View Full Version : Henderson mandolins
mandophil(e)
Dec-09-2006, 7:58pm
I'm wondering if anyone on Cafe has ever played or owned a mandolin built by Wayne Henderson? Any feedback would be appreciated.
Scotti Adams
Dec-09-2006, 9:35pm
Ive never have played one of his mandos...but I have played Dempsey Youngs Hutto that Wayne set up at some point and I would have to say that it was the best feeling, playing mando I have ever played. Period.
fatt-dad
Dec-09-2006, 9:38pm
Ask me in a few years. I've been nagging Wayne to build me a mandolin for about a year. I've heard them and they sound great. Darryl Wolf has some experience with them. He's on the cafe as "f5journl"
Now where'd you see one for sale?
f-d
mandophil(e)
Dec-09-2006, 9:47pm
fatt-dad:
From what I hear, I'll have to wait more than a couple of years to ask you about your Henderson mandolin. I understand for a guitar you have to wait 10 years or more.
I haven't seen one for sale anywhere, and, in fact, haven't ever seen one at all. I know people idolize him for his guitar building, but haven't heard a peep about his reputation in the mandolin community.
kudzugypsy
Dec-10-2006, 8:49am
this is one of those rare as hens teeth mandos. if you do find them, they are usually from the early 80's-90's. i dont think he has been building too many mandos since everyone started wanting his guitars.
Mandolin Central had one over the summer, priced around $8k if i remember correctly (could have been more, but it wasnt over $10K)
i have played 2-3 (one being Tony Williamsons "Cloyd" Loar knock off that is SMOKIN') and they are all very unique - sort of the *old school* sound that was popular before everyone started wanting big bassy woofy sounding mandos - very clean, even sound with excellent mids.
if you want to hear one on record (if its still around) Arnie Solomon has played a GREAT Henderson for years
http://www.geocities.com/Nashville/Stage/1171/
look under MUSIC and there is a short clip of the henderson - thats pretty much what they sound like - and Arnie is a MONSTER player and exceptionally great guy too.
Tom Mylet
Dec-10-2006, 10:29am
I've played a few of Wayne's mandolins and currently have some maple at his shop with my name on it. Everyone I've played has been great. A's, F's, all very Loar sounding with great fit and finish.
I recently was at the shop, pestering Wayne to finish my guitar and subsequently to pick up the guitar. I took the wood to the shop 6-7 years ago. It turned out GREAT! A Brazilian 000, slothead. Well worth the wait!
On the earlier trip Wayne must have had 5-6 F style mandolins in various stages of completion. A couple of weeks later they were either gone or in the finish room.
It was incredible watching Wayne use a pocket knife and chisel to scallop the braces on my guitar. I can't wait to watch him carve my mandolin top.
It's amazing how much he gets done. On what Wayne described as a slow day, I counted at least 7 phone calls and almost as many visiters. One typical visit was from a local who brought along his young helper who's homemade D-18 had horrible action. After about 15 minutes local chit chat, Wayne started to set up the guitar. The local says "while you're doing that, I'll go service your oil burner" and wanders off to the house. 15 minutes later, the oil burner is serviced, the guitar is set up great. This is then followed by 25 minutes of "how much do I owe you?" "Nothing, how much do I owe you?," with both parties fully aware from the outset that no money will ever change hands. What a great lifestyle.
I can't recommend Wayne enough as a builder, player and great guy. I hope you're lucky enough to get a Henderson some day, but not until after I get mine.
fatt-dad
Dec-10-2006, 1:02pm
I'll let Wayne figure out who gets what first, second or third. I just would like to get one some day and will continue my pestering no matter when I get it.
f-d
Alex Fields
Dec-10-2006, 5:11pm
I played one. It was pretty old. It was poorly setup (the action was too low and it buzzed) but from what I could tell it sounded really good.
JimRichter
Dec-10-2006, 10:59pm
I can't recall if Alex played mine or not, but mine wasn't so much poorly set up, as there was a raised area (maybe some bad frets) down around the 15th fret. #Thing needed some fret work, so maybe it's fair to say that it was poorly set up.
Any case, I owned an early Henderson F5, around a 1980. #I'm sorry but I can't remember the number. # But it was a great mandolin--a great mandolin. #I wouldn't have sold it if I didn't need the cash. #But then again, had I not sold it, I would never have become a staunch Kimble man.
The mandolin had a really skinny neck, played wonderfully, and had a great meaty voice to it. #It was more than loud enough and articulation was very good up and down the neck (except when getting up past the 12th fret). #Beautiful woods. #Wayne even hand made the tailpiece (I tried to include a photo). #
Some of you may remember these photos cause I posted them a couple years ago when I owned it. #One thing I can say is that Mike Guggino of Steep Canyon #Rangers was playing a Henderson till he recently entered the Kimble camp--says something about Will.
Jim
JimRichter
Dec-10-2006, 11:00pm
Photo 2
JimRichter
Dec-10-2006, 11:02pm
Last one. I do want to add that the ###### pickguard was not original and was an add on from the person I bought it from. Also, it shows my brief period of using the IMO silly grommets to reduce sympathetic harmonics. I don't think I've used them since.
f5loar
Dec-11-2006, 12:34am
It's easier to find a Loar than a Henderson!
John M. Riley
Dec-11-2006, 1:03am
i played one...they are pretty darn good. the one i played was proably his most recent one... it was just a couple weeks old at the time, i think... reminded me alot of a collings mf5...
