Big Muddy Mandolin

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maki
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Big Muddy Mandolin

Post by maki »

My wife recently got one.
She likes it much better than her Kentucky 550, which is an 'A' body, 'F' hole arch top type.
The Big Muddy has a really lovely tone, though not as loud as an arch top, it's great for Irish music.
Affordable used ones come up from time to time on the Madolin Cafe classifieds.
And of course, you can order one built to your taste, we did.
We very much enjoyed dealing with Mike Dulak, who is the owner builder.
That dude is a riot!
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Feadoggie
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Re: Big Muddy Mandolin

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Maki, is Big Muddy what was once Mid-Missouri Mandolins?

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Re: Big Muddy Mandolin

Post by Sirchronique »

Feadoggie wrote:Maki, is Big Muddy what was once Mid-Missouri Mandolins?

Feadoggie

Yes, indeed it is! Mid-mo changed their name.
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maki
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Re: Big Muddy Mandolin

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It's a bit of a tale, but basically, yes.
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Re: Big Muddy Mandolin

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maki wrote:It's a bit of a tale
Thanks folks. I Googled around after I asked. I found the side-bender fire story and the subsequent court actions. Bummer.

I think Army-Navy style mandolins should be issued to all Americans at birth. They are a happy little family of instruments.

Enjoy your Big Muddy.
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maki
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Re: Big Muddy Mandolin

Post by maki »

BTW, if cost is an issue, or if you're very handy, there are kits out there.
Paul Busman, one of my favorite whistle makers, put a beauty together not long ago.
A quick search would turn the thread up.
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Re: Big Muddy Mandolin

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Feadoggie wrote:I think Army-Navy style mandolins should be issued to all Americans at birth. They are a happy little family of instruments.
Aha, I didn't make the connection until you mentioned Army-Navy.

Yes, I've tried/played the Big Muddies at our local stringy thing emporium (Buffalo Brothers). And my impression was very positive, much like the first Flatirons from Steve Carlson in both sound and build quality as well as design. Nice instruments, and reasonably priced.

I long ago traded up my early Flatiron 1 for an early (#35) signed Flatiron A5-2 from Steve. It's a truly beautiful instrument, but sometimes I half regret the trade. To my ear, the ringing sustain and timbre of the Army-Navy style beats the mid-rangey punch of a Loar-style instrument for many kinds of non-Bluegrass music, including Celtic.
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maki
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Re: Big Muddy Mandolin

Post by maki »

MTGuru wrote:
Feadoggie wrote:I think Army-Navy style mandolins should be issued to all Americans at birth. They are a happy little family of instruments.
........To my ear, the ringing sustain and timbre of the Army-Navy style beats the mid-rangey punch of a Loar-style instrument for many kinds of non-Bluegrass music, including Celtic.
Bingo.
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Re: Big Muddy Mandolin

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maki wrote:BTW, if cost is an issue, or if you're very handy, there are kits out there.
:) Ummm...thanks for the suggestion, Maki....I don't really need the kits ... or plans (probably have 10 or more sets of mandolin blueprints). What I need is more time in the shop. I've got a mahogany OM guitar and a couple of electric lap steels underway at the moment. I have materials for three mandos on the shelf waiting for me to pay attention to them.

Maki, any chance of a photo of the Muddy?

Anyone here tried (or seen) a Crystal Forest mandolin yet? Another flat top, flat back mando in the A-N style.
MTGuru wrote:To my ear, the ringing sustain and timbre of the Army-Navy style beats the mid-rangey punch of a Loar-style instrument for many kinds of non-Bluegrass music, including Celtic.
I know what you mean. I do like the the sound of a good flat top mando. Most of the A-N models that passed through my hands over the years were in terrible shape. Good ones were rare but a lot of fun. So I enjoy seeing that several makers have specialized in reviving the style. And since most makers are using better materials than Gibson ever did, the results can be very nice.

Some years ago I had a snake head A-2Z (Loar era). It was nice for Bluegrass but was really out of place for much other music - too much thunk. So I bought a Martin model 2-15 for non-BG music. That became my benchmark mando for sound and playability.

Still, I play a locally made F-style mando for most everything these days. We were able to get more balance out of it than the typical F style meant for BG. Not as bassy, just sparkle across the range. Most BG players I run into don't like it but I do.

Mandolins for everyone! or maybe a Uke if we run out...

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Re: Big Muddy Mandolin

Post by Sirchronique »

Not to go off topic, but another really affordable but awesome mandolin are the ones Howard Morris makes! I got a really great oval-hole A style mandolin from him. I'm primarily an octave mandolin player, but this has really got me on the verge of converting over to mandolin fully. It's a really amazing instrument. I wish he made octave mandolins.

Anyone try the Big-Muddy/Mid-Mo OM's or mandolas? I've been thinking about a mandola to complete my mando-family trinity.
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Re: Big Muddy Mandolin

Post by maki »

Hey Feadoggie,
Photo are beyond my ability. Sorry.
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Re: Big Muddy Mandolin

Post by Thomaston »

I've seen those Morris mandolin for sale before at Mandolin Cafe. He seems to do great work. I was really interested in a Redline Traveler for a while, until I threw my hands up in frustration at never being able to pick fast enough to play mando/tenor banjo.
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Re: Big Muddy Mandolin

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Sirchronique wrote:Not to go off topic, but another really affordable but awesome mandolin are the ones Howard Morris makes! I got a really great oval-hole A style mandolin from him. I'm primarily an octave mandolin player, but this has really got me on the verge of converting over to mandolin fully. It's a really amazing instrument. I wish he made octave mandolins.

Anyone try the Big-Muddy/Mid-Mo OM's or mandolas? I've been thinking about a mandola to complete my mando-family trinity.
You could probably find a thread or two on the Mandolin Cafe forum.
There is also a Mid Mo/Big Muddy social club area in that same site.
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Re: Big Muddy Mandolin

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maki wrote:Hey Feadoggie, Photo are beyond my ability. Sorry.
Fair enough. :)
Thomaston wrote:I was really interested in a Redline Traveler for a while
Yes, that's another A-N style mando. Steve Smith does good work at Redline. I've played one of his resonator guitars. Really well done, nice finish and loud as all get out. If his mandolins are near what he does with a reso I'd bet they're killer mandos.

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Sirchronique
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Tell us something.: I like whistles, flutes, lyres, cittern/mandolin/bouzouki family instruments, as well as heavy and nasty slap bass. Languages, linguistics, history (especially Migration Period and Bronze Age Europe), cuisine from various parts of Latin America, chili growing, bushcraft, and the works of JRR Tolkien also tickle my fancy.
Location: Southern Indiana

Re: Big Muddy Mandolin

Post by Sirchronique »

maki wrote:
Sirchronique wrote:Not to go off topic, but another really affordable but awesome mandolin are the ones Howard Morris makes! I got a really great oval-hole A style mandolin from him. I'm primarily an octave mandolin player, but this has really got me on the verge of converting over to mandolin fully. It's a really amazing instrument. I wish he made octave mandolins.

Anyone try the Big-Muddy/Mid-Mo OM's or mandolas? I've been thinking about a mandola to complete my mando-family trinity.
You could probably find a thread or two on the Mandolin Cafe forum.
There is also a Mid Mo/Big Muddy social club area in that same site.

Thanks! With stringed instruments I really never know what to expect and whether or not I will bond with the instrument until I've gotten my hands on it. However, all of the big muddy mandolins I have heard sounded very nice, so perhaps I'll just wait to see if one comes up used for a fair price on the classifieds, eventually.
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