The Epiphone instrument company, once a chief rival to Gibson guitars, mandolin, and guitars in the early part of the 20th century, became more-or-less an authorized Gibson copy builder after Gibson bought the company in 1957. Not immediately, as Epiphone continued to make instruments that competed with Gibson until that company was sold in 1969, but moved quickly to Asian production after Gibson was sold again in 1986 to Henry Juszkiewicz, David Berryman, and Gary Zebrowski.
Though a few classic Epiphone designs from the ’50s and ’60s remain in the catalog, most of the line consists of replicas of the more costly Gibson guitars, offered as nearly identical-looking instruments at a dramatically lower price.
Gibson hasn’t made banjos since their facility was destroyed by flooding in 2010. When Gibson mandolins, and then Dobro guitars, were reintroduced several years later, banjo fans began to hope that they might soon see five strings under the Mastertone brand again too. But it wasn’t to be. Since 2010 the only thing Gibson offered for banjo pickers were from Epiphone.
This week the company has announced a number of new instruments as the Epiphone Bluegrass Collection, which includes three banjos and three mandolins made as clones of their former Gibson big brothers, and an electric mandolin built like the Gibson Firebird guitar.
This would seem to be the closest one can get to buying a banjo from Gibson these days, and the newly-introduced models include a copy of the Earl Scruggs Golden Deluxe model, made to resemble the Granada banjo he played most of his career. This banjo was famously known for its combination of a maple neck and a mahogany resonator, and the various Earl Scruggs banjos offered by Gibson before 2010 were their best sellers by far.
The new Epiphone Earl Scruggs Golden Deluxe matches the specs of the Gibson model, but is gold plated, and is offered at only $1299 with hard shell case. Scruggs had resisted offering a lower-cost version of his banjo while he was alive, as did his sons, but his grandson has now approved this new Epiphone model.
Also offered in this new collection are a Mastertone Classic banjo, copied from the Gibson RB-3, which sells for $999, and a Mastertone Bowtie open back selling at $799. The 3 copy includes a hard shell case and the open back comes with a gig bag.
Over on the mandolin side, Epiphone has a new F-5G Cremona Sunburst model, which the company says is the finest mandolin they have built to date, offered with solid maple and spruce components, and a rectangular hard shell case for $1499. Also available is the F-5 Studio, Vintage Sunburst Satin mandolin, also solid wood, with a gig bag, for only $599.
The four string electric Mandobird with a vintage sunburst sells for $399 with a gig bag.
Epiphone is keeping their A model mandolin, the MM-30S A-Style with a vintage sunburst at $219. This mandolin has a solid spruce top with plied mahogany sides.
A video with Charlie Worsham and Wyatt Ellis demonstrating the new models shows them to be fine sounding instruments.
All of these instruments in the Bluegrass Collection will be available from authorized Epiphone dealers worldwide. Additional model details can be found online.
Here it is… A one of a kind, unique and rare instrument; a banjo unicorn.
Bernunzio Uptown Music in Rochester, NY has listed for sale the only prewar five string All American banjo Gibson ever made, with a flathead tone ring and one piece flange. This banjo has been discussed for years by collectors and vintage enthusiasts, seen a few times over its lifetime, and long rumored to still exist.
John Bernunzio told us this morning that it is in all original condition, and being offered for sale by its current owners with its factory-shipped red line case. As best as he can figure, it was made in 1939.
“There were only 25 of these ever made by Gibson before the war, and this is the only five string. It was purchased from Gibson by CL Pennell in Danville, VA. Mac Justice bought it and had it restored in 1966 by CC Richelieu, who did some finish touch up and replating.
Mac wanted to sell it to open a VW dealership, and the new owner kept it under the bed. He actually owned a guitar shop, but kept it at home. He recently passed and his wife and daughter brought it to us on Sunday to sell for them.
We have pretty much the whole history of this banjo.”
The All American was the highest grade banjo Gibson ever offered, with gold plating, extensive engraving on both the wood and metal components, and a headstock carved in the shape of a bald eagle, with carved feather details, and then painted and finished. The heel likewise features detailed engraving and painting, as do the sides of the resonator, whose back is carved in a stunning eagle pattern that covers its circumference.
The fingerboard is made of yellow pearloid with etched and stained images of important events in the history of the US, placed where fret markers are typically found.
