Unusual Pick
Found this pick in a box of old picks. It has a very faint stamp saying "Pat. April 23, 1918." I looked at patents from that date, but couldn't find anything. The round wires on either side are very springy, and my best guess is that it was meant for tremulo. Could it be a "true" mandolin pick?
Has anybody got any more information about these? I've never seen another one, but perhaps they're as common as pig tracks.
George
Re: Unusual Pick
According to "Picks!" by Will Hoover it looks like a pick patented by Aaron Burdwise in 1918. The patent was applied for in '17. The wire is to simply keep the pick from sliding around in your fingers. Pretty entertaining little book if you get a chance to thumb through one.
Steve
Oregon
Last edited by whyner; Aug-12-2010 at 8:25pm. Reason: spelling
Re: Unusual Pick
Well further reading it was advertised as a "Pick for Stringed Instruments" and made of made of genuine celluloid. Considering when it came out it sure should be a "true" Mandolin pick! I would think it's pretty unusual to see one complete and in such pretty shape.
Steve
Oregon
Re: Unusual Pick
George: That is unusual and probably rare. Have you tried playing with it? I imagine it might take some doing. I posted some old catalog pages on this thread. I haven;t seen any catalogs with that pick in it.
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
Re: Unusual Pick
Jim: Great pictures from your catalog. Number 838 looks like a dead ringer for my pick. I have tried playing with it, and it feels very awkward. It takes quite a bit of pressure to squeeze the wires enough to actually grip the pick itself. With less pressure the pick is free to move slightly. It seems to me to have been designed to make tremulo easier.
Steve: Thanks for the further info.
George
Re: Unusual Pick
You are right, George. I didn't look closely enough for #838. Hah!
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
Re: Unusual Pick
I think that I remember seeing one with my grandmother's bowl back when I was a small child, back in the early '50's. Like her other picks, I probably destroyed that one, too. I think that I saw my dad using it, tho.
"Put your hands to the wood
Touch the music put there by the summer sun and wind
The rhythms of the rain, locked within the rings
And let your fingers find The Music in the Wood."
Joe Grant and Al Parrish (chorus from The Music in the Wood)
Re: Unusual Pick
Here is the patent from 1917:
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
Re: Unusual Pick
Could this possibly be the mandolin that would go with this pick?
Burdwise mandolin
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
Re: Unusual Pick
Hey Jim,
Great information in that patent application. Guess that shoots my theory about the tremulo, though. Fascinating research about the Burdwise mandolin. It can't be that common a name, and there's bound to be a connection. Thanks again,
George
Re: Unusual Pick
I don't see how those wires would help with tremolo.
"I thought I knew a lot about music. Then you start digging and the deeper you go, the more there is."~John Mellencamp
"Theory only seems like rocket science when you don't know it. Once you understand it, it's more like plumbing!"~John McGann
"IT'S T-R-E-M-O-L-O, dangit!!"~Me
Re: Unusual Pick
As you grip the pick by the wires, the pick itself has some leeway to move up and down between the wires. This produces an effect as though the pick were much softer. I have always thought that tremulo was easier with a softer pick. It is a moot point since that apparently wasn't the intent.
George
Re: Unusual Pick
Nah, tremolo is easier with a stiffer pick. I would think that if the pick could float around between the coils of wire it would actually hinder tremolo due to its taking so long to actually pluck the note compared to the instant you hit the string with the pick. Now if the coils actually produced an opposite directional thrust it might help tremolo.
"I thought I knew a lot about music. Then you start digging and the deeper you go, the more there is."~John Mellencamp
"Theory only seems like rocket science when you don't know it. Once you understand it, it's more like plumbing!"~John McGann
"IT'S T-R-E-M-O-L-O, dangit!!"~Me
Re: Unusual Pick
looks like a fishing lure to me.
Re: Unusual Pick
Really, but no hook, and no way to tie it to a line. And what would you catch with it - PAS-sufferers?
Odd that the pick has leeway as you say, George. The rings are supposed to provide extra grip, clearly stated in the patent application.
But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller
Furthering Mandolin Consciousness
Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!
