Looking for anything on a mandolin builder named Everett Kettler or anyone haveing a mandolin he made.
Looking for anything on a mandolin builder named Everett Kettler or anyone haveing a mandolin he made.
I had a Kettler F-5 a few years ago. It was all blond with birdseye maple back, sides and neck. It had a green abalone frog inlaid in the headstock and smaller than Gibson sized f holes. It had a great deep bassy resonance and was quite loud. Great looking and sounding mandolin. Finances at the time forced a sale. Oh well..........
Len B.
Clearwater, FL
I ran into several Kettler mandolins while living in New England. They were all visually and audibly pleasing mandolins. I believe he was located in maybe Vermont.
Here's a listing from cybozone.com Luthiers 'Round the World page:
Kettler Mandolins
Rd. 1, Box 136
East Calais, VT 05650
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
It's my understanding that he gave up building quite some time ago??
Please correct me if anyone knows for sure....
Saw perhaps the first totally blonde F5 I've ever seen that Kettler made (this was perhaps 25 years ago?), and I remember it to this day...
That's a hard build without CNC's...
Really nice work...
I owned one years ago and I loved mine! Everette was building sail boats the last time I spoke with him.
Up here in Michigan there used to be a bluegrasser around in the early 90's with an Kettler F-5. Not really anything I wanted to go out and sell my truck for, but one of those mandolins you just remember as nice.
I have a friend down in St Joe, MI that has a Kettler A (A-5 style) that I have played, nice woody tone, not harsh, he uses it for Celtic.
Bill
I've owned 2 Kettlers and I love them. The one I currently own was made in 1982 as was the one I sold in 1991. I sure regret that sale. My current Kettler has wonderful tone and volume. And plays with ease...I love the radius fingerboard.
When I bought it about 2 years ago, it was in near pristine condition. About a year ago, my wife got hold of it while I was away and let's just say it's no longer pristine! ha ha ha And also, my wife will soon be my ex-wife! ha ha ha
I have a Kettler F5 blond mandolin, dated 1980, which I used for a dozen years when I played in a bluegrass band. It gave me good service and had a delightful sound, especially in the treble. The keyboard was a bit small for my fingers, but I made do OK.
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