RigelMandolin.com
Title
Rigel Mandolins
Description
Pete Langdell first engaged in mandolin building in the 1960s. Taking fundamental but astute acoustical theories, he formulated a totally radical process of attacking mandolin building. For the next two decades, he mulled, tinkered, and eventually refined this revolutionary method that would become the development of the Rigel concept in the late 1980s.
Simple in inception, but astounding in fruition, he took his machinist skills and invented a process by which a solid block of wood could be crafted and carved into a mandolin's sides, and a bottom and top skillfully attached without the need to brutally bend sides as tradition once dictated. Not only a whole new dimension of control in the end result of mandolin's sound, this allowed a less tedious, less materially stressful, and ultimately more economical approach to building. (Less time putting wood together, more time developing the individual intricacies of internal tone chamber, and aesthetically pleasing finish!)
The first full-scale prototype of the Rigel mandolin would be built in 1990. Breaking the barrier of the intensely traditional mandolin market would be a challenge for the young Langdell, as to accomplish this groundbreaking process resulted in a totally different look. Committed to build off tradition rather than replace it, he developed models that would play homage to a century of mandolin building, despite the visual difference of radiused (curved) sides and visual tamper in a unique wedge-shaped body silhouette. (The 'A' body became the 'A+', the 'G' & 'CT' series similar to the Florentine, and later the 2-point would become the 'R' series.)
Contact
- PAE Associates
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- Redwood City CA
- US 94063
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