Radio silence

  1. BadExampleMan
    BadExampleMan
    OK, just checking. I suddenly realized I hadn't had any update notifications from this group for awhile. Since I'm here now...

    Last month I traveled to Munich, Germany and met Rüdiger Helbig, a long-time fixture in the German bluegrass scene and owner of the Folkladen music store. I wanted to browse a little and I had brought my mando with me with the vague idea that if I saw the right instrument at the right price and could make the right deal...

    Long story short, I leveled up. Walked in with a KM-252 bought new 4 years ago and walked out with this baby -



    - 1990s-era KM-850. The difference in sound is quite amazing. The 252 sounded good but the 850 is a whole different experience. Now I know what it means when people say an instrument barks.

    So that's what I've been up to. What about y'all?
  2. Sue Rieter
    Sue Rieter
    Been woodshedding, trying to finish getting my garden in, and working on two instrument deals. One sadly fell through, and I'm not sure about the other one at this point. (In an application of the chicken hatching maxim, that's all I'm saying for now).

    Congrats on the new Kentucky, BadExampleMan. Sounds like you've been having some good fun

    It has been unusually quiet here.
  3. JeffLearman
    JeffLearman
    Beautiful! Especially if it sounds as good as it looks. I've been busy moving from Durham to Wilmington NC. Good news on the new neighborhod (historic old downtown): living right across the street is a retired pro guitarist who wants to get together. I guess he hasn't heard me play yet! ;-)

    But I finally have my new office set up, with guitars, mando, and uke hanging on the wall. The sad part is that my recently purchased 1892 rosewood Steinway B is still in the garage, waiting on a fork lift to get it through a 2nd floor window. Arrgh! It's been there for a month now. I wanna play it!

    The funny thing is I usually prefer new pianos to old ones, especially antiques. But this one stole my heart and the time was right.

    Anyone know where I can get a fork lift, fast?
  4. HonketyHank
    HonketyHank
    I have been a real slacker for the last month or two. Gotta get back at it. BUT, I did manage to decrease the size of my mandogaggle. Sold three. But I bought two, so progress is still needed.

    Jeff, short of calling a piano store and hiring their crew for a day, I don't know. You might find some jack leg with a forklift, but he might drop it (that happened to my brother - lots of tears over that episode).
  5. bbcee
    bbcee
    Nice BEM! I've heard those older Kentuckys can be real cannons. Thanks for the link to Rüdiger's store as well, I'm always on the lookout for European bluegrass resources.

    I've been head down in a Matt Flinner class, plus an older one I purchased from him, but I also pulled the trigger on a new Gatti F5 - my first new instrument in who know how many years. It's still settling in, but it's got a lot of the sound I've been after. It means I'll have to let my wonderful Rigel go (maybe I'll sell it to Hank as there can be only one. Sigh.

    If the photos don't display, link to the photo album below.





    https://photos.app.goo.gl/KpVyfbJkRzFXAM2q7
  6. NDO
    NDO
    I was just thinking the same thing, but realized I’ve been super busy myself with work and summer and lots and lots of fishing so my progress has slowed a bit (although I have learned quite a few new songs lately).
  7. Louise NM
    Louise NM
    Nice trade, BadExample. Those early Kentuckys are supposed to be quite nice, and this one looks brand new!

    Honkety, what did you offload and what did you buy?
  8. HonketyHank
    HonketyHank
    Sold the Kimble 2-pt, the Ellis A, the Red Valley flattop.
    Bought a Weber A Fern and a Fletcher Brock F.

    Here is the Brock:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie-slvNIsGU


    Here is the Weber:
    oops. the video i posted was not the Fern. I guess I'll have to make one.
  9. HonketyHank
    HonketyHank
    Okay, I found the video with the Fern:

    https://youtu.be/DISLRjTn9OI
  10. Southern Man
    Southern Man
    Hadn't seen many updates myself. Been at a music festival this weekend (all listening, no playing, but inspriring nonetheless). I am getting ready to go to mandolin camp in another week.
  11. Marlkw
    Marlkw
    Trying to learn a bluegrass number (something nice and slow) to try my first Bluegrass Jam. I am really nervous.

    I am practicing chop chords but my fingers, as yet, won't cooperate with closed chords.

    Played two hours straight at an acoustic jam last Saturday (we did John Prine songs for most of that two hours) and my index finger on left hand is still painful.

    I like my Seagull s8 but am realizing it's such a non-standard size that a tone guard probably won't fit it. Sad.

    Planning to travel in August and I want to bring my mando. Can't wait to play with my family who are all into various instruments.

    Good luck to everyone and have fun! I'm a newbie.
  12. NDO
    NDO
    Welcome Marlkw! Great to have another newbie with us. Sounds like you’re making great progress if you’re hanging in a jam for two hours.
  13. Mark Gunter
    Mark Gunter
    Yes a big welcome Marlkw!

    @BadExampleMan, that is a sweet Kentucky axe! I'm one of the few here who prefers the Kentucky over the Eastman. I hope you enjoy playing that one, it looks great.

    @HonketyHank, I hope to watch your videos soon!

    @Marlkw ... is the pain on the tip of your index finger, where your calluses need to grow, or is it something else? We have to be careful about playing through pain. If it's the tip of your finger, no big worries, but if it is a joint or tendon it would probably be wise to slack off and let it heal up before going to that jam.
  14. HonketyHank
    HonketyHank
    Hi, Marlkw, and welcome!
  15. Sue Rieter
    Sue Rieter
    Henry, it was a riot watching you pull the stuff out of the case
  16. BadExampleMan
    BadExampleMan
    Just to give you an idea of how sweet this KM 850 sounds - and definitely NOT to showcase my playing skills, because this is pretty rough - here's a couple times through Mansinneedof, from Sarah Jarosz's first record, played at maybe a quarter of the speed she does it (and still a bit too fast for me to do cleanly):

  17. bbcee
    bbcee
    Very nice indeed! Congrats on your score.
  18. Swimbob
    Swimbob
    I'm with Mark on this one. Now that I own 2 Kentuckys I have to say that they are superior to the 2 Eastmans I've played. They just seem louder.

    Still I wouldn't mind having one with a radial fretboard. That I liked about the Eastmans.

    Conngarats on your score! Sounds great.
  19. HonketyHank
    HonketyHank
    That mandolin sounds like a good one, BEM. I like the shirt, too.
  20. Louise NM
    Louise NM
    BadExample, the Kentucky sounds great—very bluegrassy. (I had a KM-272 at one time—would concur with Mark and Swimbob. No shade thrown at Eastman, but I like the Kentucky sound.)

    Henry, the Brock is incredible. I don't know anything about him but by that one example, he rocks!
  21. Stacey Morris
    Stacey Morris
    I have been super busy lately, and have to admit I haven't been playing my mandolin much. I think things are slowing down a little for me, so hopefully I can get back in the habit of playing more.

    It is good to see folks are busy buying and selling mandolins. I like BadExampleMan's new one and Hanks sounds great too. I am a little jealous of NDO doing a lot of fishing .

    Welcome to the group Marlkw!
  22. MikeZito
    MikeZito
    Yeah, I know that I'm late to the party on this thread . . . but my Kentucky KM-272 is a keeper.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeBMkN5YcC8
  23. HonketyHank
    HonketyHank
    Hey, Mike -- that Kentucky still sounds good to me.
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