Rattlesnake Rattles -- anyone here have one in your mandolin?

[scgc.om]

Rattlesnake rattles: I first saw/heard one in a 30s Gibson Tenor guitar. Guy passed me his instrument and I passed back my '27 Martin 5-17T. I was playing along when I noticed something rattling in the Gibson. I figured it was a pick and started to turn it upside down to shake it out. Then the guy told me about Rattler Rattles -- something about keeping spiders and bad spirits out.

Anyone here subscribe to this? And where would a feller get some?

I am really hoping for some "helpful" input here -- altho', having opened the door to humor, I'll tolerate some risible responses . . . http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/im...lies/smile.gif

Thanks for all.

[MikeEdgerton]

Here are a few past discussions on the subject. The topics that apply will stand out.

[Nick Royal]

Often an old time fiddlers will put a rattlesnake rattle in their instrument;
not sure why, but I know it's a tradition.

[mandozilla]

I keep one in my mandolin...don't know if/how they work but I don't have any cobwebs or bugs or other critters inside the box.

It's also in there in homage to Big Mon...if it helped him, maybe it will help me? I can use all the MOJO I can get.

Nobody can prove they work but then again I haven't seen any proof that they don't work so...Dunno? And besides, it's a good conversation starter.

[scgc.om]

mandozilla -- "Between the lines", so to speak, you've told me 2 great things! 1) Big Mon had rattles in his mandolin -- if true this is huge! and 2) that you might know how to get 'em! Where'd you get yours?!!??

And you've also told me what they're for! Heaven knows I need WAY fewer CobWebs AND I need way more MOJO

Anyone got something to add? Or should I make Grammer and Speling Missteaks to attract responses . . . [ref. to Waverlies/Waverly's/Waverlys Thread recently here somewhere . . . a HOOT !!

[MikeEdgerton]

There's a source in message 17 of this thread.

[barney 59]

This went by the other day as a matter of fact I started it.
Conclusions: Keeps out vermin
Keeps out Satan
Makes Mojo
Lets in Satan
Something to do with all those extra rattles you have.
Controls moisture and humidity.

[Bluegrassified]

Anyone wants some I know where to get them. Rattlers, Eastern Diamondbacks, are abundant where my daughter attends college in South Georgia. Friend of mine down there has to kill them in his yard every week. Last one was 14 rattles! I'll have them start collecting them and I'll pick them up next time I am down.

[Gene Korte]

Q Where do you get rattles?

A From the south end of a northbound rattlesnake

[billkilpatrick]

"rattlesnake rattle" in the ebay (u.s) search engine will provide a wealth of weirdness ...

(i've got one in my charango but here in italy, no one has a clue ... )

[mandozilla]

Yes scgc.om, Ebay has 'em and Big Mon had a HUGE one in his mando...I believe it was a big old Oklahoma 14 button.

[Jordan Young]

I keep a rattler in my mandolin for to reasones Mr. Monroe had one or two in his...and i also love to trip people out lol....I tell ya my grandady has a small box of um and when i found the things i can honestly say it tripped me out just a pinch

[Denny Gies]

I've posted this before but, what the heck. I have one in mine, some old guy told me it helps keep the thing in tune. For some reason it doesn't seem to work all that well but it's there anyway.

[F5G WIZ]

Hey Bill had one in his so why not, makes an interesting conversation peice and little kids love to look inside and see it. I don't think it actually serves a real purpose though. I think Bill had a button in his mando as well. I also have a Bill Monroe autographed ticket stub from the last time I saw Bill play I think it was in 96' tucked away inside it as well.

[KimRoulias]

I have a 24-segment rattlesnake rattle in my mandolin. I bought it on ebay from a guy in South Dakota. Bill Monroe is my inspiration for that, of course. It's neat. It scared me a little bit at first! I'm attaching some photos...

[man dough nollij]

Holy cow!

[F5G WIZ]

Hate to see the snake that came off of!

[papa willie]

When I was a working cowboy, in days gone bye, we would glue them together, to make 'em big.

[D C Blood]

When we do the song "The Snake" I pull my rattle out and shake it into the microphone for sound effect...

[Red Henry]

Many fiddle players have rattlesnake rattles in their instruments too, perhaps to add a little "sizzle" to the sound. When I heard that I lost no time in putting rattles in my mandolins; in 35 years, whatever they've added to the sound, they've done no harm.

Red

[Jim MacDaniel]

Hate to see the snake that came off of!

Me too -- he's probably way p#####-off about loosing it.

[Frank Russell]

You only get the mojo benefits if you killed the snake with your own bare hands, or at least with a shovel. Best case scenario: kill the rattlesnake with your mandolin. Store bought rattles have been shown to actually reduce mojo output. Lately I have taken to putting a live Gila Monster in my mandolin. Frank

[billkilpatrick]

I have a 24-segment rattlesnake rattle in my mandolin. I bought it on ebay from a guy in South Dakota.

i think we got ours from the same guy ... mine's a mere 12 button - half the size your monster.

this thread prompted me to take the rattle out of my charango and put it in my f-4 ... only to have it pop right back out again, shortly thereafter. the circular sound hole on the charango is covered by its 5 course but the 4 courses and oval sound hole on the f-4 leaves sizable gaps, left and right.

rattlesnake rattles and mandolins could be a strictly f-5 affair.

- bill*

[Rich White]

I took one from the original owner during a camping trip to Lake Roosevelt (Washington State) last summer. Hated to kill the feller but he wouldn't leave our camp site. I remembered reading about Big Mon having one in his mando, so I cut off the rattle and brought it home.

I let it cure for a couple of months before I got up the gumption to put it into my MT2. Been in there ever since. I should be getting maximum mojo!

Rich

[James P]

I've got a fortune from a fortune cookie in my mandolin.
It says, "Sing badly if you must, but sing."
No problemo. ;-)