Zdravitsa plays the Beatles
A little lip-syncing, or more accurately pick-syncing with members of this Russian balalaika orchestra under the direction of Andrei Krasnikov. (More members are actually on Read more»
03.05.10
Secrets of Stiernberg
In yesterday's Tips and Tricks entry, we leaked some text from an upcoming interview we helped coordinate with our friend and jazz mentor, Don Stiernberg. Read more»
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"Good improvisation communicates harmonic progression melodically. Effective melodies manipulate harmonic content through the use of guide tones and preparatory gravity notes, masterfully woven in systematic tension, release, and transparent harmonic definition."
We've come across a little treasure, a little slice of mandolin history. Of course what caught the eye at first was its magnificent blueburst finish, but there's more to the story than that. This Fender FM-62SCE when introduced in the early 2000's sparked a bit of controversy; from what we understand, it almost ended up in a fistfight at a the Winter NAMM show. Note the imposing similarity between this and a Rigel G-110, a fact not overlooked by the good folks at Rigel. Since company progenitor Pete Langdell had registered extensive trademark designs before Fender had introduced these, he really had the upper hand, though a long and protracted legal battle with a corporate giant would have surely sapped major financial resources out of the small manufacturer. The good news is Fender ultimately backed down, and next years FM-62 series featured the cosmetic distinctions of a less radiused body profile and larger, more rounded horn.
In essence, we (somewhat tongue-in-cheek) refer to this instrument as a "Pre-lawsuit" Fender mandolin, and knowing so few were made, consider it a rare "vintage" instrument. This one is already nicely yellowing on the MOT pickguard and trussrod cover. It also packs a respectable amplified tone (factory transducer) with classic fender knobs for additional cosmetic appeal, performing plugged-in as well as it does acoustically. And the color! Marvelous!
In its day, it was offered in Crimson Red, Vintage Sunburst, and black. Considered one of Fender's higher end mandolins, the offset double cutaway body sported a solid spruce top with F holes, body with maple neck, back and sides. The white-bound 29-fret rosewood fingerboard use dot inlays and treble extension, 1-3/32" nut width on a 14" scale neck, adjustable rosewood bridge, and gold hardware. The already mentioned pearloid pickguard and truss rod cover, nicely complemented the w/b/w bound headstock with its fancy pearl cross accent and "Fender" inlays.
The model was made in Korea about the time import instrument building was leaving the more expensive factories in Japan, but before the major push for quality outsourcing was established in China. In other words, that the mandolin boasts better quality should be no surprise.
More about Fender mandolins from Martin Stillion at the highly popular electric mandolin website, Emando.com who backs up our speculation: "For a few of the early years of the 21st century, the company imported electrics from Korea: the hollow, 8-string FM-52E; the semihollow FM-60E and FM-61SE (5 and 8 strings, respectively); and the piezo-sporting FM-62SE, whose resemblance to a certain other (and, in my opinion, superior) brand of acoustic/electric mandolins has been well noted and may or may not be more than purely coincidental. In fact, the FM-62SE was discontinued early on and replaced with the slightly different FM-62SCE. The acoustic/electric FM-60S was sold only in Japan."
July 29, 2009 | JBovier announces two new electric mandolins
We've longed for a Fender Mandocaster ever since starting on the mandolin, but every time they've appeared on the radar, be it eBay, Craig's list, or vintage retailers, they've sold for ridiculously high prices. Ironic, often the Bakelite tuners are close to disintegrating, the frets are in need of repair, and like any sought after vintage instrument, upgrades with anything less than overpriced OEM stock parts cuts seriously into the mandolin's vintage value. Though these are great mandolins, it's confounding why these old-timers fetch such a high price.
Though there are plenty of quality cottage emando builders, some of the best being made in history, these instruments can also be expensive, and none have the classic panache of the original Mandocaster. Even Fender is reluctant to tackle a reissue, a baffling state of affairs.
Enter mandolin design trail blazer, Jeff Cowherd of JBovier Stringed Instruments. This instrument pioneer has brought professional quality, mid-priced acoustic mandolins the last several years, and now with equal vision and market savvy, he's brought an incredible homage to the Mandocaster--at an affordable price! The new JBovier EMC (Electric Mando Caster) and its hybrid sister ELS, Electric Leo Smith (extra credit if you can guess the origin of the name...) are now in production with an anticipated November delivery date.