It is a truly stunning example of Gibson’s prewar artistry, and given its extreme rarity, is priced at $250,000.
John says that he is taking the All American and a prewar RB-3 with him to Banjothon this weekend, where it is sure to be a chief object of attention.
Gibson has announced two new instruments in its iconic F-5 mandolin line, a replica of the historic 1923 Loar, and a modern version for players who want the sound without all the frills.
The 1923 F-5 Master Model Reissue is a painstaking clone of the mandolin that started it all, the most highly prized F-5 ever made, those signed in July of 1923 by Gibson’s master luthier and designer, Lloyd Loar. Using a mix of 3D scanning and Loar’s original notes, they have replicated every curve and every specification from the original article. They are so sure that it is an exact copy that they even paste in a replica of the authentic label, with Lloyd Loar’s signature.
Like the real thing, Gibson uses a high grade red spruce top, with quarter sawn figured red maple neck, back, and sides, finished with a hand rubbed varnish. The ebony fingerboard has mother-of-pearl dots, and the headstock boasts the classic flower pot in abalone.
This reissue also comes in a replica case with the pea green lining.
To help demonstrate the 1023 F-5 Master Model Reissue, Gibson invited Sierra Hull in to check it out, and filmed this video with David Harvey, head of mandolins at the company.
Gibson offers the 1923 F-5 Master Model Reissue for $19,999, and says that they have them available for sale now online, and from a limited number of specialty mandolin resellers.
Also new is the F-5G, the little brother to the ’23 reissue. It is made with the same basic F-5 body shape, but with a wider, radiused fingerboard, no fingerboard extension, and a sitka spruce top with red maple neck, back, and sides. These mandolins are finished with a nitrocellulose lacquer, and come with a standard hardshell case.
The F-5G has been in the Gibson line for several years, but its specifications have been updated for the current model.
David Harvey is Master Luthier at Gibson (head of the Gibson mandolin department), a musician/singer/songwriter, and a historian with a vast knowledge of the early history of Gibson instruments.
The musical maestro continues to give educational, interactive, visual presentations.
“It was born out of our love for vintage Gibson instruments,” Harvey explained.
“It started 15 years ago when Tim May and I did a presentation on vintage Gibson mandolins at the Country Music Hall of Fame.”
There are a total of nine videos from this presentation posted on YouTube, two of which you can view below:
Harvey is a walking/talking encyclopedia of the Gibson Instrument Company.
“Founded in 1902, Gibson is successful due to its diversity, and has a rich history. Orville Gibson applied for two patents in 1894 for the A model and F model mandolins, and was granted the patents in 1898. Orville was approached to build 100 mandolins for a mandolin orchestra, and he has been quoted to say, ‘They would be $100 per instrument and take a hundred years.’ Upon hearing this, a group of investors approached Orville about licensing his name to form the Gibson Mandolin and Guitar Company. Production started in 1902 and quickly increased in number after implementing Henry Ford’s automation and assembly line model.”
The musical educator discussed how production increased from under 500 instruments built in 1902 to 3000 per year just a few years later.
“This was during the heyday of mandolin orchestras,” he pointed out.
These days David offers a condensed history of the Gibson company and its products in a seminar presentation, that covers instruments from 1895 to modern times.
“We play the instruments and discuss the innovation in design, sound production, and construction. I trace the instruments back to their original owners when possible. The instruments outlive us. I try to tie the history all together with interesting stories. There is some conjecture, connecting the dots. I love seeing the faces of the people as I do these presentations.”
Harvey admits that he is a complete mando-geek, and includes personal references in his presentations.
“Take my dad’s mandolin, for instance. My grandmother bought it in 1953. He played that mandolin his entire life, and shared the stage with Red Allen, the Osborne Brothers, Frank Wakefield and many others.”
Harvey has a diverse instrument collection, ranging from 1903 to more recent days.
“I have enough to make it interesting, and usually bring a couple dozen instruments.”
Young mando-man, Wyatt Ellis, of Maryville, TN, traveled to Cortland, Ohio, in May 2022 to attend one of Harvey’s Gibson presentations, and ultimately became a part of one held at Mitch and Cindy’s Bluegrass Jamboree. The youngest Gibson mandolin endorser and G3 Artist shared, “It was worth the drive to just be in the same room with all of those amazing instruments.”
