Mandolin Contact

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To contact me, click on the guest-book icon      Free Guestbook from Bravenet.com      or via     dave17120 (on eBay)

 Let me know what you are interested in and I will then email you back with my proper email address. Many thanks, Dave Hynds   

English and French spoken, with some German, Italian and Spanish

NB. if you do not receive an automated response almost immediately, either your email address has an error, or very occasionally your server is blocked by mine.... in which case, contact me via ebay
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New bridges and private repairs.

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restored instruments sold on Ebay. 

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comments on the site

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   Hi Dave, just to let you know that the bridge arrived yesterday and I am absolutely delighted with it. I'll take it down a small amount to get the action just right, which should be no problem - especially having read
your excellent website instructions!  

(Martin; UK)

Where the restoration Instruments have gone: Spr. 09

    Hi Dave, the mandolin has arrived safe and sound and I can't keep the smile off my face!  It's fantastic!  Thank you so much for such a fine job - I could hardly believe it when I opened the case.  I shall be recommending you far and wide, especially as it's actually quite difficult to get anyone to even consider mending an elderly bowl back. It's just great that a house clearance wreck can now provide years of music. Thank you once again!   

Moira. (West Country)
   Hi Dave.......I have received the bridge and have spent the last two days slowly fitting it to the bouzouki, as per the instructions given on your site.  The bridge itself is gorgeous and the sound quality, volume, and sustain are immense....it is like having a completely new instrument. I am really pleased and would like to thank you for all your advice and time spent giving me the appropriate and valuable information. Cheers............

Ian (Cheshire)

   Hello Dave, I have been reunited with my Kay Mandolin. I was so nervous opening the box but shouldn't have been, well packed, well done.
Wow! I have wandered around the house with it and it looks good where ever I put it and it is easy to play too. So, so pleased. To top it all (i thought I spied it in one of the last photos) I have one of your stickers on the inside, signed!  Dave you are gifted with great hands.  Take care of yourself, it has been good doing business with you, be in touch in the future no doubt.  Kind Regards,   

Steve (Aylesbury, UK)

David,  the Mandolin was delivered intact this morning 29th April.  It was a great surprise to receive it so soon after your advice that you were sending it.  I never stopped to think how or when it would get here. We are very pleased with the mandolin (and case); it is really a work of art. From our very first communication I was comfortable with your prompt responses, openness, and willingness to offer advice for which I thank you.  The selection of photos on your web site was impressive to say the least.  

  I was most impressed with the ability to view, and your short playing, of the actual instrument on U tube.  This was great and further set my mind at ease with the whole exercise. To top it all, it has arrived the day before the birthday of our adult son who requested a mandolin, so it will make him very happy also.   David, again thank you for your professionalism and promptness in all our dealings and your devotion to saving these great instruments.

 Best wishes, Brian B (UK)

Hello Dave, Mandolins arrived this morning. Wow, that was quick. French post is good by the sound of it. Another good thing, the parcel didn’t go via customs (or perhaps they just x-rayed it), which is great as they tend to open the boxes and start asking questions as soon as they see wooden items inside.  Putting “goods returned to Australia” on a label was a good idea.
 
My compliments to the amount and quality of work done, I am very impressed. Thank you very much!  I am thrilled with how Calace feels and sounds, you have turned it into a very special instrument. I can’t stop playing it. It sounds better than any mando I ever played.
 Silvestri is not quite in the same league, though, (it never supposed to be, I guess). But I must admit, you have revived an old wreck completely and it is an eye candy.  Very impressive craftmanship throuhout. Once again, thanks heaps Dave for the excellent work. I will have no hesitation sending you more work and recommending you to everyone! Well done.
 
