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Thread: Expensive mandolins

  1. #1
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    I don't post much any more so excuse me if it has been discussed before. I was wondering just how many actual professional musicians are buying the Dudes, Montes, the Gils, and the Nuggets. My guess is that they can't afford them. This is sad for them if true. Perhaps there has all ready been a poll. I just can't fathom the price's these fetch.
    I thought that the violin market was the most inflated of fine instruments till recently.
    If you are a pro and would like to chime in, please do.

    Chip Gulbro
    Musically Yours,
    Chip

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    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
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    I used to work for a high-end instrument manufacturer. The majority of the fancy high-dollar custom ones that went out of there were bought by doctors, lawyers and other affluent types that wanted the best. Professional musicians usually went for the lower price ranges. These were just general trends that I observed, not always the case.
    I suspect that the majority of the high priced mandolins that you mentioned are going to the affluent, not the working pro musicions.
    BUT...I don't think that is sad because you don't have to pay the top prices to have top quality! The "supply and demand" of the market has pushed the prices up. There are good builders in various stages of their careers building top quality mandolins at prices that range from grossly undervalued to about the same as a good factory instrument.

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    Yes, Docs and Lawyers! And most great musicians absoloutly can not afford a Gil, Monty, Dude or anything like that. They mostly rely on people giving them there " High Quality" instrument, but like sunburst said, I have played many a Dude and all those other mandos, and alot of them dont cut it in the sound department, Ive played alot of $2500 mandos, that blow away the $24000 ones. So I wouldn't worry about it!
    Josh
    uhhhh huh?

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    Unhappy

    Chip, what price range do you consider "expensive?"
    John A. Karsemeyer

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    I believe that Ricky Skaggs paid a mid-five figure sum for his July 9th, 1923 Loar mandolin. He certainly is a performer using that instrument on stage & recording. He is not a lawyer, nor a doctor.

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    mandojosh, you say you have played many a Dude, eh? I smell BS. There aren't many a Dudes even in existence. I often wonder when I see people comment that they've played "a bunch of" Loars and Gils and Nuggets, just how many they really have played. Just because some anonomous individual "claims" to know something, at best it is just one person's often biased opinion.
    A wrong note played timidly is a wrong note. A wrong note played with authority is an interpretation.

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    Smell BS ehh? Ive played three dudes, the only one that Ive played that sounds good is Chris Thiles. And I have had the honnor to hang out with Steven Gilchrist and have played his personal mandolin, Matt Flinner's Gil, Grismans Gil, and a collector I give lessons to has one. And montys are not that rare, I played three at winfield. So no BS. Here is a link to my sight if you dont believe me that I've played chris's dude, or grisman's mandos, look at the photos, www.joshpinkham.com O yeah, I have played six Loars including Mike Marshall's and Grisman's.

    # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #Josh



    uhhhh huh?

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    brian,
    uh....oops!!
    seriously, you might want to have a peek at this thread.




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    oops... I now stand corrected. The Gilchrists, Dudenbostels and Monteleones aren't really very good.
    A wrong note played timidly is a wrong note. A wrong note played with authority is an interpretation.

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    There's a quote from the film "Dead Man Walking" where the prison guard says something like "I ain't gonna get into a Bible-quoting contest with a nun!"

    Peace and happy music to everybody!

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    Don't feel bad Brian. #I wouldn't have described three as "many a" but that is a very imprecise phrase. #

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    One of the things I really like about Chris Thile is what a modest young man he is. I really respect that. Nick
    ntriesch

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    the young man gave an honest, and accurate answer, to which someone said he was bs ing, and he responded as most young guys would. there's good music being made on some local made instruments, get out to the campgrounds and festivals, you'll see he's right. show up at local jam with your 10-30k mando you better be able to knock down the house with it.

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    In 1923 and there abouts, who bought all those expensive $250 loars? They could have had car or 2.

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    Im verry sorry if I came across as "cocky" I just tend to take ofence when somebody says I was BSing. And I think three dudes is alot considering there's only like 28 or something out there. Again verry sorry brian if I came across as a jerk.
    uhhhh huh?

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    O and the reason I was name dropping was so that I had a person to back up the mandos I have played, again sorry. Blue my top.

    Josh
    uhhhh huh?

