The finest mandolin ever made?

[si micklewright]

Hi all, if I win the lotto this week I would by myself the finest mandolin ever made!!!

Unfortunately I don't have a clue as to which one it would be!

What in your oppinion would you say was the finest mandolin ever made and why?

Si. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[Jerry Byers]

One that has 8 strings!

[si micklewright]

so, the ten string is out the picture for you, he he, well thats certainly narrowed it down a bit. I know its a ridiculous question, but its only for a bit of fun, and I would like to find some unusual sugestions as to what you guys think?

Si http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Scotti Adams]

..Im just gonna sit back and watch the opinions here.....popcorn please.

[Greenmando]

Actually seems more of a question for trolling.

But if money was no object, buy Bill Monroe's mandolin. It is considered by many as the holy grail of mandolins.

[metalmandolin]

John Reischman's Loar!!!!

Actually the finest mandolin ever made will be the next one that I buy, whatever it is that I choose. Never mind that you can buy more expensive instruments, the one I'm buying is the best.... at least for now. There will be a finer instrument someday and when that day comes, that will be the one I'll buy. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Eugene]

Hi all, if I win the lotto this week I would by myself the finest mandolin ever made!!!

Unfortunately I don't have a clue as to which one it would be!

What in your oppinion would you say was the finest mandolin ever made and why?
Sorry, my Martin isn't for sale.

[fatt-dad]

I'm pretty sure I'd spend my money travelling to a few of the top-tier builders (Smart, Heiden, Brentrup, Weins, Dude, the Nugget guy (like I can spell), Gilcrest, etc. and just commission one of these (yeah right one - ha).

f-d

[Alex Fields]

Obviously the Goldtone that I started out on.

But seriously it depends on what you're looking for. For the bluegrass sound I guess you can't beat a Loar, but there are makers alive today (Gilchrist, Monteleone, Dudenbostel, Daley, etc.) building instruments of as great (or higher) quality. I don't see Loars as being the holy grail of mandolins (for sound and playability anyway) like alot of people, which isn't to say that alot of them aren't up there with the best mandolins available, but they aren't the only top quality instruments.

[Strange1]

Somehow I still prefer my 1959 Fender mandocaster. It served me well for almost 50 yrs and is still in great shape and is completely stock.

Jack

[G. Fisher]

The finest mandolin is which ever one I am playing at the time. I have them because I believe that they are the finest mandolins made.

What mandos I would buy if I could have any mandos in the world? That would be Ronny Mccourys' Gilchirst, Chris Thiles' Dudenbostel, John Reichmans" Loar and One of Doyles Paganonis.

[grandmainger]

I'd buy one from a good builder, Nugget/Gilchrist/Dudenbostel/Kimble/Brentrupp/Wood/OldWave/Wiens/Gibson/Arrow/Insert an extra 50 makers here/etc/Sorry to whoever I forgot/etc...

Then, I'd spend the rest of the money getting lessons on how to play it properly so I can get good sound out of the instrument! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif
Germain

[Dagger Gordon]

Many Celtic players would say a Sobell.

[si micklewright]

Thank you so much for your replies, a subjective question yes, but it beats asking for a list of good makers.

Thank you
Si

[mythicfish]

Ask 10 people ... you'll get 30 opinions.
How about a Stiver, or a Givens, or a Blatz...

[Alex Fields]

You can't beat a Sobell for that type of sound.

[carleshicks]

If you win the lotto tehn my 03 Gibson Fern is the finest mandolin ever made and I will sell it to you for the bargain price of $195,000. That way I can buy a decent mando to replace it.

[bluegrassjack2]

I think most of you are forgetting the Johnson MA120. It has that deep melow sound that most of us Bluegrassers are looking for. Only problem is I think they sell for about $150 or so, which is out of my price class for sure.

[grandmainger]

Thinking about it, the question is not so much about which one to get, but rather how long will it take to build the perfect mandolin (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=15;t=18075)... ?

What? 6 hours? Surely no! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[JEStanek]

Will winning the lotto cure MAS? I doubt it. Like the others I would commision mandolins from the builders I've met here, I would deffinately check out the Rigel stock as well. A vintage Gibson or two (Teens F4 and A series). I would definately want to get a matched 3-point set of mandolin and dola from Hans Brentrupp. I would give Mr. Bussman the time and freedom to really let his crazy out on something fun, Dean, Campanella, Hamlett, Holst, Ludewig, Baird... the list goes on in builders who make mandolins with styles I like but can't afford. The real trap with this plan is the collecting of all of these fine instruments and not having the time to dedicate to each of them to really know them...

That's the trap of winning the lotto... Sometimes you get what you dream for.

