My new Champtone Mandolinetto

[John Hasbrouck]

Builder Devin Champlin (hope I'm spelling his name right) built this delightful left-handed mandolinetto for me. The sound is huge and the craftsmanship wonderful. I gotta show it off!!

[STEViE Simpson]

Any chance of a sample of that via You Tube. I'd love to hear it.

CHEERS !!

[Charlieshafer]

I just love stuff like this. They're fun to look at, I bet it plays great. Just a jewel. Great job on your part commissioning that. So hats off to the builder, and you, too for going the extra mile and having something made that's a little out of the ordinary.

[Charles E.]

Beautiful, pic's of the back please.

[Chuck Naill]

Wonderful, more photos please.

[JEStanek]

looking for Devin Champlin I found a Myspace page that I think may be him, is this the case? Looks like an interesting person! Your new mandolinetto is quote cool too. Tell us more (words and pictures).

Jamie

[Jake Wildwood]

Mh, fresh air. I like.

[Marcus Kaufman]

I want one. Does anyone know how to contact the builder? There are some YouTube videos and a MySpace page of "The Gallus Brothers" but I can't find anything on-line that lists a business address or contact information just for Devin Champlin. John, did you buy the instrument from the maker or a shop?

[John Hasbrouck]

Thanks everybody for your comments and interest with regard to the Champtone Mandolinetto. I've got some new pics of this instrument but uploading them from work is, well, tricky. Here it is atop one of Steve's Studer tape decks at Electrical Audio Recording studios in Chicago. I'll post more pics soon.

[John Hasbrouck]

As promised, here are some more photos of my Champtone Mandolinetto. I'll post the maker's contact info when he gives me permission to do so. Right now I think he's swamped with work.

[Charlieshafer]

Are the back and sides quarter-sawn white oak? It shows those really nice "mirrors" that are typical of that wood. Just finished a restoration of a 1920's boardroom, so it's sort of ingrained in my head right now, for better or worse...

[John Hasbrouck]

Yes the back and sides are oak. Not sure if they are quarter-sawn (cuz I don't know what that means). Spruce top, mahogany neck (I think). The builder was an apprentice for the past few months with Todd Cambio at Fraulini Guitars. Todd has a lot a old wood and I'm sure that's what they used.

[Champlin]

Hello Everybody, Howdy John,

I'm not incredibly computer savvy, but I finally got around to joining this forum, so...

Hi, my name's Devin. I built this mandolinetto for John during an apprenticeship of sorts with Todd Cambio~ http://fraulini.blogspot.com/
I live in NW Washington state, and I'm currently building a guitar for the other half of John's band, Matt. I'm also building another mandolinetto, which will be fairly similar to this one, which is based off a turn of the century "Vernon". Feel free to contact me here or at brothermud@gmail.com

Thanks John, for the great photos and praise, and thanks everyone for your interest.

[ColdBeerGoCubs]

I want to hear this thing, that is one of the cooler things I've seen lately.