Hester tribute loar a5 pair

[Gail Hester]

One of the reasons I was looking forward to Wintergrass was to see Hans for awhile. Here we are with a Lloyd and one of mine.

[Gail Hester]

Here is the Red Spruce A5 with its new owner, the Cafe's own "squirrelabama".

[Gail Hester]

I don’t like talking about the sound of my own mandolins since I find myself using all of those cliché terms but the comparison is part of this thread so please forgive me.

Before using Carpathian Spruce I was told that it falls somewhere between Red and Engelmann and after using it I would agree accept that I think it’s closer to Engelmann than Red (disclaimer: non scientific, sample of one, one builder). In comparing the sound and characteristic differences between the Red Spruce and Carpathian Spruce top, while both mandolins have good volume and openness for being so new the mandolin with Red Spruce is definitely a Bluegrass instrument. The Red is loud, slightly dryer with a heavy midrange, dark and whinny and has a great chop. The Carpathian Spruce mandolin has a more almost oval-hole type sustain, is sweeter sounding, open and even across the strings.

Lots of folks played them today so maybe one of them will offer up another opinion.

Thanks for looking and commenting on this thread. These two mandolin were a lot of fun for me to build.

[atetone]

Great looking mandolins Gail.
I am interested to hear some reviews from some of the folks that played them at Wintergrass.

[fatt-dad]

O.K.! That is some fine-looking work Gail! Seeing it in the hand of a picker really adds to the effect (well and the accompanying smiles from both of you).

How's your backlog? I'm thinking you may get a few more orders on such great-looking mandolins!

Continued success!

f-d

[squirrelabama]

That smile is still on my face...I think it will be there for a long, long time. I had the luxury of A/B-ing this with Hal Johnson's Loar (the '23 i believe) as well as Duane Boyer's Loar. I also had people A/B them at me, so I could get that perspective. Lets just say the A5 held it's own in all departments, and will only get better! I agree with Gail, the Carp top had more of an Engleman sound, but this Red Spruce just nailed the Loar/Bluegrass tone in spades. It is also surprisingly loud. Gail has a real gift I'll tell ya!

[squirrelabama]

Gail's review of the differences between the two pretty much sums up the impression I and other's in the room there had. Craig W was there and was able to get some time in on both of them too. Maybe he'll chime in? Both Fantastic mandos, however my taste is for the Bluegrassy tone, and that red spruce version has it. It made me late to work this morning!!

[sgarrity]

Wow...wow...wow....you flat NAILED the look on those!!

[Gail Hester]

Thanks again.

The Greg Boyd room is always one of my favorite spots at Wintergrass; those guys are all so nice and knowledgeable. I happened to be there talking to Chad and this gentleman asked to play the Carpathian A5. I didn't get his name but he is a fine picker and as it turns out a real cowboy.

[squirrelabama]

match made in heaven

[sgarrity]

This thread just gets better and better. That is a pair that is sure to cure even a serious case of MAS

[squirrelabama]

here are a few more shots of ol' Red.

[squirrelabama]

front.......

[squirrelabama]

back..........

[squirrelabama]

peg head..........

[Carleton Page]

Oh I wish I had gone with my gut and bought that! 1 word:amazing! I wish I had bought it! I wish I had bought it! I wish I had bought it! I wish I had bought it! I wish I had bought it! Oh well you get the idea. Amazing looking work. Would love to here clips someday!

[dan@kins]

I can't take it anymore!!!!! I just love the look of these mandolins! Gail, I've sent you an email.....

[Gail Hester]

Last update for this thread.

We had the pleasure this weekend of meeting Ken Sager who came in from out of town for some mandolin work and ended up taking the Carpathian topped A5 home. #The Carpathian is really opening up after a couple weeks and Ken who is a fantastic player really makes it sing. #I hope to get back some sound files of both mandolins someday that I can post.

Thanks to Ken for the nice visit and a copy of his new CD “HERE”.

[John Hill]

Those mandolins look awesome! I especially like that oval & f pair of squirrelabamas.

[Ken Sager]

Gail does fantastic work. I was blown away by that lovely little A5. She had mentioned the Red Spruce A5 was the hot item at Wintergrass, but believe me the Carpathian topped unit is no slouch. Far from it. It's got a rich, complex, sound that is quite open while still sounding dry with lots of pop, too. It's very well balanced. The biggest treat is that it is setup perfectly and plays like a dream! Gail's setups and finish work are top notch. I'm very impressed.

Plus, Chuck, Gail's husband, is a mighty fine mandolin picker himself and has some wonderful mandolins/mandolas at his fingertips.

Thanks Gail and Chuck for such a terrific visit!

[PaulD]

Those are both beautiful mandos, Gail, and it's been great to watch them develop on this thread. Congrats on the new "hatchet" Ken... I can't wait to hear it! I'm interested in the assessment of the Carpathian Spruce because I really prefer the oval hole type sound.

Paul

[David Newton]

Gail.
I really enjoyed showing this thread to my wife last night. Not only is your work wonderful, beautiful, YOU shine out in the pictures like a rare treasure! Thank you for following this craft, it raises us all up.

[Cornelius Morris]

Gorgeous mandolins, Gail. Where do you get the tuners? I know that Stew-Mac doesn't list snakehead A-type Waverlies with screw-on buttons.

Cornelius

[Gail Hester]

I used the "new" Gotoh tuners and I really like them. They come with ivoroid buttons but Roger Siminoff sells a variety of replacement buttons and I used real MOP for the A5s.

[Ken Sager]

I'd love to let you see it, Paul. I spent the last two hours playing and I'm even more impressed. It warms up really well. It has some roundness to it, but it's so well balanced and cutting, too. I wouldn't call it oval hole sounding, but it has some of the complex tonal capacity of a good oval. I can't wait to get home and put it in front of a couple good microphones to see what happens. I'm also excited to hear it in a band setting. It's really a delightful instrument.

Shayne, I'll get some sound clips to you, and I'll keep you posted on its progress. It's already a very strong instrument and having been played a lot at Wintergrass has helped that. You're right though. It's a very special mandolin.

The absolutely coolest thing is how old it feels. It's got an incredible vibe that I can't explain.

More on this later,
Ken