I have one of Wayne's F5's, # 42. I bought it new from Wayne in 1982. It will be passed down to my children...To me, it has the Loar sound.. Over the years, I have played 3 Loars and done an A/B comparison with one of them and my Henderson..I'm very very happy. It has a Fern headstock and " Henderson" in script. Wayne even hand built the case for it! The color and sunburst are darker than the Henderson pictures from Jim R.. I saw Wayne this past year and showed it to him, he was pleased with the way it sounded too! The only thing I have changed is the tailpiece, I put a Monteleone style tail piece on it about 9 years ago. The quality and workmanship are incredible. And Wayne is just a wonderful person! If you want to learn about Wayne, read "Clapton's Guitar" by Allen St. John. A great book!
Jeff
G. Fisher
Dec-12-2006, 5:49pm
Looks like it's going to be a Merry Chirstmas for me. I spoke to Wayne last night and he has my mando in the white. He said it should be done in about a week.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif
kennyw
Nov-26-2022, 4:27pm
I'm wondering if anyone on Cafe has ever played or owned a mandolin built by Wayne Henderson? Any feedback would be appreciated.
I have a Henderson mandolin which Wayne built in exchange for an old mandolin that was in the family. It plays really well and sounds great.
Jim Garber
Nov-26-2022, 7:01pm
I have a Henderson mandolin which Wayne built in exchange for an old mandolin that was in the family. It plays really well and sounds great.
I know that this is a 16-year old thread but that is a very cool Henderson mandolin. I can’t imagine that he made many oval-hole A-styles.
Bill McCall
Nov-26-2022, 7:23pm
I'm really curious what was the 'old mandolin' that was traded.
Russ Jordan
Nov-27-2022, 10:56am
I know that this is a 16-year old thread but that is a very cool Henderson mandolin. I can’t imagine that he made many oval-hole A-styles.
I can think of 6 oval hole Henderson’s that I know about, but am sure the total Wayne built is a few more than that!
The last time I looked in Wayne’s build book (maybe 2 or 3 months back) total mandolins built was up to 150.
BradKlein
Nov-27-2022, 1:43pm
The last time I looked in Wayne’s build book (maybe 2 or 3 months back) total mandolins built was up to 150.
That's fascinating. I had no idea that he'd made so many. Especially when building flat top guitars is almost certainly by far, the most profitable for him. I can only imagine that he relishes the challenge. And that's as good a reason as any.
Russ Jordan
Nov-27-2022, 4:56pm
That's fascinating. I had no idea that he'd made so many. Especially when building flat top guitars is almost certainly by far, the most profitable for him. I can only imagine that he relishes the challenge. And that's as good a reason as any.
I think the number of Henderson guitars vs mandolins is driven by what is ordered rather than which instrument is most profitable.
cayuga red
Nov-27-2022, 6:36pm
I think the number of Henderson guitars vs mandolins is driven by what is ordered rather than which instrument is most profitable.
Very well stated.
I was at a festival once and two brothers were playing old time music at their campsite. Nice guys who let me sit in and take the musical quality down several notches by doing so. They each had a Henderson mandolin, both oval holes, I believe. They let me play them and they were wonderful instruments.
kennyw
Dec-01-2022, 12:38pm
It was an early 20th century round back mandolin built by a new york luthier with an Italian name (i don't remember the name), which belonged to my grandmother. It had some really intricate craftsmanship but was impossible to tune and didn't really sound that great. The back had a crack in it as I remember. It was at my mom's house and I guess Wayne saw it and offered to build one in exchange.
kennyw
Dec-01-2022, 11:13pm
I forgot to say that this mandolin is #74
Russ Jordan
Dec-02-2022, 7:17am
I forgot to say that this mandolin is #74
You are not the original owner, correct? I believe that mandolin was built for a well known old time performer in western NC.
musicofanatic
Dec-11-2022, 9:27pm
I was shopping for my first pro-grade mandolin in the 1970s when I saw a magazine article about Wayne. At the time, he was building a dead-nuts Loar copy that even had "The Gibson" in the headstock. He stated in the article that he was getting $750 for them. Around the same time MandolinBros was marketing a Monteleone F5 copy for a little over a grand. Roger Siminoff had just instigated Gibson's F5L. I was on the west coast and ended up with a Givens, mostly because it was physically available for me to play before purchase. Don't I wish now I had got them all...?
BradKlein
Dec-12-2022, 7:40am
I was shopping for my first pro-grade mandolin in the 1970s when I saw a magazine article about Wayne. At the time, he was building a dead-nuts Loar copy that even had "The Gibson" in the headstock. He stated in the article that he was getting $750 for them.
I'm all for enjoying musical instruments. But it's worth noting that $750 invested in the S&P in 1970 and not touched would be worth $143,250 today. Just sayin'...
Calculator, HERE (https://dqydj.com/sp-500-return-calculator/).
musicofanatic
Dec-13-2022, 11:22am
I'm all for enjoying musical instruments. But it's worth noting that $750 invested in the S&P in 1970 and not touched would be worth $143,250 today. Just sayin'...
Calculator, HERE (https://dqydj.com/sp-500-return-calculator/). Just sayin'...I could buy a desirable Loar-signed F5 with that 1970-750 bucks now?
Drew Egerton
Dec-16-2022, 2:54pm
Funny that this old thread was revived and a Henderson F5 shows up for sale a few days later.
https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/197473?fbclid=IwAR2s26tMIgl4WKwrpTzUZPyXCL__u-Z5f7ccc0hiOSLALMVwyTEamG61b_o#197473
NFI on my part but I am in Statesville if someone wants me to check it out for them!