Kind Regards, Victor (Australia)

Hello Dave, the mandolin arrived safely this morning, just in time for my birthday!  You have done another great job - it looks and sound marvellous now, and I am really pleased that I decided to buy it, and so grateful to you for doing it up.  I was interested to see (on Facebook? or somewhere else...) , by the way, that you are a fan of Irish music - that, along with classical / Neapolitan,  is my favourite type of music too, and I have quite a nice Buchanan mando which I use for that.
Anyway, very many thanks again for the time and effort you have put in on my behalf,  (and also for enclosing the GHS strings, which are hard to get here).

All good wishes,  Douglas  (UK)
hi dave,  the instrument arrived yesterday it sounds
great it snowed all today so i played all day fingers sore
but i am very happy . thanks once more   jim..(Scotland)
Dear Dave, the parcel arrived this Saturday morning in good condition. Thanks for all!  Thanks for the quick shipping, adding the mounted strings reference and
the good quality of the bag: your work is really professional.
As to the main object, I have tuned it and given it a try. Easy to play
and good sound at first sight as you have shown on your video. Best regards and have a nice (but rainy) week-end   Bernard (Fr)
Good evening, Dave. The parcel arrived safely. All well. A great tool with a beautiful sound. I'm very pleased. Accept my thanks and best wishes. I hope to further friendly relations. I wish prosperity to You and Your family.
Sincerely, Dmitry.  (Russ.)

Hi Dave, the mandola arrived today. I am VERY happy with her.  Got her tuned up, she has a lovely sound and is the perfect scale length and size for me.  Thank you so, so much! The strings sound great too. Tuners are OK for me, not too stiff.

 Thank you again.  Very best, Maxine Wiltshire (LONDON)

 
Hi Dave, the instrument has arrived safely (GREAT job of packaging by the way) and is crying out to be played.  I will just need to tune it first, and as the bridge is not straight (towards 8:10) maybe I need to move that first (?). In which case is there anything I should know beforehand (I don't suppose it's glued)? I would hate to hurt the table.
The case is great too and I really appreciate your work. Thank you and kind regards, Jennifer  (Paris)
 
Hello Dave, You will laugh your head off at this! I was so excited I gave the mandriola to him this afternoon, and he was THRILLED. He was really so very pleased and he says it is better than the one he had. He is in great  admiration of your work and was stunned to think that I had found you in the Charente. 
So there you are, and he loved the case too, it was very well packed and it has been a pleasure to do business with you. Many thanks I will write an appreciation on the website
Kind regards and bravo for your workmanship.  Margaret G  (France)
Hello David, I received the waldzither yesterday! It looks even better than I had hoped! I can see that quite a bit of care was given to the packing as well. 

 

My mom's 80th birthday was approaching and she mentioned rather wistfully that she had a Waldzither as a child and would love to be able to play one again. After months of shopping online and in town I came up with just a few old, beat up instruments. Eventually, when online, I clicked on a link to this site and found a Waldzither! I showed the photo to my mom and she exclaimed "that's EXACTLY the model I had as a child". Unfortunately, this was not available. It was another customers restored work. I contacted David and requested he keep me in mind if another of these became available. To my delight, he said that he spoke to the customer and then proceeded to make arraignments for me to purchase the one we had originally seen in the photo.
The quality of work and care given to the detail are a testament to David's craftsmanship. He truly is a gifted artist. The "shipping" box that was sent was tailor made for the Waldzither and the care in packing was superb.
I can't tell you how happy my mom was when she opened the box, took out the instrument and began playing. There wasn't a dry eye in the room. And I can't express how much I appreciate the quality of work, artistry and satisfaction I have had in purchasing my moms instrument from David.

