Weary Hearts -

Lonesome Standard Time -

Other Early Bands -

William Place - Serenata

“Serenata”(Alexander)
William Place Jr. – mandolin
Stuart Ross - piano

Source: 78 disc
Label: Victor #17363

Place was a prominent player of the Gibson F5 from the 1920’s on…His method for Mandolin was published in 1934 by Nicomede Music Co., Altoona, PA, in three volumes. Although there is NO PRINTED documentation…the sound of the mandolin on this recording is QUITE EXTRAORDINARY. Surely not a neopolitan style instrument, nor a Lyon and Healey. It could be an F4, but the sheer presence and quality of the notes in the higher register lend us to believe that this is one of the earliest recordings of a “LOAR” F5…quite possibly this may be what a LOAR sounded like when it was somewhat new and still opening up.