Here's the really good part, Manufacturer's List Price of $799 with gig bag, these are anticipated to sell on the street (or the internet) for only $599! We had a chance to try these at the Summer NAMM show, and had to run down friends who in turn, ran raving to their own friends to point these out. Mandolin dignitaries like Sam Bush, George Gruhn, Bucky Baxter, Stephen Mogin, and Gordon Roberts were as giddy as we were with these new weapons of M.A.S destruction, weighing in with postive comments and superlative accolades.
Some of the nitty gritty from a recent JBovier press release: "Both will feature dual pickups and 3 way switch (not pictured on EMC prototype), with improved configuration of the controls, the volume knob closest to the bridge for easy "violin" volume swells, the selector switch closer to the perimeter to avoid contact or collision while strumming, and tone knob ergonomically between. A larger pickup cavity will be cut and "blank" pick-guards made available to allow do-it-yourself pickup modifications for those desiring custom upgrades, such as a Seymour Duncan "Antiquity" Mandocaster p/u, or a mix with a chrome humbucker, (etc). The ELS model (bottom photo) will sport a rosewood fretboard on future models , the EMC model (top photo) will have maple. Both feature .080 frets and fingerboard dots at frets 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, and higher. Headstocks include the signature logo, string spacer (EMC only), and deluxe tuners." (Shown in photos: optional Sperzel "Sound-Lok" tuners available)
Playing with the pickups on the show floor, we found a variety of highly effective tone combinations, including a suprisingly impressive acoustic sound when locked in the dual position. These instruments were very hard to put down, and we expect to see one very soon in our own personal JazzMando arsenal. Also, for those of you living at "C" level, we received confirmation that 5-string versions are in the works, the EMC-5 and ELS-5.
The expected delivery date on the 4-strings holds another insider secret we've been privy to: an unbelievable preorder "Charter JBovier" bonus price.
July 27, 2009 | Fado Lisboeta - Edu Miranda Trio on YouTube
One artist we can never get tired of, Brazilian bandolimist, Edu Miranda. We posted information about him and his trio earlier (see archive). Packed with musicianship and performing skills, what grabs most is the aesthetic "abandon." These guys really enjoy playing together, and it certainly comes across in their presentation.
July 25, 2009 | Readers weigh in: Getting into Jazz Mandolin
We like to share what other students of "Getting into Jazz Mandolin" have to say about their experience and suggestions. This from Jeoff:
" I am new to the mondolin, but not music. My past has been playing the bass guitar. I stumbled upon your web site, bought your book and both enjoy and feel very challenged. Thank You for sharing your work and the efforts you make to further my knowledge and ability. I am responding to your request for input on more FFCP ideas, wants and desires. I think what would help me is to spend more time in one tonal center.
I would enjoy having your 1st position Major scale studies expanded across two to three octaves would be incredible, including the thirds, the I vi7 ii7 V7 patterns, the fourths and so on. While working on the arpeggios, I find working through short bursts of many keys to be mindnumbing and hard to recall. Possibly chaining together drills of scales, chords and arpeggios in related tonal centers would help me.
You cover a lot of ground in your book, I fear I will be working through the material for many years to come. I would like more twelve to 16 bars of one skill builder to work through those arpeggios.
I really can't complain. It's all in the book. The songs are awesome to work out the many concepts, and are right on target for the subject being discussed. Whatever you decide to put in your next book, I'm sure it will be a winner. Your hard is definitely appreciated.
Jeoff brings up a good point. In our attempt to expose you to as many keys as possible (we do practice equal chromatic rights, after all...), it makes it harder to develop an "identity" within a single tonal center. That said, our unique FFcP approach also lends a unique efficiency, the ability to develop the fretboard as four movable keys, rather than twelve fixed.
You get twelve keys (fifteen enharmonic), at wholesale pricing!
It does take a few months, but this cerebral (and finger!) stretching eventually pays off. If you don't already have the book, check it out!
July 23, 2009 | More mandolin magic from Aaron Weinstein
We continue to be blown away by the chord melody virtuosity of New York transplant, Aaron Weinstein. Former violin child prodigy and past mandolin student of Don Stiernberg, he shows off his mastery of music theory with an excellent rendition of "It's only a Paper Moon," on his YouTube video page:
The pedal G throughout, the rolling bass in the 2nd chorus, the quick modulation in the 3rd, and some incredibly clever licks worthy stealing. Terrific performance and a fabulous arrangement, as well!
