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FEEDBACK

"I think Bob packs a whole lot of value into his mandolins. I have been playing mando in hobby bluegrass bands for about 25 years. Before that it was folk music. But I have always been involved with music since I was about
seven. I played woodwinds through college. So, I hang out with all kinds of musicians. Plus I have moved around a lot with my career - I have been a CEO of eight companies. I'm always on the lookout for good instruments. I
have helped a lot of really good musicians get good mandos who did not have a lot of $$. It's been a sideline I guess. I believe good musicians deserve good instruments. So, when I met Bob last year at Wintergrass in Tacoma, WA, I became fascinated with the quality of his mandos. I have recommended his instruments to many people I know, who have ordered them from Bob. I don't know the number - Bob could probably tell you. I also ordered one for my son who is a great musician. He regularly plays a Nugget. We both were taken with Bob's mandos. I have had my Schneider now for about eight months. It's a cannon. It has great, woody, dark bass. It's got the great bluegrass chop that vibrates through the whole instrument. And it fences well with the banjo. Just
like my Loar, it keeps pushing - it doesn't hit the wall. It gives as much as I ask of it when I am really playing hard. And I usually play pretty hard. I took it to David Grisman's house about three weeks ago and he was really
impressed with it. I compared it to a couple of his Gilchrists. The Gils both were about 10 years old, so they had more of the dark, woody tone. But not overall brightness and volume. Yep, it's a great mando and a great value. Of course it's not a Loar. Mine is a 1922 - 80 years old. It has THE TONE and all that goes with it. But my Schneider comes too close for comfort considering the price. It's amazing. Bob's finish work is good and getting better.  It's certainly competes with most of the mandos over $5,000. The playability is terrific. The slightly
radiused fingerboard is the way to go. You can tell - I'm a big fan of Bob's. And I have no financial interest. I just like to see good things happen."
Happy pickin'
Hal Johnson
Larkspur, California

"Hal,
Don't know if you will remember me but I talked to you a while back about Bob Schneider's mandolins. Well, I just got #9 and you were right on the  money. A killer mandolin out of the box!!!! I talked Bob into using red spruce for my top and once it opens up it, it's really going to be a hoss. It's loud and punchy so soon it will be
crazy powerful.
I want to thank you for the advice and a great mandolin!!!!!!!"
Bob Day
Nantucket, Mass

"Hi Dennis,
I would be glad to tell you about Bob's mandolins. I have number 4 and it is different than most of the others he has made. Mine is cross-braced rather than parallel braced and has a sitka spruce top rather than engleman or
adironack. All of Bob's mandolins sound great and play very well. His workmanship and the fit and finish is very good as well. People can't believe that mine is only the fourth one he built when I show it to them. Some very good mando players have played mine and had nothing but praise about it's tone and playability. My mandolin instructor at Puget Sound Guitar workshop last year, singled mine out of all in the class to comment on how good it sounded. Radim  Zenkl, a world-class mandolinist, played mine and wanted to buy it from me. I think Bob's mandolins have just gotten better since he built mine. His fit and finish has improved and his newer ones have a really sweet tone and are very loud, even before they open up. In my opinion you can't go wrong in ordering one. By the way, I have no  financial interest in Bob's business. I am giving you my honest opinion of what I think of them."
Tony Rocci
Vancouver, WA