Show and Tell

  1. GKWilson
    GKWilson
    Show us what you have and tell us all about it.
    Gary
  2. Nick Gellie
    Nick Gellie
    Gary what about yours? I guessed from the photos posted you have that gorgeous A5 that Mike made for you.
  3. GKWilson
    GKWilson
    I left this spot for you Nick so you could be the first.
    And, I was busy yesterday and was short on time.

    I fell in love with #5. Mike had it for sale on his site.
    [It's the bottom A5 on Mike's A5 page.]
    I waited too long and it was sold.
    Later I was talking to Mike on another matter and I



    told him how much I liked that mandolin and he said
    he could build me one just like it.
    So, that's what we did. Adi top, maple sides and back,
    1 3/16" nut, large frets. I had a few personal touches
    added. I had Mike leave the fretboard clean. No markers.
    My mandolin is #11 signed 11/11/11. So I sent Mike a really
    small antique set of bone dice, and I had him inlay them on
    the back of the headstock like a rolled 11.
    The mandolin came out just beautiful.
    The mandolin sounds good when you pick it up,
    but after a few minutes the vibration from
    playing, the body heat or both wake that adi top
    up and wow.
    I wish I had it made with a 1 1/8" nut. When I ordered
    it made I had some real left hand issues. After a few
    thousand hours of playing [therapy] my hand has greatly
    improved and likes a slimmer neck now. But, that doesn't
    stop me from playing #11. It's a delight.
    Gary
  4. GKWilson
    GKWilson
    Can't seem to add pictures to the thread at the moment.
    So I added one to the posted pictures.
  5. pheffernan
    pheffernan
    Gary what about your other Mike Black instruments?
  6. GKWilson
    GKWilson
    Patience Patrick.
    Didn't want to show my whole hand all at once.
    Give someone else a chance.
    Besides, like I said above, I can't seem to post a picture on the thread.
  7. Nick Gellie
    Nick Gellie
    Thanks Gary for the wonderful report. Well originally, I ordered no.17 which is a an A4 with the classic reddish brown-black sunburst. For some unknown reason, I sold it to Massimo Gatti in Italy who subsequently sold it to Mandrian in Scotland because of a marital breakup.

    In remorse, I put out a WTB ad for a Mike Black last year. Mike Romkey kindly sold his A2Z to me and I still have it. In some ways I prefer its looks to no.17. No. 20 has a 1 3/16" nut and is pretty much the same mandolin as the A4. It has a Virzi tone producer inside it and a James tailpiece - nice piece of work. She really cuts through and is a joy to play. I have always wanted a Gibson Snakehead and so this a great deal with its radiused fretboard, Virzi, and modern appointments.
  8. GKWilson
    GKWilson
    Welcome to the group Dave.
    Tell us about your A-1.
    Gary
  9. Dave Weiss
    Dave Weiss
    #26... I picked it up from Mike back in November. It's pretty simple really, reddish brown (no burst) with tortoise top binding. The binding blends in so well that you have to look real close to see it... which is what I wanted. 1 3/16" nut, 7 1/2" radius board. Plays and sounds great. Wish I could figger out how to post pics to the social pages...

    Dave
  10. Nick Gellie
    Nick Gellie
    Dave, to upload your photos to the social pages, first go to your profile on the cafe. If you have not done so already, create an album and upload your photos there. If you then click on an uploaded photo, it will reveal the web link in the address bar. Copy the address and then paste that address into the add photo in your reply post.

    I hope that works. We would love to see your Black #26.
  11. GKWilson
    GKWilson

    Still having photo download issues.
    Here's a test. Hopefully another shot of #11.
    Gary
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