Acoustic Guitar Magazine has posted on their website, the consummate summary of the legacy of the developments of instrument building pioneer Lloyd Loar. This is a terrific read; here's a teaser excerpt as columnist Walter Carter discusses the Style 5 Guitars and Mandolins and their influence on American music, from Bluegrass to Rock 'n Roll:
"Loar arrived, at Gibson at the beginning of the company's most challenging period. The mandolin wave, which Gibson had ridden and even driven, ended in the years after World War I, supplanted by jazz, which was played to the rhythm of a tenor banjo. Gibson made a half-hearted attempt at jumping on the banjo bandwagon in 1918 with a new banjo model (which was not competitive with those of established makers) while the company desperately tried to maintain the mandolin market with such innovations as the adjustable truss rod and the height-adjustable bridge, both of which appeared in 1921 and are still in use today. Although Loar was not involved in those two inventions, he did have some ideas for a better mandolin--so much better that Gibson's general manager Lewis Williams thought Loar's new family of instruments (which included mandolin, mandocello, and guitar) would revive interest in the mandolin and restore Gibson to its pre-World War I glory."
Loar-designed Gibsons: L-5 guitar, H-5 mandola, and F-5 mandolin.
July 19, 2009 | Summer NAMM 2009: Mandolin Cafe Perspective
We're ready with the full pictorial report from the NAMM trade show floor. Camera in tow, we documented what we thought were some of the cool mandolin highlights and posted them on the Mandolin Cafe Message Board. The hit of the show was two electric mandolins from JBovier, in particular the cream colored Mandocaster tribute, but we also enjoyed many of the other instruments posted on the message thread. Take some time to weigh in with your thoughts, too:
True story: The NAMM show is notorious for having terrific eye-candy but less-than-optimal aural auditioning environment. The din from loudspeaker companies, drums, DJ equipment all tested simultaneously in a room the size of three football fields is a huge distraction from an honest sonic evaluation of any acoustic instrument. On a bathroom break, we saw three buyers and the Stonebridge representative (literally) tucked into the privacy of the Men's public restroom doing their best to dodge the overwhelming ambient noise and hear the tonal capabilities of a lovely F5 mandolin. On the way out the door, we happened to bump into and greet mandolin superstar, Sam Bush, who had just witnessed the same "out-of-place" dialogue while answering nature's call.
Not being as intimate with the often quirky commerce side of NAMM, he confessed his confusion, "I didn't know what kind of shady transactions were just going on--dudes doing some backroom deals in that bathroom with mandolins. Like they were selling drugs or something."
We arrived in Nashville for the Summer NAMM show a day early to regroup and take in the cowboy hats and a little BBQ. Stopped in at Layla's on Broadway to hear Jypsi play, but mandolinist Scarlett wasn't there. (bummer...) Of course we had to make the obligatory trip to Gruhn's Guitars to see the fabulous mando eye candy; we fell in love with a 1980's Gibson F5L with curly maple back and a luscious blond finish. Almost enough to make us fond of F5s...
This morning, we hit the show floor (sorry, Trade Only) and hope to bring you some pictures of the latest eye candy, including the new Eastman Grisman mandola, and an incredible instrument from JBovier that we are sworn to secrecy. More news to follow.
Until then, check out this lovely critter we auditioned at Gruhns just down the corner from the convention:
July 15, 2009 | New JazzMando Sponsor: The Acoustic Music Company
We'd like to welcome our newest sponsor, from across the ocean, "The Acoustic Music Company." About 10% of our readers hail from Europe, and proprietor Trevor Moyle has many fans and customers from the US and Canada, as well. (It's much easier doing commerce overseas than you might think!)
His selection of available brands runs the gamut of "Who's who" in mandolin making, familiar names like Old Wave, Heiden, Clark, Kimble, Lewis, Mowry, Kentucky, Eastman, JBovier, Weber, Kimble, and amazing selection of used trade-ins and vintage acquisitions, as well. We first met up with Trevor after trading in our own Rigel Blueburst CT-110 several years ago, and discovered he's got an insatiable passion for the prouct; he's quite the mando-junkie himself!
Check out the "Tamco" web site for some of the world's best (literally) mandolin eye candy!
July 13, 2009 | Karen Marguth--with Eva Scow & Mike Taylor
We've been huge fans of California bandolimist, Eva Scow ever since being introduced to her first recording "Sharon by the Sea" back in 2007. Partnering with guitarist Dusty Brough, her dazzling music is a pleasant combination of player finesse and aesthetic abandon. Even at age 19 her writing and performing were well beyond her years, and we were excited to see a radio interview captured on YouTube demonstrating the artist's prowess and composure. Check out her outstanding trio rendition of "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To"...
