This should be interesting.......

Aug-22-2004, 1:38pm

Dude

Hmmmmm.........investment potential or lunacy?.......Frankly I dunno, it could go either way....comments anyone?

No slight intended to the owner Dr Darrow. This is quite interesting & a very high quality mando no doubt.

Aug-22-2004, 2:40pm

After some careful thought. I'm leaning towards investment potential.............

**grandmainger** · Aug-22-2004, 2:56pm

$17K though... I mean, if you go for investment, how much more would one pay for an A...
I really really really want nonetheless

**Eric F.** · Aug-22-2004, 5:53pm

Dale, I tend to think it's lunacy ... but I still want it!

**evanreilly** · Aug-22-2004, 7:55pm

The products from the Dude's workbench rarely come onto the secondary market. Chris Thile sold his first; regretted it & paid a premium to get that one back.
I've played Dudes; it isn't hype!! They guy doesn't even have a website now!!! And he isn't taking orders, either.

**mandomick** · Aug-22-2004, 8:54pm

I remember the spirited discussion that took place when one of his F styles was offered up for 30k. That guy got his price in a day or two if I remember correctly and I'm bettin' that this one won't last much longer.

**mandoJeremy** · Aug-22-2004, 9:46pm

It is still hyped up Dale! #That's just my opinion and I have stated many, many, many times on this site that without Thile Lynn would just be "another" builder and there is NO way that an A is going to command 17K from me regardless of whose name is on it! #I am not taking anything away from Lynn at all but I think he would probably agree somewhere deep down inside (it's called getting a major break in your career!). #If you build a great mando that is great, you BETTER put it in great hands. #It is! #I have played Dudes and I can tell you that I liked some of the mandos I played at OAI Gibson much better. #Realize this: #Thile will pull his tone on anything he picks up. #He is the same as Steffey; listen to the different recordings over the last 20 years and quite a few different mandos and he still sounds like Steffey. #Your tone is all yours. #If your "tone" can be attributed to a particular mandolin and a price put on it I guess it is good for the builder. #Thile still had the same tone on his Gibson years ago and it wasn't quite as deep on his first CD but he has just matured as a musician and it is that simple, plus constantly changing picks. Tone is much more affected by picks than most people think and you will notice that Thile keeps experimenting and going with heavier gauges!

**Bradley** · Aug-23-2004, 5:11am

Great Post MandoJeremy.....

I agree whole heartedly.

**Tom C** · Aug-23-2004, 6:02am

The Dr strikes again with another great mando.I agree with you mandoJeremy, but there are many people out there with alot of money where 17K is not much to them.
If they want it now, they will buy it.

**ethanopia** · Aug-23-2004, 6:59am

I think it is kind of funny that an instrument, which from across the camp fire you might mistake for a Gibson A9 is 17,000 doallrs?

Isn't that like building a Ferrari that looks like a Honda Accord?

I'm sure it is a great instrument, and sounds and plays excellent though...

Aug-23-2004, 7:35am

Well, I'd feel better about someone giving $17K for that Dude than I would about someone that bought a A5L from the Gibson Bluegrass Showcase with a list price of $3828............

**AlanN** · Aug-23-2004, 7:39am

Heck, across the campfire, a loar looks like a kentucky

**Rob Powell** · Aug-23-2004, 7:51am

Jeremy,

Hyped up price? Sure, I doubt Lynn charges that much even now but the thing is, you can't get one at any price at the moment unless you are already in the queue.

It seems your position on price is purely subjective, that is, what YOU would pay and I agree that you can find really good sounding, high quality mandos and never approach 5 figures and even some for under a grand. What YOU or anyone pays SHOULD be purely subjective.

I'm sure it will go for the price. I commend the Dr for not getting this in a bidding war as I suspect the first 17k gets it.

