New Brian Dean model "The Breton"

[Steve L]

Thanks gw and congratulations.I think his mandolins will be played and talked about for many, many years. A true craftsman.

[Arnt]

What an inspiring instrument. Congrats!

[Michael Wolf]

That´s one of the most interesting and beautiful mandos I´ve seen so far. Quite possible that I wrote such a sentence about every single mando from Brian. But this one suits my current mando-taste especially well. At first I thought "this is my future bandolim". In fact the curves of the body remember me very much on my swiss bandolim.

Thanks very much for the photo of the top bracing, very interesting. So is this a flat top with a cant or is it carved. As far as I remember Brian also does carved cant tops. I think that´s the case with Joe Brents mando.

[gw16]

Hi Michael, yes it is a flat top with a cant. I agree with you, it is a bit bandolimish (if that's a word!lol). I've always thought it had a distinctly "British" look to it as well, with the onion body shape. I love those body lines!

[Michael Wolf]

Yes, I love those lines, too. I think since the bandolim, as well as the english guitar or the cister, are relatives of the portuguese guitar this body form can be brazilian and british in the same time.

Sorry when I´m curious, but you said that you´ve played some old Gibsons until now. How did you come to the conclusion that you´d like to have a flattop? Or did you describe your desired tone to Brian and he made a suggestion how to achieve it?

[mandolirius]

Fantastic mandolin and that case is amazing! Brian does amazing work. Congrats!

I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed the case. It must be custom made for the mandolin. Looks great! So do those tuners. Anyone know what they are?

[gw16]

Hey Michael, that's exactly it - I told Brian what I played, what I liked and didn't like about them and he went about rectifying the things that didn't make me happy. The Gibson's are great, no question about it, and the closest thing I could find to the sound I was looking for in a "readily available" instrument. And mind you it wasn't every Gibson that I liked. I tried tons to find the sound I liked from my '16 and I ended up buying the '24 as a back up on spec and loved it. So yes, basically when I was out in Cape Breton last fall, Brian and I spent a couple of days hanging out and chatting ideas back and forth and he watched me play, listened to my feedback on the instruments I was playing at his house and that's where the design process started. It was fortunate that I happened to be in Sydney (where he lives) for a festival so it allowed us the opportunity to hang out. It probably helped with eliminating a lot of guess work on his part I would think. Originally the commission was for an OM, intended to be the instrument between my mando's and my bouzouki that was being built for me at the time by Lawrence Nyberg. Turns out the Nyberg blew me away and I was completely happy with the short scale for melody work so I switched the order to a mandolin. Glad I did now! Considering in my shows I play 50% electric guitar, 45% mandolin and 5% Zouk stuff it makes sense. Brian is incredibly gifted at being able to visual and build out what nobody else is doing. He really has amazing foresight, no question about it.

[steve V. johnson]

I hate it when folks use the term "awesome" casually because of times like this when it's truly appropriate. I guess I have a high 'awe threshold.' Just now, I am in awe.

Brian and I talked about this body shape some time ago, but only about the shape. The staved back, the cant top, the fretboard
extension and ... that -headstock- shape and detail are all just astoundingly graceful and innovative.

My most heartfelt congratulations to you gw, and to BD, on a superlative instrument. You should feel like one of the Medicis who also commissioned such splendid original art.

I cannot wait to hear it! I hope he won't mind if I ask him for a somewhat (er... much...) plainer version... ;-)

Many thanks for the pix, and again, congratulations!

stv

[gw16]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed the case. It must be custom made for the mandolin. Looks great! So do those tuners. Anyone know what they are?

I'm not sure what the brand of tuners are that he used (I never asked to be honest) but they've been heavily modified aesthetically. He electroplated the aging on there to make them "fit" better. He also took off the stock buttons and installed his own rosewood ones.

[Randy Smith]

Steve, unbelievably fine. That's astounding work. Please congratulate Brian, and enjoy the mandolin.