Harvey is proud of the Gibson Company.
“One of my favorite things to do is build the instruments that are so highly regarded, and get to sign them. It is a company rich in style and incredible craftsmanship.
Through the teens and late 1920s, there were mandolin and banjo orchestras. Lloyd Loar, Acoustic Engineer for Gibson at the time, was highly respected and referred to as ‘Master Loar,’ so that is where the Master Model and Mastertone came to life.
The past remains inspiration for modern builds and we are currently launching the 100th Anniversary Master Model. This is our tribute to the July 9, 1923, F-5 mandolin.”
Harvey truly loves his job and sharing his passion for vintage instruments with others.
David will be presenting his collection once again on Saturday, July 29, at Preservation Hall in historic Noblesville, Indiana. The evening show is at capacity, but a few seats remain at the 2:00 p.m. seminar. To reserve your seat, call 317-426-1672.
Harvey is looking forward to sharing Gibson’s history and handiworks with people in the Indianapolis region. “Noblesville Preservation Alliance has done a wonderful job of celebrating the history of this building, and is a wonderful setting to showcase this musical legacy.”
We all know that Christmas is a time for giving, and here is a lovely seasonal story of two individuals’ multi-generational friendship, passion for music, appreciation for old instruments, and love for one another demonstrated on so many levels.
“I first met Edison Wallin at a local bluegrass jam near Flag Pond, TN. It was held at Farnor Store. He was playing up on stage with the band, and when he came down I asked him if he gave lessons. He first said no, then he handed me his banjo and said play me something. I played a little for him, and he said he’d help me all he could. We never had a ‘sit down’ lesson. For the first year or so, it was all over a land-line phone. I’d call him, he’d play stuff, explain how he was doing it, and then I’d have to play it back for him. My mom called us ‘Pete and Repeat.'”
Wallin, now 83, elaborated, “Lincoln was 13 or 14. I had retired and never given banjo lessons. I said, ‘I’ll teach you all that I know.’ He called me every day when he got home from school. He hears it and plays it!”
After mastering the five-string, Lincoln wanted to learn the six-string.
His mentor recalled, “He asked me to teach him to play the guitar. I play Merle Travis style. I said it’s like patting your head and rubbing your belly. You play the melody with your forefinger and the timing (rhythm) with your thumb.”
“Lincoln wanted to learn Cannon Ball Rag. He learned it over the phone in 30 minutes.”
This leads us to the gift, and the story of a special old Gibson guitar…
Wallin continued, “A friend found it in Erwin, TN, in an attic of an old house. It was in rough shape. He kept it for years and gifted it to another friend, Tom Horton. Tom had it for a good while and gifted it to me in the ’70s.”
Lincoln interjected here…
“Edison kept it for a long while, saw that I was coming along and taking an interest in guitar, specifically Gibsons (thanks to him), and he gave it to me. Edison gave me this guitar for Christmas almost 10 years ago, around 2013 or 2014.
It’s a 1941 Gibson L-0. It has been through several wars and a few bad winters. I don’t think this guitar ever had a case, and because of that it had suffered some structural damage throughout the years, making it really hard to play. With the help of Jim Lloyd, I was able to get Herb Key and Wayne Henderson to do some restoration work on the guitar and get it back in great playing condition while keeping all of its mojo. It gave the guitar a new lease on life and it’s ready for another 80 years of music.”
Wallin noted, “Lincoln told me that he took it to get it fixed. It had some braces loose and such. He called me to say that he had picked it up and was stopping by my house to show me the guitar.”
“I played it. It sounded good. He sat it down and leaned it against the couch. He said, ‘that’s your guitar. I wanted to do that for you.’ What a special Christmas present!
Lincoln had given me a 1938 Recording King banjo. He said that they (the guitar and banjo) needed to be together. He wouldn’t have no part in me paying him for having it fixed. I said, ‘Pass it along to your child.’ It’s the guitar that keeps on giving.”
