Bernard allen mando's

[Ssilvers]

Just wondering if anyone else had an Allen mando and if they have had any issues with them.

[jamann]

I own own Allen #18 that Bernard made for me in early 2005. I have no issues with it at all and if your looking for an american hand made mandolin for under $1000 Allen Mandolins are worth every penny. Back when I had this mandolin made for me I was on a quest to find american made mandolins for under $1000. I was not happy with my pacrims and was determined to replace with comparable priced american made mandos. I found 3 makers and had 3 made for me. My Allen is the only one I kept. It's a keeper. The others I have since sold to make futher upgrades. It was fun but my quest for the next mandolin continues. I'll include a couple pictures of it. It has Grover tuners and a Newell tailpiece that I sent Bernard to use on it. Fit and finish isn't perfect on it but it has plenty of volume and tone that I like and well worth the $700 I paid for it.

jamann http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

Collings MF
Weber LE
Newell Blonde F5
Gibson F9
Allen F5

[jamann]

Another picture. Sorry about the poor quality of pictures. I had to resize them to fit the maximum file size and this is the result.

[John M. Riley]

i used to have a similar one.... it had monster tone and volume... just looked kinda rough... got mine on ebay for 400

[Ssilvers]

I had an "A" model, that was a banjo killer, but then the treble side of the top collapsed, I was wondering if anyone had the same problem, I thought about buying the F model he had on Ebay, but right now I am kinda gunshy, so I bought a Michael Kelly from Dennis at the Mandolin Store, Dennis let me pick the one with the best sound and set it up nice.

[tortispik]

Got one last year off Ebay,no number or date just one of his cards glued in it from Naylor MO.,Nice tone,medium volume.Great arching and recurve on the top and back,birdseye maple.Someone tried purfling it like a violin,didn't work,rough binding work and they did a dark finish to cover it but didn't protect the F holes so it has finish inside.Still can see drill bit marks and thicknessing numbers written on the back.
Rob

[Bill Snyder]

Another picture. Sorry about the poor quality of pictures. I had to resize them to fit the maximum file size and this is the result.
Your pictures are less than half of the maximum file size.

[Roydw3]

mine was fine for a while but then the back separated from the sides...he reglued it for me but it is not the same. It doesn't sound good and the already less than good looking mandolin has all kinds of repair and finish flaws. He seems to be a nice guy but mine just didn't work out. It was a hard $400 pill to swallow. I now am on the waiting list for a custom.

[Ssilvers]

Same here Rowdy, he said he couldn't fix mine, it would take too long to put a new top on, he didn't even want to see it, so I had it repaired locally. I was curious as to whether or not is "F" models held up any better. I think I'll stick with the Michael Kelly for now and later get a Howard Morris, his workmanship is great and he gets the sound right.