Jamie

[fiddler]

Johnson MA120? Nah...solid wood gives such a heavy, clunky sound. You want the better (and cheaper) model that uses real plywood. Gives that nice thin tone that lets you bang as hard as you like without making too much noise!

[jim_n_virginia]

How can you answer a question like this? Come on seriously...

It's like asking whats the greatest car ever built.

It's like asking whats the greatest car ever built.

Oh no, that one is easy to answer, the De Tomaso Mangusta. Any year.

[metalmandolin]

1964 Chrysler Imperial Crown Coupe!

[fredfrank]

my 03 Gibson Fern is the finest mandolin ever made
I'm with you on that one Carleshicks. Mine's an '03 too. Not looking around anymore. Not even thinking about a BRW.

[mandopete]

The finest mandolin ever made? That's a bit like asking who is the best cow bell player in world!

[SternART]

De Tomaso Mangusta.......really?

[keymandoplyr]

Id put my 78 Gremlin up against any Jhonson mandolin my wife drove it 6 years I drove it 3 my son drove it 4 aguy i worked with drove it a year and a 1/2 and his daughter drove it 6 months till she wrecked it. and its # 6 on worst car list lol go figure http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[Lee]

Lamborghini Miura

[si micklewright]

I love the 6 hour mando!!
The car? mmm.. Aston martin DB5 with ejector seat (thats got me thinking, custom mandolin with auto Banjo ejector!)
I like the look of the Sobell's beautifull, would love to hear one (anybody have a link of one been played?)

Oh #forge to say I did win the lotto!!!!http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

But...

...it was only £10.00($18 ish)
so it looks like the 6 hour job for me!

Thanks all, just a bit of fun.

SI

[mandroid]

A particular style of music you want the voice of your perfect instrument to speak ? may need one of each..

[travisburch]

Thile's opinion is that Reischman's Loar is the best mandolin in the world. His Dude #5 is second...

[Kevin Briggs]

Some famous American like Ben Franklin or someone said the worst things that can happen to a person are:
1. Not getting what you want
2. Getting what you want

[Jim Hilburn]

If you combine quality of workmanship with quality of tone Scott's Nugget would certainly be in the running.

[PaulD]

Johnson, Michael Kelly, Eastman... doesn't matter. Buy the one you like and send the rest of the money to me! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

pd

[an uncalloused fingertip]

After reading this thread I went and looked up Sobell. What beautiful instruments. Wow!

Rook

[Gerry Tenney]

Ditto on the 03 Gibson Fern. Interesting how so many of us love our 03's.
Gerry

[Dagger Gordon]

I sometimes think it's a pity that Stefan Sobell's fabulous instruments are not better known among American bluegrass musicians. I've never heard of anyone doing bluegrass on them. I guess part of the problem is that bluegrass mandolin is really defined by Bill Monroe, and people continue to seek that particular sound.
I'm not sure whether they would have the chop; they have such amazing sustain.
If you've been on his site, you will have also seen his wonderful guitars and citterns ( an instrument he pretty much re-invented).
I'm lucky enough to have a 10 string mandolin and an octave mandolin by him. There is a track by me on Mandolin Cafe's MP3 section, but it's one of the few tracks I recorded on an old Gibson (just to add variety to the otherwise entirely Sobell sound). However, if you listen to Kevin MacLeod's track, you will hear a Sobell.

[Strange1]

Best car?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif? Hmmmmm. gotta either be the '48 Studebaker I drove while dating my first wife or the Toyota Solara I now have. Maybe it is any Toyota. I, my 2nd wife, and my daughter have had (have)15 Toyotas since 1978. Now the best refrigerator.................

CC

[carleshicks]

about the '03 Fern I have not played another lacquer finished Gibson that I like better but I have played an '01 and an '04 Master model that I would trade my Fern in on in a second If I had the extra cash.

[Adam Tracksler]

my hamlett.

[glauber]

My Ovation is like, mighty fine. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

glaub-i-don't-need-no-loar-er

[jmcgann]

One size don't fit all.

I've played Grisman's Loar, Sam's Hoss, and many many other very fine, desirable mandos. My favorite of all is the one I own- '95 Zeidler 3 point prototype. For me, there's no place like home.

Funny thing is, when I played Grisman's mando and tried out his tunes, it didn't sound like him at all . When I played Sam's (twice over the span of about 22 years), funny, I played one of his pieces note for note and it sounded nothing like Sam.

Now, how the heck can that be? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[Mteresko]

Moonbeam!

[glauber]

For me, there's no place like home.
There, you said it!

[Dagger Gordon]

QUOTE 'and it sounded nothing like Sam.' (John McGann)

Out of interest, John, do you think Sam's track on 'Tone Poets' sounded like Sam? In other words, does it always sound like Sam (or anyone else) more or less whatever he plays?