Lincoln stressed, “There really aren’t enough adjectives to accurately encapsulate what a mentor truly is for a young musician, but if there were, Edison Wallin would qualify for all of them. He has been a great friend and source of knowledge for me since week two of my banjo journey. He’s probably the most humble and selfless person I have ever met. He’s given me multiple instruments throughout the years. He’s given me a lifetime of music to learn from, and he’s loaned me money to buy bigger investment instruments until I could get the funds together because in his words, ‘it’ll be gone if you wait around and don’t buy it now!’ Edison even let me take his 1937 Chrysler Royal to prom!
“This guitar, in my mind, is a big piece of my local musical heritage because it’s belonged to several of my early influences, Bill Harris, Tom Horton, and Edison. When Edison gifted me the guitar years ago, it was the first vintage instrument I had ever owned and sparked my fire for collecting. Once I found out that it could be restored back to being a great playable instrument and make the music we both love again, it was a no brainer to give it back to Edison.”
“I continued the tradition and gifted it back for Christmas. Edison has given me so much both through our friendship and our musical relationship, and never asked for a penny in return. I’m glad he’ll get to enjoy the guitar at its full potential! Love you, Edison! Merry Christmas!”
Edison Wallin appears in Tennessee Bluegrass Band’s 2022 music video, Tall Weeds and Rust.
Hensley thought Edison was the perfect man for the job.
“My grandpa had passed away and we shot all those scenes on my grandpa’s farm. I called Edison to come in and ‘act’ as the grandpa figure. Though there wasn’t any acting needed because that’s what he is to me. They just turned on the cameras and we just picked and laughed and did what we normally do.”
“I consider Lincoln as the grandson I never had,” Edison concluded.
May we all experience this special bond with someone in our lives. Merry Christmas and God bless us everyone!
David Harvey, who oversees production of mandolins and acoustic instruments at Gibson in Nashville, will be offering a couple of presentations this spring on the history of the company which employs him. Though Gibson has seen several owners since it passed from the Gibson family, there are few who understand its early days as well as Harvey, or the instruments that defined its beginnings.
Gibson goes back to the late 19th century, when founder Orville Gibson began to build mandolin family instruments. The actual legal entity was launched in 1904 as the Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Mfg. Co. Ltd, based in Kalamazoo, MI, where they remained until 1984 when all manufacturing was moved to new facilities in Nashville, a process that had begun several years earlier. Following multiple acquisitions and changes in the musical instrument market, the company is now officially known as Gibson Brands, Inc.
Those of us in the bluegrass world are largely focused on the company’s glory days, when they were the premier builders of the mandolins and banjos that defined the sound of bluegrass. While banjos are no longer built by Gibson, and the company’s focus is directed towards electric guitars, the mandolin still has its place in the Gibson hierarchy, and they still build among the finest of them there in Tennessee.
Harvey is venturing to Springfield, MO this weekend for an April 9 presentation entitled From Orville to Loar at The Acoustic Shoppe, operated by the Chapman family, long time purveyors and producers of quality bluegrass music. Starting at 6:30 p.m., he will detail the story of Gibson from Orville’s first shop right up to the time when Lloyd Loar, the legendary luthier who designed the F-style mandolins and the Mastertone banjos, held David’s position with the company in the ’20s.
He will be bringing nearly two dozen examples of these early model Gibson guitars and mandolins, provided to him by a number of collectors, including a few plainly historic examples. He will have several F-4 mandolins, a 1929 Fern F-5, plus the legendary “Drunk Loar,” so named for the story that a previous owner once threw it across a room in a drunken rage. Also on hand will be some early guitars, including a jumbo model that was the first Gibson guitar ever shown on television.
The presentation will be watchable by video stream on The Acoustic Shoppe Facebook page, but anyone with an interest in these classic instruments and their story is encouraged to come to the shop in person to take it in. Video can’t possibly convey the look, sound, and smell of these historic mandolins and guitars, nor the opportunity to hold one in your hands.
On May 28, Harvey will give a similar, but more expansive talk at Mitch and Cindy’s Bluegrass Jamboree in Cortland, OH. For this one, David will be able to bring even more instruments, and cover the early days of Gibson in greater detail. He promises to share further information about that in the near future.
When we asked about production of Gibson mandolins these days, he said that they were so back ordered at this point that it didn’t even merit discussion. If you have had your heart set on one of the models still available from Gibson, you might want to get in line before the back orders get even further behind.
When stock is available, David says it is delivered to The Gibson Garage in Nashville, the company’s new retail facility on 10th Street downtown in Nashville.
