Classical style plectrum

[Jim Garber]

You are quite welcome, Victor. I am glad to make the deadline for you to take that. I have a feeling that it comes somewhat close to the organic variety ... certainly closer to the credit card plastic otherwise engaged.

[vkioulaphides]

I still regret not buying that statue of a black bird, some years ago. If it's still languishing in a local antique shop, you might want to give it a look, Victor.

Alas, no sighting(s) of said avian statue, Bob... Trinkets on sale ranged, as usual, from the forgivably tasteful to the unabashedly ghastly. The embroidery theme of choice seems to have been olives, olive branches, olive leaves, and the like, so we purged our purses of all their contents in order to procure our large and loving families their respective runners, tablecloths, curtains, doilies, what-have-you, all olive-themed and jolly. No birds, though...

On a more musically productive note, I did find some lovely folk music involving mandolin(s), and will take a more careful, "editorial" look at it as soon as time allows, and jet-lag subsides. Better yet, I actually heard some wonderful, local, Dodecannesian tunes, as hummed by our octagenarian neighbor in her interior courtyard, while attending to her daily chores. More so than either printed or recorded music, THAT's the stuff that gets me excited to pun pen to paper!

As is often the case, I have spent much of this year beating my brains, debating Project A vs Project B, vis-a-vis my GrecoMando Editions issue of 2009; I now foresee Project C as the most likely to materialize. *sigh* So much for planning...

Cheers,

Victor

[Jim Garber]

I always learn something from your posts, Victor, tho I often have to run to the reference sites:

Do·deca·nese (do dek′ə nēz′, -nēs′)
group of Greek islands in the Aegean, off the SW coast of Turkey: 1,048 sq mi (2,714 sq km); pop. 163,000

[vkioulaphides]

I'm glad that my posts, inane as they often are, contain a morsel of information here and there, even accidentally. (I also apologize that I --old fashioned character that I am-- may have led you astray with my 1960's spelling of Dodecannese, as in Peloponnese, which is now simplified, with only one "n".) Indeed, Greece's 6,000+ islands are grouped into the Cyclades ("circle-like"), the islands of the Argosaronic Gulf (nearest to Athens), Crete (+ satellites), the Sporades (the "scattered" ones), the Dodecanese ("twelve-island" group), the islands of the Northern Aegean (right across the west coast of Asia Minor, Turkey), and the Ionian Islands, between Greece and Italy, also known as Heptanese ("seven-island" group). Hard to keep track of SO many bits and pieces of rock sticking out of the water...

But I must return to topic: yes, Ultem felt and sounded as close to tortoise-shell as I can imagine; it was comfortable to handle, and played evenly across all strings, and on all registers. Better yet, I am happy to report that I did NOT lose this pick --such losses being dreadfully common during vacations-- and that I have left it safely tucked under the strings of my trusty Greek mando, awaiting my next visit in March. For the information of all those reading this post, this is a a bright and chirpy instrument, built by/for Pavlos Kevorkian in 2001, strung with Lenzner "Consort" strings. My comments therefore apply to that particular combination of factors-- although, of course, I would hope they also hold some broader, more "universal" applicability.

Cheers,

Victor

[Chris Berardi]

I notice that there's now a Neopolitan style plectrum shown on the Red Bear site. Have any of you ordered these? If so, what gauge did you order (Dave leaves the choice of gauge on these totally open, unlike the "stock" gauge for his Roman plectrum)?

In a similar vein (artery? capillary?), could someone please tell me the gauge of the Pettine picks? Thank you!

I'm looking at getting one of these new picks soon -- I'm thinking 1.5-2 mm thickness.

[dave17120]

I'm probably a bit late to 'pick' up on this discussion........ but thought you might find this interesting. Its a page from the 1901 Thibouville Lamy catalogue........ nuff said.......

[Jim Garber]

You are never too late, Dave. Nice to hear from you once again. That is an interesting page. I have seen and posted a page with American plectra including that tri point one but don't recall if the Roman style ever really made it over here. I like that pick purse but do they mention the sort of corrugated pick that is picture in that purse?

I also like the french term médiators.