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Thread: Monroe's mandolin smashed to bits

  1. #51
    Lurkist dhergert's Avatar
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    Default Re: Monroe's mandolin smashed to bits

    Quote Originally Posted by Buck View Post
    I realize this post is a year old, and perhaps it's not my place to say, but mixing banjos and matrimony is bound to cause issues. :-)
    Hmmm, 43 years, 2 grown kids and going strong. We've also added 7 banjos, 3 mandolins, a Dobro, a double bass, 5 guitars, two ukes, a flute, a piccolo, two pianos, uncountable harmonicas and recorders, plus lots of cats and dogs to the household. I'd say banjos are not necessarily a bad omen for those interested in marriage.

    That's not at all to minimize the importance of BM's F-5, or its destruction and re-construction, to the mandolin community though.
    -- Don

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  2. #52
    Registered User f5loar's Avatar
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    Default Re: Monroe's mandolin smashed to bits

    "But your honor, I need a divorce because he said he was a musician and then I found out he was a banjo picker". Had to throw that in there. In regards to the firepoker incident, yes it was an important part of the history of bluegrass music and Bill Monroe. Tom Ewing does talk in detail about it in his new book. I was happy to see Skaggs get another chance to pick it a few months ago at his induction into the CMHF. It still sounded great.

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  4. #53
    Registered User Ranald's Avatar
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    Default Re: Monroe's mandolin smashed to bits

    Slow day on the Forum, so I'll add this:

    I suspect that the story of the destruction of Bill Monroe's mandolin makes about as much sense as the following, and involves similar substance abuse. By the way, I love the police spokeswoman's comment at the end of the story. But there's no answer to the important question, How's the guitar?

    https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/princ...itar-1.4960988

    If the link doesn't work, google: "70-year-old man charged after police officer struck with guitar on Christmas morning".
    Robert Johnson's mother, describing blues musicians:
    "I never did have no trouble with him until he got big enough to be round with bigger boys and off from home. Then he used to follow all these harp blowers, mandoleen (sic) and guitar players."
    Lomax, Alan, The Land where The Blues Began, NY: Pantheon, 1993, p.14.

  5. #54
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Monroe's mandolin smashed to bits

    And the rest of the story is that he goes before the Judge and the Judge says "First offender?" and the guy answers "No, first I hit him with a Gibson and then a Fender." Remember to tip your waitress.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
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    Administrator Mandolin Cafe's Avatar
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    Default Re: Monroe's mandolin smashed to bits

    Today is the anniversary of the smashing on Monroe's mandolin, certainly not a pretty day or cause for celebration. A reminder we have the only video interview with Charlie Derrington about the repairs here.

    For convenience, here's the video itself:


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  9. #56
    Worlds ok-ist mando playr Zach Wilson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Monroe's mandolin smashed to bits

    Thanks for sharing this!

  10. #57
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    Default Re: Monroe's mandolin smashed to bits

    Near the end of the video Charlie seems to be using the same tool my dentist uses to scrape plaque off of my teeth! I have often wondered why Monroe didn't simply get a new mandolin that wasn't a bunch a splinters held together by glue

  11. #58
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Monroe's mandolin smashed to bits

    Quote Originally Posted by DaveGinNJ View Post
    Near the end of the video Charlie seems to be using the same tool my dentist uses to scrape plaque off of my teeth! I have often wondered why Monroe didn't simply get a new mandolin that wasn't a bunch a splinters held together by glue
    He had more mandolins. 73987 spoke to him.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

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  13. #59
    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Monroe's mandolin smashed to bits

    Quote Originally Posted by DaveGinNJ View Post
    Near the end of the video Charlie seems to be using the same tool my dentist uses to scrape plaque off of my teeth! I have often wondered why Monroe didn't simply get a new mandolin that wasn't a bunch a splinters held together by glue
    Probably hard to find another friend so true.
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