View Profile: Eugene - Mandolin Cafe Forum

Today, 2:06pm

Jim Garber replied to a thread Gibson A Jr. Natural in Looking for Information About Mandolins

Unless the refinish was done poorly I would keep it as is. BTW the most interesting A-Jr was one owned by Howard Frye the virtuoso mandolinist...

16 replies | 550 view(s)

Today, 10:57am

Jim Garber replied to a thread What can you share about Carla Senese? in Orchestral, Classical, Italian, Medieval, Renaissance

After a very quick search, looks like she is a member of the MelisMandolin Quartet. On Facebook. Playing mandola here:

1 replies | 176 view(s)

Today, 10:35am

Jim Garber replied to a thread Gibson A Jr. Natural in Looking for Information About Mandolins

This "natural" on on Empire Guitars is mentioned as a refinish—that one is marked as sold. This one shows up on a few other sites and shows up in a...

16 replies | 550 view(s)

Today, 10:15am

Jim Garber replied to a thread Found an old Sicilian bowlback in Looking for Information About Mandolins

Not sure about Satvatore but there is Silvestri which made many mandolins in the early part of the 20th century. There is a page on the Fetish...

3 replies | 168 view(s)

Today, 7:59am

Jim Garber replied to a thread Gibson A Jr. Natural in Looking for Information About Mandolins

Catalog photos often don’t correspond to actual manufactured instruments for Gibson and even for other companies like Lyon & Healy and even Martin....

16 replies | 550 view(s)

Today, 12:26am

Jim Garber replied to a thread Lyon & Healy Mandobass in Vintage Instruments

You might put an engine in it and drive it down the freeway. yes big bucks but have priced the mandocellos they are close to that assuming you can...

14 replies | 444 view(s)

Yesterday, 7:14pm

Jim Garber replied to a thread Why keys of B and B flat? in Theory, Technique, Tips and Tricks

Lowtone2: correct me if I am wrong but if you read in sheet music in C major on a Bb instrument then you are actually playing in Bb or Eb for an Eb...

157 replies | 23988 view(s)

Yesterday, 4:46pm

Jim Garber replied to a thread Best way to fix this bowed neck? in Builders and Repair

Many Neapolitan mandolins have a core of lighter wood overlaid with a hardwood darker veneer. It often looks like the neck was broken at that point...

13 replies | 711 view(s)

Yesterday, 4:35pm

Jim Garber started a thread Lyon & Healy Mandobass in Vintage Instruments

I was just cruising around Tom Crandall's inventory page and found this one-of-a-kind beauty from around 1918. I don't recall seeing any mention in...

14 replies | 444 view(s)

Yesterday, 4:11pm

Jim Garber replied to a thread Francis Poulenc Vals (Mandola/Mandocello) in Videos, Pictures & Sound Files

Kuno! I love this. Fun stuff and you play it so well with gusto! For everyone's convenience I embedded the video here:

1 replies | 130 view(s)

Yesterday, 4:09pm

Jim Garber replied to a thread Unknown value in Looking for Information About Mandolins

We know a lot less than you. Give us more info and photos. If you have trouble figuring out how to post a photo check here.

2 replies | 296 view(s)

Yesterday, 3:57pm

Jim Garber replied to a thread New Mandolin Style in Builders and Repair

I assume that you have built other instruments otherwise this design would be a true challenge for anyone. What made you decide on the integral...

15 replies | 782 view(s)

Yesterday, 3:39pm

Jim Garber replied to a thread Lyon & Healy Style A, B, C fretboard - all radiused? in Vintage Instruments

Good idea... I will do that with both to comfirm.

15 replies | 2384 view(s)

Yesterday, 2:05pm

Jim Garber replied to a thread The dreaded black A2Z question. With a possible answer... in Vintage Instruments

I am sure it will be another long-haul keeper for the next owner as well as subsequent owners for the long haul after that. :) I will never say...

38 replies | 38051 view(s)

Yesterday, 1:55pm

Jim Garber replied to a thread Sweep picking on mandolin? in Theory, Technique, Tips and Tricks

Sorry. I am not sure what happened there. I think I posted a pdf and it got converted to two images that no longer show up. Here are the two...

10 replies | 498 view(s)

Yesterday, 1:29pm

Jim Garber replied to a thread Gibson A Jr. Natural in Looking for Information About Mandolins

I never saw one although I have recently seen a refinished one being sold currently, maybe on Reverb? I believe that the description mentioned a...

16 replies | 550 view(s)

Yesterday, 7:52am

Jim Garber replied to a thread Old Time Mandolin Workshop with Caleb Klauder in Jams, Workshops, Camps, Places To Meet Others

I have attended all the offered workshops and they’ve recorded all of them and made them available for registrants. So you should register and send...

9 replies | 368 view(s)

Yesterday, 12:43am

John Bertotti replied to a thread Help please!!!! Messed up pretty bad in Builders and Repair

I was once told the only difference between the apprentice and master was the skill at hiding their mistakes! Great chance to learn.

23 replies | 1627 view(s)

Mar-06-2021, 8:41pm

Jim Garber replied to a thread Best strings for a Lyon & Healy type C mandolin in Equipment

Dogal Calace Strings: these re the ultralight Dolce ones on my style 3 Vega bowlback. Sort of an aqua-greenish color. There are a number of violin...

28 replies | 899 view(s)

Mar-06-2021, 11:05am

Jim Garber replied to a thread Identification help please in Looking for Information About Mandolins

I have seen plenty of these sold for rock bottom prices on eBay over the years. I agree built in the Far East most likely China,Taiwan, or possibly...

4 replies | 243 view(s)

Mar-06-2021, 10:42am

Jim Garber replied to a thread Looking for a US luthier that does bowlback restoration in Builders and Repair

GHS A240 are decent but reasonably priced sets. Better strings for bowlbacks are Dogal Calace RW92b Dolce. Medium strings will destroy these lightly...

8 replies | 366 view(s)

Mar-06-2021, 9:19am

Jim Garber replied to a thread Old Gibson A, AJr. A 2,3,4 Mandolis in Looking for Information About Mandolins

In 1983, Flatiron announced their carved instruments. I traveled to Mandolin Brothers to try out the two A-5s they had. One was A5-1 and the fancier...

20 replies | 668 view(s)

Mar-05-2021, 9:34pm

Jim Garber replied to a thread Old Gibson A, AJr. A 2,3,4 Mandolis in Looking for Information About Mandolins

As some wise person once noted, "Gibson's main consistency was its inconsistency." :) In my experience, the most consistent years for me are 1920...

20 replies | 668 view(s)

Mar-05-2021, 9:23pm

Jim Garber replied to a thread Cullng the herd in General Mandolin Discussions

How about a Ford Pinto? My dream was to have a Chevy Corvair with the title of Ralph Nader's book on the hood: Unsafe at Any Speed. :)

43 replies | 2185 view(s)