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I agree with Milli857. Its when you actually play a different instrument and LOVE the extra something you get from it. You only know when you play it. It;s the old story of playing say 6 Martin...

Hi Bren, I was reading and about to say 'you didn;t tell me about your Gilchrist' until I kept on reading. I too had a mandolin built by Marshall Dow. I was sitting in my office around 1990 I think...

Dave Appollon

I wonder why Gibson did not continue with the Snakehead in their A models? If at the time, the snakehead was thought to be a better sound then why go back to the paddlehead?

The snakehead makes...

I agree 100%. There is one individual, regularly on Cafe Classifieds, youtube etc who wants to show the speed he can play and he is not alone. Total waste of the demo . We want to hear VOLUME and...

I love these stories of how people came to acquire such things as Lloyd Loar mandolins. I read Ricky Skaggs story and a few others. Great !!

Yeah Tom. It was Arthur Robinson from Scarborough who used to make plectrums. I bought a Holoubek 000-42 guitar from him and later on he put me on to a Holoukek 000-45. He is sadly deceased now but...

Hi Tom. I'm Scottish and live in Northumberland. I've owned hundreds of mandolins and acoustic guitars (high end and low end) over the last 50 years. No disrespect meant but when you said the Eastman...

As long as you are happy, does it really matter?

You can fatten up the sound by filing/sanding the top of the bridge saddle so the strings are not sitting on a tiny pinnacle. However that just needs to be ever so little as it will slightly lower...

It is an F-hole that is preferred for bluegrass , rather than an F-body.

National RM-1 as previously said would be the one to use. Cut through almost anything. I don[t have one but over the years two people have used them in a 16 piece band and they work. Very little else...

A mandolin which sells new for $1000 would go for around $700 used and in many cases these mandolins may only have tiny scratches etc and sometimes none. You may find your $600- $800 would buy you a...

Fingerboard extension is a mandolin. Mandolas is different shape. Looks like around 1920 but I agree could be 1916-1922. No later as no truss rod.

I've had around 30 Gibson oval hole mandolins over the last 50 years but I honestly don't think there is a 'Gibson sound'. I think that term has been used for a long while but my experience says...

I would try the Cafe classifieds, Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace. The worst that can happen is a good few scammer emails (from the Gumtree and Facebook ads) and you should be able to spot them. No...

Horses for courses I reckon. I've had hundreds of mandolins over the last 50 years and whilst I love F4s (I've had 9) I've always found an F-hole mandolin works in a session or against say more than ...

Jethro Burns could smile when playing. He was supremely confident-a bit like Dave Appollon.

I agree with Billy as well. Audiences normally like to sing so I'd remember that you are playing for THEM and if you want to 'go down well' sing some songs with choruses. The idea of singing your own...

I'll still be searching the pawn and junk shops for a Loar

The USA MM68 has 30mm Nut. I think the Celebrity is narrower. Maybe quality of frets. Pearl nut on the MM68. Better tuners. I have an MM68 and much louder acoustically than Celebrity I think.

Thanks Charley but that is an H copy. It is the oval hole H4 I' interested in.

Regards

Jimmy

I think the Lebedas probably both originally came from bluegrasser Arthur Robinson who died a few years ago. Arthur used to travel to Czek and bring in Lebeda, Krustifek, Holoubek etc. I know one...

I've had instruments made for me and didn't like any of them. Ordering a custom instrument is something I would never do now (I'm 76 in 2 weeks time). Go any play something and you'll know. Having...

I had a 2016 Big Mon and best mandolin I ever played in 50 years (Apart perhaps from a 1927 Gibson F5). In the lockdown I foolishly sold the Big Mon. Big mistake on my part. I think they are...