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Thread: NMD Arrow 5 string Jazzbo

  1. #1
    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
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    Default NMD Arrow 5 string Jazzbo

    Got a call from Paul Lestock on Saturday to say my Jazzbo was finished. He's been making them since at least 2013 and there's videos of Jason Anick playing his on Youtube.

    Paul mentioned that he was leaving for Weiser of Wednesday, with an extended journey east, so my wife and I made the trip up the Columbia Gorge on Sunday to pick this baby up, along with her new 00 bodied guitar. He was such a delight to work with on this, and he's also a great player so he really has a handle on player issues.

    Normal materials, ie, hard maple back, sides and neck, with a sitka top. Beautiful silking on the top. Floating Kent Armstrong humbucker, ebony fingerrest. Gotoh tuners with ebony buttons, smooth and easy to grip. The finish was trying to capture to vintage F4 look and I think its just terrific, highlighted by the WBW binding. Its his first red one

    Sound clip will wait until I competent on the fifth string, but it has the fat jazz tone I was searching for.Click image for larger version. 

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    Last edited by Bill McCall; Jun-14-2021 at 6:47pm.
    Not all the clams are at the beach

    Arrow Manouche
    Arrow Jazzbo
    Arrow G
    Clark 2 point
    Gibson F5L
    Gibson A-4
    Ratliff CountryBoy A

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  3. #2
    Registered User urobouros's Avatar
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    Default Re: NMD Arrow 5 string Jazzbo

    The grain on both the back & the neck is killer! That there's a purty lil jazzbox!

  4. #3
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: NMD Arrow 5 string Jazzbo

    Quote Originally Posted by Bill McCall View Post
    Beautiful sinking on the top.
    That is a real beauty. A friend of mine owns though not red. Congratualtions! Enjoy it! I corresponded him a few years ago about a G-style—I love the tone that Tim Connell gets out of his.

    Is that what you really meant? Sinking?
    Jim

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  5. #4
    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
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    Default Re: NMD Arrow 5 string Jazzbo

    Autocorrect is a bane to us all. I edited it to 'silking' as it was supposed to be. Thanks for the heads up.

    We picked out the wood from Paul's stash one afternoon, it was really fun. He knows I'm a wood guy, so he just smiled when he handed me those blanks as a possible choice. I smiled right back
    Not all the clams are at the beach

    Arrow Manouche
    Arrow Jazzbo
    Arrow G
    Clark 2 point
    Gibson F5L
    Gibson A-4
    Ratliff CountryBoy A

  6. #5
    Orrig Onion HonketyHank's Avatar
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    Default Re: NMD Arrow 5 string Jazzbo

    I have heard two Arrows. Both had wonderful tone. One was Tim Connell's. The other was a mandola played by a nice lady in the Oregon Mandolin Orchestra. Can't remember her name right now, but my ears really perked up when I heard her play.
    New to mando? Click this link -->Newbies to join us at the Newbies Social Group.

    Just send an email to rob.meldrum@gmail.com with "mandolin setup" in the subject line and he will email you a copy of his ebook for free (free to all mandolincafe members).

    My website and blog: honketyhank.com

  7. #6
    Mandol'Aisne Daniel Nestlerode's Avatar
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    Default Re: NMD Arrow 5 string Jazzbo

    Paul Lestock makes some lovely instruments.

    I first encountered his work at the 2005 or 2006 Mandolin Symposium, and knew I would end up getting something of his at some point. He had brought some longer scale instruments ('cellos and octaves) and I was smitten.

    Thirteen years later --and living the the UK-- I saw a G5 5 string at Mass Street Music, and bought it. It's basically a jazzbo with a different shape. It has been my main gigging instrument since shortly after purchasing.

    Bill, what gauge strings diid they put on the Jazzbo, and what are you going to go with? I'm using 56, 48 (or 46, can't remember), 24, 16, 13. I'm thinking about going with a lighter gauge given the 15" scale length, and I'm curious about what other people are using.

    Daniel

    PS: I should also add that I have had the pleasure of seeing Tim Connell perform with Eric Skye a couple of times. He's a great player, a nice guy, and very particular about mandolin setups. He plays very articulately, much like another great player named Simon Mayer. The G5 (8 string) is perfect for his repertoire.

  8. #7
    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
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    Default Re: NMD Arrow 5 string Jazzbo

    I have a buddy who has a G5 5string as her primary instrument, which got me thinking about this. When I saw his Jazzbo model, I knew where I wanted to be.

    The strings Paul set it up with are:11, 14, 24, 42, 53. He mentioned he has used 40-45 for the G string and 50-54 for the C string, but has basically settled on this set. They are D’Addario ball end electric guitar strings, the tailpiece accepts either. It does sound fine unamplified, but it’s so much fun through my old JazzKat.

    Btw, Paul’s Facebook page shows a beautiful G5 that was in the same group of instruments. The blister figure on the back is spectacular.
    Not all the clams are at the beach

    Arrow Manouche
    Arrow Jazzbo
    Arrow G
    Clark 2 point
    Gibson F5L
    Gibson A-4
    Ratliff CountryBoy A

  9. #8
    Registered User lowtone2's Avatar
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    Default Re: NMD Arrow 5 string Jazzbo

    What's the scale?

  10. #9
    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
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    Default Re: NMD Arrow 5 string Jazzbo

    The scale is 14 7/8", 1" longer than standard Gibson and same as on his 'G' models. No 'weak E string' issue
    Not all the clams are at the beach

    Arrow Manouche
    Arrow Jazzbo
    Arrow G
    Clark 2 point
    Gibson F5L
    Gibson A-4
    Ratliff CountryBoy A

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  12. #10
    Moderator JEStanek's Avatar
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    Default Re: NMD Arrow 5 string Jazzbo

    Nice! Congrats!

    Jamie
    There are two things to aim at in life: first, to get what you want; and, after that, to enjoy it. Only the wisest of mankind achieve the second. Logan Pearsall Smith, 1865 - 1946

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