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Mandolin

Mandolin

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The mandolin (or mandoline) belongs to the lute family of instruments. The first version of it became popular in Germany and Italy during the 16th century as the mandora.  The standard mandolin is closer to a bass guitar than an acoustic with four steel strings tuned to G, D, A, and E, and 17 frets.  
 
The mandolin's cheerful, ringing sound is found in many folk music traditions throughout the world (most notably Italy, Ireland and the bluegrass music of the USA).  Led Zeppelin popularized the use of the Mandolin in many of their early songs.

  • Led Zeppelin

    Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones used a 1918 Gibson A2 Mandolin on several Led Zeppelin songs including:

    1. ‘Black Country Woman’
    2. ‘Boogie With Stu’
    3. ‘Gallows Pole’
    4. ‘Going to California’
    5. ‘Hey, Hey, What Can I Do’
    6. ‘Tangerine’
    7. ‘That’s the Way’
    8. ‘The Battle of Evermore’
      • This is probably the song that first introduced the idea of a mandolin in a rock song to many a rock and metal fledgling aficionado
      • Jimmy Page playing “The Battle Of Evermore” in front of Headley Grange on his stunning 1918 Gibson A2 mandolin - The formation of this song is quite cool, with Jimmy Page writing it after picking up a mandolin for the first time.  Page wrote the music on a mandolin he borrowed from John Paul Jones.  He explained to Guitar Player magazine in 1977: “On ‘The Battle of Evermore,’ a mandolin was lying around. It wasn’t mine, it was Jonesey’s. I just picked it up, got the chords, and it sort of started happening. I did it more or less straight off. But, you see, that’s fingerpicking again, going back to the studio days and developing a certain amount of technique – at least enough to be adapted and used. My fingerpicking is a sort of cross between Pete Seeger, Earl Scruggs, and total incompetence.”
      • Legendary sound engineer, Andy Johns, was also hanging around during the inception of this masterpiece. “The band was sitting next to the chimney in Headley, drinking tea, when Jimmy grabbed a mandolin and started playing. I gave him a microphone and stuck a Gibson echo on his mandolin. Jimmy had brought this stuff before and had asked me to take a look at it. Suddenly Robert started singing and this amazing track was born from nowhere.”
      • This is the only song Zeppelin ever recorded with a guest vocalist. Robert Plant felt he needed another voice to tell the story that plays out in the song, so Sandy Denny from Fairport Convention was brought in. Her vocals represent the people as the town crier, while Plant’s voice is the narrator. Fairport Convention was a British folk group Zeppelin shared a bill with in 1970.
    • After 1975’s Physical Graffiti, there were no more mandolin credits on any Led Zeppelin albums

     

    Other Rock songs that showcased a Mandolin include:"

     

    The Mach Five Mandolin is a 2012 Rogue RM-100A 

    • The RM-100A A-Style mandolin from Rogue is a handcrafted, traditional A-style mandolin that features an adjustable rosewood bridge, maple neck and rosewood fingerboard for balanced tone and playability. Its classic A-style body projects a bright, resonant tone that works for any musical genre. Topped off with chrome tuners for accurate tuning, the RM-100A is an ideal choice for beginners and professionals alike.
    • Maple neck
    • Rosewood fingerboard
    • Adjustable simulated rosewood bridge
    • 12th-fret neck joint
    • Chrome tuning machines
    • Nickel-plated frets
    • High-gloss finish
    • F holes

     

     

  • Other Rock Songs featuring Mandolin

    Other Rock songs that showcased a Mandolin include:"

     

    The Mach Five Mandolin is a 2012 Rogue RM-100A 

    • The RM-100A A-Style mandolin from Rogue is a handcrafted, traditional A-style mandolin that features an adjustable rosewood bridge, maple neck and rosewood fingerboard for balanced tone and playability. Its classic A-style body projects a bright, resonant tone that works for any musical genre. Topped off with chrome tuners for accurate tuning, the RM-100A is an ideal choice for beginners and professionals alike.
    • Maple neck
    • Rosewood fingerboard
    • Adjustable simulated rosewood bridge
    • 12th-fret neck joint
    • Chrome tuning machines
    • Nickel-plated frets
    • High-gloss finish
    • F holes

  • The Mach Five Mandolin

    The Mach Five Mandolin is a 2012 Rogue RM-100A 

    • The RM-100A A-Style mandolin from Rogue is a handcrafted, traditional A-style mandolin that features an adjustable rosewood bridge, maple neck and rosewood fingerboard for balanced tone and playability. Its classic A-style body projects a bright, resonant tone that works for any musical genre. Topped off with chrome tuners for accurate tuning, the RM-100A is an ideal choice for beginners and professionals alike.
    • Maple neck
    • Rosewood fingerboard
    • Adjustable simulated rosewood bridge
    • 12th-fret neck joint
    • Chrome tuning machines
    • Nickel-plated frets
    • High-gloss finish
    • F holes

@ 2025 Mach Five Entertainment

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