Ed Neff, fiddler for Lone Prairie and True Blue, showed up to give folks a chance to see and play Mike Kemnitzer’s first mandolin, a dead-on copy of a Loar F5, right down to The Gibson on the headstock. Ed is the original owner. The next mandolin Mike built was the first Nugget.

Dave Berry puts Arthur’s Gilchrist Model 3 Artist to the test. It passed.

Andy Shaw rocks out on his Cole, with Paul Ebersman looking on. That’s Banana on the b@nj* in the foreground.

Finn Taylor’s 1927 Fern.

Hal Johnson, left, won the unofficial “Best of Show” by default with his Dec. 20, 1922 Gibson Loar, just one serial number away from David Grisman’s. Steve Gilchrist has played both and considers them the best of the best. Hal’s son, Brad (also a player), watches as his dad picks with Bob Blanshard.

Here’s another look at the banquet table at a different time. There’s a little bit of everything here to suit even the most jaded.

Finn Taylor and Ted Silverman get down. Finn is playing my 1978 Blue Bell. Ted has Arthur’s blonde Gilchrist Model 5 Artist.

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