Ken G. (USA)

    Hi, Dave! The mandolin has arrived in tact.  It looks very well restored.  Thanks for your craftsmanship. It sounds wonderful as well.  Our house has oak floors that resonate the subtle frequencies of my Sitar and Sarod (which I play as an amateur) and it does the same with the mandolin. Unfortunately, the areas where we will actually use the mandolin are carpeted and I doubt if the artificial petroleum derivative can do justice to a gentle acoustic instrument, but we will definitely use it creatively. Thanks again, and I hope to receive a full receipt showing the payment through Paypal  for my records by e-mail soon.     All the best, Devan, (Missoula, US)
Bonjour Dave,
   Tout d'abord je tiens a vous remercier pour ce site fabuleux qui est plein d'informations et d'astuces pour tous les luthiers amateurs. Je suis moi-meme passionne par la reparation de mandolines et autres instruments de ce type et il ne se passe pas un jour sans que je visite une nouvelle fois ce site.  Merci encore!!! Jacques, (FR)

   Hello Dave,   Just to let you know that I received the mandolin today (better than the UK postal service!).  All intact - thanks for packing it so well.
   I'm really pleased with the instrument, the action is very good and easy and the tone and volume is superb, even on the low strings!.  I have a few other instruments, and it makes some of them sound like 'cigar boxes'. I hope to buy from you again in the future - perhaps a mandriola, which I haven't seen before going to your web site, although I do have a mandola.         Fred (UK)

Hi Dave , the Calace finally came in from Customs.  I am very, very happy with it.  You did such a fantastic job!  I have been playing it every day.   If you ever need me for a reference,  just let me know. Many Thanks to You! Best Larry  (USA)

Hi Dave, The Brambilla arrived today. She looks absolutely wonderful and completely rejuvenated.  I'd like to thank you for all your hard work and more important, the TLC you lavished on her. It's a superb bit of craftsmanship.
Thank you so much! Best regards, Gill  (UK)
  Hi Dave, mandolin arrived last week and is lovely. It's been renovated beautifully - your a true professional! You obviously enjoy what you do Immensely. I'll be sure to recommend you to friends. The gig bags rather swanky too.
Thanks Em, (UK) 		Hi Dave:  Great news. The photos look wonderful! I'm looking forward to playing the instrument for the first time in quite a while.

Payment has been sent by PayPal.

Thanks, Patrick F. (USA)

Hi Dave ,  Just to let you know it arrived in one piece yesterday! Many thanks – I’m over the moon with it.   Yours Yvonne L    (UK)

Hi Dave,   The mandolin arrived today, and looks and sounds beautiful!  Thanks so much for your work.  Phil  E (USA)
Hello Dave,  We have just got back and I am quickly trawling through 150-odd emails!  I am delighted that the lute bridge is done and it looks absolutely  fantastic - can't wait to see the real thing.  Payment follows shortly! Hello Dave,

The bridge has just arrived and I am very pleased with it.  I have just tried sitting it in place and it blends in beautifully - it must be pretty close to the original, I think! I will send you some photos when I have finished mending the cracks. Our main home computer is very old and I think some of my emails to various people may have gone amiss - hope you get this one, as I would like you to know that I am a very satisfied customer!!  Thank you for what looks like a really great job. Best wishes Rowena (UK)
Hi Dave, mandolin arrived last week and is lovely. It's been renovated beautifully - your a true professional! You obviously enjoy what you do Immensely. I'll be sure to recommend you to friends. The gig bags rather swanky too.
Thanks Em  (UK)
 Hello Dave,
It's amazing and I'm a bit surprised, but the mandolin arrived OK and sends to you cheers and hello! Honestly, I've been counting on months of waiting, but it took only one week!  The sound is absolutely fantastic comparing to what I had, everything is fine. Played for three hours at least without a break. Thank you!
So, let's talk about waldzither now. I wanted a gigbag and a spare set of strings for GDAE or GDAD. And a key for tuners. Seems like nothing's forgotten...
Kind regards, Pavel. (RUSSIA)

Dave, the Suzuki mandolin arrived today, very well packed and safe as houses. After letting it rest and get acclimatised, this evening I tuned up and had a quick play.  Everything just as expected.  She plays a lovely tune and sounds just right.  I now need to practise to make sure I can play the tunes I’ve been given on such a nice sounding instrument in order to do it justice. Many thanks for your help in choosing the right instrument and for putting the videos online to hear them play.

