View Full Version : Henderson
Look in the classifieds... *The* Henderson? #As in Wayne Henderson? As in Clapton's Guitar? #Tell me more!
Russ Jordan
Jul-18-2007, 10:47pm
yes
jim_n_virginia
Jul-19-2007, 7:17am
Saw Wayne Hederson at the Crooked Road Project in Williamsburg, Virginia a while back and if his mandolins sound half as good as his guitars the one in the classifieds must sound awesome. It sure commands a nice price!
Also he is one heck of a picker!
Jim Garber
Jul-19-2007, 7:54am
I had the privilege of taking a 3 week guitar-building class with Wayne in the 1980s. Great guy, amazing builder and incredible player.
Jim
Look in the classifieds... *The* Henderson? #As in Wayne Henderson? As in Clapton's Guitar? #Tell me more!
.... they are hard to come by. #New or used.
red7flag
Jul-19-2007, 11:43am
Nolan, Yes, the same as in Clapton's Guitar. As I only heard the story verbally, I will let somebody who actually read the story to provide it here. It is great.
Tony
Well, I read the book about a year ago. #That's a high standard to live up to. #
I recall that in the book, the author talked about the guitar Henderson was making like it was the pinnacle of all guitars. So that's gotta be a godly mandolin.
12 fret
Jul-19-2007, 4:21pm
Read an interview with him a while ago and it suggested the best way to get an instrument from him was not with cash but an offer to trade something he really wanted.
cooper4205
Jul-19-2007, 4:23pm
the guy that's selling the Henderson made some videos of it and his other mandolins a few months back. It sounded good to me from what i heard on the clip.
Videos (http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=gfisher23&p=r)
12 fret
Jul-19-2007, 4:24pm
Compared to what his flat tops bring , this sounds like a bargain
Compared to what his flat tops bring , this sounds like a bargain
What do they bring? Because a few years ago it was $1500.... but getting him to actually build you one was the trick.
12 fret
Jul-23-2007, 5:50pm
Last guitar I saw on ebay(7/19) went for $10.900. Seen others a few months ago with upgraded woods pushing $20K
Plinkalong
Aug-15-2007, 3:21am
This is my first post. Just lurking and I found this post about Wayne.
I was at camp with him about two weeks ago. He goes the first week of camp at Puget Sound Guitar Workshop in Washington State every year. I've been going four years. I was in his flatpicking class the first year I attended. When the book came out about the Clapton guitars I found out that the author had followed him that year while working on the book and was in my class. Alan belongs to the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum.
My guitar teacher is a friend of Waynes. He owns a Henderson guitar and "A" style mandolin. He got everybody at camp who owns a Henderson instrument together with Wayne and asked me take some group pictures. #I haven't counted yet, but I think there's about a dozen people and about 15 instruments -- guitars, mandolins, and ukuleles.
I could probably get an "A" style mandolin from Wayne sooner than a guitar, but I would rather have a guitar. His mandolins are, however, just as awesome as his guitars. One of my cabin mates this summer has an "F" style Henderson -- dark sunburst and fancy abalone inlay on the headstock. All of Wayne's instruments have great tone, fit, and finish.
He doesn't keep a written list of guitars he is working on and he finishes guitars for those who need them most, first. Since the book came out, he has "orders" from all over the world. He said that he is still making about 30 guitars per year.
Right now the only thing I have that is an original Henderson is a Hoowee Stick he carved with my pocket knife from a thin branch off a madrona tree growing along the road. #Wayne also loves to pull your leg and tell stories.
If you have an opportunity to buy a Henderson mandolin -- take out a second mortgage and buy it. A new one would cost less, but you might be old and gray before you get one.
8strings
Aug-15-2007, 4:01am
You might just be right with the 'old and grey' quote. I wrote to Mr. Henderson many months ago, enquiring about a place on his mandolin waiting list. I am still waiting for a reply. Not a big problem, glad that he is well.
donnied
Aug-15-2007, 2:08pm
According to the Richmond Times Dispatch, Wayne has just been added to lineup for the National Folk Festival here in Richmond, VA in October. Can hardly wait. What a fantastic event - free & highly recommended.
Donnie
red7flag
Aug-15-2007, 2:26pm
I was at a concert at a small venu in Alabama listening to Norman Blake and Tony Rice playing together. Norman had just gotten a new OOO, slot head from Wayne. The normally laid back Norman was stoked. He was like a kid with a big smile on his face. He was playing with an enthusiasm and drive like I have never seen from him. To emphaize the point, Tony Rice kept turning to him with looks of surprise and bewilderment. It was a great sounding instrument and those guys were old school fantastic.
Tony
cooper4205
Aug-15-2007, 2:26pm
Mike Guggino from the Steep Canyon Rangers (http://www.steepcanyon.com/asp/gallery.asp) plays a Henderson F5
eightstrings
Aug-15-2007, 2:34pm
Really? I saw the Steep Canyon Rangers in July and Mike was playing an awesome Kimble F-5
cooper4205
Aug-15-2007, 2:37pm
maybe he got rid of it, he at least had one in 2005 according to the website, so he might be playing the Kimble all the time by now. the link above goes to a pic of it. i've seen them in concert before, but it was before i took up the mandolin and i didn't pay any attention.
Russ Jordan
Aug-15-2007, 3:00pm
The Henderson formerly played by Mike Guggino was purchased by a cafe member--maybe he will chime in. It arrived with its headstock broken and the last I heard it was in Wayne's shop for a fix.
I'm happy (and Lucky) to say I own a Henderson F5 #42. I'm the original owner, she's a little over 20 years old now, and (if I do say) it has incredible tone and volume..I got to show it to Wayne about 2 years ago, after having not seen him in about 10 years, he was very pleased with how well it sounded..Needless to say, so am I!!! He makes great mandos!!!!!
Jeff
I never saw the Henderson in the Classifieds back in July. What was he asking for it? Thanks
Jeff
bones12
Aug-15-2007, 9:16pm
As a change from my F4s, I bought the Henderson recently in the classifieds and it is wonderful. Beautiful to hold, see, smell and play --- it plays easily and has that F5 sound that I like in old time music. I feel lucky indeed. Doug in Vermont
C. Carr
Aug-16-2007, 7:38am
Mike Guggino's Henderson did indeed arrive with a broken neck, last October. Its still with Wayne being repaired.
You cannot imagine how it feels to look into a mandolin case, see a 'dream instrument' and not be able to play it!!!
All things happen for a reason. While I'm waiting for Wayne to repair that F5 I've played the heck out of a Luke Thompson F5 that has really opened up lately and has become a joy. I also picked up Russ Jordan's Henderson A - model last year -- its a sweet one as well!
Regards,
Charlie Carr
New Orleans
(Where the breaks are in the Levees)
Hey folks, I'm not looking for details, but I'm still wondering what was being asked for the Henderson that was in the classifieds back in July..I missed it and I'm curious as to what was being asked. ANYBODY remember? Again, thanks.
Jeff
lovethemf5s
Aug-16-2007, 6:54pm
Just finished playing the gfisher23's Videos and am wondering what all the commotion is about. The Henderson sounded very good but no better than the other mandolins it was being compared with. IMHO.
jswag
Aug-17-2007, 10:32am
Thanks Mandopluker for the info.. I was just curious. As I said, I have a Henderson thats over 20 years old and I love the sound of it. Course, as we all know what sounds great to me might not sound good to someone else. I've never heard anything on utube or over the phone,or computer, that I felt gave me a REAL idea of the tone and sound of an instrument,IMHO.
Jeff
lovethemf5s
Aug-17-2007, 9:18pm
Jeffery, If you listen to a single instrument on utube or the phone you don't get a completely accurate idea of the quality of the tone and sound because there is nothing to compare it with. If you listen to several instruments on the phone or utube you still don't get an accurate idea of how they sound but they all suffer from the same handicap and this makes it a lot easier to judge and compare the differences.
lovethemf5's, your ear may be better than mine, but I find that when trying to compare the the sounds of high quality instruments over the phone or computer, I can't hear subtle differences in tone and sound that help me decide which one has what I like in a mandolin.
I know for many of folks, listening over the phone or computer is the only way, you can't always go where the instruments are and play them in person. When I'm making a major purchase, I try to play them in person as much as I can. Not always practical, but I tend to take my time when I'm spending that kind of $.
Jeff
lovethemf5s
Aug-18-2007, 11:25am
Jeffery, I wouldn't spend much money on anything before giving it an in person test drive, so I guess we agree. Your surroundings or even the sound system at a concert can distort. I could pretty much hear a difference in the mandolins from the video though. My favorite sound of the lot came from the Dean mando. Just my personal preference.
jasona
Aug-18-2007, 11:56am
While I'm waiting for Wayne to repair that F5 I've played the heck out of a Luke Thompson F5 that has really opened up lately and has become a joy.
I got to pick some on a Thompson hat was for sale at Buffalo Brothers. Didn't look like much, but it had it where it counted! Awesome sounding mandolin with plenty of volume to spare.