Not necessarily one of yours and not necessarily your favourite. But an instrument that made you look twice?
And I’ll accept mandolin family.
Not necessarily one of yours and not necessarily your favourite. But an instrument that made you look twice?
And I’ll accept mandolin family.
JBovier ELS; Epiphone MM-50 VN; Epiphone MM-40L; Gretsch New Yorker G9310; Washburn M1SDLB;
Fender Nashville Deluxe Telecaster; Squier Modified Vintage Cabronita Telecaster; Gretsch 5420T; Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat: Washburn Banjo B9; Ibanez RB 5string; Ibanez RB 4 string bass
Pedalboard for ELS: Morley Cry baby Miniwah - Tuner - EHX Soul Food Overdrive - EHX Memory Toy analog Delay
Fender Blues Jr Tweed; Fender Greta;
I would have to go with the Lyon and Healy Mandocello sold recently in the classifieds.
Second is the blonde F4 on the cover of the David Grisman Rounder Album
Third would be Mike Marshall's Monteleone Mandocello, just sitting there on the stage waiting to be played.
Stormy Morning Orchestra
My YouTube Channel
"Mean Old Timer, He's got grey hair, Mean Old Timer he just don't care
Got no compassion, thinks its a sin
All he does is sit around an play the Mandolin"
The first would be the Lyon & Healy Model A played by Frank Solivan at Mandolin Brothers. It's the most incredible mandolin I've ever seen - even if it was only through the internet:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HXtUG68ivY8
The second would be one of the few Lyon & Healy mandolas for which I have very, very rarely seen an ad. I have never seen a real one. Here is an example of one such ad:
https://vintage-instruments.com/shop...-1925-chicago/
The third would be a Vega 207 cylinder back in immaculate condition held in the Willcut guitar shop for many years. The owner was, I believe, a collector, but had the mandolin listed for $5,000. It appears to have been sold but there is still a YouTube link:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eEOG4RNKHsI
The cylinder backs don't get a lot of attention - but I once played a Vega CB mandola and it was truly astounding.
Last edited by Tim Logan; Oct-07-2022 at 6:30am.
“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)
Kentucky KM-805..........2 Hora M1086 Portuguese II(1 in car)
Hora M1088 Mandola.....
Richmond RMA-110..... .Noname Bearclaw
Pochette Franz Janisch...5 Pocket............Alfredo Privitera pocket
Puglisi Pocket 1908........Puglisi 1912.......Puglisi 1917
3 Mandolinetto ..............C.Garozzo
1 Mandriola...................Cannelo G. Mandriola...Böhm Waldzither 1921
Johs Møller 1945............Luigi Embergher Studio 1933
Marma Seashell back......Luigi Embergher 5bis 1909
The honey amber Ellis A5 Reserve that recently hit the TME inventory is definitely in the running for me. The second I clicked on the link my jaw hit the floor. Nearly identical to what I imagine my dream forever mandolin might look like. If only......
In hand:
- the Joe Val Lloyd Loar
- Gilchrist #500 (ex-Compton, said to be modeled after BM´s Loar) and #502 (lives in Italy, last time I heard)
- a 20ies post Loar Fern
- my "new" (also 16 years old by now) mandolin
- my old Strad-O-Lin
It´s not only about seeing, it´s about the whole package. After a recent "get together" someone played my "new" mandolin. There was a halo around the notes that was absolutely divine (and not to be heard from the drivers seat).
Olaf
Kentucky KM-805..........2 Hora M1086 Portuguese II(1 in car)
Hora M1088 Mandola.....
Richmond RMA-110..... .Noname Bearclaw
Pochette Franz Janisch...5 Pocket............Alfredo Privitera pocket
Puglisi Pocket 1908........Puglisi 1912.......Puglisi 1917
3 Mandolinetto ..............C.Garozzo
1 Mandriola...................Cannelo G. Mandriola...Böhm Waldzither 1921
Johs Møller 1945............Luigi Embergher Studio 1933
Marma Seashell back......Luigi Embergher 5bis 1909
John Reischman's Loar. I was so nervous that it felt like 100 lbs in my lap; my fingers were so shaky that my "playing" turned out to be a pathetic scratchy Arkansas Traveler. The Loar was the thankfully taken from my hands by a puzzled/annoyed Reischman. Embarrassing but a good lesson learn- just be happy watching and listening.
1999 Buckeye #18 (Bucky)
198x Flatiron pancake mandola (no name)
2020 Kentucky 252 oval hole (Aurum)
In person/able to have played it: a Nugget A a few years back. Great mandolin who's owner was too scared to really play it because they paid so much for it.
In general, gotta say Thile's Dudenbostel that he is playing on the original EMajor Prelude YouTube Video. That thing sings and is just a piece of art.
Top of the line Collings MF5 Deluxe V Custom. Tortoise binding, flamed one piece back. Shiny varnish finish. Came in a Calton case with a red lining. First time I opened the case, I thought I was seeing a pirate's treasure chest of glittering jewels. Spectacular! Sounded pretty good, too.
I agree with Tim and anyone else who highlights the Lyon & Healy (L&H) artist series, Mandolin, Mandola, or Mandocello. I find they are consistently stunning in appearance, sound, & playability.
I have a symmetrical L&H Mandolin & it’s a gem. I have played many of their asymmetrical Mandolins & all were superb. I have played a few their Mandolas & I think they are among the finest fretted stringed instruments I have ever played. They sound majestic. I have seen a couple of Mandocellos & briefly played one years ago. They are equally sublime. This must sound like a paid endorsement for L&H. No, just a fan.
& yes to Vega. I know a guy who has a Vega Mandolin & Mandola. They show their age, but sound & play wonderfully.
Joe B
A Splendid Time is Guaranteed for All
“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)
A mint pre 1919 F4, from an estate sale in Buffalo, in that gorgeous cherry red finish complete with Handel tuners. Didn't know anything about mandolins then, $125, but of course I didn't buy it
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
Tim O'Brien's Nugget octave mandolin. I heard and saw it up close in person. It blew my mind.
My own Ellis F5 mandolin with Bella inlay is one of the prettiest mandolins I have ever seen. It made me look so many times that I bought it.
Visually - if I had to pick one, I would probably go with Jethro Burns' A-5 . . . every time I see it, I want it.
As 'players' go - I once got to play Joe Val's Loar . . . wow!
[EDITED: Duplicate Post]
Last edited by MikeZito; Oct-07-2022 at 2:02pm. Reason: Duplicate Post
Pretty much Demetrius’ inventory of “Halsey’s”!! I always kept finding little details that were just so subtle that made them stunningly beautiful.
Timothy F. Lewis
"If brains was lard, that boy couldn't grease a very big skillet" J.D. Clampett
The blonde Monteleone Baby Grand at Carter Vintage really has it all going on...even more so without the arm rest and dots on the fretboard. What a master of design and craft.
Sue, your quote from Zen Guitar is excellent :-)
“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)
I had a chance to play a Gilchrist, a Montleone and a Heiden back to back and the Heiden blew the other two out of the water. I will never forget it.
As far as visual and tone...mine.
Charley
A bunch of stuff with four strings
'04 Gibson F3, '04 Gibson A4, '06 Gibson F4, '26 Gibson F5, '27 Gibson F4, '87 Givens A6, 2017 Kimble A5
Author, Anthology of Fiddle Styles; Co-author, Oldtime Fiddling Across America
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Probably the Griffin Loar.
"it's not in bad taste, if it's funny" - john waters
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