That's not what this thread is about.
“Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something.”
My Mandos:
1981 Lloyd LaPlant F5 #6
2001 Lloyd LaPlant F5 #57
2006 Lloyd LaPlant F5 #106
2017 Boeh F5 #27
2020 Boeh 2-point #31
2012 Grey Eagle 2-point #57V
Last edited by Bernie Daniel; May-29-2011 at 9:53pm.
Bernie
____
Due to current budgetary restrictions the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off -- sorry about the inconvenience.
Message boards, 101: Anyone can start a thread on any topic, but the thread discussion can meander in whatever different directions the posters take it, not unlike the way person-to-person conversations can meander. Whether you like it or not, that's the way it works. Any thread is "about" whatever the people who post on it make it be about. It is not limited to any directions set by the original post.
You're right John.
I should've said "That's not what this thread was started about."
“Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something.”
My Mandos:
1981 Lloyd LaPlant F5 #6
2001 Lloyd LaPlant F5 #57
2006 Lloyd LaPlant F5 #106
2017 Boeh F5 #27
2020 Boeh 2-point #31
2012 Grey Eagle 2-point #57V
You guys have been going round and round the same points for quite a while now.
Bernie
____
Due to current budgetary restrictions the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off -- sorry about the inconvenience.
Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.
Notorious: My Celtic CD--listen & buy!
Lyon & Healy • Wood • Thormahlen • Andersen • Bacorn • Yanuziello • Fender • National • Gibson • Franke • Fuchs • Aceto • Three Hungry Pit Bulls
I'm halfway to calling up Mr. Cecil and ordering one! (Which, I guess, proves that hubristic marketing can succeed, even with a cynical/skeptical audience, such as I.)
But, could I send it back if it "sounds like a cigar box"? After all, I'd be comparing it to my vintage Shmergel Devastator...
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
If all three of us bought one that would be 3/4's of his yearly production! He at least ought to buy us all a Mandolin Cafe hat for that kind of sales boost. How do you sell mandolins -- maybe by getting a good "discussion" raging on the fourm...
Bernie
____
Due to current budgetary restrictions the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off -- sorry about the inconvenience.
Hi all, Tim the OP here! You never can tell what's going to spark up a discussion round these parts! For what it's worth, I was really impressed by the sound of this mandolin; rich, dry and woody when chopping, and a clear, articulated tone when playing fiddle tunes and breaks. The guy playing it wouldn't claim to be a super-picker, but he was drawing loads of tone from the instrument, and plenty of volume without seeming to dig in too hard. There were two loud guitars, a Mastertone banjo, upright bass, mandolin banjo and a uke playing, and the mandolin cut through like a knife. The mandolin owner clearly knew his instruments; he also had a very old, battered and wonderful-sounding Martin D28. As far as the maker and his ideas goes, he seems to have got it right on this one. Anyone else spotted one of these mandolins yet?
Tim Mundy
www.slipperyhill.co.uk
2002 Gibson F5 Fern
1920 Gibson A2
2005 Gibson A5L
Rigel A+ Deluxe Custom
1926 Gibson TB1 Tenor Banjo
1963 Epiphone TF28 Tenor Guitar
Ovation MM868 Mandocello
1987 Rob Armstrong Mandolinetto
Bernie
____
Due to current budgetary restrictions the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off -- sorry about the inconvenience.
Living here in the UK, it's unlikely that I'll see another of these small-scale US built mandolins. I guess the real test of a builder is consistency; not necessarily the same mandolin every time, but consistent high quality in terms of tone, volume and fit/finish. I'd be really interested to hear from someone else who has seen or heard one, to see if this builder really has worked out a way of producing high quality mandolins, or whether he just 'got lucky'.