Best wishes , Chris C. (Luxembourg)  

Hi again Dave.

The band came round for practice last night and were introduced to the
new instruments.  The mandolin was an immediate hit and five of our
pieces have been changed from guitar to mando for the tonal colours. 
The waldzither provoked many comments, mostly 'that's LOUD'.  At present
two pieces have been changed to wz but our leader/arranger has a gleam
in her eye and plans on arranging and lengthening a piece to feature it
specially; take advantage of its volume. Adrian (Australia)
Good morning! I recieved the laud today. It is just beautiful! You did a very good job of packing. I can hardly wait to see my son play this beautiful instrument. Thanks again. Laura (Spanish Laud UK)
Hi Dave, the Waldzither arrived Saturday morning. I was able to hold out until
Sunday to give it some time after travelling. I am positively impressed by the work you did on it. It plays wonderful and the action is nice and tight.
I was a bit worried about the amount of reworking you'd have to do on
the sunken soundboard, but the instrument is still ringing like a bell.

Many thanks too, for the additional bridge and nut!
Again, thank you for a wonderful job you did on the instrument and all
the best to you and your wife.
Cheers, Tobi (Germany)
Hi Dave, the mandolin has just arrived and I love it
Thanks for all your help. Cheers, Pete (Australia)
Hello David, 
I did receive the mandolin, in perfect condition. Absolutely lovely instrument. Thank you so much for the careful restoration, it looks beautiful and plays with such a clear tone. In the future, would you be able to recommend where I may purchase strings when they do need replacement? Thank you so much, and I hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas!  Best regards,  Greta (UK)

Hi Dave, the mandolin arrived today, and looks and sounds beautiful!  Thanks so much for your work. Phil E (USA)

 

Hello Dave, I cannot find the words to thank you enough for refurbishing the mandolin and for meeting us last Sunday. It is absolutely wonderful to have this instrument back in tip top condition and to have a case for it that matches its beauty.  When I consider how difficult I had found it to source strings on the internet, (the only site which had any possible strings was mind-blowingly complicated and when I looked for it a second time, it seemed to have disappeared) I am filled with admiration at your persistence and eventual success. Once again, my very grateful thanks,  

Regards and best wishes, Rosalind (Milanese mandolin UK)

   Hello Dave, the mandola arrived today, which makes it a week to the day to get here to Western Australia. Amazing. I am delighted with it and have enjoyed the last hour or two since I got home playing around with it. My wife loves the different, richer sound, compared to the mandolin. Many thanks. I am very pleased with it and think you have done a great job on it. 

Regards, Peter Rosengren, Perth, Western Australia

   Hi Dave, it arrived safely yesterday thanks for packing it so well. My gast was well and truly flabbered when i opened the box, its such a beautiful instrument and once tuned up i fell in love with the warm tone and length of sustain. This morning it was still in tune so as i had hoped the more relaxed string length will give me a more stable instrument. Once again Dave can i thank you for all your hard work and help throughout, its rare these days to deal with someone you feel you can completely trust, and I hope to stay in touch and let you know how i'm getting on with the Bohm, all the very best, Gwyn (Cornwall, UK)

   Bonjour Dave,  quelques nouvelles du bandolim qui est bien arrivé il y a une semaine, sans dommage suite au transport. J’ai été surpris en ouvrant le paquet par sa largeur réduite. Cela m’a rappelé un site consulté avec une photo d’un instrument similaire précisant qu’ils étaient construits pour être utilisés par les dames portugaises ! Tres léger également côté de la caisse de résonnance, cela donne un instrument qui sort un son fort, étonnant dans les médium pour sa taille. Les diverses réparations ne jouent pas sur la sonorité. Et le plus important, c'est un plaisirde jouer. Les doigts courent sur le manche sans y penser. Seul réglage effectué, j’ai décalé de quelques millimètres le chevalet vers le bas (vers le côté  aigu) pour que les cordes G ne soient plus au bord du manche, mon doigt ayant tendance à déraper sur le côté en position 4 ou 5. Le sustain est important. Je me suis aperçu qu’une corde jouée à vide E par exemple, devra être amortie pour arrêter la résonnance qui dure….

