Hello! From the uk

[Eric Michael Pfeiffer]

Well I used to own a Summit F-100 mandolin 7 years ago...can't remember what serial number it was. It was a pretty solid little mandolin and I recorded with it and played many a festival with it as well. The only thing I didn't like ( which is my personal opinion looking back ) was the fact that it was "X" braced. I have found that I prefer the woody tone of traditional "parallel tone bar bracing" but then again you may like a mandolin with "X" bracing.

[Marcus Horatius]

Hi guys -- I'm another Brit mandolin player. I own a Breedlove Cascade mando and am currently playing in a folk/jazz/etc trio where I'm always pushing to do more Bluegrass!

I have a couple of questions: I have recently invested in a DPA 4099 microphone, which provides a great sound -- but the trouble is we tend to play in very crowded and very loud pubs and I've had trouble with feedback. Does anyone have any alternative suggestions or advice?

Also, are there any other mandolin players in the vicinity of South Bucks? It would be great to meet up for a jam!

Cheers,
Mark
https://www.facebook.com/#!/heynonnynonnyband

http://www.heynonnynonny.co.uk/index.html

[Ray(T)]

I'm also from the UK but, until now, haven't really had anything worthwhile to contribute to this thread.

Mark - with the DPA, in terms of minimising feedback, you've bought about the best mic available. Your only alternative is a pickup but if you want to continue with the mic, you might like to try one of these- http://www.amazon.co.uk/Behringer-FB...pr_product_top

Behringer don't always receive the best press but I bought the original model years ago and it worked well for me. It was simply a matter of plugging it into an appropriate point in the sound chain, switching it to automatic mode and gradually turning the levels up and letting the feedback filter itself out.

[Tezzerh]

As a UK mando nut, I feel I must get on this thread! I would only describe myself as an intermediate player, but the obsession part certainly rings true with me. I just love my Eastman 305. I'm also a cycling fanatic and have just been on a three-week cycling holiday, which meant no mandolin for 21 days. Talk about withdrawal symptoms... I was worried that I might have forgotten how to play and that my fingers would be too soft. First thing I did when I got home was to start tinkering with the Eastman. Thank goodness, I can still remember my favourite tunes, but I am definitely rusty. How long has anyone else had to leave their mandolin, and do they worry about not being able to play for ages? Or am I just barmy, as my wife says?

[55bar]

Great to see more mandolin players replying to this thread. Tez I wouldn't worry too much about leaving your mando, as long as you still have the feeling that you get when you first played it, that's a great sign. When I can't practice I put myself to sleep trying to picture scale patterns and tunes!

[Ivan Kelsall]

Tezzerh - I wouldn't worry too much about not playing for a few weeks. In fact sometimes it can be beneficial. I always come back to it a bit refreshed. I do firmly believe that you can sometimes 'over-practice'. I had to have an operation on my left hand several years ago & i wasn't back to full recovery for 3 months. I thought that my banjo playing would be gone for good regarding my ability to play,but i needn't have worried,after a couple of days (& overcoming the residual pain),i was ok.
It's a pity that we're all a bit scattered around the UK. It would be seriously great if we could meet up for a mutual pick & chat. Still,it's nice to know you're all on here,

Ivan

[houseworker]

I have recently invested in a DPA 4099 microphone, which provides a great sound -- but the trouble is we tend to play in very crowded and very loud pubs and I've had trouble with feedback. Does anyone have any alternative suggestions or advice?

Mark, you'd be best off starting a new thread in the Equipment section giving a bit more information about your problem. There are quite a few posters able to give good helpful advice and they'll spot you there.

[gummia]

Hey. I'm from Iceland, were there are only a handful of serious mandolin players besides me.
I mean other than guitar players owning mandolins for fun I literally know two besides me that take the mandolin seriously.

The reason I fell in love with this instrument (wich eventually led me to buying a custom made F5 from Andrew Mowry in 2010) is that I went through the same journey as you in 2005, beginning with discovering Chris Thile and Not all who wander are lost album, and then his newly formed band the Tensions Mountain Boys which became the How to Grow a Band and then Punch Brothers. At the same time I met people in Iceland who were starting a celtic session every week I learned a lot of scottish/irish reels and jigs as well as a bunch of fiddle tunes. ( Fishers Hornpipe, Whiskey before breakfast, Temperence Reel, Old Joe Clark, Maid Behind the Bar, Irish Washerwoman, Dashing White Sargent, Blackberry Blossom etc.)

And from Thile to having this world of bluegrass mandolin pickers open up for me, Sam Bush, David Grisman, Ronnie Mcoury and so on there was no turning back for me. These musicians are literally unknown here in Iceland in general. Ow course some music geeks and musicians know of these players.

