Mandolin News.
We’ve now got fourteen Weber mandolin and mandolin family instruments in stock and thee due in the next few weeks, Bighorn oval hole A with spectacular quilted maple, Custom Vintage F and a Gallatin oval hole A, gloss, quilted maple with Brett’s latest amazing finish, all black with black to whitish on the quilted maple and a snakehead peghead!! There’s been a lot of excitement about Weber mandolins this year, all justified in my opinion, come and try ‘em.
We are now up to full strength on the Bovier’s. The price is up a bit but a hardshel case is now included. The Dorado is one of the most beautiful mandolins I’ve ever seen, great sound too. People often ask me what is the difference in sound between Bovier and Eastman mandolins is so I’ve spent a bit more time playin’ and listenin’. Its hard to generalise across so many mandolins but here is my view of the general tonal characteristics. The differences are small, the Boviers tend to have a bit more warmth and resonance than the Eastmans. The Eastmans have better separation and definition. It horses for courses again, how do you like ‘em? The finish differences can be seen on the website, if you really prefer the look of one over the other I would say that the tonal differences are small enough (and what I have described is the way I hear it, it may not be the way you do) to go for the one you like the look of.
Very imminent though currently being passed from buss to buss on the transatlantic slow coach service are the four Bussman/Old Wave A4s. I have always been curious why bluegrass type mandolins are almost always made in maple. I had concluded that its only because luthiers and players don’t want to invest time and money respectively in the alternatives and take the chance it doesn’t work out so I decided it was up to me. The four tops (jokes invited) are all from the same tree, one each with back and sides in maple, rosewood, mahogany and walnut. Probably the UK’s two most qualified mando players have agreed to express their opinions on the tonal sound differences, Simon Mayor and Dan Beimborn. Watch this space…
We’ve got a very nice used Davidson ‘flat top’ and three Lebedas, the Jazz 5 is almost impossible to tell from new and it’s had a Fishman pickup added, and its £355 less than it was. The Lebeda ‘dola has the typical Jiri ‘dola sound, very deep and dark, just the sound I like in a mandola, and its got a McIntyre already installed.
| J. Bovier A5 standard Hawaiian Sunrise | Mandolin | £395 |
| J. Bovier A5 standard Antique Vintage | Mandolin | £395 |
| J. Bovier A4 deluxe Hawaiian Sunrise | Mandolin | £450 |
| J. Bovier A4 deluxe Antique Vintage | Mandolin | £450 |
| J. Bovier F5 Vine Antique Vintage | Mandolin | £675 |
| J. Bovier F5 Dorado | Mandolin | £750 |
| Weber Bitterroot A oval hole | Mandolin | £1295 |
| Weber Bitterroot F5 custom | Mandolin | £1995 |
| Davidson ‘flat top’ with McIntyre pickup | Vintage Mandolin | £550 |
| Lebeda F5 Jazz premium | Vintage Mandolin | £1395 |
| Lebeda F5 1995 with McIntyre feather pickup | Vintage Mandolin | £1450 |
| Lebeda F5 premium mandola | Vintage Mandolin | £1995 |
Guitar News.
The much anticipated Baraniks are here, they are just stunning guitars. Mike’s waiting list is now rapidly approaching two years and I expect he will soon be reluctant to supply shops, and we all know what goes with that. Prices go up with reputations and waiting lists. If you have never tried one get yourself down here quickish, the last two didn’t stay on the wall very long, I expect it ill be the same this time. Prices have only stayed the same because of the good exchange rate and Mike has had another price rise since these were ordered.
We’ve got couple of very nice sole luthier guitars in. I was sad to hear of the passing of Rod Button, we’ve had a few of his guitars and mandolins. Its our first from my friend and local builder Richard Osborne. I’ve known Richard a while but never really spent anytime playing his guitars before. The deep OM style has a fantastic rich tone.
We’ve got a Goodall parlour in rosewood due in October and the TAMCO signature DS-260 from Dana Bourgeois with figured walnut back and sides and maple bindings. Also coming from Dana the award winning Dana Bourgeois Jumbo Cutaway in Redwood and rosewood and the return of an old favourite the OMC.
Around the end of the November we should be getting a dreadnought and J45 from Alister Atkin.
| Rod Button dreadnought spruce/mahogany | Vintage Guitar | £695 |
| Osborne deep bodied OM cedar/rosewood 2005 | Vintage Mandolin | £995 |
| Baranik JX Indian rosewood/German spruce | Vintage Mandolin | £3695 |
| Baranik CX Madagascar rosewood/Western red cedar | Vintage Mandolin | £4095 |
Happy pickin’
Trevor