Mandolin Spotlight: How The West Was Won
April 2026 | Ian Goldstein & Eliot Hunt
Fletcher Brock (w/Sarah Jarosz)
Austin Clark
A New Class of Mandolin Builders Has Arrived at TME
There's a particular kind of excitement that comes with adding a new builder to the shop, especially when that builder represents something genuinely different from what you've heard before. Today, we're introducing two exceptional makers to the TME family: Austin Clark and Fletcher Brock, while shining the spotlight on our exisitng friends, Lawrence Smart, and Joseph Campanella. All four are veteran builders operating west of Texas (Clark, Smart, and Campanella are all in Idaho interestingly enough), and all four are making instruments that have had us paying close attention for some time now.
For our friends in the Boston area and across the Northeast, we feel this is an opportunity worth taking seriously. Instruments of this caliber rarely make their way east in any meaningful way - and that's exactly what we intend to change.
Something Different
What unites these four builders, and what separates them from much of what's currently available, is a shared tonal sensibility that's harder to find than it should be. These are earthier, rounder sounding instruments compared to a lot of other modern builders. Less of the bright, cutting edge that dominates a lot of modern mandolin building, and more of a warm, organic voice that feels deeply connected to the tradition. They're instruments that reward a listening ear and a patient hand. Sitting with one for an hour, you start to hear things you didn't notice in the first five minutes.
That said, they're far from uniform. Clark, Brock, Smart, and Campanella each bring a distinct personality to their work - same compass, different destinations, so to speak. Part of the pleasure of visiting the shop right now is hearing how differently four builders can interpret the same tradition.
A Homecoming of Sorts
For Fletcher Brock, this is personal territory. Originally from Massachusetts with family roots on Cape Cod to this day, Fletcher has been building some of the finest mandolin-family instruments in the country from his Seattle workshop for decades. His instruments have found their way into the hands of serious players across the country - including Sarah Jarosz - but having them available locally is something new. Consider this a long-overdue homecoming.
Austin Clark, based in Boise, Idaho, shares a similar story. A full-time one-man shop with more than 20 years of building and repair experience, Clark has quietly built an international reputation and a client base that includes players in the greater Boston area. His instruments are visually striking and sonically exceptional - the kind of work that earns a second look and a long conversation.
Lawrence Smart and Joseph Campanella round out the group, and if you haven't had the chance to spend time with their work yet, now is the moment. Both bring the same level of intention and craft to their builds, and both fit naturally alongside Clark and Brock in what is shaping up to be a remarkable collection.
Come Hear Them
New instruments from all four builders are in the shop now, and we're already planning for more throughout the year. If you're in the area, we'd love to have you come in and spend some time with these mandolins - no agenda, just great instruments worth hearing. If you're further afield, reach out. We're happy to talk through what's available and what might be the right fit for you.
This is the kind of curation we've always believed in, and we think you're going to hear exactly why.
