View Full Version : Played my 1st GILCHRIST - W O W !
scgc.om
Jan-04-2006, 3:24pm
A friend showed up to our weekly BlueGrass Jam with his new (to him - '97) Gilchrist A - let me play it for about 45 min. Knocked me out!
Left me with my tongue out . . . .
A friend showed up to our weekly BlueGrass Jam with his new (to him - '97) Gilchrist A - let me play it for about 45 min. Knocked me out!
Left me with my tongue out . . . .
Was it blond? The best Gilchrist I have played was a blond A-model.
357mag
Jan-04-2006, 3:45pm
I would love to play one of those just once. It might give me a better perspective as to why they cost so much money.
SternART
Jan-04-2006, 4:11pm
Hutto #39....was it an 3A or Artist model? Blocks & bound f holes?
There are a few of them that have achieved quite a bit of mandofame.
I own 419. 417 is a blonde A w/ bound sound holes that was owned by Mike Stangeland at one time. Mine is very similar in appointments ('cept it's an F) and both have drop-dead sound.
Could you reference your opinions by listing other quality mandolins you have played including past (Givens, etc) and current builders?
jasona
Jan-04-2006, 5:27pm
They are powerful instruments, to be sure.
Crowder
Jan-04-2006, 5:30pm
A friend of mine has a Model 3 (A-style) with fancy appointments. It's really nice, and has a very powerful D string in particular. But I have to say he doesn't take especially good care of it and leaves the strings on it until they are well past crusty and refuse to stay in tune.
BTW I think he paid something around $4,000 for it several years back. He thinks its a joke that he could get $15K for it.
UncleNorm
Jan-04-2006, 6:03pm
The '97 Gilchrist A that I have was owned by the same person that now owns the '94 Gil 3 Artist used by David Grisman on Tone Poems 2. The '94 Gil is blonde with blocks and bound F holes....pretty. The person I got mine from elected to keep the '94 Gil (more notoriety?) but did tell me he preferred to use mine for recording. Another comment, Steve Gilchrist says in one of his catalogues that there is no real difference in sound (volume and tone) between his A model and an F model made of similar woods/bracings. I like my Gil A too!
Mando4Life
Jan-04-2006, 7:22pm
I've only been lucky enough to see two Gilchrist up close (A and F). I meddled about on the F a bit but alsobgot to hear it really PLAYED by the owner. They are fantastic mandolins!
WBL
red7flag
Jan-04-2006, 8:06pm
My friend has an early Gil F5 type. It is pretty beat up, obviously was played hard for a long time. That baby has some great sound. While his Monroe Signed F5L looks better, there is no comparison with sound as the Gil leaves the F5L in the dust. That is one awesome instrument. It simple radiates with sound. By far the best sounding mando I have ever heard. Oh well, don't have 25k to buy a used one, and won't wait 7 years to buy a new one.
Tony
8ch(pl)
Jan-05-2006, 2:48am
I played one about 4 years ago, it was an A style, owned by a visiting Australian from Gippsland in Victoria. He bought it when Mr Gilchrist was almost unknown and payed a smaller price than we would now.
It was a lovely mandolin. The owner was a really nice fellow as well.