Summit Mandolins

[mandobando]

Has anyone played a Summit mandolin before. Paul Schneider, who used to work at Gibson, is building them and I hear they are a great mando for the price. #I believe they are in the 3-4k range which is what I am looking to pay. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Kevin K]

I have an '01 F100 Custom that I've owned goin on three years now and truly enjoy it. Loud, balanced and easy to play. I've played about 10 different ones and all had basically the same characteristics but each a little different.
If it sounds and plays like you want it, get it.

[fatt-dad]

I'm pretty much of the opinion that my (and other) pre-Gibson Flatiron A5-1 (signed by Carlson) was actually made by Paul Schneider. So, I was aware that he worked for Flatiron, but not sure when he left to form Summitt.

f-d

[pickinNgrinnin]

For some reason, Summit Mandolins don't seem to get many props here. I've played a number of Paul's A's and F's and they sounded great. Mass Street seems to have a fairly steady supply of Summit's. Paul is a Kansas guy now living in Nashville. Check out thisarticle (http://www.infomagic.net/~bluemoon/summit/mq.html)

Interesting Mando history from the 80's. Paul has worked with some of the top builders. At the end of the article, it makes mention of his friend, Bill Davis - another Kansas guy that makes great Mandolins.

[jasona]

I played a Summit at McCabes. It was more open and loud sounding than the Collings next to it--but I think the Collings had a more complex tone and would develop into an outstanding mandolin. Definitely the Summit a mando I enjoyed playing and is priced correctly with respect to the Collings.

[WJF]

One of my students has a Summit F (not sure of the exact model). It is a **really** nice sounding instrument ... great tone and volume. His particular instrument has a flat fingerboard that doesn't thrill me but aside from that it's a very nice instrument. If it's representative of the "typical" Summit mandolin, then they are certainly worth serious condsideration I would think ...

Hope this helps ...

[berkeleymando]

I had a A5L made in Nashville signed by Paul in 1998. I still kick myself for having sold it in a bind. It was a great mando.

[mingusb1]

I've played the Summit A-style that is for sale in the classifieds right now. #It's a nice one, plays easily, and is at a good price.

I'm not the owner of it.

Z

[Jim Gallaher]

Ah...it was early August of 2002. I was on vacation in southwestern Michigan. I made a pilgrimage to Elderly's in East Lansing -- my first visit to the famous music store.

Left alone with the mandolins, I tried them all. The best of the bunch? A beautiful Summit F-5. I think it was a signature model -- Jesse McReynolds or Bobby Osborne (can't recall). It was way out of my price range at the time -- around $4,000 I think.

But when I played it I finally realized the difference between my modest Weber and a professional-grade mandolin.
It was all there -- the loud, even volume all across the strings, the easy playability, the clear upper range and the woofy chop.

I lusted after that mando every week, checking the Elderly internet site to see if it was still "available". Surprisingly, it sat for almost a year before someone purchased it.

I've moved on to other mando's, but I still have fond memories of holding that Summit and imagining myself pulling it out of a Calton at my local jam session, then hitting that first "chop" chord and watching the heads turn...

[Joe Mendel]

Paul makes very nice mandolins, I've had two of them, an A-100 and a F-100 Custom. The A was very early, # 36 or so and the F was close to # 100. I wish I still had them, but my MAS is #relentless. If (when) I'm in the market for another mandolin I'll certainly take a look at the Summits.

[goldtopper]

I 've got #222,- an F100- and wouldn't ever get rid of it. It barks, sounds full and the chords and vibrato are sweet and warm. Every time I play it I get excellent comments on the sound.
Best deal going in the price range, IMHO.

[mandobando]

Thanks for all the comments. I was lucky enough to play an F-100,F-200, and an artist this weekend and was blown away by all three. There was a collings mf-5(I think that's what it was, it was their high end) in the same shop that I was able to compare it with, and truth be told there was no comparison. Though the collings was a nice mando and may well open up to be a great mando, the summits were much better in all aspects out of the gate. They were all very loud with a great chop and best of all they had great playability from top to bottom. Paul also offers a lifetime warranty on all his instruments which says alot for his workmanship. We may have something here folks! Don't let the secret out.