Original Owner Raul Blacksten Interview
23 July 2008
One Comment
The articles section has been updated with a new interview with original owner Raul Blacksten. Raul was kind enough to share his story and pictures of his 1978 Ibanez 524 mandolin that he bought from McCabe’s in Santa Monica. He’s even still got the warranty card and receipt with it!
Here is an excerpt from the interview:
I’ve had it 29 years according to the receipt. I like the mando as an instrument and I like the Ibanez as a mando. I also own a 1953 Martin A-style that I bought a few years later to help out a friend who needed some money but the Ibanez is my favorite of the two. I have played many mandos over the years but never found one I liked better than my Ibanez.
mr.blacksten, you are a very lucky man to have such a woderful mandolin as the Ibanez. I also own a teardrop model which I love to play at open mic jams and house partys. it is not a carved one i’m afraid but I love the tone just the same. I would really love to find a carved one but at 79 it’s a little late to go the price of one. maybe i’ll get lucky and find one in a garage sale some day. I live in Canada and our musical instruments are high price here.
A.J.White
Leave your response!