pretty, pretty, pretty! I love the color.
--------------------------------
1920 Lyon & Healy bowlback
1923 Gibson A-1 snakehead
1952 Strad-o-lin
1983 Giannini ABSM1 bandolim
2009 Giannini GBSM3 bandolim
2011 Eastman MD305
Agreed. Love the color. How's she sound?
Stunning!
Shaun Garrity
http://www.youtube.com/user/spgokc78
The bride looked stunning, and the groom looked stunned.
John A. Karsemeyer
Mark Wilson
"Agreed. Love the color. How's she sound?"
I'm going to guess that it has a very even, round tone. Full and resonant.
I recently acquired one of Michael Heiden's mandolins. That seems to be the character he aims for. From the looks of JMagill's F5, I think he hit the bullseye.
Last edited by barry; Feb-13-2017 at 9:05pm.
What a beautiful mandolin! I agree with barry that Michael certainly has the tone dialed in, too. My A5 is a keeper.
2010 Heiden A5, 2020 Pomeroy oval A, 2013 Kentucky KM1000 F5, 2012 Girouard A Mandola w ff holes, 2001 Old Wave A oval octave
http://HillbillyChamberMusic.bandcamp.com
Videos: https://www.youtube.com/@hillbillychambermusic
jmagill: I noticed the unusual bridge with a bone top on the treble side only. Is that something that Michael does on all or most instruments or is that something you asked for. In either case, I wonder what the thought is behind that. I would think the A and E strings would be even brighter with a bridge like that.
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
Weber F-5 'Fern'.
Lebeda F-5 "Special".
Stelling Bellflower BANJO
Tokai - 'Tele-alike'.
Ellis DeLuxe "A" style.
Mark, this is one of what Michael Heiden calls his 'Heritage' models, using topwood salvaged from a 100-year old building. At the time I acquired it, it was one of only a dozen or so Heritage models in existence, and most of the ones I've seen have a uniform chocolate color like mine and John Reischman's, although Arthur Stern asked for a lighter brown color on his. You can see both John's and Arthur's Heritage model Heidens in this thread. Michael also seems to favor black trim (tuner buttons & binding) on his Heritage models. This one spent most of its life owned by Ry Cooder.
Regarding the sound, I've only heard 2 or 3 like it. You can find more pictures and my detailed review of its tonal qualities on the Instrument Reviews page at my website here.
This is something I've done on several of my mandolins to add a bit more body to the treble strings. It doesn't make them brighter necessarily, just gives them a thicker, more muscular presence. The Monteleone Grand Artist currently at Carter's Vintage Guitars was made for me in 1980, and after I'd had it a while, I asked John Monteleone to make me a second bridge with bone inserts under the A & E. They're still on the instrument and you can see them here. The bridge on the Heiden was made for me by Lynn Dudenbostel and I describe its effect in my review mentioned in the link provided above. The effect is subtle but noticeable (at least to me).
Glad you like the photos. It's such a beautiful instrument in person that sometimes, when the light's just right, I just have to grab the camera...
Last edited by jmagill; Feb-14-2017 at 7:34am.
The lighting in your photo shows an integral part of what gives Heiden's instruments their characteristic voice. Michael appears to carve a slightly lower arch than that of a typical Loar-style instrument. He also carries the arch further into the area of the recurve around the rim. Again, a bit different than what builders aspiring to the "Loar tone" demonstrate.
I have a Heiden F model. These are exceptionally beautifully made and incredibly sounding instruments. I have had the opportunity try out and play a Lebeda and examine the workmanship. I would hesitate to place these 2 instruments in the same category. In my opinion they are not comparable and worlds apart.
Last edited by Barry Canada; Feb-25-2017 at 7:38am.
Bookmarks