Re: Unusual Pick
I was thinking the same.Originally Posted by 300win
Gunga......Gunga.....Gu-Lunga
Re: Unusual Pick
only fish that aspire to play some kind of stringed instrumentReally, but no hook, and no way to tie it to a line. And what would you catch with it - PAS-sufferers?
Odd that the pick has leeway as you say, George. The rings are supposed to provide extra grip, clearly stated in the patent application.
Re: Unusual Pick
Or a Pickeral.
Charley
A bunch of stuff with four strings
Re: Unusual Pick
That doesn't narrow it down enough. All fish have scales ...
But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller
Furthering Mandolin Consciousness
Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!
Re: Unusual Pick
yea !That doesn't narrow it down enough. All fish have scales ...
Re: Unusual Pick
Ain't this a great site?
Re: Unusual Pick
Another pic from the book.
Re: Unusual Pick
Hi Everyone!
Sorry this response is years late but I am the Great Granddaughter of Mr. Aaaron Burdwise and wanted to share more info (including links to interviews with him in trade journals) about his company and invention. I too am curious what instrument exactly he had in mind for use via the pick so if you figure it out, let me know!
Warmly,
Aimee
Bio and Background:
Mr. Aaron Burdwise was an innovator of instruments / parts and a wholesale instrument dealer -- his company had over 100 staff, five Baltimore shop locations, and a traveling salesforce that sold / delivered his merchandise across the USA (circa 1900-1930). His career began in the late 1800s, traveling on behalf of a Russian musical merchandise company at the age of 18 (in what is now the Ukraine), before immigrating to the USA. From what we know, his original surname (Tabachnikov) is associated with Jewish musical instrument tradespeople in the Ukraine, going further back than can be traced.
Mr. Burdwise not only produced his own company label instruments -- he also sold other brands of merchandise from popular companies at the time. He sold every type of instrument under the sun, including small parts and record players. He was considered an expert in his trade and was frequently interviewed on market and merchandise conditions in music trade journals.
Additionally, he first patented the "Burdwise" Wire-Looped Pick in 1917, (second patent ever issued for a pick in US history) and in modern times, is best known for this invention. He also patented other instruments / instrument parts and was a composer who copyrighted several songs. He was one of the first Americans post WWI to travel to Europe to asses the music instrument market conditions.
Mr. Burdwise's family is in the process of submitting more detail on his life's work to musical instrument history museums, including the NAMM (National Association of Musical Merchandise) archives.
LINKS:
BURDWISE PICK
Andy Summers (The Police) considered him one of the architects of the plectrum: ARCHITECTS—Ancient Egyptians ancient Chinese the Moors Carolyn M. Cochrane Frederick Wahl Aaron Burdwise Richard Carpenter Thomas Towner Luigi D’Andrea Jim Dunlop Joseph Moshay John Pearse Shojii Nakano - See more at: http://andysummers.com/writing/books....wnsR5jyW.dpuf
Will Hoover, leading historian on picks and pick collecting references him in an article for Pick Collecting Quarterly: http://pickcollecting.presspublisher...25-09-12-04-00
OTHER LINKS FROM TIME OF BUSINESS OPERATION
(Music Trade Journal Interviews and Coverage):
Bright Future For US Goods - A. Burdwise Predicts (With Headshot)
http://mtr.arcade-museum.com/MTR-191...9-68-17-70.pdf
A. Burdwise Finds Things Normal Abroad
http://mtr.arcade-museum.com/MTR-192...26-83-7-27.pdf
Burdwise Staff Meets
http://mtr.arcade-museum.com/MTR-192...20-71-6-30.pdf
A. Burdwise Off To Europe To Visit Foreign Markets
http://mtr.arcade-museum.com/MTR-192...6-82-20-34.pdf
New Burdwise Building Opening (plus Burdwise ad below)
http://mtr.arcade-museum.com/MTR-191...19-69-1-51.pdf
Jonathan Burdwise Joins Father In Business
http://mtr.arcade-museum.com/MTR-192...6-82-15-35.pdf
Re: Unusual Pick
Aimee,
Thank you so much for sharing this information with us.
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
Re: Unusual Pick
Aimee, how kind of you to come into the conversation! Thank you so much.
Timothy F. Lewis
"If brains was lard, that boy couldn't grease a very big skillet" J.D. Clampett
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