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    Exclamation

    To JAK
    I would consider paying more than 10 g's to be inflated for the vast majority of mando's. I remember playing an excellent A- Gil 3 or 4 years ago. Just last year I saw the same model used for sale for several g's more. I could be wrong, but this inflation seemed to coincide by the way with the sale of Monroe's Loar 2 or 3 years ago. His went for 1.1 mill I think.
    I am happy at the moment with my ebay find-a 99 Steven Weill Givens Legacy A. I paid a modest sum compared to others comparable in quality. And it is a high quality instrument which I could recommend to anyone.
    Musically Yours,
    Chip

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    mandojosh,

    If you really are Josh Pinkham, I encourage you to spend more and more of your time with David, and Mike, and Chris and less and less time on this board. You have access to the absolute best that the world has to offer. Your time and attention will be best spent with them -- without the distractions and diversion of these trivial pursuits.

    For what it's worth, defending senseless mandolin arguments doesn't suit you anymore than it does David, or Mike, or Chris, or Steve. And I can't remember them posting here recently to defend anything.

    Play well, Josh Pinkham.

    Kuti

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    And I'd add, if you ever play poker...Never apologize for not bluffing! A guy takes a gamble when he calls a bluff. His deal.

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    Thanks guys. I just was sharing my opinion with the guy who started this thread, and then I got called a lyer and it got me mad for a short amount of time, and your right I should not have concerned my self with it. thanks guys.

    Josh
    uhhhh huh?

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    about a year ago Wes from Liberty Pike (before he played with them) posted for a while. he had just won Merle Fest i think, was interesting to hear the frank opinions from another young picker and I appreciate these young guys breathing a litte fresh air (and knowledge) into the discussions. however you should note Josh that not too many doctors, lawyers, and accountants appreciate being told their 30k mando isn't 15x better than a 2k Shue (for instance). (Shue is a good builder in NC)

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    Josh, I don't think you have anything to apologize for. Brian seems pretty unapologetic for calling you a liar and being wrong. I have played four Dudes all side by side along with MM's, a couple of Nuggets, 2 Loars, a bunch of Gils at a picking party. I agree with you. Keep up the good work.
    "No point in thinking outside the box until you know what's IN the box. . ." #Frank Ford

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    Quote Originally Posted by
    ...not too many doctors, lawyers, and accountants appreciate being told their 30k mando isn't 15x better than a 2k Shue
    That is a list of three professions whose feelings I am not all that concerned about and IMO need and deserve every dose of reality the world can serve them. I really appreciated Josh's comments. Not many people have played that variety of instruments and are willing to give frank opinions about them.

    Quote Originally Posted by
    ...defending senseless mandolin arguments doesn't suit you anymore than it does David, or Mike, or Chris, or Steve.
    kuti: If you think these threads are senseless, what are you doing here? And what are you insinuating about the rest of us? I don't think this thread is senseless, nor do I believe that about my fellow board members (OK, most of them, anyway!). I for one hope Josh stays around and shares his opinions and I wish those other guys would too. We are all just people who play the same instrument, albiet at different levels. A person doesn't have "sense" just because they play well and have CDs out, and they are not "senseless" because they don't.

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    I totally agree. We're lucky to have contributions from Josh and other great players here...that's what sets this site apart from the rest. There's nothing wrong with stating your opinion...especially if you can back it up! I think a full apology is warrented from both kuti & brian. But I guess that's just my opinion...

    Bill

    ps when does this end and we get back on topic?

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    OK, back on topic now...

    I'm not a professional musician, a doctor, lawyer, or any of that. #I'm a mediocre picker at best! #I do, however, have a raging case of MAS and want to have the best mando that I can justify. #

    Note the word justify-- I have a#good job and *could* buy most any mandolin out there for sale (Loar's excepted!), but I just can't convince myself that I need to. #My wife's an even harder sell on this point!

    That doesn't stop me from the gradual process of selling my wife on the next one that tickles the old mando fancy. #Like a lot of folks, I'm trading up to ever more expensive instruments, and someday I might even own one of the "expensive" ones listed in the post that started this thread.

    Look at this way, there are a lot worse, and more expensive, habits than mandos in the world. #Mandos hold their value pretty well if you take good care of them. #Many things you might buy loose value the whole time you own them. #Plus mandos don't take up much space! I don't know about others here on the board, but mandos mean more to me than cars for example. Cars are just transportation to me, but mandos are pure joy!



    Matt Mc

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