 

Le tout est un instrument facile à emporter avec sa petite housse, s’il n’était pas si ancien et donc fragile. Je joue par ailleurs avec des mando plus lourdes (copie F5 et une 10 cordes P. Shippey ) et celle-ci trouve bien sa place par sa simplicité et sa légèreté. Je suis donc tres satisfait de l'instrument et du bon travail de restauration qui donnent un réel plaisir de jouer sur un bel instrument ancien.

 

Merci pour tout, bien cordialement, Alain CHEVRIER (France)

Hi Dave, Mandolin arrived safely today and is great to play - many thanks! 

Alex (MontLucon, France)

 Hi Dave,  I just wanted to let you know that the mandolin arrived safe and sound and my brother is very happy with it! Thank you for everything and I will be sure to drop you a line if I ever need a mandolin again! Happy New Year!

Nina (USA)
   Hi Dave,  I had a lovely surprise today as the postman pulled up outside the property and honked his horn.....I couldn't imagine what he had as I was not expecting anything but 'lo and behold' the mandolin had arrived!!!! Safely!......and at a time when I thought no mail was getting through from further south as you may have heard but we have floods in Queensland....they say the size of Germany and France put together! The road south is supposed to be blocked and no mail is getting through. I'm shocked as well at how quickly it has arrived. Anyway it has arrived and I'm really really pleased with it! You've done a great job on it and I just tuned it up and away i went. I'm very pleased with the case as well so thank you very much for that!
 
Best wishes and happy new year...bonne annee,  Ken (Queensland, Australia)
Hello Dave, the lovely Thuringer waldzither arrived safely in Dorset yesterday
afternoon - thank you!  You have done a really lovely job on it and I'm
thoroughly enjoying playing it... so much so that my left hand has
started aching from the thicker neck compared with my mandolins! It's
got a lovely 'glossy' sound and a lovely pure, 'un-coloured' sustain -
beautiful!  Thanks again from a very happy Dorset-lad!

Regards, Stephen  (Dorset, UK)
The Bohm has just arrived. The instrument looks good - I've tightened the strings a bit and am waiting for it to settle, but the sound already seems nice and open.  I see it has the usual cricket-bat neck ! that'll take some getting used to, but it really looks great.

By the way, we used the waldzither in a concert last week - it sounded pretty damn good.

Doc Rossi (Grenoble)

Hello Dave, the mandolin arrived today (Tuesday) in good shape. It is a present for my wife who is delighted. You have done a very nice job of restoration.Many thanks - Michael  (Wales) Hello Dave! The mandolin arrived. It is so nice and BEAUTIFUL   -- You did a fantastic job !! I will be very carefull with tuning-- just let it be accustomed to it´s Norwegian climate. Again-- thank you so much for all the nice work-- even the case looks great--!! 

Best regards from a very happy Nanneke (Norway)

Salut Dave, waldzither bien arrivé à la fin! i strung it today and its marvellous! i am surprised with sound this is actually more than expect and it can also cover up my own voice =)))
Thank you for the great instrument Dave
Take care and hope to see your further works! Nurhan (Turkey)
 Dave, it looks absolutely amazing! You are an artist!
Thank you very much.

Blake. (UK)

      Dear Dave, Mureda mandolin arrived safe today. I meant to write you as soon as I received it, but don't blame me for not having been able to stop playing it for 2 hours! It usually takes me an hour or so before stop playing once I hold mandolin, but with this one... I will get into serious trouble! I like the sound very much. Clear, joyful treble side and rich bass with no buzz. I'm afraid that my English is not good enough to explaining the sound. Louder than Suzuki I was using. The "F holes" on the side might have something to do with it. 