If I had the money, I'd buy it because Lynn is such a gentleman and a fine builder. Hey, you could say someone is willing to pay the money to jump to the front of the line

Aug-23-2004, 8:00am

I have played that mandolin I believe when I was at Lynn's Last year or the year before last? It is probably one of Lynn's finest. It also has a Virzi I believe if I remember correctly. The pics do not do it justice. As for $17,000 dunno. I told Marc if I was him I would keep that one to hold on to even if it is an A.

**Chris Baird** · Aug-23-2004, 8:28am

I remember that mandolin when the "Dude" Gallery was still up. It is a beauty. I really like the instruments that have all thier flair in the workmanship and not from elaborate inlay and pyschodelic woods. Anyway, it is hard for 99% of us to know what a Dude is worth because the secondary markert it very small and exclusive(generally). Which says a lot for Lynn's work because he is not getting those prices for himself. Seems if the mandolins weren't extrememly captivating you'd see a lot of folks cashing in on the difference between what Lynn charged and what the mandolin is worth on the secondary market. The benchmark for expensive stringed instruments is always set by violins. Many of the new master built violins of today are going for $15k-$30+K. Is not the mandolin comparable to the violin?

Also, Does anyone know where I can see some pics of Lynn's works beside the building photos?

**Bill James** · Aug-23-2004, 9:47am

Originally Posted by

without Thile Lynn would just be "another" builder

There are other reasons why he's not just another builder. Remember, Thile picked him BECAUSE he was not just another builder.

Why is that so hard to accept?

**grandmainger** · Aug-23-2004, 9:54am

Originally Posted by (Bill James @ Aug. 23 2004, 16:47)

Originally Posted by

without Thile Lynn would just be "another" builder

There are other reasons why he's not just another builder. Remember, Thile picked him BECAUSE he was not just another builder.

Yes, but the real question is: which came first... the chicken or the egg...

?

**Jim Garber** · Aug-23-2004, 11:04am

My question has to do with the seller. He has consistently sold some of the finest mandolins out there including Gilchrists, Monteleones and now a Dude. Is he a dealer or a player who happenes to have lots of money but has not found his sound yet.

Just curious...

Jim

**FrankenMouse** · Aug-23-2004, 11:05am

Sold! That was quick.

Dr Darrow is not a professional mandolin dealer. Just a self-confessed mandolin addict, with particularly good (and expensive!) taste.

**grandmainger** · Aug-23-2004, 11:14am

How much does a Dude cost new (regardless of waiting list etc...). If Lynn took an order today for a regular F, how much would that actually cost? Not that I'm planning to get one anyday soon, but I'm just curious...

Aug-23-2004, 11:54am

just talked to Doc.. Its not sold and still for sale

Aug-23-2004, 12:02pm

Frankenmouse......Grrrrr......you must of been looking at that Apitius! Which didn't last long BTW.......

**Tom C** · Aug-23-2004, 12:14pm

Who has actually played Chris T's mando?-I know some of you have.

At the symposium all the instructors played together. Chris gave off about 1/2 the volumn as the other pickers so he's either.....
a) playing very very softly - Which, can you hear differences as much when played
so softly?
b)Chris plays with more umph than we think but the mando is not what it is hyped
up to be.
Picker or mando?

**mandoJeremy** · Aug-23-2004, 12:23pm

Bill, let me state it once again. #I think Lynn's work is GREAT and my post is not meant to cut down Lynn in any way! #I was saying that Thile is the reason the used market is so crazy about Dudes, not new ones and the reason Dudenbostel became a household mandolin name in the mando world almost overnight. #I had never heard of them before Thile got his. #Had you? #And yes Thile did pick him. #Why? #Well let's see, he picked up a mando that perfectly suited him, his ears, and felt great. #The same reason all of us buy our particular mandolin.

**Jim Garber** · Aug-23-2004, 12:39pm

Originally Posted by (FrankenMouse @ Aug. 23 2004, 12:05)

Dr Darrow is not a professional mandolin dealer. Just a self-confessed mandolin addict, with particularly good (and expensive!) taste.

So... after getting rid of all these high quality, top of the mine mandolins, what is his main playing instrument? I would also assume that he has at least one Loar.

Jim