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Thread: Classical nerd roll call: Lyon & Healy archtops

  1. #1

    Default Classical nerd roll call: Lyon & Healy archtops

    Because . . . why not?!

    I admit: I'm a bowlback-fan kinda guy, especially of the Neapolitan type. However, I've been bitten by the elegance inherent in Lyon & Healy's (L&H) approach to archtop mandolins. Their Neapolitan-like later scale length; classically understated, Deco-era elegance; and quality of materials and sound have attracted many other fans of classical music as well.

    I sold a 1926 L&H style C in January. I'm not sure why, but I never took photos of the style C and so cannot share. However, I sold the C in order to finance scoring this 1922 style A.

    I've shared. Now, what you got?
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  3. #2
    Timothy Tim Logan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Classical nerd roll call: Lyon & Healy archtops

    Here’s mine!

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    Hmmmm.....somehow these “thumbnails” showed up and I cannot delete!
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    “There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats.” ― Albert Schweitzer

    1925 Lyon & Healy Model A, #1674
    2015 Collings A (MT2-V)

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  5. #3
    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Classical nerd roll call: Lyon & Healy archtops

    Those are beautiful instruments. I'm glad I'm only lusting in my heart, not my wallet
    Not all the clams are at the beach

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  6. #4

    Default Re: Classical nerd roll call: Lyon & Healy archtops

    Nice, Tim. the quilt of your maple is similar to my own. Who added your armrest and bridge? Do you like how the armrest augments function?

  7. #5
    Timothy Tim Logan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Classical nerd roll call: Lyon & Healy archtops

    The original bridge, which I have, was replaced with a compensated bridge by Bruce Weber. I just find an armrest a little more comfortable. Can’t remember who made it (Cumberland?)

    “There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats.” ― Albert Schweitzer

    1925 Lyon & Healy Model A, #1674
    2015 Collings A (MT2-V)

  8. #6
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: Classical nerd roll call: Lyon & Healy archtops

    Style A mandola, Style A and C mandolins
    Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.

    Notorious: My Celtic CD--listen & buy!

    Lyon & Healy • Wood • Thormahlen • Andersen • Bacorn • Yanuziello • Fender • National • Gibson • Franke • Fuchs • Aceto • Three Hungry Pit Bulls

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  10. #7
    MandolaViola bratsche's Avatar
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    Default Re: Classical nerd roll call: Lyon & Healy archtops

    I, too, lust in my heart for a Style A mandola, but practically speaking, cannot justify the expense.

    bratsche
    "There are two refuges from the miseries of life: music and cats." - Albert Schweitzer

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  11. #8

    Default Re: Classical nerd roll call: Lyon & Healy archtops

    You know, the style C pieces are nice and the style B pieces really nice as well, especially in the era before the Cs moved to that plain paddle-style headstock.

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  13. #9
    Registered User Scotter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Classical nerd roll call: Lyon & Healy archtops

    Congrats, Hoss! I can't wait to get my indelicate digits all over that thang! Bring it with you the next time you visit the Left Coast. I think you're going to like my new Buckeye F5 a whole lot better than before.
    Play that which you feel is groovy, get down with your bad self, and shake your money maker if it makes sense for you to do so.

  14. #10

    Default Re: Classical nerd roll call: Lyon & Healy archtops

    You forgot "again" regarding your indelicate digits and my L&H. Cheers!

  15. #11
    Registered User Scotter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Classical nerd roll call: Lyon & Healy archtops

    It appears that you are right although I was thrown off a bit by your recent text message mentioning the recent acquisition of the L&H in response to my mentioning that I had got my Buckeye back from Pete. Naturally, I just thought that you had a bought third L&H. You've always been tricky that way, damn you. Congrats again though. I remember it as a delightful little fiddle!
    Play that which you feel is groovy, get down with your bad self, and shake your money maker if it makes sense for you to do so.

  16. #12
    Pataphysician Joe Bartl's Avatar
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    Default Re: Classical nerd roll call: Lyon & Healy archtops

    Got mine a couple of months ago.

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    Had the first eight frets replaced and put on Thomastik mittels. I'm happy as can be.

