View Full Version : 13,000 dollar givens F-5 ?
JiminRussia
Jan-02-2005, 7:48pm
Zeek, is it really necessary to ridicule someone for putting a price on his mandolin? If you don't like he price, don't buy it, but don't run the guy down for telling you what it is worth to him. By they way, I don't have any financial interest in this mandolin and, in fact, don't even know who the seller is.
Crowder
Jan-02-2005, 7:49pm
He sent me some pics, and it looks rough. Didn't even clean it up for the photos. I would say it's worth half that, best case scenario.
jiminRussia, your not getting it........ oh well.
J. Mark Lane
Jan-02-2005, 8:29pm
That's insane. Greg Boyd has them now and then, and I don't think he gets anywhere near that much for them. And there isn't a better expert on Givens mandolins than Boyd. I emailed the guy, too, but haven't heard back from him. He may as well not waste his time.
Mark
atetone
Jan-02-2005, 9:01pm
Looks to me like the seller just doesn't know.
Somehow he got a price in his head from somewhere and he is now going to find out if it is reasonable or not.
No big deal. I doubt if he is trying to pull a fast one, just checking out the market.
He will find out the value and someone will pay it.
fatt-dad
Jan-03-2005, 10:59am
Heck, You guys got more information that I did. I offerred either my pre-Gibson Carlson A5-1 Flatiron or my Stiver A-model in partial trade, recognizing that some thousands would be needed to compliment. I got a reply that there was alot of interest, he would let the dust settle, but was looking to sell to a player (he must have talked to my neighbors). I live down the road and would have welcomed the chance to meet/trade/deal/buy from him, but this thread is the first that I got on the price point - even after a direct request.
Oh well, I love both of my A-list mandolins. . . .
f-d
Mandobar
Jan-03-2005, 11:18am
a friend of mine bought a givens A5, kept it a few months and then promptly sold it.
he'd wanted one something awful. shame it was such a disappointment. the fit and finish are not always up to snuff and neither is the sound. i'd be wanting to play this before i made any offers. as for selling to a player, not sure it matters if you really want to sell it. is he making people audition? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif
fatt-dad
Jan-03-2005, 12:13pm
Kind of what I thought as well. I mean, who do you have to know to buy this mandolin? I am literally a 45 minute drive to where it's located and (seemingly) was interested. But, now I wonder how to join the club. . . .
f-d
J. Mark Lane
Jan-03-2005, 12:19pm
Well, I always said, I wouldn't belong to any club that would have me as a member.
On the subject at hand, yeah, I played a Givens A6 in very good condition next to my Givens Legacy A6. The owner of the "original" was very happy to have it, it seemed. But I honestly thought my Legacy sounded considerably better. I have heard others say that the Givens instruments were not that consistent. Easy to believe, when you realize how many he produced in a given time period.
Incidentally, I noticed Charles Johnson has a Givens A5 for $3500, and a Legacy F5 for $2500. Greg Boyd appears to have a couple of F's, but doesn't list his price on the website.
addcourt
Jan-03-2005, 1:04pm
Prices on Givens F5s tend to vary alot based upon year(later models seem to be worth more)and of course originality. #Greg Boyd had a very nice '88 model listed for $12,500 and sold it fairly fast(don't know selling price)and Bernunzio had a early '80s that didn't move very fast at $6,500. #Intermountain Guitars has an F for $8,800. #It's a little easier to price A models since he made many more of them. #Good luck to buyer and seller on the one in question.
Chip Booth
Jan-03-2005, 6:51pm
I played the Givens F at Intermountain recently and it was a fine sounding mandolin, though it didn't appeal to me $8800.00 worth. But, oh my, the flame on the back of that thing was unbelievable, never seem another like it. Overall it's in real good shape.
Harry H
Jan-04-2005, 12:15am
Some of those Givens mandos have TINY necks!
A buddy of mine had an F in the '90's and sold it because it was
killing his left hand, thumb in particular.
Caveat Emptor!
fatt-dad
Jan-04-2005, 9:08pm
So the price is now posted in the ad - $7500.00, whew (at least for me)!
f-d