Tim
Tim Mundy
www.slipperyhill.co.uk
2002 Gibson F5 Fern
1920 Gibson A2
2005 Gibson A5L
Rigel A+ Deluxe Custom
1926 Gibson TB1 Tenor Banjo
1963 Epiphone TF28 Tenor Guitar
Ovation MM868 Mandocello
1987 Rob Armstrong Mandolinetto
Hi Tim!
I’ve actually had a play on this very mandolin, I believe. It belongs to Steve Read, who has been playing and listening to bluegrass for 50 odd years. I play with Steve once a month in Sheffield. When you mentioned about his old Martin, I thought it must be him.
‘The Bluegrass’ is a perfectly fine instrument. I think I might borrow it for a tune or two next time I see Steve. Personally I prefer the sound of my own mandolin (Collings MF), but these things are subjective, aren’t they? It’ll be interesting to hear one and then the other on an A/B basis.
c.1965 Harmony Monterey H410 Mandolin
"What a long, strange trip it's been..." - Robert Hunter
"Life is too important to be taken seriously." - Oscar Wilde
Think Hippie Thoughts...
Gear: The Current Cast of Characters
Why would a structural engineer be unable to fully understand wood and acoustics as applied to the construction of musical instruments if they work mainly with metal? Has anybody mentioned that Lynn Dudenbostal is an engineer? He makes some pretty good instruments. Lloyd Loar was also an engineer.
Last edited by Capt. E; Aug-03-2011 at 4:15pm. Reason: spelling
Jammin' south of the river
'20 Gibson A-2
Stromberg-Voisinet Tenor Guitar
Penny Whistle
My albums: http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/album.php?u=7616
You're attacking a straw man, really. No one has said that the luthier who builds "The Bluegrass" mandolins, is "unable to fully understand" mandolin construction. What bothers some of us is the idea that, because he's worked in a very distantly-related field (jet engine mechanics vs. mandolin luthiery), he would be able to take apart a mandolin and quickly figure out "what all other mandolin builders -- or at least this one -- are doing wrong." There are several leaps of faith in that narrative, IMHO.
I'm perfectly willing to concede that he may build a nice mandolin. And, by the way, Loar called himself an acoustical engineer, and his writings were in the field of applied acoustics and their relation to instrument design. He taught The Physics of Music at Northwestern, and the lab notes of one of his students have been preserved and published.
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
Sorry, I'm not attacking anyone. I agree it takes quite some ego for anyone to claim they know what is "wrong" with current or past mandolin construction. A little humility is in order from any builder, designer, engineer, etc. Heavens, Lloyd Loar himself was never completely happy with his mandolins. They weren't even his favorite instrument.
All power to anyone who attempts to "improve" on anything.
Last edited by Capt. E; Aug-04-2011 at 11:12am. Reason: spelling
Jammin' south of the river
'20 Gibson A-2
Stromberg-Voisinet Tenor Guitar
Penny Whistle
My albums: http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/album.php?u=7616
Man this has been the best reading thread, it has kept me riveted from first to now!
I was a jet mechanic in the Navy, and I credit my ability to build fine guitars from my dad, who built boxes.
If this thread is any lesson to me, I should make some outlandish claims, and get all the attention I deserve.
Being humble isn't getting the job done.
I worked on a Woodley instrument last week, a friend owns it. I estimate it is one of the finest sounding mandolins I've ever heard. Doug Woodley no longer builds, I also gather.Canadian Luthier Doug Woodley was also a machinist. I haven't heard much about him lately and suspect he may no longer be building. Hope I am wrong.
Hi fellows,I'm relatively new to this forum and to the mandolin(under 2 years)but i must say that ''the bluegrass'' is for real.I recently bought #81 a few days ago and it sounds far better than i expected.I know that might not mean much with my limited experience to some but I have played a couple gibsons,webbers,1 flatiron,and a couple eastmans and i know its louder and deeper than any of those by far.It does have that woody sound that reminds you of monroe's. I 'm not impressed with some of the detail work,because I've seen far better, but he sure got the sound down.
Bookmarks