Here are a few photos of the instruments that will be at The Acoustic Shoppe with Harvey on Saturday.
David Harvey presents Doyle Lawson with a Bill Monroe Hall of Fame Gibson F5 – photo by Styx Hicks
When Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver played their final show at Nashville’s Station Inn on November 27, David Harvey with Gibson Mandolins was on hand to make a special presentation.
Harvey honored Doyle for 60 years of performing bluegrass music professionally, and 20 years as an endorser and representative for Gibson, with his very own Bill Monroe Hall of Fame Gibson F5 mandolin. These are painstaking replicas of Monroe’s mandolin as it sits today in the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum, with all the wear from hard playing, and the exact specifications of Bill’s 1923 Loar-signed F5. A completely hand made instrument, it is only the seventh such built by the Gibson custom shop, with an estimated value around $25,000. The labels in these instruments were signed by Bill Monroe years ago when they made a special Master Model for him while he was still living.
David also presented Doyle with a mandolin back signed by all the luthiers and craftspeople at the Custom Shop, a tradition for those who retire from the shop going back many years at Gibson. Lawson is retiring from regular touring with his band at the end of 2021.
Here is video of the actual presentation.
Couldn’t have said it better ourselves!
When we spoke with David this afternoon, he shared just how much he admires Doyle, both personally and professionally, and that his feelings are shared by everyone at the company. His suggestion to present this mandolin to Lawson as an expression of Gibson’s gratitude for years of loyalty and appreciation was immediately embraced by management, enthusiastically so.
Harvey shared a copy of this draft of the remarks he made at the presentation…
Tonight we honor Doyle Lawson…
I think back 50 years ago, I was ONLY 3 years old…seeing this man for the first time with the Award Winning Country Gentleman, and what an impression it made on me. I tried to learn all your licks from the record! You still inspire every listener and mandolin player today!
I thought a lot about what I would say tonight, and your contributions are immeasurable, your career is so vast, and you have done it all with excellence and professionalism. What do I mention…what do I leave out? I can’t begin to summarize your legacy.
We all know your music has been a benchmark in quality, and your records have been a soundtrack of our lives. One thing that stands out to me is how many careers you have launched. What knowledge and instruction you have handed down to all in your study.
In addition to the Country Gentleman, let’s not forget the Bluegrass Holiday record, all the Bluegrass Album Band recordings, and every Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver album must be on our desert island playlist. I think I can speak for all that this body of music is timeless.
Doyle, in honor of your more than 60 year career, it is my pleasure to present this signed mandolin back from the Gibson Custom Shop. This is a long standing tradition at Gibson Custom when someone retires. These signatures are the Gibson Custom Shop Management, the Mandolin Department, and the old timers that represent over 250 years of instrument building experience.
Finally, on behalf of Gibson Original Acoustic Instruments and the Custom Shop, I am proud to present you with The Gibson Hall of Fame Bill Monroe F-5 mandolin.
I am proud to call you friend and personally want to thank you for your gifts of music.
Vince Gill was also on hand Saturday evening to honor and introduce Doyle, and he even made an appearance with the band later in the evening.
Here is video of the first instrument tap Doyle offered up on his new instrument, his version of Pike County Breakdown, played very much in the Monroe style. Before they start you can hear Harvey joke with Lawson telling him not to scratch it.
Vince joined the band on stage to do the Osborne Brothers’ classic, Making Plans.
What a marvelous night for bluegrass music in Nashville. Many congratulations to Doyle Lawson for this honor.
There is another plan afoot in Kalamazoo, MI to revamp the property that once housed the Gibson factory, including a new hotel, museum, gym, and more on the site where Gibson operated from 1917 to 1984. A similar plan announced in 2016 was never realized, but a new group of investors feels quite confident that their vision will be realized by 2023. And yes… the iconic Gibson smokestack will be preserved.
Current plans are for PlazaCorp Realty Advisors and Dora Hotel Company to build a Reverb by Hard Rock hotel, which caters to a young, music-minded clientele, on this spot. Reverb is expanding aggressively from their original Atlanta property at this time, with new facilities announced in Sonoma County, CA, and Tampa and Miami, FL in addition to the Kalamazoo site. Their concept is to offer inexpensive, convenient accommodations for younger professionals accustomed to meeting in groups in spaces designed for their lifestyle. A music theme permeates all of these hotels, and they book popular local artists to perform in the lounges and cafes in each location.
