Nugget/Collings Tim O'Brian model

[64lusso]

Just watched the new Homespun/Tim O'Brian dvd last night and on it he describes the mandolin he is playing as a new model that is a collaboration between Nugget and Collings. It's a black top A and Tim said Collings does the rough work sends it to Mike for tuning who then sends it back to Collings for assembly who then send it back to Mike for inlay and detail work. Is this a real prodiction item at this point and has anybody had their hands on one yet?

[John Flynn]

Eldery lists it on thier website, but it says "Delivery Date Unknown."
http://www.elderly.com/new_instruments/items/TOBM.htm

[sonnyjammer]

Yes, there is a Nugget/Collings Blackface A model. The top is carved by Mike at Nugget, the braces are shaped, and the back is carved by him. They are then sent to Collings to be assembled and finished. They are rare to find. Their plan is to make approx 24 per year, 12 to be made available to their top dealers for resale, and the remaining 12 for Mr. Keminitzer to sell. If you want one, you best lay down a deposit with one of the top dealers who might not have taken a deposit yet. Elderly already has 2 deposits as of January when I was at their store. I understand the sound may not be as fantastic as expected, but that might just be a rumor. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif

[Scott Tichenor]

There is absolutely no way more than 12 of these will be made a year. No way, no how, never in a million years. I know they're saying that's how many will be made, but that's dependent upon the job getting done. I have close to a 15 year history with Mike and love the guy dearly and for me, he's hands down the best until someone shows me otherwise. Just my opinion. Now... have I said this already? There is no way even a dozen of these will ever get built in a year. The announcement was made back at the end of September and I heard they just got they're second small batch in at Collings. At this rate they may hit 6-8 the first year but my guess is these are done for 2004. Kemnitzer still has a huge backlog of his own.

[sonnyjammer]

There you have it folks, the master mandolin guru has spoken, I must be mistaken. Please Excuse me, I guess Steve was feedin me a line. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/coffee.gif

[Scott Tichenor]

Basing that on years of experience between 1989 and 2004. Mike averaged just over nine mandolins built a year between 1993 and 2001 based on quite a few serial numbers I've seen including the two I purchased. He's still backlogged several years with his own orders, and now he's taking on a bunch more work with the Tim O'Brien. I talk to Steve McCreary weekly and his words are they just aren't coming in the door like they thought they would. I love Mike, but he isn't a good judge of what he can produce and never has been. It's frustrating to me personally and many other people. When I heard the 12-24 estimate a year I told the Collings folks it'd never happen. I wouldn't trade my F for anything, but being told he was starting on it two years into the order than then having it delivered five years later is par for Mike I'm afraid.

[64lusso]

Ok so it may take a few years to get many of these in the hands of the public. I think there are a few out there besides Tim's at the moment, has anybody been able to spend any time with one? The one Collings A I have tried is a really good mandolin and Nuggets have a great reputation so it would seem to me that a collaboration between the two that Tim is endorsing would have a pretty decent chance at being a good sounding axe. Given the above comments and the fact that I received an e-mail from Collings stating that there are none in production right now I guess it would be pretty rare too!
Jay

[ethanopia]

Wow I guess I thought it would have a Collings logo on the headstock as well as the N . Pretty pricey for an A model but compared to the wait and price tag for a real Nugget it seems pretty sweet. If only...

[jjboone101]

I played a prototype last September that Mike K. had at the Wheatland Music Festival in northern Michigan. It looked really good and sounded outstanding for a new mandolin. Tim O'Brien was at that festival as well and tinkered with it several times, I noticed.

[ethanopia]

I will love it if Collings has one at the Merlefest booth but alas I think that is a pipe dream...If they do I will most assuredly pet it with great afffection.

[mandomood]

I played the one they had at IBMA...sat and spent a good 30 minutes with it.

It was loud and thick....great bass response to my ears and already very open sounding. I thought it was the best sounding A I had played all day(and better than quite a few F's for that matter....)

[64lusso]

Thanks Mandomood,
Open sounding off the bat when new is a good sign to me of course it doesn't guarentee they will all be that way but I have taken a place in line on one anyway, #2 at a well known dealer but he's not giving much hope of getting one in 04.

[mandorado]

I'm going to get one ... someday. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif