Pomeroy? other builders to consider?

**Sadee** · Jul-24-2007, 9:28am

Hello - this is my first post and wanted to introduce myself. I've been playing the mandolin for over 1 year. I play mostly bluegrass but also am learning other styles. I have a Collings MT and am considering having a mando custom built. For those of you familar with Pomeroy, could I get your opinion on his mandos? How do they compare soundwise to Collings? If anyone has soundclips, I'd love to hear them. Are there other builders I should consider? I'd like to get an F style mando and keep the cost under $4k. Thanks so much!

**ab4usa** · Jul-24-2007, 9:36am

FWIW, I was recently in the same boat. I decided to up the ante to $4.5K and go with Gail Hester. That said there are probably a number of builders in that $4K catagory.

**John Flynn** · Jul-24-2007, 9:49am

I would consider one of Bill Bussman's Old Wave mandolins. He is just under your price cap for an F, he does great work and he is great to deal with.

**johnM** · Jul-24-2007, 9:49am

I would vote for a Pomeroy. I was in the market for a "good" mandolin a while back. I was looking at some really nice Weber's, or maybe putting myself on the list for a Poe. I found the Pomeroy web page and investigated the Cafe opinions on his instruments, everyone had glowing reviews of his work. Fortunitly he had "his" personel F5 for sale, it was a couple years old and he went through it and sold it to me with a full warranty. I don't really like to buy something site unseen but decided that all the cafe members can't be wrong so sent him the money.

It is a FANTASTIC instrument, playability, sound, tone, volume. I can't imagine another mandolin being better, in fact i'm currently thinking of another one from him. My problem is that If I get another mandolin, I would not play #41 and i'm not sure I want to do that.

Currently he has a new model on his page which looks great. He's told me he did a couple things different with this "hook" model. It really looks great and i'm sure it sounds great.

I would highly recommend his work.

John

**Eric F.** · Jul-24-2007, 10:18am

Don makes a fine mandolin.

**cooper4205** · Jul-24-2007, 10:30am

Will Parsons makes a lacquer F5 for $3200 and a varnish for $4500. He doesn't have a website yet, but I have posted a few of pics of his mandolins on here.

Parsons mandolin

**swinginmandolins** · Jul-24-2007, 10:36am

Steve Holst will make a you a custom F for $3K. Holst Website
He has audio clips of a couple of his Fs on his site. I love my 2 point. It gets better everyday. Good luck in finding the right mandolin.

**Don Christy** · Jul-24-2007, 10:54am

I have a Pomeroy F4 and like it a lot (though it's not a bluegrass axe). I bought it from Mark Lane when he started getting rid of mandos in favor of piano. I sent it back to Don to radius the board and refret it and he did fantastic work. Again, it's not a bluegrass hoss IMO. Don does make an F5 that would probably make great bluegrass mandolin.

All that being said, for this price you can also get a Silver Angel by Ken Ratcliff. I've got an F5 by him and it is a bluegrass cannon. I've had it 2 years and it just gets better and better.

I've also played MJ's oval-holed Old Wave. That's a beautiful and powerful instrument. I'm sure Bussman makes an F5, but I don't have any experience with them.

Bottom line, there are a lot of good small builders. Probably can't go wrong with any of the ones regularly trumpeted here on the cafe.

Happy hunting,
Don

**Brad Weiss** · Jul-24-2007, 11:00am

Brief shout out for Andrew Mowry #- mowrystrings.com. #His F styles are over 4k, but he's still a real bargain. #All of the other makers mentioned are top-notch. #I don't think you can go wrong... One more point: he doesn't make F styles, but I really do think Rolfe Gerhardt's Phoenix mandolins are the single best value out there. He makes a very fine BG mandolin for a very fair price.

Ok, ok, I own a Mowry and a Phoenix. Sue me. I'm really happy with these both!

**Frank Russell** · Jul-24-2007, 11:05am

Don't own one anymore, due to short-sighted MAS, but I'll put in my two cents for Bill Bussman. #If I had $$ for a custom, that's where I'd spend it. #The two Old Waves I've owned were the best mandolin values I've come across so far. #Plus, the man is just damned entertaining. #Frank

**pjlama** · Jul-24-2007, 11:07am

As you can see in your price range there are many very good builders and options but to answer the question the one Pomeroy I played was fantastic. Try and play some of these other makers too though, I've played/owned some of the stuff mentioned above and was impressed as well.

**Chunky But Funky** · Jul-24-2007, 12:18pm

Hi, not sure if you're looking for custom options or not, but http://www.acousticmusicworks.com here in the 'burgh has both a new and a used one for sale. (No financial interest, but a good customer lately) The used one is up for $2995, so at that price you could buy a Calton, a case cover, some fancy picks and a Mocha at Starbucks and still be under 4000!

