Fall Batch 2010

  1. Chip Booth
    Chip Booth
    I stopped by Lawrence Smart's shop today to see what was going on and to my surprise he had the first mandolin of the current batch strung up! It's an A5 with an orange-redish sunburst. He strung it yesterday and it has only been played a tiny little bit since, but if you told me it was 10 years old I would have believed it. That mandolin sounds absolutely fanatstic. It has everything I look for in a mandolin: a rich bottom end, wonderful top end clarity, very responsive, great balance across the strings and up the neck, and lots of overtones. I haven't had a mandolin yet make me question owning my Gilchrist, but danged if that one didn't do it!

    I don't have current pics or a sound clip yet, so sorry to be a tease, but I will try to get them later this week. Here it is several weeks ago before finishing. It's hanging with the others in the batch, 2 10 string fanned fret mandolins and an oval hole mandocello.

    Attachment 63678

    Here are a few more from a while back, a 10 string, the batch, and Lawrence hand applying stain.

    Attachment 63679 Attachment 63681 Attachment 63680

    What a treat it is to be able to see these instruments come to life and finally play them! I'll Update this thread as more instruments are finished.
  2. Marc Berman
    Marc Berman
    Chip -You're killin me! I didn't have a problem when I went on his list. I knew it would be close to two years. But waiting for this batch to be finished is like watching varnish dry. Hey, wait a minute I am watching varnish dry!
    I was over at Wayne's last week and he let me play his (a very rare event). Anyway we were talking about how much I love the sound and feel of his and Wayne said he might send his back for a refret so Lawrence could revisit it for mine.
  3. Chip Booth
    Chip Booth
    It only gets better! Lawrence strung up first the new 10 string yesterday and it's a KILLER! He made some modifications to the design to get a slightly different tone than the previous 10 strings and he nailed it. It has more upper midrange and the typical mandolin "pop", especially noticeable on the high strings. It's definitely a lot closer tone to a standard F hole mandolin while still retaining the low mid character of the earlier ten strings. I'll get a recording made of it and pass it along.

    Check out the pics I added to the group photos, one of them is Lawrence playing the newly strung 10 string.
  4. Chip Booth
    Chip Booth
    Here is a link to pictures and a few more descriptions of Lawrence's latest batch:
    http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...mart-Fall-2010

    And more about the ten string in specific:
    http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...et-10-String-5
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