less 'in yer face,' but only in -my- face while I'm playing it. It doesn't chang the sound out front at all (maybe that was obvious, but I had to test it anyway...)

The sound port does make it easier to play it more lightly in a big session. I've only played it once on stage, and I was glad for it then, too. We couldn't really rely on the guy mixing to get the monitors right, so the port in my face was helpful.

I see more and more instruments with side ports... I wonder if that's because the builders note that we're all experiencing loud stage volumes...? This is the first instrument with a side port that I've ever been able to spend any time with.

And... uh ... I didn't call the knotwork "celtic"...

stv

No, but I did. So you mean that's the sound hole? Or do you have two sound holes? Very interesting. Does it make the sound go out better?

[steve V. johnson]

I'm just down on "celtic" lately... #Recently I've been getting lumped in with "celtic rock" bands when that word gets used, those folks who play mainstream rock and a few beery Irish sing-alongs. # -I- think I play Irish traditional music, and when enough of this happens around me I get to feeling like "celtic" means a drop of whiskey in 12oz of water. #... or worse yet, 16 oz. of cola! #

"So you mean that's the sound hole? Or do you have two sound holes? Very interesting. Does it make the sound go out better?"

Yeah there are essentially two sound holes, the main one in the top (with the sweet, smooth walnut rim on it) and the one that I call the 'port' on the bass side. # #I don't think that it makes it go out better, really. #

As I wrote, I've covered the knotty port and then played, listened, had others listen, recorded it a bit, and it didn't really seem to make a difference out in front of the OM. #

It does make a big difference in the sound for the player. #With the port covered, it sounds more usual
(to me...) the way we hear instruments that project -out- from us. # With it open, the sound is much more
... 'present'... #... #-Right there- with you. # And, again, with an instrument that's this agressive in sound, it's
really nice to have that because it's helped me to play it more gently.

I -haven't- tried covering up the oval hole... Never thought of it til now, but it might be an interesting experiment!

Again, there are several companies and luthiers (see MacPherson guitars, for one) who regularly use holes in the side as sound ports for the players. Some even use them as the main hole in the things.

Thx,

stv

[Michael Wolf]

sliabhstv,

the Crump is very impressive. I've heared it on CD Baby, where you can have a listen to your Culchies. This Bouzouki is carrying the tunes extremely well. You have a nice band, very fat sound for three people, nice wailing fiddle. I really like your band sound.
I find this one of the most tasteful two point designs. Reminds me on Vega in a pleasant way. It seems to have a very thick body. How thick is it, Steve?

[Michael Wolf]

I'm actually thinking of ordering a Flatbush mandolin within a reasonable future..don't know if he can do knots though

Zoukie,
what kind of Mando do you want to order from Flatbush. I had the opportunity to play a Flatbush A5 a few weeks ago. Very interesting instruments. Tempting. Although not necessarily a folk-instrument. Do you live in Europe?

[steve V. johnson]

Thanks for the kind words, Michael! #I'm very glad you enjoy our Culchie chaos!

I like the two-point, too, thanks. #It's one of Phil Crump's standard offerings, which he calls a "B-II".
I don't prefer GOMs, but I wanted some variation from the "onion-on-a-stick" look. #

It's 3.5" at the neck and 4" at the tail, again Phil's standard measurements. #The only custom features of
this one are that it has no fretboard inlays, slightly oversized side marker inlays and black tuner buttons. #
Phil asked if he could put some abalone dots in the rosette, and surprised me by making the side dots
abalone, too, which is nice because they're easy to see in dim light. # He thought my tastes a bit plain. #
The word "Amish" may have come up in regard to my tastes...#I am sort of ... um... allergic, let's say, to splashes of inlays.

Here is the

Crump specs page

at his website.

Many thanks,

stv

[zoukie]

Zoukie,
what kind of Mando do you want to order from Flatbush. I had the opportunity to play a Flatbush A5 a few weeks ago. Very interesting instruments. Tempting. Although not necessarily a folk-instrument. Do you live in Europe?

I've played is V4 and it is WONDERFUL, has great bass and good volume, and it's very easy to play as well. It had a good bass sound for bluegrass playing, and still nice bright tones for Irish-style of playing. He said that all his mandolins have the same kind of sound, so I'm planning to order the A model, first of all for financial reasons, if I can live without the "scroll" I can have some other fancy details instead, and also, I'd like to be one of the few bluegrass players who play on an A model mandolin, and to be able to prove that A mandolins are as good for bluegrass as F style mandos. I'd like to play one of his A mandolins first though, if I get an opportunity to do that.
I'm Swedish and met him at Gränna bluegrass festival last year, he plays in a bluegrass band and is a good replacement for their old mandolin player. However, I talked with him about his mandolins then, and later I met him at Kattinge Vaerk in Denmark where there's an oldtime music gathering in September, and then I tried his mandolins and fell in love....

Btw I live in Ireland, so yes, I live in Europe.

[zoukie]

I'm just down on "celtic" lately... Recently I've been getting lumped in with "celtic rock" bands when that word gets used, those folks who play mainstream rock and a few beery Irish sing-alongs. -I- think I play Irish traditional music, and when enough of this happens around me I get to feeling like "celtic" means a drop of whiskey in 12oz of water. ... or worse yet, 16 oz. of cola!

I know what you mean there! I'm quite allergic to the term "celtic" if we talk about music. To me, there isn't such a thing as "celtic" music. But there's Scottish, Irish, Welsh etc traditional music, all with their own particularities (if now there is such a word....).

[otterly2k]

my somewhat more ornate Dean OM

[otterly2k]

and the back...

[steve V. johnson]

Ahhhhhhhh, KE...!!!

I was hoping you'd post your Otter OM this time! That is sooooo beautiful.
My favorite bit is the otter on the pickguard. You have a detail shot of that that you can put up easily, don't you?

Brian is such a romantic, and I think you've brought out some of his best.

Thanks,

stv

[zoukie]

That's a true beauty!!!!!!!!!! Mine is quite ugly looking but at least I'm happy about the sound....

[Bertram Henze]

A beauty it is for sure, but what really gets me started is that extremely long bridge base - does it audibly enhance the volume by smoothing out the string/wood sound hardness border? Does it take longer to break in?

Bertram

[Bob Wiegers]

wow Karen, awesome! now I've got something to aspire to...maybe someday...

[Bertram Henze]

That's a true beauty!!!!!!!!!! Mine is quite ugly looking but at least I'm happy about the sound....

you forgot to mention the celtic knots on the headstock

[Jim Roberts]

This one will be in my hands next week to help me strum away the cold Kansas winter blues...if it's anywhere near as good as the blonde Old Wave GOM my friend Tim in Kansas City has, I'll be in mandolin heaven.

Thanks, Bill!