1987 Gilchrist model 5 F just posted at Gryphons

[Ivan Kelsall]

Purely out of interest,what year was Ronnie McCoury's Gil made - he's had it quite a while. I belive that it's a 1981 model but don't know for sure. One thing i do know for sure - it's a beast !,
Ivan

[Don Grieser]

This one has the S holes like Ronnie's, not his later ff holes.

[Jonathan James]

says "out of stock" so looks like someone grabbed it quick.

[Demetrius]

[kudzugypsy]

Gilchrist mandolins have evolved A LOT since then - notice the really low flat arching on the tops. obviously he was using X bracing and engelmann then. the headstock taper is more loarish, his are different now as they don't taper and the neck profiles on these are more thin & C shaped. I got to play an 81 from the same batch as Ronnies - i think it was 2-3 # away and it had an almost dead flat top arch - i thought it had collapsed but the back arching was the same...i didn't like it enough to buy it.

its interesting to note that at this time - 1987 - there wasn't much out there mando wise, with maybe half a dozen builders active. i don't think i have ever seen a mid-80s F5L. what i find interesting is that they ALL had about the same price range regardless of brand. you could get a new Nugget in 1988 for $2000 + $200 for the case - a Monte was a little more at $2200. My 1990 Pag had a bill of sale for $2000, a new Gil was $2000. i remember riding with my bandmate in 1990 to Conway SC to get his Chestnut mando and paying....$2000. Kentucky had the KM1500 at...$1500 list so anyway - all these mandolins were in the same ballpark - the most expensive mandolin back then by far was the Gibson Bill Monroe model - those were $5500 in 1992 bc i recall the sticker! Gils were $3000 by then - i think thats when he started hitting his stride.
the internet (& mandocafe) was the culprit in the hierarchy pricing.

[Nick Gellie]

First time I have seen posted which is less than 18,000-20,000. I know it is only one sample, but is it a sign that Gilchrists might be coming down from their lofty prices. To me there are worth about 10,000-15,000 - their prices inflated by collectors and afficionados over the last 20 years.

I agree. That is how much they should cost, based on what other top end makers charge. It probably goes for most of the top end makers as well. I am not disparaging their product. They make terrific mandolins. I mean is a Gilchrist really worth more $10,000 than an Ellis F5?

[mtucker]

To me there are worth about 10,000-15,000 - their prices inflated by collectors and afficionados over the last 20 years.

They're clearly a cut above in terms of tone / Loar-like quality than everything I've played and owned in that range. If they ever go down to $10-$15k, cut me in for 10-20 of them, I'm buying futures in Gilchrist!

[Nick Gellie]

No disrespect to the folks that own Gilchrist mandolins but I have played three Gilchrists in the last couple of years - one was X-braced and the other two tone bar instruments. My assessment of them was that they were very good mandolins but I would not buy one on the basis of what I have played to date. I did own one back in 1979 before Steve really took off. It had a narrow nut and it did not play that great. I sold it. I did not know much about setup back then. I might have kept it if I had known to adjust things back then.

[Bill McCall]

There's a complete inventory on the Gilchrist website, and prominent owners, or former owners, are mentioned. His #128 was made 12/81, while #401 was finished 1/98. It looks like he sold that one, so his current one is #128. Its listed as:
F5, 12/81, fern, red-tobacco X (braced) , ES englemann spruce, /RM red maple. (Owned by Ronnie McCoury)

[Demetrius]

What McCourys is engleman?

[FLATROCK HILL]

What McCourys is engleman?

Somewhat of an ambiguous question as written. If you are asking 'Which of Ronnie McCoury's Gilchrist mandolins is engleman?'....

As Bill McCall said above...Gil #128. Owned by Ronnie McCoury according to the Gil website. It says on the site "ES" (Engleman or European Spruce).

[Demetrius]

I own this Mando and the neck isn't c shaped at all... It is just about the same neck profile that was on my Derrington distressed master model, which was significantly v in its profile...
It's true the top and back arching are very flat, and there is a slight bulge behind the bridge. According to Steven Gilchrist this was his intention at the time. It's a killer mandolin, I recently played a 2004 d-log and though the d-log Gil was teriffic this 87 had much more of a loar thing going on. Honestly I do t even thing that was his goal with these models back then. He seems to do a little more of his own thing with these.
I named it "jaws" because it'll bite through anything.

[Hendrik Ahrend]

No disrespect to the folks that own Gilchrist mandolins but I have played three Gilchrists in the last couple of years - one was X-braced and the other two tone bar instruments. My assessment of them was that they were very good mandolins but I would not buy one on the basis of what I have played to date. I did own one back in 1979 before Steve really took off. It had a narrow nut and it did not play that great. I sold it. I did not know much about setup back then. I might have kept it if I had known to adjust things back then.

Nick, now what didn't you like in those Gils?

[JAK]

Over 700 Gil owners can't be wrong? (700+ Gilchrist instruments have been made). Since there are not a whole lot of Gils for sale (say under a dozen at any give time), most of their owners must be happy with them.

[Demetrius]

I'll be honest, I'm obsessed with this mandolin... Some others may hate it but that doesn't have much to do with how well I get along with it.

[Nick Gellie]

Nick, now what didn't you like in those Gils?

Well first skinny frets and flat board. General volume and projection were not as good as my Collings MT or my Mike Black A2 mandolins. Both Gils had a solid chop, one was exceptional. I also thought that the fit and finish were not as good as say a Collings or an Ellis. Generally speaking the tone was mid-rangy with some sparkle in the E strings.

As I said they were very good mandolins. For the 700 plus owners out there, they must have enough pizzazz and tone for them to be worth $20,000-25,000. For me a solid $2000+ mando like a Collings MT or a Pava better meets my needs.

There is one Gilchrist that always catches my attention and that is Matt Flinner's Gilchrist and that one has been well played in and sounds great in recordings.