Big Muddy M-3 "Deluxe"

  1. Dave Weiss
    Dave Weiss
    Well, first I'll apologize for being computer illiterate and not being able to post pictures... But if a picture is worth a thousand words, then I oughta be able to describe this beauty in a thousand words (or less).
    I had originally ordered a MW-0, walnut back and sides, but I wanted a cedar top. No problem, Mike orders the cedar top and sends me a picture of a piece of claro walnut he's had hanging around the shop for about 15 years. Gorgeous piece of wood with crazy grain. Do I want it? Hell yea! Then he sends a picture of some new tuners he's been trying out, Grover's with black knobs. Do I want them? Yep! Then he sends a picture of a new tailpiece he's got, a Bill James with The Big muddy Mandolin Co. engraved on it. Do I want it? Yep! And I don't know when he started doing it again, but the headstock is stamped Big Muddy Mandolin Co. (like the Mid-Mo's used to be). Mike wrote to me this morning when he finished it and said that it was a terrific mandolin and he'd had a lot of fun building it and that it was one of the nicest mandolins that he'd ever built.
    So my plain Jane (relatively inexpensive) MW-0 turned into a full blown M-3 with binding and all of the extra goodies, but with no regrets. I think I'll play this one for a long time...

    >>>===> Dave
  2. billkilpatrick
    grover tuners with black knobs - ooo ...

    bill james tail piece - ahhh ...
  3. Dave Weiss
    Dave Weiss
    I was able to get some pics up on the main board (Post Pictures of your mandolin)

    >>>===> Dave
  4. Dave Weiss
    Dave Weiss
    Well, a year and a half later and this mandolin sounds, feels and plays great. I know that I've improved, but I really do love the sound and feel of this mandolin. I've been tempted from time to time to try and find an arch top oval, but I'm afraid I'd be disappointed, think I'll just play this one for a while...
    Just wanted to share some thoughts with folks that would probably understand.
  5. FatBear
    FatBear
    I have had the opportunity to compare the sound of my mandolin to that of an arch top oval (1916 Gibson) and custom arch top f-style, all played by an excellent musician (not me!) All three sounded very different from one-another and they would each have something that they excel at. The Big Muddy has more sustain and the guy who did the test for me thought it worked really well for jazz. He is a pro and doesn't play much jazz, but he was so enthusiastic about it that a musical partner of his who does play a lot of jazz bought one on his recommendation.

    But I gotta tell you, he made my instrument sound really good with everything he played. When it comes right down to it, I think the player is much more important than the instrument. I know that I will probably not be buying another mandolin because at my age I will probably never reach the point where my skills are subtle enough to take advantage of the differences between one method of construction and another.

    If there was one thing I wish I had it would be a sound hole on the side which would face up as I was playing it. I mostly just play for my own enjoyment (an hour or so almost every single evening) and I found that the true sound of the instrument is projected away from me. I recorded it one day and played it back and have felt much better about my playing since then. If I really want to hear it well I have to face a wall and catch the echo, and even then the sound is a bit muddled because I am hearing some from the side and some from the echo intermixed. I really need to call Mike and ask if I can cut a hole there without weakening anything.
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