My (New to me) Ellis A5!

[Mark Seale]

That 3D effect is more amazing finish work than differences in available wood to the builders. Tom and his finisher have a gift for bringing out the beauty inherent to the wood.

[TEvans]

Tom told me that they send out all of their varnish finished mandolins to get finished by some fellow in Missouri. They are able to do their lacquer finishes on site. But varnish is outsourced.

I can't remember his name, but man, does he make that flame explode of the back and sides.

[doc holiday]

Congratulations & welcome to the club. & they sound even better than they look

[Ivan Kelsall]

This is the one that got my 'Ellis enthusiasm' up & running,the mandolin that Tom built for Ricky Skaggs years back. I'd never even held a mandolin at the time,but i know beautiful wood & excellent craftsmanship when i see it,
Ivan

[yankees1]

Tom told me that they send out all of their varnish finished mandolins to get finished by some fellow in Missouri. They are able to do their lacquer finishes on site. But varnish is outsourced.

I can't remember his name, but man, does he make that flame explode of the back and sides.

My A5 Ellis is four years old and the varnish looks today just as good as it did four years ago.

[pheffernan]

Tom told me that they send out all of their varnish finished mandolins to get finished by some fellow in Missouri. They are able to do their lacquer finishes on site. But varnish is outsourced. I can't remember his name, but man, does he make that flame explode of the back and sides.

His name is Josh Luttrell.

[Bigtuna]

The flame on the back of mine still blows me away even after having it 5 years.

[Ron McMillan]

The flame on the back of mine still blows me away even after having it 5 years.

No wonder!

[almeriastrings]

All amazingly beautiful mandolins above. Just exceptional - but that seems to be almost 'Standard' with Ellis.....the back on 297 is really wild, and it is great to see how it has been exploited by positioning and finish to make a mandolin back you could keep on staring at and keep on finding new details in there. They are truly at a level where both for looks and tone, you might find something different, but good luck finding anything 'better'.

[Dancing Seahorse]

Really nice looking instrument. Enjoy it!

[Jstring]

Interesting new Ellis A-5 at elderly... It's a blonde!
http://elderly.com/new_instruments/items/EA5DLX3-2.htm

[terzinator]

Interesting new Ellis A-5 at elderly... It's a blonde!
http://elderly.com/new_instruments/items/EA5DLX3-2.htm

No longer in stock?

[LongBlackVeil]

I missed an Ellis thread? Congrats! My a5 (317) is literally the best Mandolin I've ever played including 4 other Ellis f5s, another Ellis a5, and a VERY nice red diamond. They all (the Ellis') sound similar and they all sound great, but I feel like mine is something special. Maybe just because it's mine it seems like it has a bit more oomph though, a prettier low end. I'm actually not sure if mine is red or sugar maple. Although I have been getting scroll envy lately, I simply can't sell my Ellis, I'm afraid I won't find anything like it again even if I get another ellis

Your has different tuners, are they still waverlys?

Very true the finish is top notch, that's not just a saying, I mean it literally is the best around.

Proud to have such great mandolins crafted right here in Texas

[Ivan Kelsall]

From LBV - "Your has different tuners, are they still waverlys ?.".Tom Ellis told me that he uses both Waverly's & Gotoh's on his "A" styles. Mine has Gotoh MA40's on it. They work superbly well & i honestly can't imagine the far more expensive Waverly's working any better,
Ivan

[TEvans]

Hey Long Black Veil!

Are you in the Austin area? We should have an Ellis jam sometime!

On the note of tuners : I was in Tom's shop before I bought mine, and was inquiring about tuners. I had my mind set on waverly's just for their reputation. However, he told me that he often uses Gotoh tuners, specifically on A styles because they are "worm over" tuners - **I think I've got that right**. Anyways, the old school tuners are always "worm under" and when the string tension pulls on that string post, it often separates the gear from the post very slightly. Tom said he likes to use the Gotoh's for a worm over approach, where the string tension keeps the gears and the string post tight together.

My Ellis does have Gotoh's, and they are awesome. This thing holds a tune like nobody's business!

[Mark Seale]

It sounds like we need an Austin area Cafe members mando tasting.

[Tobin]

Let me know if y'all end up doing that. I'd consider making the 2+ hour drive for it.

[LongBlackVeil]

oh i completely agree about the gotohs, i personally dont think tuners have much at all to do with tuning stability in the first place, assuming that they are working properly, the nut is where most tuning issues reside, not the tuners.

I live south of san antonio, it takes me about 3 hours to make it up there. Honestly i rarely have a free day to do something like that. But i am planning to go to the austin string band festival in oct. and then the hill country acoustic music camp in the winter over in kerville. Last year at the HCAMP i think there were 5 ellis' in attendance including mine. Theres also another ellis f5 at the jam i go to in San Antonio, theyre all over TX, people seem to like em

[TEvans]

I don't think there is a way to not like an Ellis, nor have I heard anybody claim they don't like them! Solid instruments through and through.