This new Reverb hotel would also include a Body Rock fitness gym, a bar and restaurant, and a brewery on site. They plan to build an auditorium for concerts and a museum to retain the memories of the many prestigious artists and performers who signed contracts there with Gibson.
The Heritage Guitar company will retain space in these new plans, continuing to build high quality arch top instruments as thy did prior to Gibson’s relocation to Nashville in 1981. When the company left, a number of trained luthiers decided that they didn’t want to move to Tennessee, and arranged to purchase much of the older equipment from their former employers, and continue building under a new name.
Multimillion dollar investments will be required to put this plan in effect, but PlazaCorp Realty and Dora feel certain that they can pull this off and open the facility in the fall of 2023.
One thing bluegrass music has always done is identify future luminaries while they are still young. You can probably think of several examples – from Josh Williams to Sierra Hull, Chris Thile to Michael Cleveland – budding artists with a special talent are found and given a stage long before they reach the age where a professional career is possible.
Along with the early recognition, the bluegrass world also provides the nurturing and encouragement that a young player needs, seeing that they receive the sort of instruction and coaching that is so vital at the early stages of what could be a life as a virtuoso. The classical music world has been doing this for so long, with instrumental and vocal competitions being held all over the world, that it’s unlikely that a child with an amazing ability could be kept hidden, but it takes a lot of personal commitment from those at or near the top of our industry to pitch in. And they never fail to do so.
Today’s example is Wyatt Ellis, an 11 year old mandolin player from Tennessee who was just recently named as a Gibson mandolin endorsing artist. Playing now for about two years, his natural ability has attracted the attention of a number of notable persons in the mandolin world, who have donated time and effort to help him achieve his goals.
Before we delve into his story, let’s have a look and listen to Wyatt and his mandolin. Here’s a video his mom shot at home for the Monroe Mandolin Appreciation Society just before Christmas, his take on Bill Monroe’s Santa Claus. He learned this one at the virtual knees of Chris Henry and David McLaughlin in their weekly Monroe Style Improvising workshops which Wyatt virtually attended for 36 weeks during the pandemic.
Wyatt’s relationship with Gibson began when his mom, Teresa, reached out to David Harvey, who heads up the Gibson mandolin division in Nashville. Harvey was already familiar with the young mando-man from videos he had seen online, and developed a quick friendship with Teresa over multiple conversations.
Her initial discussions with Harvey had to do with finding a better quality instrument for Wyatt, who had progressed so quickly from the mandolin he had started with. What Teresa didn’t know at first was that David had also been something of a mandolin prodigy as a child, who had grown quickly into a pro-level performer through the sort of help he received from top artists in the field.
David had grown up with a mandolin playing dad, and lived for several years just down the street from bluegrass legend Red Allen and his sons in Dayton, OH. He gratefully recalls the help he received as a young boy, from both his father and from the very musical Allen family in his bluegrass upbringing.
Harvey explained how he became involved with the Ellis family, and took an interest in Wyatt.
“I had seen some videos of Wyatt that his mom had posted on Facebook. After a few conversations with Teresa I discovered how many people in the wider bluegrass and mandolin community had reached out to offer assistance in response to his God-given talent.
When Theresa mentioned them looking for a Master model for her son, I told her that we had recently shipped one to Dennis Vance at The Mandolin Store. That is what started the conversation about him becoming a Gibson mandolin endorsing artist.”
Gibson is notoriously tight-lipped about the details of their relationships with artists, but suffice it to say that through the generosity of The Mandolin Store in partnership with Gibson Brands, Wyatt was able to obtain a brand new, and very special, Gibson Master Model F-5 mandolin.
Showing a remarkable degree of insight for one so young, Wyatt expressed gratitude for his good fortune.
“The music of our roots was born through a Gibson Mandolin just like mine. To now own an instrument capable of creating the drive, rhythm, and soul of my heroes is a dream come true. I do not take this honor lightly and will strive to keep learning at the knees of my mentors. I am very thankful to David Harvey for believing in me and inspiring me to let my gift be the flame!”
