A Custom Instrument


By: Daniel Date: Oct 27, 2006 - 05:36 PM

One of the most indulgent pleasures to which a musician has access is a custom made instrument. To be sure, most casual players are happy enough with mass produced instruments, but then casual players do not develop an ear for the various tonal qualities of different types and makes of their instruments.

Guitars come in many sizes, depths, and shapes and those differences all affect tone and feel. Mandolins are just as varied, if not more so. Violins, while less variant, are as individual as the player. But all of this is lost on the casual player who happily bangs (or saws) away without closely examining timbre, attack, decay, and dynamics.

But a serious musician, amateur or professional, seeks something particular. He or she has a sound in mind, and the most inspiring moment is when that sound is reproduced by an instrument made to exact specifications. New worlds seem to open up, and sick days are taken (by the amateurs) in order to have more time to play.

I am looking forward to such a state. I have commissioned Gary Vessel [http://vesselmandolns.blogspot.com] to make me a mandolin. By the end of January 2007 I will have a custom F5 mandolin made of big leaf maple and Engelmann spruce to make me consder cashing in my accumulated sick days. The top will be black with a single ply of white binding that stops at the inside of the scroll. The back will be a reddish with fake tortoise binding. The fret board will have a radius to it (16"), and both the fretboard and headstock will carry 'teens era Gibson A3 style markings.

The best part is I'll get to play it as a part of my volunteer obligation at SuperGrass in February 2007. Though I may be forced to pry it out of Gary's hands before each performace and give it back afterward. Gary is good enough that he deserves to have something to display and show off.

Right now, Gary tells me the back pieces have been bookmatched and the rims have been bent.

More info as I receive it.

Daniel

Posted: Fri - May 4, 2007 at 10:19 AM          

©