Restrung the Springwell today so knocked up a few jigs to ease it back in.
And spent a long time fiddling with a new video editor, as Windows Moviemaker on my old Vista machine has expired permanently, so the editing here, fades and the like is a bit clunky yet....as indeed is my picking - so little chance to play these past 18 months of the dreaded covid!
Great wee mandolin from the expert hands of Rory Dowling of Taran Guitars in Fife, Scotland
http://taranguitars.co.uk
Kevin HJ Macleod
http://www.kevinmacleod.co.uk
Nothing very clunky in your playing here, Kevin, and the Springwell is sounding great. Good to see you posting. We have actually managed to get back to a wee weekly session here locally over the past five or six weeks, and it is so good to be playing with others again.
I'm playing all the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order. - Eric Morecambe
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheOldBores
Nice playing, as ever, Kevin. I see Rory is making another batch of Springwells right now after announcing a pause a few months ago. I guess there must have been an outcry!
Anglocelt
mainly Irish & Scottish but open to all dance-oriented melodic music.
Mandos: Gibson A2, Janish A5, Krishot F5, Taran Springwell, Shippey, Weber Elite A5; TM and OM by Dave Gregory, J E Dallas, Tobin & Davidson.
Yes, I saw that and am keen to see quite what difference the compression braces make to the instruments. I don't know if these new ones are on order..... have to wait and see! Certainly enjoying mine with new strings too. Cheers, Kevin
Good that you are getting tunes again John, such a grim time! Best KM
Kevin HJ Macleod
http://www.kevinmacleod.co.uk
Restrung the Stefan Sobell as well - here's the first jig for comparison, if of interest ...
Kevin HJ Macleod
http://www.kevinmacleod.co.uk
Very nice playing, Kevin. I want to get back to playing later this week. I just upgraded my desktop. It took some time to set up, but I think I will like it. It will run Windows 11, when it is sent to me. I bought it at Costco (not my usual computer dealer) and so far, I am happy. It has the 11th generation i-7 processor and it is quite fast and responsive.
Michael A. Harris
the dulcILLINI
Collings MF5 Mandolin
Collings MT2 Mandola
McSpadden Custom Mountain Dulcimer
KLOS Carbon Fiber Travel Guitar
"Home is the place we grow up wanting to leave and die trying to get back to." Nash
Lovely stuff Kevin - is that a cedar top on the Sobell?
Great that Rory is building another batch of the Springwells - I see that Macdara Ó Faoláin was over there working in the workshop with him for a couple of weeks as well.
2018 Girouard Concert oval A
2015 JP "Whitechapel" tenor banjo
2018 Frank Tate tenor guitar
1969 Martin 00-18
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Thanks Jill. The soundboard is actually spruce, but at that time, 1983, Stefan seemed to be using an orange tinged finish on the instruments - not sure why. My pal Jack Evans of The Easy Club has a spruce top arch guitar from the same year, with the same finish - see the video here. Mine just keeps giving, and records so well. best wishes from Edinburgh!
Kevin HJ Macleod
http://www.kevinmacleod.co.uk
The rumor about more Springwell orders being taken is untrue. I was in touch (hoping to get my foot in the door!) and was told they are just finishing up a few orders placed last year. -- Paul
He joyously felt himself idling, an unreflective mood in which water was water, sky was sky, breeze was breeze. He knew it couldn't last. -- Thomas McGuane, "Nothing but Blue Skies"
Oh dear, I think I should have been clearer. I gathered from another member, somewhere above, that an "extra" batch of Springwells was in the making, somewhat apart from Rory's regular booking practice. That supposition is not true. You can inquire for yourself how soon he may be making any of them again. According to the website his bookings are out to 2025 -- and, on reflection, I can't imagine why he'd do anything but work on existing orders. I suppose my emerging senescence led me to hope I could get something more promptly. -- Paul
He joyously felt himself idling, an unreflective mood in which water was water, sky was sky, breeze was breeze. He knew it couldn't last. -- Thomas McGuane, "Nothing but Blue Skies"
Perhaps of interest ... developments at Taran Guitars concerning the Springwell mandolins ...
https://www.taranguitars.co.uk/springwell
Kevin HJ Macleod
http://www.kevinmacleod.co.uk
Thank you for sharing this Kevin! I saw this on Rory's facebook page as well. Such great news! To anyone on the fence, I can't speak highly enough about the Springwell. Try to make that deposit and set aside a little money every month until that 2026 delivery if you're worried about the cost. It will be worth it. It's at that family heirloom level of quality, beauty, and tone. Rory is great to work with.
Good ideas there Best Kevin
Wonderful to hear of a great luthier returning to making mandolins. The more mandolins in the world, the better!
I thought I got safely away last year . . . now this new temptation. But by 2026 I may no longer be buying green bananas. -- Paul
He joyously felt himself idling, an unreflective mood in which water was water, sky was sky, breeze was breeze. He knew it couldn't last. -- Thomas McGuane, "Nothing but Blue Skies"
Hey twaaang, you won't regret it!
John Liestman -
Eye new ewe wood lye kit!
Sudden sense of weakness . . . darkness . . . budgetary recklessness. . . new confidence that I can finally master those trip-a-lets . . . must . . . resist . . .
He joyously felt himself idling, an unreflective mood in which water was water, sky was sky, breeze was breeze. He knew it couldn't last. -- Thomas McGuane, "Nothing but Blue Skies"
To nobody's surprise (Mary in Maine?) the last of my resolve vanished and I placed my order today. Credit a great deal of pull from Edinburgh, and a little push from Texas; both of which contributed to my "tractor beam" theory of hopelessness-in-MAS as propounded in a recent thread on Campanellas. I feel like a budgetary low-life, but I do have four years to explain this to my wife. -- Paul
He joyously felt himself idling, an unreflective mood in which water was water, sky was sky, breeze was breeze. He knew it couldn't last. -- Thomas McGuane, "Nothing but Blue Skies"
You will not be disappointed! Very wise choice indeed! I look forward to seeing some pictures when you take delivery!
Very nice article Kevin.
Happy New Year to you and Christine.
Meanwhile I'm still greatly enjoying my Sobell 10 string mandolin which I think must now be 39 years old. Best buy I ever made.
I like your quote about the Taran:
"It is not a Gibson F5 bluegrass mandolin, but a very British styled mandolin".
I think that's right.
David A. Gordon
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