Conference napalm::guitar

    
    I own one-- an Epiphone.  It's a cheap copy of Gibson "A" model.  As to
    whether or not I play it-- I try now and then.  Instead of tuning it
    in 5ths (I believe that is standard tuning), I cheat and tune it like
    the highest four strings of a guitar (only down a step and up an
    octave).
    
    As far as mandolin music, check out David Grissolm (sp?)-- he plays a
    bluegrass/jazz hybrid he calls "dawg" music.  Pretty interesting stuff.
    You might want to checkout the folk music conference for more info on
    the mandolin.
    
    Jim

    re -1
     Where is the folk music conference located? Would this
    conference also cover flatpicking, bluegrass etc.?
    
    chuck

    I own and also play.  I end up doing everything from Rod Stuart songs
    to Greek type folk music.  Paid $75.00 dollar for it so its sure not
    a Gibson but does well enough the limited play I give it.  It sits in
    my music room next the Martin, 5 string banjo,  tenor banjo, banjo
    ukelele, two regular Ukelele's, baby grand piano, Fender Rhodes, my strat,
    my tipple,  2 hamonica's, and a violin.  Now if I could only get them 
    all to play at the same time!!!  Bet I have a hell of a band!!!
    
    
    Bruce May
    
    

    RE: last
    
    What's a "tipple"?
    
    

    Re: .2
    
    The folk conference is at COOKIE::FOLK_MUSIC.  Hit KP7 to add to your
    notebook.
    
    There are more listeners than players there, but there is a currently
    active mandolin note there.
    
    						Brian

    The albums by the group,New grass Revival has excellent 
    mandolin work on them.They have a great mandolinist.
    
    Another Group that comes to mind is my favorite band of all 
    time     "EXILE"  This group just recently inherited a young 
    ,hot,guitarist that also plays a heck of a mandolin.The
    name of the album =  "Still Standing".This band is 
    contemporary country with a rock,top 40 flair.
     
                              Rick

    If you have ever heard the Grateful Dead tune "Friend of the Devil"
    you may have noticed a mandolin kicks in around the second or third
    verse. The mandolin was played by David Grissman on that tune.
    
    Jerry Garcia also joins David Grisman on the bluegrass album "Old
    and in the Way" which also features Vasar Clements, John Kahn, and
    Peter Rowan. Great Bluegrass album !!!
    
    Mark
    

    What is a tipple??
    
    It is a 10 stringed intrument that had popularity in the 20's and 30's.
    It also has popularity with certain cultures (but I am not sure which).
    If you can get your hands on a Martin catelog, they have a picture of
    one.  It about the size of a baratone Uke and the string configuration
    is double, triple, tripple, double making ten strings.  Mines an old
    one and it needs a bridge so I haven't got it strong up yet and don't
    know the tuning.
    
    Bruce May
    

    And what should a tipple sound like? 
    
    

    Bruce,
    
    Isn't it spelled "Tiple", although it's pronounced "tipple"?  I've seen
    them in the Martin catalog, and although they're not much bigger than a
    mandolin, their neck is more guitar-like.  I wish someone would jump in
    and tell us how it's tuned...
    
    Speaking of hot mando players, leave us not forget Ricky Skaggs.  On
    Tony Rice's "Manzanita" album, he has David Grisman and Ricky Skaggs
    with him, and there's some serious picking going on there.  Also,
    there's Peter Ostroushko, a regular on "A Prairie Home Companion", and
    the subject of some discussion in the folk music notesfile.  His group
    "The Mando Boys", said with tongue in cheek, plays just about
    everything, including some J.S. Bach transcriptions.
    
    Charlie

    See note 1530

    Try Ry Cooder for blues mandolin.
    
    andy
    

A mandolin playing friend of mine would like to know what is the US price of 
a new Gibson F-5L mandolin.

(Fyi: in Switzerland I saw a very nice example for the equivalent of ca. US$ 
3400)

Does anybody know?

FeliX.

I recently bought The Music of Bill Monroe 1936-1994.  Monroe is given credit
in some circles for the creation of bluegrass music.  Although he was a 
contemporary of Robert Johnson, Bill Monroe is still alive and performing
at the age of 83.  The 4 CD compilation covers lots of ground and has lots
of excellent sidemen including Vassar Clements, Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs,
Peter Rowan and  Ricky Skaggs.  Lots of good playing here.  On one cut,
Lonesome Moonlight Waltz, my wife and 9-year old son stopped what they
were doing to listen; after which my son stated, "Now THAT'S good music."
Monroe was 61 when he recorded that particular song (about 3/4 of the way
through the compilation), so there is hope that we can all continue to play
well for a while longer.

There is also a picture of Monroe's mandolin - a 1923 Gibson F5 made by
Lloyd Loar - that shows its decades of continuous use.  And the man can sing.

Jim

    Monroes mandolin was smashed to bits by vandals who broke into his
    house 7 or 8 years ago.  Gibson repaired his mando, splinter by
    splinter thus repairing back to playability not only his mandolin 
    but his association with Gibson which had been damaged in the early
    '50's.
    
    _stew- 

I have found a mandoline surely from the 30's and that is in mint condition.

I just have to clean it a little and to re-string it.

Could someone in this notesfile tell me what is the standard or convenient
tuning of a mandolin. Is it like a guitar E A D G or D G B e ?

Thanks in advance for your answer(s)

Regards

Didier

    Mandolins are tuned the same as a violin (same pitch as well):
    GDAE (G is the lowest-pitch course).

    
    	So if I played one while standing on my head, I could use
    	regular guitar chords?  
    

    If you use one while standing on your head, you can use any chords
    you like, since no one will be listening anyway...