To most mandolin fans, Peghead Nation Melodic Mandolin Tunes instructor John Reischman is closely associated with his Lloyd Loar–era 1924 Gibson F-5. But while the F-5 has become an integral part of John’s sound, he also plays other instruments, including a Heiden Heritage F-5 mandolin, and a Lawrence Smart A-Style mandola, which he demonstrates in this video.
Based in Idaho, luthier Lawrence Smart builds guitars and mandolin-family instruments, and his clients include many of today’s finest roots musicians (check out this demo of a similar mandola by Peghead Nation instructor Joe K. Walsh). Although Smart’s instruments are fundamentally based on traditional designs, he frequently combines features from different instruments, includes contemporary ideas such as fanned frets, or uses inlays and design elements that aren’t found on vintage instruments.
John first became aware of Lawrence Smart instruments during a recording session with Nick Forster in the early 1990s. “He had a Lawrence Smart mandolin and mandola, and I was just really taken with that mandola; I played it every chance I got.” John began communicating with Smart about ordering an instrument, which ended up being delivered in 1997. Built with big leaf maple back and sides and an Engelmann spruce top, the instrument has an A-style body and relatively light shade sunburst finish.
In this video, John demonstrates the instrument by playing pieces of several tunes, including “Arkansas Traveler,” “Juramento,” and “Arthur McBride.” He also shows how he sometimes tunes the A-string courses down to G to create a drone sound, as in his tune “The Deadly Fox” (which he recently taught in his Melodic Mandolin Tunes course). John also demonstrates a setup with the two low courses strung with octave strings, creating a tonality similar to an Irish bouzouki.
To learn mandolin from John Reischman, enroll in his Peghead Course Melodic Mandolin Tunes.
 |
A. Lawrence Smart A-Style MandolaJoe K. Walsh demonstrates his go-to mandola. Read More |
 |
2004 Gilchrist Model 4Mike Compton demonstrates his oval-soundhole, F-4-style Gilchrist. Read More |
 |
2009 Gilchrist Model 1John Reischman demonstrates his round soundhole Gilchrist. Read More |
 |
Northfield Archtop Octave MandolinJoe K. Walsh demonstrates his archtop guitar–inspired octave mandolin. Read More |
 |
2000 Gilchrist F-5Peghead Nation mandolin instructor Joe K. Walsh demonstrates his new Gilchrist mandolin, which was previously owned by Andrew Marlin and Aubrey Haynie. Read More |
 |
Maegen Wells A-Style Mandolin and 15-Inch Archtop GuitarLuthier Maegen Wells discusses two of her instruments in the Peghead Nation video studio. Read More |
 |
2007 Heiden Heritage F-5Peghead Nation instructor John Reischman demonstrates his Michael Heiden F-Style mandolin. Read More |
 |
Nugget A-Style Standard MandolinJoe K. Walsh demonstrates his 2016 Nugget, built by luthier Mike Kemnitzer. Read More |
 |
2002 Gilchrist F-5Mike Compton discusses and demos his primary mandolin, which was built to match the tone of Bill Monroe’s Gibson F-5. Read More |
 |
Mowry F-ModelA vintage-style mandolin built by luthier Andrew Mowry Read More |