For Teresa, the past two years with Wyatt have been a blur. A dentist by profession, she had been sidelined the past year, both by the pandemic shutdowns, and an illness that has prevented her from working. So making sure Wyatt had what he needed to grow in his music had become her priority.
“The relationship with David and Wyatt’s new mandolin have been such a blessing. We had initially reached out to David looking for a used mandolin, because Wyatt was reaching the limitations of his instrument. It’s such a gift the way the whole mandolin community has embraced him.”
She explained a bit about Wyatt’s experiences with music.
“He started with piano when he was six, and played for three years. When he was nine, he began wanting to browse music stores any chance he could. He would always gravitate towards the stringed instruments. He knew that I loved bluegrass and that the mandolin was my favorite instrument, which piqued his interest. One day, Wyatt talked his daddy into a demo model mandolin and they came right to my office to show it off.
We got him started in lessons with Roscoe Morgan in Maryville, who began teaching him Bill Monroe style, which is what he most likes to play. A few months later Wyatt broke his right wrist playing soccer, then broke it again as soon as the cast came off playing basketball. With such arocky start, Roscoe said he wasn’t sure if Wyatt would make a mandolin player.”
Teresa has also been able to arrange lessons for Wyatt with a number of top players, in addition to his regular classes with Roscoe.
“He had started going to local jams before the shutdown, and it was obvious that he had a special gift, being able to play songs he had never heard. When everything shut down, we were wondering how to keep him going, but found that he could do Skype lessons, online platforms, and participate in virtual camps like Monroe Mandolin Camp.
It turns out that the Tennessee Folklife program has an apprenticeship available for young musicians to study with masters within the state. Bradley Hanson started asking professional mandolinists in the state if there was a young student who might be eligible. Danny Roberts and Mike Compton pointed us to the program, which led to Wyatt studying with Sierra Hull.”
Wyatt got to meet Sierra at a show and get his picture taken with her before they started lessons. Sierra said that she remembered meeting Wyatt, but didn’t know his name or how to find him.
Growing up with lots of attention as a young artist, and recognizing all the help she received from professional players in her preteen years, Sierra says that giving back to Wyatt has been a pleasure.
“It’s been a joy getting to know Wyatt and his family these last couple months through the Tennessee Arts Commission Program we are doing. I wanted to work with a young person who was very passionate about learning. It’s been great to see how quickly he is absorbing everything. He’s a very special talent and I can’t wait to continue to watch him grow! I know many more exciting things will continue to come his way.”
Perhaps inspired by Hull’s mastery of multiple instruments, Wyatt is now studying guitar with Jake Workman of Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, as well as mandolin.
Teresa sees the lesson of this whole episode as one of accepting grace, and trusting in your fellow man. And of her learning as she goes just as her son does.
“Music is Wyatt’s gift, but it’s also his escape. I recognized when he was very young that he was very sensitive to sounds, but I didn’t realize at the time that it was a music thing. I even took him for desensitization therapy! Now I’m finding out that he has perfect pitch and other quirks of musicians such as synesthesia.
As Bill Monroe once said, ‘Mandolin pickers have to stick together.’ The people who see videos of Wyatt have been the ones to encourage him, get him into lessons with top professionals online, and attending virtual camps.”
I have said it many times, and it remains true: bluegrass people are good people. We take care of our own.
Gibson has introduced a new line of strings for acoustic guitarists, their Coated Phosphor Bronze set, the latest addition to their Factory Spec String Collection. These are the sets that come on all new Gibson instruments.
Coated strings have become popular with bluegrass players of late for their longer life, especially when playing out of doors during the summer festival and jam season. Though grassers have not traditionally favored Gibson strings for guitar, they may want to revisit that with the announcement of this set.
Three gauges are available, Medium, Light, and Ultra Light:
Ultra-Light Gauge .011 .015 .022 .032 .042 .052
Light Gauge .012 .016 .024 .032 .042 .053
Medium Gauge .013 .017 .026 .035 .045 .056
All are wound with phosphor bronze, a copper alloy that also contains tin and phosphorous, and is nearly standard for acoustic guitarists who demand strings that wear well and have lasting tone. They are then coated with a material designed to protect the windings from grease and oils that your fingers can leave behind, and which can age the strings much faster.
The Gibson Coated Phosphor Bronze strings are available wherever guitar strings are sold, or directly from the company web site.
