Weber?

[Nick Triesch]

Where is Weber in the Cafe Ads? Nick

[pickinNgrinnin]

I had wondered that too - I assume they pay for that ad space. Perhaps they have decided not to renew?

[JGWoods]

Me three, where did they go?

[trevor]

I used to be there (that's the Acoustic Music Company not me personally) the cost went up and up to the point that I couldn't afford it. Perhaps the same has happened at Weber?

[Kevin Briggs]

I think one thing Weber may take into consideration is the good word of mouth reputation they have.

Think about it, in a time when lots of builders are raising their prices because they "can," Weber has raised prices once in nine years or something, and that only covered the cost of inflation...barely. You can get a great sounding bluegrass mandolin from STE for under $3,000, that will stand up to anything out there.

I've said it before, but I recently test drove a bunch of costly mandolins like Collings, Breedlove, Stelling, etc. at a nice acoustic music store in Pittsburgh. My custom Bitteroot, which I indicated to Bruce I wanted appointed for bluegrass, was the loudest, most interesting sounding mandolin in that place.

I'd say the Ward Stelling was the most traditional sounding F, and was very easy to play, but it did not have the powerful chop and the popping individual notes my Bitteroot has.

I also think Weber's have a nice, healthy circulation going right now, and they're very well known in the mandolin community. Whenever I mention the name Weber to someone, the name is familiar.

Maybe STE is experimenting with saving some advertising dollars, maybe not. Either way...it's a great group of people to be in business with. They make owning and playing a mandolin that much easier, because of their business model.

[dang]

The link from "The Mandolin Store" on my cafe homepage says AUTHORIZED WEBER DEALER across the bottom. Maybe STE figures that is enough.
I can say that I didn't buy my weber from noticing their advertising on the cafe homepage. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
I did find many alternative online places to order other mandolin related items...

[Nick Triesch]

Weber is in so many stores across the U.S. They have really done a great job getting out there and now they are the most common hand made high end mando out there. Weber reminds me of Flatiron. In 1990 they were the mandolin everyone knew and talked about. I just bet Gibson will return with Flatiron soon. Nick

[Kevin Briggs]

Yeah, Big Joe has been talking about the return of the Flatiron for a while. I respect Big Joe because he always makes an attemp to state his mind without dissing anybody, but I have yet to see the Flatiron make it's "big" return.

I think Bruce and co. have really come into their own in the past few years. I've only been a Weber convert for a little over a year now, but man it's a good thang.

I think they run their stock models because they can get some good universal appeal from them, but I think they will customize with the best, because they are one of the best out there. Anyone who wants a custom instrument from them just has to say so, and STE has the capabilities and willingness to do whatever,

It's one of those things that's like, the more I learn, the better they are.I was instantly impressed when I upgraded to my custom Bitteroot. The mandolin keeps getting better and better hum, along with the chunk it always had, and the company continues to assert itself as one of the good guys.

[trevor]

I notice that Mandolin Brothers have gone from the cafe adds too.

[Nick Triesch]

Wow! Mandolin Bros not on the Mandolin Cafe. That's too bad. Nick