I went to Glasgow in 2008 to see Punch Brothers at the Celtic Connections festival. This is the concert featured in the film How to Grow a Band, with the loud fellow yelling 'play some bluegrass for christ sake!' when they were performing the blind leaving the blind. I saw them again in London the next year. Wow the sound and musicianship at that concert.
Then in 2010 i was in New York and they were playing one of their P-Bingo nights at the Living Room. I went. It blew me away!!
And afterwards I met the guys and Chris let me play his 1924 Lloyd Loar F5. How about that!! The second best night of my life, the best being when my son was born.

I had the same thought, why didn't I discover this instrument when I was 8, instead of playing the clarinet / saxophone / guitar for all these years without having a real connection with any of these instruments.

Just wanted to share my similar experience in how the mandolin took over my life.
...and welcome to Mandolin Cafe 55bar.

[55bar]

Hey Gummia,


Wow we seem to have led a similar path! I'm so jealous you got to see Punch brothers at all those great venues, AND got to meet the guys. What was it like playing Chri's Loar? How did it all come about? And what did you play?

I play guitar for a living but the love and connection I have for the mandolin far surpasses anything I get when playing guitar, not sure why that is.

I've spent the last 3 weeks learning Raining at sunset from the Thile DVD I can play 3 quarters of it now but not up to speed, I'm also doing the Artist works mandolin lessons with Mike Marshall.

I really want to get my own group together and play some bluegrass!


Craig

[gummia]

Yep!
Ah yes the Punch Brothers. I actually wrote Chris Eldridge on Myspace before going to Glasgow saying that I was coming there
for their show and wanted to say hi to them afterwards. He replied to me and told me about an unannounced concert at their hotel
the night after the official show.
After the show at Celtic Connections they never came out. Noam later told me they were bummed out by the response they got, people were actually walking out as they played the Blind Leaving the Blind expecting some good old bluegrass. Well I went to the concert at their hotel the next night but they never showed up after the gig either. Except I met Noam that night.

The next year in London I went microphone shopping, and I the store was Noam shopping for some mics for their show that night. When he saw me he instantly recognized me and just said, "hey man you came!" I probably wrote them again beforehand again.
Anyway, after that gig I met them all, but Thile stayed around and we mando-geek talked for almost an hour. He told me about his new Loar (he didn't have it then because of a crack in it that hadn't been repaired) and his Dudenbostel. We talked about Iceland, his dream of doing a Bach album, things he didn't like on his album Deciever and just music in general.

Then in 2010 in NY, just after the P-Bingo night when Noam saw me he yelled, 'Hey Gummi', Greg just said 'didn't we meet you before?' And again Chris Thile came and hugged me and said 'hey friend'. Again we talked for 45 min in the almost empty venue. Then I just asked him if he would show me his Loar. He went downstairs and got it out, handed it to me and told me to go nuts. And that he was going to the bathroom. He actually left me with his $$$$$ mandolin for a while!
I played some tunes, Whiskey before Breakfast, Temperencce Reel and something like that, and just some scales and stuff. I was deep in my thoughts, playing and didn't realize he'd come back, and all of a sudden stood right in front of me, listening and smiling. When I saw him I kind of panicked and stopped playing. I got shy. He complimented me on my playing, technique and posture.
(Duh, I learned from his Techniques DVD from Homespun)
His Loar was felt so light and really really easy to play, just so smooth and responisve. And I actually just looked at every detail on it for a while, not believing I was holding Chris Thile's mandolin. Just so great.
And when I left that night he gave me the biggest hug and said 'Your'e the man!' He is truly one of the most friendly guys I have ever met, and the Punch Brothers all are. Just so genuine guys doing what they love.

So that's that.


I say get yourself some pickers, form a band and play Bluegrass. It's the best.

Here is a link to my band playing last summer. just casual jamming in front of a restaurant out in the Icelandic countryside.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDi911vEsVo

[55bar]

Great Story!


I really love Chris Eldridge's playing that guy also has such a fantastic feel. I really liked your bands YouTube clip too, great playing man!

Be great to have a chat someday maybe over Skype.

Craig

[Marc Woodward]

Welcome to mandolinery, I think there's quite a few of us uk mandolinists around, some classical, some bluegrass, some folk, some blues n jazz (that's where I drop in really!). Anyway, if you're ever down in Devon...

Cheers
Marc

[55bar]

Hi Mark,


Great to hear from you, I'll be sure to message you if I'm ever in Devon!

Craig