Doug

**tterral** · Jul-24-2007, 12:50pm

I talked to the guy at Acoustic Music Works (Steve?)a number of months ago and he was very high on the oval hole Pomeroys, but not as high on Don's F-5 models, do not recall why. This is of course contrary to most everything I have read hear, so who knows. I "think" the used Pom has been there for quite awhile, may have been the one I was inquiring about last winter, if that is the case, I may be a little leary because they seem to get a lot of traffic in there and if it has not sold, that would concern me. Obviously, the best way would be to try any of the above mentioned builders instruments yourself, but that is probably not something one could readily do, unfortunately. I would personally like to try all of them too, but have decided to go from an MT to a Passernig F-5, sight unseen/heard. Should have it in a few weeks. I just found out his price has gone up to $5,000, so he is now out of your price range, but one comes up used once in a while in the Classifieds and all the reviews on his mandos have been very inthusiastic. Fortunately, I got in before the price increase ($4,250), they were going for $3,850 this time last year.

PS: For the record I would still like to try a Pomeroy, because I still think the folks here can't be all wrong! The guy at AMW did not dis the POM, he just was not as enthusiastic about the 'F's compared to the oval.

Good Luck.

**Skin it Back** · Jul-24-2007, 1:14pm

BRW or Daley (standard)--both would be about $4K

**johnwalser** · Jul-24-2007, 1:21pm

My Pomeroy is a joy to play and I doubt I'll ever play any mandola with better tone or sustain. I am one VERY happy camper!
John

**Rick Crenshaw** · Jul-24-2007, 3:08pm

Originally Posted by (Skin it Back @ July 24 2007, 14:14)

BRW or Daley (standard)--both would be about $4K

I love my two Daleys and waited eleven months for Standard #21 (Sitka) and about fifteen months for Classic #56 (Red Spruce). The wait is now about 2-1/2 years. Go ahead and get on it! You can save the money till time to pay up when it's done. I've thought about rounding out my collection with an Englemann topped A model.

**elvisNoir** · Jul-24-2007, 3:17pm

Originally Posted by (Sadee @ July 24 2007, 10:28)

Hello - this is my first post and wanted to introduce myself. #I've been playing the mandolin for over 1 year. #I play mostly bluegrass but also am learning other styles. #I have a Collings MT and am considering having a mando custom built. #For those of you familar with Pomeroy, could I get your opinion on his mandos? #How do they compare soundwise to Collings? #Thanks so much!

Recently, I was in a similar situation, although I didn't have a quality mando as you now do. I have learned much about the process of lust and mandolins, which I hope to follow in the future, and which I now share, FWIW:

1. Do not impulse buy. Consider your options carefully and TAKE YOUR TIME.
I have assembled a list of about forty builders who I found from reading this forum, and the MandoCafe in general. Lots of options.

2. Try to not fixate on particular makers, especially as a result of limited information. I am generalizing here, but I am scary-close to the truth: I often read posts on this board from people who have decided on one or two builders, often without even playing any of their mandos. They have just formed a positive mental image of the builder and their work, using online information, and perhaps some word of mouth. Such info is merely a starting point, not the entire picture.

The most important element of an instrument--how good of a MUSICAL INSTRUMENT a particular mando actually is, seems often to be a secondary concern.

3. While not always possible, the best scenario may be: you try a mando, and find you love the mando and it is for sale. Every instrument is different, so there is no guarantee that the next mando this person makes is going to be to your liking--If possible, buy what you have played and like.

4. Having figured this out, it all seems logical to me now. However, I didn't do any of it when I ordered my mando. Nevertheless, I know that when it is finished in a couple of weeks, I will be smiling.

**LKN2MYIS** · Jul-24-2007, 3:18pm

My Pomeroy is simply incredible. It's an F4 and loud, resonant, and everything I hoped it would be. The tone is wonderful, and only keeps getting better.

Fit and finish are flawless.

I can recommend Don and his Pomeroy's without any hesitation.

**Sadee** · Jul-26-2007, 9:56am

Thank you everyone for taking the time to post comments. My head is starting to spin from all the choices out there. I'm really in no hurry so I can take my time and hopefully make this a fun adventure.

**fwoompf** · Jul-26-2007, 10:32am

I would seriously consider taking a week to browse through the builders forum and the pictures forum side by side, with maybe a little bit of searching in the looking for info on mandolin forum. Lots of good resources out there–almost as many as there are excellent builders!

**LKN2MYIS** · Jul-26-2007, 12:28pm

My final recommendation.

Pomeroy's are great. That being said -

Unless you have the opportunity and ability to play an instrument from each builder, it's tough. I think what you
ideally want is to find an instrument that 'speaks' to you, and that's hard to do sight (sound?) unseen.

Call as many of the builders as you are drawn to and discuss what you are looking for. Hear what they have to say, then check their recommendations on the Cafe. Then choose who gave you the best 'feeling'. The builder's know how difficult it is, that's why the majority offer you a refund
if you are not satisfied.

You may find that Pomeroy (or Duff, or Poe, or whoever) isn't right for you after discussions and research, and end up with something different.

No one can tell you which should be YOUR mandolin. It's a very personal thing, IMHO.

At any rate, it's a fun challenge to have!

**epicentre** · Jul-26-2007, 12:47pm

Originally Posted by (ducati08 @ July 24 2007, 11:54)

I have a Pomeroy F4 and like it a lot (though it's not a bluegrass axe). I bought it from Mark Lane when he started getting rid of mandos in favor of piano.
Happy hunting,
Don

If Mark is on a piano forum, hope Eastman don't make pianos.

:coffee:Epi