[gw16]

I hate it when folks use the term "awesome" casually because of times like this when it's truly appropriate. I guess I have a high 'awe threshold.' Just now, I am in awe.

Brian and I talked about this body shape some time ago, but only about the shape. The staved back, the cant top, the fretboard
extension and ... that -headstock- shape and detail are all just astoundingly graceful and innovative.

My most heartfelt congratulations to you gw, and to BD, on a superlative instrument. You should feel like one of the Medicis who also commissioned such splendid original art.

I cannot wait to hear it! I hope he won't mind if I ask him for a somewhat (er... much...) plainer version... ;-)

Many thanks for the pix, and again, congratulations!

stv

Thanks Steve, and thanks for all your input on this when I was first talking to Brian about a build. The back was derived from my visit to the Cape. I just completely fell in love with the sound and the workmanship of one of his bowl-backs that had just been completed but obviously a bowl wouldn't be the greatest choice for jumping around big stage Celtic shows with hey?lol This was how he hoped to contribute some of the "bowl" tone to a mando that would work for me. I completely agree with the headstock. This was one of the 1st he sent in about a dozen sketches of possibilities and was my fav. It's really an incredibly complete package and nailed it on the head and yes I completely feel like the belle of the ball in 15th century Florence!lol Thanks again for your advice buddy. Much appreciated.
Glenn

[Jake Wildwood]

Hot tamale! I bet that thing sounds guitarra portuguesa wonderful! It looks like it'll have a super big tone.

Well done, Brian, and lucky man, new owner!!

[Mark Seale]

That is just a stunning work of art. The detail throughout is jaw dropping. Words fail me. I could stare at that rosette alone for a day!

[DougC]

I'm interested in the shape of the tuning pegs. They look thinner and of course wider than standard pegs. I think they will be really nice. Congratulations and thanks for sharing the project images. Very cool again dude.

[mtucker]

Beautiful mandolin. Brian is a real talent and a super guy. He helped me with something and was great to work with...I'm sure you had the same experience. OBTW, I'm very partial to that color schema ..no hijack intended. Enjoy it and have lots of fun! Best to you.

[Skip Kelley]

GW, That is amazing! Congratulations! Brian's work is museum quality!

[mandolooter]

WOW...Im speechless...but I can still type!

[gw16]

Thanks all - I'm pretty excited to hear how she sounds and check out the playability. Full report coming tomorrow if the little dude in the big brown truck doesn't get lost!

[oldwave maker]

Had to reach for the oxygen after looking at those pics! truly unconstrained by the zoo at kalamaz, and a wonder to behold! makes one want to reincarnate as a block of wood in his shop!

[Shelagh Moore]

As with all of Brian's work, this is another thing of beauty.

[Eric F.]

That's one fine-looking instrument. I love the look of my Brian Dean mandolin, but I love the sound more. I'm sure you will find the same thing with yours. Congratulations to you, and to Brian.

[gw16]

Mandolin arrived without a hitch about 34 hours ago or so and my fingers are officially killing me. Brian did a bang up job on the tone and volume for sure. It's absolutely blisteringly loud. Easy double the volume of my old Gibson's and regardless of how hard I drive it I can't seem to find it's limits. The workmanship is amazing as per the pics so no surprises there. General tone description - he achieved what I asked for - slightly scooped mid's. The bass is very defined and tight and the high's really sparkle. Notes are very articulate as well - she's an incredible machine, no doubt about it. The radius fingerboard feels very natural and comfortable to me after a couple of hours of play and the neck is very familiar feeling. I will post some sound clips here in the next month or so after it gets worked in a bit but an enormous thanks to Brian for all his hard work, time, patience and talent. I'll be taking her out for her maiden gig tomorrow night - can't wait to hear what she sounds like live! Thanks again Brian - she's perfect.

Cheers,
Glenn

[crazymandolinist]

I do believe he's working on TWO more at the moment....

Love that guy.