    This mandolin is easier for me to hold the instrument and play. I was surprised how easy the fingering is with the Mureda mandolin. Action is perfect too. Comparing to the force I had to put into my fingers to play the Suzuki, it's like nothing. I feel like I suddenly became a better player, 2 or 3 steps forward. Well, at least it was useful for muscle training of left hand fingers.

    I really appreciate your great work. You are wonderful, Dave! Now I have a terrible feeling that I will come back to you for another mandolin in the near future. What people at the Mandolin Cafe call "MAS" seems to have caught me. Or,,, I can even find another mandolin for my friend and keep the Ceccherini for myself!  I'd better work harder and save up. 

   Thank you so much,  Aya (Japan)

   Hi Dave, just to say the mandolin has arrived. Many thanks, it’s a lovely sounding instrument.. better than I expected from something of that age. Finding it difficult to put down at the moment and I’m sure I’ll need new strings before too long, especially in my attempts to get to grips with tremolo.  Thanks for the advice on care that came with the instrument and on website. I must admit I can’t really see myself boxing it away when it is not being used and is in the house - looks too nice to be hidden in a box. Best wishes, Mike (UK NOV 09)

   Hi, I'm really sorry for not emailing you earlier - the mandolin arrived about a week ago and has been very, very distracting.  Its so brilliant - its wonderful to play and looks so beautiful, so thank you very much for doing such a good job of repairing it.     Best wishes, Eleanor   (UK)
Yippee !!! It arrived today. It is sooo sweet. Guess what I am wanting one now. I want a pretty one so will keep on looking on Ebay. But if you are doing one up keep me informed. Hate all this bidding stuff. Us oldies cant take the pressure !!!!. Again thanks and we love the little canvas cover
A great touch that!!  (Barbara, Leeds, UK)
  Hi Dave, I picked the guitar up at work today and have just opened it on arriving home.  You've really done a fantastic job on the instrument - the polishing on the back looks great and you'd hardly know it had been cracked.  I've just been playing it for a bit, getting used to the strings etc.  I'd forgotten how wide apart the strings are - much more than a mandolin or banjo.  I think you've got the string gauges right - it sounds good when tuned up and the bottom G string plays really well.  Once again thanks for your time and patience with this.  Your attention to detail is obvious and I'd have no hesitation in recommending your work to others.  In fact, I might have another little project for you soon.  

Thanks Dave - much appreciated. Best wishes, Philip (UK)

   Hello Dave. Just received it this Friday morning in a very good shape. Thanks for the careful packaging. Have tuned it straight away and tried my favourite little medieval jingle. The idea of a 12 strings seems to be a good one, it is easy to go with: you have only to IMAGINE that the tune sounded in the 13th century just like you are hearing it today on an unusual instrument. But I have to accustom myself with it and for chords learning may be my usual mandolin will be better. Many thanks and best regards,  (Bernard, France) Dear Dave, I've got the mandolin tuned and it sounds great! I'm very happy
with it. My former mandolin was more of a bluegrass style so
I'm getting used to how different the sound is. I'm really loving the mandolin.
Thanks! Christy (Christy USA)
" I buy quite a few mandolins from Dave, mainly for use in our guitar and mandolin orchestra and for our many mandolin students... Why?.. well sometimes on ebay you're not quite sure what you're going to get with a second hand mandolin, but with Dave I can be completely confident that every mandolin he puts on Ebay is restored to the highest level of workmanship, reasonably priced and importantly, is ready to play... you can't really ask for more"

www.mandolinscotland.org  Ian Steel: Administrator/ Coordinator, Lanarkshire Guitar and Mandolin Association   mandolinscotland@yahoo.co.uk