He's better known for his jazz violin prowess, but east coast transplant Aaron Weinstein demonstrates how he can tear up the mandolin fretboard with some fresh chord melody. Recent graduate of the prestigious Berklee School of Music, the former child prodigy (sideman with Bucky Pizzareli!) is now a regular on the New York professional circuit. We hooked up with the former student of Don Stiernberg not long after Aaron left his Chicago area home a few years ago.
Check out this terrific arrangement of Richard Rodgers' "The Blue Room."
The certified master of bow and pick has a start on a YouTube account, currently three videos, one on a mandola-tuned (ala Johnny Gimble) electric 4-string. Enjoy: Aaron Weinstein Jazz Mandolin
The Summer NAMM show in Nashville, Tennessee is next week (7-17/9), and while the event is a "trades only" show, we are looking forward to hooking up with our retailer, publisher, distributor, and manufacturer friends on the other side of the industry's metaphorical cash register. We are anticipating bring you back pictures of the latest and greatest from favorites including Weber, Eastman, JBovier, The Music Link, Saga, Gold Tone, Mel Bay, Larrivee, and much new "undiscovered" talent.
While it's easy to get wrapped up in some of the high-end builder eye-candy, once in a while we like to take a close look at affordable mid-price instruments--mandolins good for the intermediate player or traveling professional. We've taken the time to closely scrutinize some of the noteworthy product recently built under the "JBovier" brand, in particular a stunning African Zebrawood beauty model F5Z. (Street priced around $1400+/-)
Music instrument manufacturing has gone through significant change the last decade, much as other domestic durable goods industries. Globalization has opened access to new options and price opportunities, and not always for the better. What makes it happen positively is when effective lines of communication are opened; the customer/market needs are clearly expressed to the maker, but roving vast geographical, cultural, and language barriers, that isn't as easy as it sounds. A factory's willingness to make superior product can only be possible with an effective agent or "ambassador," one able to convey the subtle, inherent details of more sophisticated market needs and desires.
Hundreds of thousands of really bad import product out there exists, and routinely sold to an indiscreet consumer through faceless channels like auction warehouses and sterile "Big Box" stores, often neither buyer nor builder can distinguish bad from really, REALLY bad. This is the new frontier of globalization, someone who can translate the reigning definitions of "good," and transcend the meekly "appropriate." In mandolins, it's not just fretboards that can stay on, or tops that won't cave under pressure, it's polisehd fretwork ends that don't scrape fingers, frets large enough to easily center pitch, stable tuners that hold strings and turn effectively, let alone woods with superior tone. It even goes as far as appropriate cosmetic aesthetics; you can't just slap an "Americana" brand name on the label, and expect the domestic market to embrace it.
We've seen a handful of pioneers blaze this upwards trail. In particular, Jeff Cowherd of JBovier Mandolins has taken the plunge and connected a quality-centered Korean craftsman base with an American market ideal. His line of A5 and F5 mandolins is worth noting, and you'll want to read our latest builder review to see why!
July 5, 2009 | How it's made; Luis and Clark carbon fibre instruments
Over two years of experience with a New-MAD (New Millenium Acoustic Design) Mix A5 mandolin has yielded a ringing personal endorsement, pun intended. The instrument hangs right in there with its competitive price-point wood peers in every way, sound and playability, but adds the benefits of climate resistance and a cutting edge cosmetic aeshetic panache. A true work horse instrument, it continues to impress the mandolin community with its mainstream acceptance, and of course, confound the traditional purist with its unanticipated legitimacy.
Special thanks to James Condino, progressive building authority in his own right, for pointing out a two-part Luis & Clark video series "How It's Made," that demonstrates how the manfuacturer builds their cellos, similar of course to the New-MAD mandolins which are contracted out of the same Clear Carbon facilities. This is a fascinating "under the hood" look at the process.
The videos help debunk common myths about these instruments. The instruments are not porous, they aren't just "stamped out" on an assemply line, and there are hours of hand crafstmanship necessary to seal, sand, finish, and place tonebars in acoustically strategic spots. We are also missing the incredible handiwork of Morrisveille, Vermont finisher Larry Sweeney (Squeakswe Finishes), known for his years of finish magic at Rigel Instruments and many other personal custom commissions.
We are fascinated by the post-modern chic of the A-model mandolin by UK builder Nigel Forster. Having the fortunate opportunity of apprenticeship with internationally regarded luthier Stefan Sobell, he worked for Sobell several year until January 1990, then returned two years later where he remained until November 2003. The following year the young builder set up his own shop in Newcastle upon Tyne, where continues building original guitars, bouzuokis, and mandolins of his own signaure design. His notoriety increased, he has a following seeking what he describes as the "Forster sound--the key words power, fullness and playability."
