• Takamine T series dreadnought

    Takamine may not be a name that most bluegrass guitar players think of when thinking of great bluegrass guitars, but flatpicking master Brad Davis tells me it will be. Brad helped Takamine design and develop a new dreadnought call the

  • The Loar debuts solid wood mandolin

    The Music Link has announced their latest instrument, a solid wood "F-style" mandolin, designed in collaboration with Greg Rich, who was also a crucial partner in resurrecting their Recording King banjo line. This new instrument (LM-500-VS) is the first mandolin from

  • Bryan Sutton DVD from Homespun

    Secrets for Successful Flatpicking is the title of a new instructional DVD on Homespun Video with current, and five time IBMA Guitar Player of The Year, Bryan Sutton. The DVD covers both lead and rhythm guitar playing and is described 

  • Washburn D-10 wins major award

    Washburn Guitars is proud to note that their D10S guitar was honored earlier this month during the prestigious Music Industry Association Awards in London. The MIA is a British musical products trade association, roughly equivalent to NAAM, which started as

  • New Gibson bluegrass models introduced

    Gibson's bluegrass division introduced three new limited edition models recently - one each in their banjo, dobro and mandolin lines. The new banjo is a vintage RB-4 re-issue. Like the style 4 banjos made prior to WWII, this re-issue will be

  • Bourgeois builds 4,000th guitar

    I just got a note from my friends over at Pantheon Guitars that they have built their 4,000th guitar in the Bourgeois line. It is a very beautiful Brazilian and Adirondcack DS-260 with Style 42 Abalone top border. Dana

  • Herschel Sizemore mandolin book reprinted

    When AcuTab's book of Herschel Sizemore mandolin transcriptions went out of print earlier this year, the company had no plans for a reprint. Though the book had found an appreciative audience with serious students of bluegrass mandolin, declining book sales

  • Whatever happened to Rigel mandolins?

    We shared the news last month about Rigel mandolins going out of business - sad news for devotees of their unorthodox mandolin designs. Now comes news (reported by Mandolin Caf?©), that former Rigel co-owner Peter Mix is collaborating with Will

  • American Made Banjo Company

    We heard from Tom Mirisola with Kel Kroydon Banjos last week, and he told us that he has officially changed the name of his company to the American Made Banjo Company. They have just launched their new web site as

  • Rigel Mandolins closes up shop

    Mandolin Cafe is reporting that Rigel Mandolins has ceased production and is going out of business. Rigel was noted for unorthodox design and construction techniques, and their instruments were championed by a number of mando-enthusiasts who embraced the sometimes radical