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Thread: New Mando -Stem Line model - Bobby Stem Luthier - Any Info?

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    Registered User Texas_Surfer's Avatar
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    Default New Mando -Stem Line model - Bobby Stem Luthier - Any Info?

    I recently acquired this amazing Mandolin from a person who donated it and another instrument to my Music School in Arlington, Tx as he no longer desired to play them. He said they belonged to his Grandfather who he thought made the mandolin but he didnt have much more info on its history.

    The label inside says Stem Line #8 with the signature Bobby Stem and a completed date of 2008.

    I am wondering if anyone has heard of or seen one before or knows anything about him or his other Mandos (I assume there are at least 7 more!) . The only info I found in google searches was a luthier from Houston named Bobby Stem who worked on Banjos. Im figuring it has to be the same person but that post was from around 2013 and there was no other details.

    It is a beautiful and fantastic sounding mandolin and now my first F model. I had my repair guy do a great setup on it and added a K&K Twin Internal pickup and have spent quite a few hours on it over the past few weeks. Just interested in knowing more about its and the luthiers history.

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  2. #2

    Default Re: New Mando -Stem Line model - Bobby Stem Luthier - Any Info?

    I have a stemline #7 I bought it from music go round in Florida on a post that it was an f style American made solid wood with case for 100 dollars .
    With a little love it too has been a good deal for me too.It is a twin from the one you have pictured. Mine is labeled from father to son with love handcrafted by Bobby stem in 2006 Stanley was his sons name and it’s on the head of the instrument. Bobby Stem was a member of the Texas olde tyme bluegrass band started in 2006 In Magnolia they organized a weekly jam in Magnolia Texas along with regular engagements .Bobby died August 9th 2016 in his 80s and the jams continue
    So far these are the two known instruments out there.

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    Registered User Texas_Surfer's Avatar
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    Default Re: New Mando -Stem Line model - Bobby Stem Luthier - Any Info?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jollyk View Post
    I have a stemline #7 I bought it from music go round in Florida on a post that it was an f style American made solid wood with case for 100 dollars .
    With a little love it too has been a good deal for me too.It is a twin from the one you have pictured. Mine is labeled from father to son with love handcrafted by Bobby stem in 2006 Stanley was his sons name and it’s on the head of the instrument. Bobby Stem was a member of the Texas olde tyme bluegrass band started in 2006 In Magnolia they organized a weekly jam in Magnolia Texas along with regular engagements .Bobby died August 9th 2016 in his 80s and the jams continue
    So far these are the two known instruments out there.
    Thank you for taking the time to fill in some of the background and history on this, up till now, mysterious Mandolin! I spent 6 months straight playing it before going back to my Eastman 305 to really compare. Although the Eastman ends up being a little easier to play, the Stemline matches it in bark and projection and both sound fantastic with the K&K pickups. Id say the $100 find on yours is one of the rare “deals of a lifetime”. Up there with the out of the blue donation mine was haha. I wouldnt trade mine for anything tho and definitely never plan to sell it. Im sure there are more stories to be told on the maker and maybe thru this thread, we can eventually reunite the other (at least six) Stemline siblings!

    Thank you again for the input!

  4. #4

    Default Re: New Mando -Stem Line model - Bobby Stem Luthier - Any Info?

    Is that a spruce back? Don't think I've seen that before.

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