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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 18
Location: Rockaway NJ | here's a thought - being a player of both the ovation mandolin and mandocello, i would love to have the complete mando family. while i'm sure that a mandola from ovation is highly unlikely, could a Trekker be converted? could any luthiers out there discuss the possibility of making a 17" scale neck to fit the trekker body?
just a thought...
barryC |
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Joined:
June 2003
Posts: 35
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska | Actually, what I'd like to see is an Octave Mandolin. This would be a wonderful "rhythm" instrument. (Tuned like, but without the negative emotional disfunction and chick deterence of the tenor banjo...)
It would fill out my mandolin mandocello collection, too! |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | I'd suggest just contacting Ovation directly regarding a cu$tom order.
(btw: great mando site there, Ted!) |
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Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | Mandohack
I just added your site to my favorites, and will visit it and do some head to head discussion soon. I, as a mandolin player, have been pushing for broader thoughts about a mandolin's place in music. Jethro Burns's proved it was a jazz instrument and Johnnie Gimble proved it's place in western swing. You criticize bluegrass on your site a little, but mandolin would still be a cheap replacement for a fiddle if it wasn't for Bill Monroe. Listen to some great mandolin playing by the Son's of the Pioneers in their movies, etc. but they didn't start any trends.
Bailey |
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Joined:
June 2003
Posts: 35
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska | Thanks Bailey,
I'm rally sorry I come off as "critical" as far as Bluegrass...
My criticism is more at the very strong contingency of diehards (affectionately known as Blugrass "Nazis") who want to limit the instrument to that one single genre.
As you know, the mandolin "tradition" goes back centuries prior: Celtic, European Classical, and within the last century Brazilian (Choro). My bully pulpit only requests that jazz be respected as an extremely viable place for the mandolin.
But thanks for the kind words and I will relish your insights in the future! |
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Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | mandohack
Jethro Burns put out a book of mandolin jazz songs, probably 20 years ago, but they were GOOD songs, and he pointed out that the mandolin is a very serious swing instrument in the right hands, HIS, he used to tour with Steve Goodman before he (Steve Goodman) died, and he was as much a pioneer as Bill Monroe.
Bailey |
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Joined:
June 2003
Posts: 35
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska | And a big "Amen!" to that...
Ironic that Jethro is known more in the "popular" culture as a comedian (Homer & Jethro) than as a "cutting edge" jazz innovator...
I just had the privilege of spending most of the week with one of his prime proteges, Don Stiernberg. We talked quite at length of how Jethro took the songs "of his time," from musicians in the swing world. It didn't have to be mandolin; more often than not it wasn't. He would just take MUSIC and make it mandolin.
The musical world is a better place for having Jethro Burns! |
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Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | Mandohack
Ignore my later post where I ask the same question. One of the problems of age is a terrible repeditiveness where thinking in circles overcomes thinking at all. |
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Ovation Mandola??