APITIUS - want to know more

[scgc.om]

I'm wanting to know "the 100 words or less" on this apparent "rising star" in the mandolin builders constelation.

For example: #how long building? #how many instruments built and out there in use? #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

What would you want me to know for sure about one of his instruments (given that you have some fair depth of experience and knowledge).

Basically - SELL me on one of Apitius' instruments . . . !

Thanks for your time and enrichment!

[Dfyngravity]

Here are two names that sell Apitius....Dan Tyminski and Adam Steffey. Oliver is making absolutely fabulous mandolins and if they are good enough for Steffey and Tyminski I think they are pretty darn good. Steffey plays one on his solo CD "Grateful" and on Dan's solo CD "Carry Me Across The Mountain". A friend of mine who was also my teacher at one time, Pete Frostic has one. I am not sure if anyone knows who he is but he is the mandolin player for Old School Frieght Train OSFT (http://www.osft.net). You can hear them play on their website. They played at Wintergrass this year and will be there next year and will be at the IBMA show this year too. But they are a local band here in Virginia but they are getting pretty big. Any ways he plays one and I played it, that darn thing is a killer. I don't think you can get much better than and Apitius.

[fatt-dad]

Fatt-dad knows Pete Frostic, and his Apitius is a killer. I also took some lessons from him and he is quite the mandolin player! Do, Dfyngravity, you must be a local boy, eh? Richmond, C'ville,. . .?

f-d

[Dfyngravity]

im in richmond...i am usually at every show that is at ashaland coffee and tea. i am student at randolph macon college so thats with in walking distance. but i was taking lessons with pete before he moved up to char'ville. ill be at their show in sept at AC&T. so yea that would make me a local boy.

[scgc.om]

Thanks for responses so far. I'm still hoping to get some quantitative feedback - namely, how many instruments Apitius makes a year, and how many he has made (i.e. how many of his instruments are "in circulation". Is it possible to date his instruments by their serial number?

Also, he is still a "one-man show" - right? If so, I am curious how both Elderly Instruments AND Mandolin Bros. can expect to represent him and have product in stock . . . ?

Lastly, it seems Apitius' asking prices have gone WAY UP in just the last year - any advice as to why the sudden spike in values?

Cheers

[dave waite]

I own Apitius #1048 (1997). Oliver makes 7 mandolins a year, made entirely by him, with NO CNC router which is a pet peeve of mine. Last I saw, neither Elderly or Mandolin Bros. had any of his instruments available & won't for a long time. As far as what is the reason for the recent price spike, all I can say is that his instruments are in high demand & with good reason. The only thing that has prevented his instruments from going higher than they are allready, is the fact that he has no web-page & does nothing as far as promotion at all. I would say that his work ranks with any of em #& the 3 that I have played have a really spectacular tone. I've seen a few used ones for sale lately. Try one out!!

[Dfyngravity]

if you can't find them at the stores or websites you mentioned you can get on his waiting list maybe? i hear that it has gone up to 3? or 5? years, someone correct me if im wrong. i can tell you from the two that i have played....they are true killers. the tone and volume are incredible. and like dave said...no webpage nor any real kind of advertising these things are selling big time. oliver is a first class builder. if i didn't have to wait so long to get a custom mando i would be on his list but if i had to wait 5 years i might not be playing any more.i think they are worth every penny.

[craigmurray]

I have spoken with Oliver on a few occassions about a webpage. #Initially his response was that he doesn't really need one. #However, last time I spoke with him he mentioned that he was going to start putting one together. #He was hiring a photographer to take pictures of his instruments. #I know that Oliver just recently moved his shop from a trailer in his backyard to an artisan complex in an old mill building in Aliston Ontario. This shop is in an area where shoppers can walk around and watch different artists do their thing. I know before the move he was a school bus driver on the side, but I am not sure if he is doing that anymore. #If you have questions you should give him a call. #He is a great guy, and loves to talk about his mandolins. #You can find his contact info in the builders sections of the Cafe, under Canadian builders. #

As an aside, Canada has an impressive list of high quality builders, with Apitius, Micheal Heiden, Doug Woodley, Gavin Baird, and others. #NOt bad for a nation with a population of 31 Million. Must be something in the water.

[pathfinder]

Not to mention Peter Sawchyn and Jamie Wiens (and others).

[Brad Weiss]

Just for Dfyngravity and fatt-dad - Pete Frostic was my teacher in Richmond for most of 2003, til we moved to North Carolina (I was once sort of his teacher when he was a student at William & Mary, but that's a non-mando story). #And his Apitius was beautiful to hear and look at (and to play, when Pete let me).

One more plug for Old School Freight Train, a really interesting group pushing bluegrass in very cool -and hot - directions!

[Bill Snyder]

There is an Apitius in the Cafe's classifieds. (http://www.mandolincafe.com/cgi-bin/classifieds/classifieds.cgi?search_and_display_db_button=on&db_id=10539&query=retrieval)

[addcourt]

I have #1021 which is a '92 A style which is one of six A's built by Olivier. After acquiring this instrument, I called Olivier by phone with the serial number and asked several question regarding the construction of the mando. He did his research and sent a hand written background of the instrument along with information on his theory of building A styles. The tone, finish and overall asthetics of my Apitius is superior to most mandos I've owned. I currently have a Fern, Weber A, and F5 MM in addition to the Apitius. The fit/finish of the Apitius beats all and the sound(tone and volume)beats all but the Master Model. Don't think you can miss with an Aitius and hope this helps.