 THE JETHRO
 Once a part of my collection was this top of the line Epiphone mandolin (S/N is 85476) owned and played by the master himself, Jethro Burns. Constructed with solid carved top and back, this Japanese MM-70 has the scroll body shape, abalone flowerpot headstock in-lay, fancy abalone fingerboard inlay similar to those of a 1970's Gibson F-5, carved spruce top with F holes, maple neck, back, and sides, white binding on all neck and body edges, and a sunburst finish.
Truthfully, the instrument was valued by Jethro more as a convenient travel instrument over the acoustic merits of the others he recorded with, but nothing gave me greater pleasure than to sit in the solitude of my studio riffing on "Nola" or "The Shadow of Your Smile," and dream that someday I'll be able to rip out quadruple pull-offs, and charm the world 1/100th as much as this national treasure did.
Spirit of Jethro, come upon me!
Additional Photos:
Kenneth "Jethro" Burns
1920-1989
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