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View Full Version : F4 Mandolins builders?



Jose
Dec-28-2003, 10:30am
This is my first post in this forum. Hi everybody. I'm looking for a F4 mandolin. Besides Bluett Brothers' model and vintage F4 Gibsons, is there any other builder producing F4s?

Dec-28-2003, 10:32am
Gavin Baird builds a fine F4.

MANDOLINMYSTER
Dec-28-2003, 10:46am
Jose,

You might want to check out Eastwood Mandolins, They are not available yet, but Mandolin Brothers could give you more information. They are being made in China by violin makers and their rep told me there gonna be real nice!Oh and most importantly very very affordable $1500-$1800. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

MML

Dec-28-2003, 10:53am
http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=12;t=7582

pathfinder
Dec-28-2003, 10:58am
Weber builds the Bridger F. #See www.soundtoearth.com/inst_ma_bridgerF.htm

Jose
Dec-28-2003, 2:19pm
Thanks for the input. Not too many f4 builders. I checked the links but I couldn't find Eastwood Mandolins site.

John Flynn
Dec-28-2003, 2:46pm
Eastman Mandolins website is:
http://www.eastmanstrings.com/mandolins.html

I am pretty sure Bill Bussman makes an Old Wave F-4. He has a good reputation on the board here and reportedly is great to deal with:
http://www.oldwavemandolins.com/

Peter Sawchyn's "O-2" is basically an F-4. I have played one and it is beautiful.
http://www.sawchyn.com/

atetone
Dec-28-2003, 4:15pm
Peter Sawchyn builds very nice F4 style mandolins. He calls it an O 2.
His website is under Sawchyn Guitars. I have one of his A5 models. Nice mando. Great workmanship. The prices on his website are in Canadian dollars so they are well priced in my opinion.
Butch Baldassari had Peter build him an F style oval hole about a year ago. I think that I saw somewhere that he is getting another one of Peters mandos. I don't remember where I saw that mentioned but seem to recall something about it. ? Maybe I dreamed it.??? Doesn't matter.
Worth taking a peek at Sawchyns web page.

J. Mark Lane
Dec-28-2003, 4:22pm
http://community.webshots.com/album/73856805JmUBWY

goldtopper
Dec-28-2003, 5:00pm
Check out www.kingbrownhandcrafts.com

I own one and they are the BOMB!
You are looking at about an 18 month waiting list, but it will be worth it.

bud
Dec-28-2003, 7:34pm
I checked one out this week at the Gibson Bluegrass Showcase in Nashville, it was a "Grady", it sounded great. I'm not in the market(have a 1919 Gibson), but it sure was sweet.

Joe Mendel
Dec-28-2003, 7:39pm
I have a Sawchyn 0-2C, and it is a wonderful instrument. Peter is very easy to work with and his work is excellent.

sunburst
Dec-28-2003, 7:58pm
There are so many old F4s and F2s around that they are a bargain. Some of the best work ever done at Gibson was done at the time these mandolins were built. I understand the desire for a new instrument, especially if its a custom instrument, but it's hard for a builder to compete with the prices of these older mandolins. I think that's why its somewhat hard to find a builder of F 4s.

Jose
Dec-29-2003, 7:48am
And where can I get one of these bargains?

Lee
Dec-29-2003, 11:10am
I'm surprised no one mentioned Don Paine at Pomeroy.

http://www.pomeroyinstruments.com/mandolin-models.htm

SternART
Feb-23-2004, 9:21pm
Lawrence Smart built me a very fine long neck oval hole 2 point. I'm sure he'd build an F4.
Check mine out: http://www.smithfowler.org/music/mandolin/smart/

Jim M.
Feb-24-2004, 11:34am
Bill Bussman definitely makes an F4.
Hans Brentrup makes them now, and you can read plenty about his work here at the Cafe.
Breedlove makes the oval-hole K style, not quite an F4, but has the same sort of tone.
I've played Art Stern's Smarts and they are great instruments. I'd put Smart high up on the list if I was looking for one.

Also, I don't know what your price range is but Michael Kelly is making them now too:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....y=10179 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3705612451&category=10179)

Feb-24-2004, 12:39pm
Pavel Sucek F4 $1500. I also agree w/finding an Old Gibson F4 very sweet tone. How much do those Gibson's sell for now-a-days? The ultimate imho which is in i believe the $4K-$5K range has got to be the Baird though.





Dennis Benjamin
Pavel Sucek Instruments

JD Cowles
Feb-24-2004, 1:07pm
denis-pm me about pavel's f4's. just when i thought MAS was a thing of the past for me http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

jd

JiminRussia
Feb-24-2004, 6:29pm
For those of you that are not opposed to buying Paciic Rim, Michael Kelly has an oval hole out at about $975. I haven't heard it yet, but some reports are very positive. You can see one at the Elderly site.