My Weber Gallatin F Is Ordered

[jwynia]

Pulled the trigger this week on an F-style mandocello from Weber. The Mandolin Store had one slated for "August delivery", but with the way Weber's production seems backed up, if I get it in the next 6 weeks, I'll be thrilled. But, with their next one slated to come in January or later, I wanted to get in line.

This is the one I'm getting:
http://webermandolins.com/instrument...tin-mandocello

I'm having dreams about the deep, resonant tone.

[jwynia]

First stuff I'm going to work on learning is this set of airs:
http://playcellomusic.com/product/ir...o-cello-ebook/

[tmsweeney]

nice

Yes we are all jealous

[Marcus CA]

I have one from 2004, which I bought used in 2009, that I absolutely love! It's a phenomenal instrument!

[Jordan Mong]

You took it from me! I had my eyes on that one, and the second I saw it pulled off the site, I was heartbroken. Good luck with it, it looks like a nice instrument.

[jwynia]

Sorry. I figured that might have been the case when I saw one of your other threads. Having spoken with them, I can say that the next one is expected January-ish.

I had been looking at it myself for quite a few months before deciding. I can only imagine how many of us there are, refreshing those pages repeatedly, trying to decide if we can justify buying.

[bmac]

In my opinions those are stunning instruments... Well worth waiting for. The relative simplicity of their appearance is what I find so appealing and interesting.

[jwynia]

After Weber said, "it's shipping next week" then "no, wait NEXT week", then "tomorrow", it finally shipped to the store Friday. So, I should have it by early next week at the latest. This has been an exercise in re-learning patience.

[tmsweeney]

Jealous, insanely jealous

[jwynia]

Just before the store shipped, they told me the case Weber included is not up to par, so a better case will come later, but I'm thrilled they decided to send me the instrument and the cosmetically flawed case in the mean time. Now the obsessive watching of the tracking number begins.

[Bernie Daniel]

Very good choice! Congratulations!

[jwynia]

Just delivered, unpacked and tuned:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jwynia/...7635858045853/

[tmsweeney]

sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet

[bigskygirl]

Very nice indeed! Congrats!

[Tom Liston]

Beautiful axe

[TheArimathean]

We require a shrubbery! (I mean, a recording!)

[jwynia]

I'll try to record something in the next few days.

[jwynia]

OK. Here's a sound sample. Please forgive my skills. Part of why I bought this instrument was to learn to play it, a process which has only just begun.

This was recorded on an iPod touch with a TASCAM iM2 stereo microphone attached.

https://soundcloud.com/jwynia/131001_0003-wav/s-eycyR

[Bernie Daniel]

Sounds great to me! Good tone and I am really impressed with the sustain of the instrument too especially considering it is an f-hole not oval design. Strung with J78's? Are you experiencing any buzz or rattle from the lower courses?

[tmsweeney]

sounds great, nuthin wrong with that playin either

oh great now I have mandocello fever again....

[jwynia]

not sure on what strings are on it. Weber doesn't specify (anywhere I can find) which strings (just gauge). The J78s are what I've ordered for when I next need to change the strings.

The only buzz I really get is due to my own fretting technique while getting used to the scale length or if I am plucking strings REALLY aggressively. And even then, really only the lowest course.

The only thing I really want to address is that I get way more sympathetic harmonics than I'm happy with, but I understand that Weber's wood nymphs can help, as can some technique adjustments, but I was surprised just how much resonance there was.

[tmsweeney]

I have a Gallatin A octave with the oval sound hole, people have commented on the resonance .
Same finish as your cello
I kind of dig the overtones but I can appreciate the need to control on the cello to avoid muddiness
I tend to be less chordal on the cello anyway
Anyway I though tonally it was very strong on your Gallatin, how is the volume ?

[Bernie Daniel]

not sure on what strings are on it. Weber doesn't specify (anywhere I can find) which strings (just gauge). The J78s are what I've ordered for when I next need to change the strings.

The only buzz I really get is due to my own fretting technique while getting used to the scale length or if I am plucking strings REALLY aggressively. And even then, really only the lowest course.

The only thing I really want to address is that I get way more sympathetic harmonics than I'm happy with, but I understand that Weber's wood nymphs can help, as can some technique adjustments, but I was surprised just how much resonance there was.

Why don't you take a look at my mandocello conversion videos on You Tube --just search under "Vega mandocello conversion" or "Epiphone mandocello conversion" to see my approach to that problem. Unlike the wood nymph I make a "functional" tone deadener that also serves as a place to rest your palm. I like them but they might not be for everyone.

[Sweetpea44]

I'm jealous - nice instrument!

[jwynia]

Unlike the wood nymph I make a "functional" tone deadener that also serves as a place to rest your palm. I like them but they might not be for everyone.

I like that approach. What's the availability of one of your deadeners?