Before Wakefield baked the Loar ...

[mrmando]

I'm watching a couple of episodes of Pete Seeger's old "Rainbow Quest" TV show that I got from Netflix. One of them features the Greenbriar Boys with Frank Wakefield. His Loar is minus the pickguard and tailpiece cover, but looks as though it might still have the original sunburst. There's a piece of binding missing on the treble side of the fretboard, from the 16th fret down to where the extension begins. Also has a very unusual 1-piece bridge -- cut almost like a banjo bridge, with two short feet supporting a very wide saddle. Very interesting to see a young Frank cutting it up. I know this is post-1963 but am not sure of the exact year.

Same DVD also has an episode with the New Lost City Ramblers -- there are several closeups of Mike Seeger playing what appears to be a blonde Fern. Well worth getting this after I send it back to Netflix.

[Red Henry]

I'll have to find that video. Frank has always been known for his willingness to experiment-- the bridge sounds really interesting!

Red

[mrmando]

Frank was making these bridges himself, apparently ... he had a day job that gave him access to bakelite. He talks about it in one of his online interviews with Jim Moss.

[Samjessin]

what a great rendition of Danville Girl!

John Herald was just great, wasn't he, and Frank just gets all over that melody!

[Glassweb]

Frank Wakefield is a natural genius and was the first bluegrass mandolinist to take traditional tunes outside the box. Listen to the mandolin breaks on the classic Allen/Wakefield Deep Elem Blues, Little Maggie, I'm Just Here to Get My Baby Out of Jail, Ground Hog and, of course, Catnip - tell me Frank wasn't the first "psychedelic" mandolin player. A teacher to and a huge influence on the playing of Grisman. In his prime he was untouchable...

[sunburst]

there are several closeups of Mike Seeger playing what appears to be a blonde Fern.

Mike Seeger does have a 1925 F5, stripped and refinished blonde.

[AlanN]

Frank Wakefield is a natural genius and was the first bluegrass mandolinist to take traditional tunes outside the box. Listen to the mandolin breaks on the classic Allen/Wakefield Deep Elem Blues, Little Maggie, I'm Just Here to Get My Baby Out of Jail, Ground Hog and, of course, Catnip - tell me Frank wasn't the first "psychedelic" mandolin player. A teacher to and a huge influence on the playing of Grisman. In his prime he was untouchable...

Yes to all that, and more.

What got me started in this mess was seeing FW jam in the bars of Saratoga Springs in the 70's. It looked like so much fun. And his Rounder 0007 record had all that juicy mandolin on there, everything from hard core to fiddle tunes to solo. My mandolin has a truss rod cover engraved with Frank Wakefield.

Me like

[Matteo]

what a great rendition of Danville Girl!

Totally agreed.
And BTW, that footage should date around 1965.
Matt.

[KanMando]

Here's a couple YouTube links to the mentioned clips:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsjUzXDYEBc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCSAa...eature=related

I noticed Frank threw in a little "East Tennessee Blues" on "Roll on Buddy".

Great stuff.

Bob

[Ivan Kelsall]

"Bakelite" eh ! - Sounds like Frank had Bakin' on the brain- a killer Mandolin player. One of my favourite CD's is "That was now,this is then" (or vice-versa). Maybe not at his very best,but when i'm that good i'll be great,
Saska

[Timbofood]

The kicker of the whole "Wakefield affair" to me is that he is such a GENUINELY NICE GUY! He such a talent he could be a grumpy old geezer and still be an awe inspiring musician but, Nope, he's just "that guy over there with the mandolin, ask him howw to play..."
As Frank might say "Hello"

[Red Henry]

The kicker of the whole "Wakefield affair" to me is that he is such a GENUINELY NICE GUY!

Right! Frank is not only a fantastic talent-- someone who just KEEPS CREATING all the time-- but he's a very nice person.

And not a bit crazy.


Red

[Samjessin]

I don't even think the idea to bake his mandolin was that ridiculous, stupid, or odd.

It worked, two or three times, and his mandolin still sounds amazing.

The That was Now CD was my first wakefield cd and it truly is amazing, what a great rendition of Waltz in Bluegrass.

[Timbofood]

Gee, Red, I don't know that I'd go quite as far as to say "not a bit" But, I would say maybe :no more than many of us here at the Cafe...Ha!

[John Malayter]

Could someone re-tell the story why Frank baked his Loar?

[f5loar]

His Loar didn't have that "dry woody tone" like Monroes did so he figured by drying out the wood more would give it the Monroe tone he was after. By baking in an oven at low temperature it would speed up the process to making sure the mandolin was good and dry.
Makes sense to me!
Now painting it red is where the story gets weird.

[Jmoss]

Was just passing by and saw your thread.
Before anyone bakes their mandolins, it was not the
baking of his Loar that improved the sound of his Loar.

He told me alright, but, he also made me swear not to
reveal his secret. I won't betray his confidence,
however, it was something other than baking
or the bridge that did it... Just in case anyone was
thinking of baking their mandolins.

Someday maybe, but not for a long while.
That kernal goes into the locker with other
special bits of trivia... like the reason Kenny Baker quit Monroe.

Gotta Go!
Jim Moss

[Scotti Adams]

Was just passing by and saw your thread.
Before anyone bakes their mandolins, it was not the
baking of his Loar that improved the sound of his Loar.

He told me alright, but, he also made me swear not to
reveal his secret. I won't betray his confidence,
however, it was something other than baking
or the bridge that did it... Just in case anyone was
thinking of baking their mandolins.

Someday maybe, but not for a long while.
That kernal goes into the locker with other
special bits of trivia... like the reason Kenny Baker quit Monroe.

Gotta Go!
Jim Moss

Could it be the pouring of the milk in the F-holes.

[Timbofood]

Scotti, I had not heard that one!

[Fretbear]

And I thought Kenny Baker quit because WSM would not supply him with a tour itinerary when one of Kenny's relatives was sick.......

[mrmando]

No, Baker quit because Monroe wouldn't let him bake the Loar.

I've been on a tour where the manager wouldn't give me an itinerary. It's a pain. I feel for Baker.

[Scotti Adams]

Scotti, I had not heard that one!

Yea...thats a story my dad told me once that he seen when he went to visit Frank when he lived in Xenia, Ohio years ago. He said when he went in the door he seen 2 little girls...apparently twins...sitting at the kitchen table where Franks Loar was pouring milk in it. He told me that story several times...Maybe Jim Moss can verify it thru Frank. The many times Ive been with Frank Ive never thought about asking him.

[FrDNicholas]

Does anyone know what happened to John Herald?

[f5loar]

He died.

[Timbofood]

Hmm, Loar Cereal bowls? Just naturally mapley sweet? Let's get right on that!