    Joe

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  18. #13
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: Classical nerd roll call: Lyon & Healy archtops

    Quote Originally Posted by bratsche View Post
    I, too, lust in my heart for a Style A mandola, but practically speaking, cannot justify the expense.
    Well, I paid an embarrassingly small amount in a Craigslist transaction. The mandola has an ugly and poorly repaired headstock crack, but it's been stable for as long as I've owned it.
    Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.

    Notorious: My Celtic CD--listen & buy!

    Lyon & Healy • Wood • Thormahlen • Andersen • Bacorn • Yanuziello • Fender • National • Gibson • Franke • Fuchs • Aceto • Three Hungry Pit Bulls

  19. #14
    Timothy Tim Logan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Classical nerd roll call: Lyon & Healy archtops

    Ok, this really creeps me out! I ordered a book of Christmas Carols and the cover has a Model A with a, a pick strap button on the top????? It makes me ill!

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    “There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats.” ― Albert Schweitzer

    1925 Lyon & Healy Model A, #1674
    2015 Collings A (MT2-V)

  20. #15

    Default Re: Classical nerd roll call: Lyon & Healy archtops

    Ooofh.

  21. #16
    Registered User Mike Buesseler's Avatar
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    Default Re: Classical nerd roll call: Lyon & Healy archtops

    Apparently some A models had a symmetrical 2-point body?

  22. #17

    Default Re: Classical nerd roll call: Lyon & Healy archtops

    Yes, pre-1921 or so.

  23. #18
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Classical nerd roll call: Lyon & Healy archtops

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Buesseler View Post
    Apparently some A models had a symmetrical 2-point body?
    Yes, those are the long scale, about the same as Gibson.

    I had a style C many years ago. I traded it for my favorite 5-string banjo. Other interesting thing is I bought it from an older woman in the Greenwich Village, NYC who was Ramblin' Jack Elliot's aunt. 2 degrees of separation or something.

    In the current lineup, I have two A's: a long scale pretty early one that needs some work but sounded great when I had it functioning and a Washburn-labelled short-scale, asymmetrical one which is in amazing condition and is the only mandolin I play with Thomastik strings. Sounds great with those mittels.

    Here is the long-scale one:
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    And the Washburn:
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    The L&H mandocellos are truly amazing instruments and pretty rare. I have played a couple of them and they sound wonderful. At one point in its 95 year history the conductor of the NY Mandolin Orchestra encouraged or insisted that their members play L&H instruments so when I joined in the mid-1980s there were quite a few of them including my stand-mate and Fanny Goichberg who played her late husband Sol's A. There was at least one mandola.
    Jim

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  25. #19
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Classical nerd roll call: Lyon & Healy archtops

    Here's an interesting piece of nerd ephemera, an 1923 receipt for an L&H A:

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    Jim

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    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

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  27. #20

    Default Re: Classical nerd roll call: Lyon & Healy archtops

    $125? I'll take it!

  28. #21

    Default Re: Classical nerd roll call: Lyon & Healy archtops

    I'm pining for some style B and C images, especially with the nicely textured Deco headstocks (i.e., before the C went to the one-point paddle). Who will satiate?

  29. #22
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Classical nerd roll call: Lyon & Healy archtops

    There is a nice article and some photos of a C on Fretboard Journal.

    Frets.com have four L&H instruments on their museum pages here:

    1928 Style A Mandolin
    1920s Style B Mandolin
    1920s Style C Mandolin
    1925 Style A Mandocello

    Boib Page has a nice looking style C listed in the classifieds.

    And here's a page from the old Mandolin Brothers site with another nice style C.

    That you satisfy you for a little bit, no?
    Jim

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    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

  30. #23

    Default Re: Classical nerd roll call: Lyon & Healy archtops

    Yeah, but without the personal connection among comrades here. Ah well . . .

    (That cello is yummy.)

  31. #24
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Classical nerd roll call: Lyon & Healy archtops

    Here is mine.

    A quick story. Several years ago I attended FMCM (Festival of Mandolin Chamber Music), and that year the ensemble was directed by Jacob Reuven. Once after class we got to trading instruments for test drives. He played my L&H and loved it. (He also tried my bluegrasser, my Stiver, and hated it. His comment was that all the highs were muffled.)

    I got to play his Kerman, an experience I have commented on elsewhere.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

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  33. #25

    Default Re: Classical nerd roll call: Lyon & Healy archtops

    I enjoyed the other photos in the album as well, Jeff.

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