View Full Version : Experience
sgrexa
May-21-2014, 10:35am
I was posting in another thread about experience and wondered, has anyone been building longer than Randy Wood? Maybe John Paganoni?
Sean
dchernack
May-21-2014, 10:40am
Don MacRostie of Red Diamond mandolins has building for a while, but I don't think for exactly as Randy. Interesting question, I'm excited to see what "survey says".
sgrexa
May-21-2014, 10:48am
You also have to factor in output. I don't think anyone has built more mandolins than Gilchrist. I know Nugget is approaching 300, but Steve is likely double that. Anyone know roughly what # he is working on? I am not sure about Wood, but would be curious to know his as well as Monteleone and Heiden's.
Sean
OldGus
May-21-2014, 11:47am
Audie Ratliff has built more than anyone else I know of. Wayne Henderson has been building a long time also.
nickster60
May-21-2014, 11:54am
Bruce Weber has probably built more than anyone but his operation was also on a larger scale.
yankees1
May-21-2014, 11:56am
But, longer doesn't necessarily equate to better ! Also, the production each year is a critical factor.
OldGus
May-21-2014, 12:37pm
Maybe Randy has built as many or more than Audie, I'd kind of like to know. I think they are both over a thousand... I wouldn't count Bruce for making each one because he has a small team of people working for him and is the head of a production company, I know Audie also had people working under him for a few years but I think the vast majority were built by him personally.
Denny Gies
May-21-2014, 12:59pm
Randy has a website and is pretty good at answering e-mail. Give that a try.
When I ran into John Pag last weekend, he reminded me that Doyle's mandolin here was #8 or 9, and that was 1977.
sgarrity
May-21-2014, 1:28pm
Gilchrist is in the low to mid 700 range. A friend of mine has 701 that was built last year.
sgrexa
May-21-2014, 1:30pm
Yes, I was thinking of individual builders but I would certainly include Bruce Weber in any list of experienced mandolin builders for sure! From his bio, Audey Ratliffe started building in 1982. If he has built more than Gilchrist in that time that is impressive! Randy Wood is the only builder of note that I can think of that was doing mandos in the late 60's but I am curious if anyone else has been around that long? Names that come to mind would include John Paganoni, Luke Thompson, Rolfe Gerhardt, Stan Miller, Melvin Tucker and John Hutto (RIP). I apologize in advance if I might have overlooked someone.
Sean
I don't know when Randy Wood finished #1, but #3 is dated January 15, 1969. We can assume he completed #1 in '68.
Paganoni #2 is dated March 15, 1970. I assume Pag #1 was built sometime in '69.
119494
doc holiday
May-21-2014, 7:43pm
Michael Heiden has been building since the 70s. Mandolins, Archtops, Flat tops....Played by Mark O'Connor & Guy Clark....
fatt-dad
May-21-2014, 7:49pm
from the phoenix website:
"Rolfe Gerhardt has been building mandolins since the early 1970s."
f-d
William Smith
May-21-2014, 7:57pm
Bob Givens started in the early-mid 60's I think? Randy Wood I do believe did repairs and did Gibson conversions be it banjos or mandolins. Randy is still goin strong so Randy has done it all, also fantastic inlay work. Super nice guy also, very easy to chat with.
OldGus
May-21-2014, 8:19pm
John Wynn was building F5's as early as 1972 and Lloyd Laplants website indicates he has been building guitars and mandolins spanning 51 years although I'm not sure about mandolins in particular.
sgrexa
May-22-2014, 1:35pm
Interesting, I forgot about Lloyd LaPlant. Does anyone have a date on any of his older mandolins?
Interesting, I forgot about Lloyd LaPlant. Does anyone have a date on any of his older mandolins?
According to this:
http://whitepines.blogspot.com/2005/11/mandolin-meets-its-maker.html?m=1
Lloyd LaPlant didn't build his first mandolin until 1979.
barry k
May-22-2014, 3:14pm
According to Randy, he built his first mandolin in 65. He didn't start by putting his name on the headstock.....get my drift?... I am positive that there were mandolins built prior to that date by "hobby builders" but couldn't recall the names. John Schofield might have started about the 68, 69 mark? John Hutto? Tucker started around 1990 or so. I asked Randy quite a few years ago if had hit the 1000 mark? He said he was sure he was well past that. I have been "hobby" building since 1993 and only have hit the 130 mark.......bk
dcoventry
May-22-2014, 4:05pm
My Jazz is #400 from md 2005. I can only believe there are at least 200 more out there since then...not to mention the Unicorns and such that came before the Phoenix project.
from the phoenix website:
"Rolfe Gerhardt has been building mandolins since the early 1970s."
f-d
yankees1
May-22-2014, 4:28pm
Michael Heiden has been building since the 70s. Mandolins, Archtops, Flat tops....Played by Mark O'Connor & Guy Clark.... Also played by Yankees1 as soon as Michael ships it next week ( I hope ! ) :)
Phil Goodson
May-22-2014, 4:48pm
Audie Ratliff has built more than anyone else I know of. Wayne Henderson has been building a long time also.
Wayne has built approximately 120 mandolins.
dchernack
May-22-2014, 10:17pm
Bob Shue has apparently building for a long time too. A 1974 mando from him just hit the classifieds: http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/76285