Selling your "first-born"

[Kent Barnes]

I'm considering selling Harlan #1 (my first mandolin), mainly to fund future tool/mando-making purchases. #I'm really torn -- should I even consider selling the first one I ever made, or should I look beyond that at how much better I could do with better tools? #Any words of wisdom from the crowd?

# http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[joshags03]

What I plan to do is keep my #1 and probably my #2 and then start selling a few here and there. My thought is I'd regret getting rid of my first effort, and by #3 I expect many of my beginner errors will be eliminated.

[Kent Barnes]

That's kind of what I was thinking, but I thought I'd get advice from some of the guys who have been doing this a while. My #2 is almost complete, and I still haven't decided if it will go up for sale or not.

[sunburst]

That can be a tough decision can't it?

I still have my first instrument, a banjo that I built for myself ## years ago, but my first mandolin was sold before it was started. I can blame my friend and pickin' buddy for sending me down this wicked path of luthiery by ordering a mandolin and getting me started, so I didn't really feel the same about letting it go as I might have if I'd built it for myself.

A couple of things to consider.
If you keep building, your instruments will get better. I've heard people say they hate for anyone to see thier first instrument after they've been building for a while. Well, there for a while every time I finished a new mandolin I hated for anyone to see the one right before it! This went on for 8 or 10 mandolins. I'd finish one and think "wow... this is so much better..." and to some extent, I still feel that way a little.

Don't get me wrong, my first one was and is a good useable instrument, and your's is too, I'm sure. With the books, tools, Frets.com and Mandolin Cafe and stuff that wasn't around when I started, your's is probably better than my first, but there is no substitute for experience.

Soooo....do you really want that first one out there where you can't hide it later? Or, do you really want that thing around after you've gotten better?
Hmmm....I don't know....

How much can you get for it and what will that buy you?
If you can afford to keep it 'til you've built a couple more the decision might get easier.

[Kent Barnes]

I can afford to keep it, but the trouble is trying to justify to my wife that I'm buying stuff to build a third or fourth mandolin, when I already have 2 others in the closet, or behind the couch.
I guess I'll just have to buy her something sparkly to keep the peace!!

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

[WaywardFiddler]

You know, if my first one comes out good enough that I *could* sell it, that would make my decade! Sounds to me like you lack sufficient storage in you shop... not enough places to hide things :-)

[ShaneJ]

Kent, I think you should sell it - but not to just anyone. #Don't sell it to someone that lives in the Metroplex. #It'll be too close, and you'd be going by to visit all the time. #Don't sell it to anyone in another state either though. #It might be so far away that you'd never get to visit. #

Tell you what....I'm in Abilene, about 3 hours away. #I'll trade you an old drill press, a bandsaw, and whatever jewelry I can sneak out of my wife's stash, and you can visit one weekend a month.

Y'ont to? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[Michael Lewis]

Sunburst is on the right track here. Your skill and eye for detail work will become much more refined as you continue to make instruments, so if you are going to sell the mandolins make sure you put the date and serial number inside so when people see that it is #2 they won't expect it to look and sound like #35. One other consideration is that your work is your reputation, so do your best, always.

[french guy]

Kaybee , I've just built 5 mandos now , but one thing is sure :
I will never sell the #1 , even if the peace is compromise at home . When I look at #1, #I see many defaults , but she is THE #1 , and probably the more important in my heart.

2 are sold now , the #4 to a good friend in the south of France and the #3 to Uwe Kruger , from the Kruger Brothers.
I'm a little bit proud of that .

I must just add one thing ,----- Your #1 #look wonderfull .----

[Gail Hester]

I’ve read that most builders keep number one or wished they did. I’d never sell my wife’s first mandolin. She gave it to me as an anniversary present so there is a sentimental attachment but beyond that it’s the best sounding and playing mandolin I’ve ever played and one of the best looking. Maybe beginners luck but I’d put it up against anything I’ve played and you’d have to pry it out of my dying hands.

-Chuck

[oldwave maker]

My first litter was a pair of ovalhole a models from the scott antes blueprint, #1 went to a friend in trade for an old 000-18, #2 is on the shop wall along with #66(f5 for top swapping tests), #300 C#, and the mandotasting melon. Keep an early one for your descendants!

[Jim Hilburn]

I still have my first 16 instruments. Then it became apparent that I was going to have to start getting them out of the house.

[sunburst]

Jim, can you gauge your progress from having all those around to compare?
I think I could have learned some things faster if mine weren't scattered so far and wide. If you can't keep an eye on them you don't know how they're holding up over time, or if or how the sound improves with later efforts.

[Jim Hilburn]

Notice I said instruments. The first 3 were F-5's, but there's a bunch of electric guitars,a dreadnaught,a couple of basses, so I don't really have that much to compare to.
The first mandolins were right out of the then new Siminoff book, and they are all still playable, I just can't imagine why anyone would want to.

[ShaneJ]

Jim, I can sure see why someone would want to play your recent mandolins. You do incredible fit and finish work, in my opinion. I've never heard one, but I imagine that your attention to detail pays off in tone as well. From what others have said, that is true.

Kent, it appears to me that you have the same attention to detail along with artistic talent and building abilities and creativity. Keep up the good work!

Seriously, I think you should keep #1. It'll always mean something to you, whether you build 2 more in your lifetime or 500. It is quite an accomplishment to have your first attempt come out so well - especially not working as an "apprentice" with an experienced builder over your shoulder. I realize you got a lot of help via books and the Cafe, but you still actually did it on your own. That's pretty cool!

Keep it.

[sunburst]

Jim, I should have thought of that. Mandolins are a pretty small percentage for me actually.

[Jim Hilburn]

Here's an example of the kind of thing I'd do just so I could have an instrument I otherwise couldn't afford.

[sunburst]

The better known you become, the more that early stuff will be worth. Might be a gold mine in your lifetime!

[otterly2k]

KayBee--
I'm thinking that if the problem is justifying the expense of materials for another building project, spending more $ to get her "something sparkly" as a distraction is likely to compound the problem, not solve it... not to mention insulting her intelligence.

I'm at a point now where I can't buy any more instruments until I can offset the cost by either selling some off or bringing in $ on top of our regular household earnings to support my hobby/avocation. This is a decision my partner and I arrived at together, looking at our finances. It seems only fair for me to bring in some $ to pay for my "toys", or find new games to play with the old ones!

That said, I'd suggest you keep at least #1, because you will probably regret not keeping it.

KE

[resonant68]

Hi Kent,
I would keep #1 also........I have built three so far,and plan to keep them all(for different reasons).
#1 was a Stew Mac A model and plays and sounds very good.Then I built one of Don Kawaleks flat top mando kits at one of his workshops (one of the best things I ever did).It is also a very good mandolin.
Next I built one from wood I got from Bruce (Orcas Island Tonewoods).It is my own design so I will keep it for that reason.
I will however sell any others that I build.
I have an order for an F style.It will be my first F style and I'm sure I will be attached to it.....But the buyer is the owner of the local music store and a proffesional mando player,so I know I will see him(the mando) around and get to have visitation rights to the mando when possible.
Hard decision to sell something you love.......Good luck in your endeavors.

[Kent Barnes]

With #2 almost complete, I'm now thinking I'll have to build and keep at least 3 of them, since I have 3 kids to leave these to (whether they want them or not!). I guess that means #4 will be for sale, unless it turns out so well I want to keep it for myself. I see that as the danger - your last one is always the best, so that's the one you want to keep!!