Click pictures for close-up
We asked him several questions of his remarkable craft and processes:
JM: How are your mandolins different from the "traditional" instruments in concept and sound? (or how might they be the same?)
NF: There is much in common with a Gibson A model on a superficial level, but as any maker will know the main factors we have at our disposal to colour the sound of our work are the arching of the soundboard and back, the thicknessing of the plates, the position and shape of tone bars, the materials we use and the type of bridge we employ. By working with all of these my instruments have a very different sound to a traditional American instrument, but stay clear of the "tinkly" sound I often associate with European ones.
Let's face it, the best Bluegrass mandolins have already been made, but this cannot be said for the Celtic or Jazz Mandolin. What I was working towards was having the sustain and clarity of an English Mandolin coupled with the dark, woody bottom end of an American one. Many people making Mandolins for Jazz players try to get more sustain this is better achieved with an oval or round hole but because many players prefer the look of F holes makers find themselves sticking with that design as it more commercially acceptable. I prefer both the sound and the look of an oval hole so the decision is an easy one for me to make!
The main influences on these instruments came from three sources - Sobell being the first. It is difficult for me to make an instrument for it not to be influenced by the time spent with him.
The next two sources were a pair of superb Mandolins I played whilst stopping with a friend and customer over in Dallas, Texas. They were a Gilchrist F model and a Montelone Radio Flyer. These were the finest two mandolins I had ever played. Knockout! I had a good look at them and let them simmer for a year or so in a pot on a low heat at the back of my mind along with a Sobell!
JM: What distinguishes your mandolins from other contemporary builders? (playability, sound, design, etc.)
NF: I try to look forward with out ignoring the past. I like clean lines clear notes and no fuss. I try to build an instrument that provides the player with a source of inspiration and that offers no obstacle to producing the music in their hearts. It seems to me that a top quality Jazz mandolin and a top quality Celtic Mandolin may well be very similar instruments. People don't like to hear this sort of thing but it may be the case. But many folk want clarity coupled with richness. This is what I do best.
JM: What woods are available to you and how does this affect their sound?
NF: I have plenty of stuff available but I tend to be rather conservative in my choice of tone woods and rather more experimental in my methods of design and construction. I use European Spruce for my soundboards and American Maples for the back and ribs. The necks are always from my stock of 1908 vintage Cuban Mahogany. The best of the best! The Spruce I am using now is a very light and stiff batch of Czech Spruce. Some of it is very fine grained, but some really rather coarse, but I really do believe that closeness of grain and quality of tone are quite unrelated. I also have some rather nice Adirondack Spruce and I'll build with this when I have time. It should be interesting to compare.
JM: What goals/projects would you like to work on in the future that you haven't already accomplished?
NF: For the future--to keep working! It would be rather pleasing to see my mandolins played by more people. Those who have played them seem really bowled over and that is always a pleasing reaction. The designs will slowly evolve as they always have. Experimentation is so important to me, once you reach a certain level of skill,woodwork just becomes woodwork so making the same thing over and over would not satisfy me at all. No, the plan is to keep working and keep experimenting with the architecture of instruments.
We always appreciate the builder who is willing to build off of tradition, taking it to the next level, and look forward to how Nigel will impact the mandolin world.
We love feedback. Especially when someone totally out of the blue "gets it."
We recently read a comment from a fan weighing in on our concept of "Fingers/Ears/Brain," outlined in the "Getting Into Jazz Mandolin" book, as well as on this website: "I purchased this book to help me learn to play by ear. I am an admitted tab addict. I have always wondered how people learn to play by ear. Especially in a jam session. The 'Introduction and Philosphy' section of this book caught my attention and the light bulb went off. This book may be geared to Jazz but I believe it can help me learn to play by ear. The path seems simple enough 1) develop your fingers to find the correct notes, 2)develop your ear to hear the notes your fingers play, 3)develop your brain to comprehend the musical style and theory.
I hope that this book helps me develop my ear so that I am comfortable playing at a jam session without tabs. I believe this book is a great method to develop my technique and ear at the same time so I can accomplish my goal. Learning a little jazz will be fun too."
Yahtzee! Though the original intent of the book was to introduce the Folk/Bluegrass market to some of the jazz vocabulary, we feel strongly there is more application here than just jazz. The ability to explore chromatic realms will make all of these studies valuable for equipping the mandolinist for classical, pop, and Choro music.
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July 31, 2009 | Mandolin find: Fender FM-62SCE