Definitely a lot of factors playing into the tuning! Bridge placement, fret height / wear, nut slots, etc...

I'll have to check out the camp out in Kerrville, and the string band festival!

[pheffernan]

I don't think there is a way to not like an Ellis, nor have I heard anybody claim they don't like them! Solid instruments through and through.

Are the neck profiles consistent across mandolins emerging from the Ellis shop (Ellis A, Ellis F, Pava)? I love the tone of my Pava but find its U-shaped neck a bit full in the shoulders and wonder if "upgrading" to an Ellis A would not only lead to better appointments -- varnish finish, Waverly tuners, James tailpiece, etc. -- but also a more comfortable for me smaller, more V-shaped neck.

[LongBlackVeil]

Are the neck profiles consistent across mandolins emerging from the Ellis shop (Ellis A, Ellis F, Pava)? I love the tone of my Pava but find its U-shaped neck a bit full in the shoulders and wonder if "upgrading" to an Ellis A would not only lead to better appointments -- varnish finish, Waverly tuners, James tailpiece, etc. -- but also a more comfortable for me smaller, more V-shaped neck.

Iv only played one pava and for a short time, so take this with a grain of salt. I remember the biggest difference by far was the feel of the neck. My ellis feels a lot more refined if that makes sense, and indeed slimmer. I couldn't imagine anyone describing the neck on mine as "full" I don't really remember the pava feeling like a full profile either though. The mandolins I had before this ellis was a the loar, and a weber, both known to have particularly full neck profiles. So it's all relative I suppose. My Ellis felt very slim compared to those

I can say that the necks felt worlds apart. Especially the binding on the neck seems to make a big difference. I don't know if you will like the ellis neck better, but they are different so if you don't like it, it will be for different reasons. I would describe mine as a slim, round neck. MAYBE a slight v, but a very very soft v at most

[Glassweb]

Hey Long Black Veil!

Are you in the Austin area? We should have an Ellis jam sometime!

On the note of tuners : I was in Tom's shop before I bought mine, and was inquiring about tuners. I had my mind set on waverly's just for their reputation. However, he told me that he often uses Gotoh tuners, specifically on A styles because they are "worm over" tuners - **I think I've got that right**. Anyways, the old school tuners are always "worm under" and when the string tension pulls on that string post, it often separates the gear from the post very slightly. Tom said he likes to use the Gotoh's for a worm over approach, where the string tension keeps the gears and the string post tight together.

My Ellis does have Gotoh's, and they are awesome. This thing holds a tune like nobody's business!

Gilchrist has been using Gotoh tuners for a long, long time. Good enuff for Gil, good enuff anyone!

[FLATROCK HILL]

On the note of tuners : I was in Tom's shop before I bought mine, and was inquiring about tuners. I had my mind set on waverly's just for their reputation. However, he told me that he often uses Gotoh tuners, specifically on A styles because they are "worm over" tuners - **I think I've got that right**. Anyways, the old school tuners are always "worm under" and when the string tension pulls on that string post, it often separates the gear from the post very slightly. Tom said he likes to use the Gotoh's for a worm over approach, where the string tension keeps the gears and the string post tight together.

I would really like to understand this line of thinking. Help!
It seems to me that the worm under (worm gear under, or closer to the body of the mandolin) would be the configuration where the two gears are pulled into closer proximity, no?.

Or, is the string tension (force) on the topside of the headstock causing a leverage effect (the headstock being the fulcrum), thereby causing the gears to be pulled apart on the bottom side of the headstock?
Thanks for any insight.

Oh, and why would he (Tom) feel that this effect is more important on A style than F?

[TEvans]

to Pheffernan, I would call my Ellis neck a soft V neck. Very thin and comfortable. The violin "speed" finish is particularly nice.

To Flatrock - Precisely. The string tension is pulling the top of the string post towards the body of the mandolin, thus making the underside of the string post (in contact with the tuner gear) to lean slightly away from the body. Thus, you have a slightly tighter connection between the gear and the string post.

So very much like the headstock is the fulcrum. Now, it isn't like it's seriously leaning. All of these things are very, very small changes.

[Tobin]

Are the neck profiles consistent across mandolins emerging from the Ellis shop (Ellis A, Ellis F, Pava)? I love the tone of my Pava but find its U-shaped neck a bit full in the shoulders and wonder if "upgrading" to an Ellis A would not only lead to better appointments -- varnish finish, Waverly tuners, James tailpiece, etc. -- but also a more comfortable for me smaller, more V-shaped neck.

My Ellis definitely has a slimmer feel to the neck than my Pava. The Pava is more of a U shape, where the Ellis is more of a V.