My new Hester A5z mandolin

[Darryl Wolfe]

Out of curiosity, what factors informed your choice in terms of the fretboard extension?

That part I left completely to Gail. I like it

[CES]

Darryl, congratulations!

Gail, amazing work, as always!

[DougC]

Really nice. Play some really nice tunes on it.

[pops1]

Someday I would love to have one of Gail's mandolins. For now a song say's it best, Dreeeeaammmm, Dream Dream Dream, Dreeeeaaammmm

[Doug Freeman]

Great concept, collaboration, and execution!

[pheffernan]

That part I left completely to Gail. I like it

I do too. It has kind of an A4 feel, a fitting compromise between an A5 and an A2-z!

[Linda P.]

I totally agree with you Darryl!! I love my F5 that Gail built for me. It's just what I asked for - - one piece front and back, gorgeous inlay! Everyone who hears or plays mine, wants to know where I got this amazing instrument! Gail Hester is an amazing craftsman!!

[hank]

Linda your giving away Gail's secrete in that first photo. Something so beautiful must have been grown in her garden. Joking aside congratulations Darryl and Linda. Again, beautiful luthiery Gail!

[Don Grieser]

Top shelf all the way. Congrats!

[Ivan Kelsall]

We've seen several of Gail's masterworks on here, & without exception,they've been amongst the most glorious instruments that i've ever seen. Everything looks 'right',& Linda's F5 is a great example of what i mean - wow !,

Ivan

[Willie Poole]

I went on Gail Hester`s web site to try and find out a little more about here mandolins and I can`t believe what I saw...Some fellow was showing photos of a mandolin that he said Gail did some work on and he said the binding was not installed properly and it didn`t match the original binding....From every photo that I have seen of Gail`s mandolins and also from what people have said about her mandolins I can`t believe what he posted...I am sure a lot of people are not 100% happy with every repair that they have made on a mandolin but why post it on a web site, the one thing I am curious about is whether he sent it back to her to have it done to his satisfaction or if he just wants to bad mouth a fine builder...That was just one posting that said anything negative about her work, the rest were very positive...I myself would love to own one of her builds and will keep my eye`s open for one to come along...

Willie

[banjoboy]

It's too bad that that guy's post is very one-sided and does not tell the whole story. Basically he's an idiot. He talks about how his mandolin was really great to begin with, so why would you send it to a luthier to improve what you consider to be a really great instrument? I own a Hester F-5 mandolin that is awesome. Everyone that I know that owns a Hester thinks they are the best. Michael Cleveland told me he thought my Hester felt and played like David McLaughlin's Loar. I waited for several years for my mandolin because Gail is extremely meticulous about her instruments. It's very unfortunate that when you look up Gail Hester, the very first thing that comes up is that moron's website. I would definitely place her work up there with Dudenbostel, Gilchrist, and any number of the other folks who people considered to be the best builders.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Well said banjoboy !!. Ain't it the truth that a single bad thing always sticks around & becomes more prominent than a 100 good things ?. However,most of us on here know just how good Gail's work is - so let's stick with that ,
Ivan

[Gary Hedrick]

So we have a person who is (in my opinion) one of THE experts on Loars....owns Loars....plays Loars and knows all about them. He commissions a person who from seeing all of her work and reading about her on the Cafe' is a person that likes to celebrate the other parts of the Gibson legacy. ...Her F4's are just perfect in their look and craftsmanship etc. ....and now we have this instrument. Quite an endorsement for her and the integrity of her product.......(so say me the obsessed owner of 14 F4's over the years)
It ain't all about the Loars.....(tho I sure do love a good Loar!) All is right with the world in the new year when things like this happen in the Mandolin World!!!

[ash89]

thats one wacky bit of backwood G... 8-)

[MikeEdgerton]

OK, to put this into perspective, that isn't new news it was posted here years ago. It's worthwhile to actually research the whole story. I'm pretty sure that if Gail could get a do over she wouldn't have taken on that job on in the first place. I'm sure it pained her to deal with it but as far as I know she did deal with the issue. It's old news. Sometimes business people get into things they shouldn't have gotten into. Gail never denied she did the work. It just happens and that doesn't make the guy a liar or a wacko it just makes him an unsatisfied customer and sometimes you can't satisfy a customer. I'm pretty sure she would have been happier if this hadn't surfaced.

[ash89]

thats one wacky bit of backwood G... 8-)

wonderful choice..just beautiful

[atetone]

Old old worn out news!
Forget about it and just lust for the mandolins that Gail hits out of the park every time.
Just by virtue of her client list the truth about her exceptional workmanship (workwomanship?) speaks for itself.
The pictures and praises just double down on it.
Gail is top notch, no if ands or buts.

[fatt-dad]

well, I missed this thread at the onset. Wow! What a spectacular instrument! The overall aesthetic is great! That backwood is great. I want to play it! Heck, I want one!

Well done to Gail and to Darryl - after all, he did make the commission. What work though!

f-d

[Mike Stewart]

It's very unfortunate that when you look up Gail Hester, the very first thing that comes up is that moron's website.

Fortune has nothing to do with. As far as I can tell, Ms. Hester doesn't have a website. This guy does. So when Google, et. al., go to index the internet, queries such as "Gail Hester mandolins" are going to turn up this guy's site. A quick-and-dirty business site on the part of Hester, along with a back link from the Cafè and a few others, and the top link might not get buried but it would a lot further down. That's up to Gail whether or not she'd like that corrected, and I'll even extend an offer of advice if not outright help, but it ultimately lies with the vendor to correct.

As an example, look at http://www.pavamandolins.com. No prices, no info on how to order, just some pics and some specs. If something that simple isn't enough to bump this guy's page off the top, then Google and Bing are broken.

[MikeEdgerton]

... If something that simple isn't enough to bump this guy's page off the top, then Google and Bing are broken.

Unless he bought the ad word.

[Mike Stewart]

Unless he bought the ad word.

That is a level of vindictiveness I had not considered.

[iowaiowa]

Out of curiosity, what factors informed your choice in terms of the fretboard extension?

Anyone have contact info for Gail Hester?
I have an old Gibson f4 that needs repair.
I don't have facebook.
Thanks, Tom

[Demetrius]

Well that kicked me in the face and brought on the fastest MAS I’ve felt in a while.... Sent me from 0-80 by the 2nd picture- Congrats!

[pheffernan]

Anyone have contact info for Gail Hester?
I have an old Gibson f4 that needs repair.
I don't have facebook.
Thanks, Tom

Gail is a Cafe member who posted to this thread. https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/m...71-Gail-Hester