View Full Version : Info on ome mandolins
I am curious about OME mandolins. I know that about 50 were made. How is the date of manufacture determined? What is the approximate worth? How well are they regarded? Any info appreciated.
tiltman
Sep-01-2007, 10:19am
I think there was a LONG, controversial thread about these a couple of years ago...do a search...i would post a link but I'm not that computer savvy.
Kirk
I've tried and so far no luck.
Jim Hilburn
Sep-01-2007, 12:20pm
The only controversy was Mandolin Bros. trying to sell one and implying that Mike Kemnitzer either built it or was involved in it's building. Mike did build 3 Omes in 1975(I bought #2, a wonderful A model which was the first mandolin to sport his famous flower inlay) and he also cut quite a few inlay sets and did much of the tooling. This was about the same time he was building Tim O'Brien's blacktop A.
The question is who did the rest of them? I think Paul Schneider of Summit did some of them. Anyway, I remember going to their shop in east Boulder and playing #2 like it was yesterday. The #1 F was there for sale also. It was all black and not nearly as strong as the A. I had to sell my Jeep to buy #2. It was $600.
I love this stuff. I bet that Jeep, if it was a Wrangler, is worth something now. Do you have any clue as to the numbering...where it might be, etc? I've read Mike's comments regarding his input. I'm just wondering if 50 or so were built there must be other owners, some of whom, I would assume, frequent the cafe. I'm trying to decide to go for the one from John Bernunzio's. It's not the mandolin, bark and individual note articulation, that my Givens A is, but it has its own allure. The playability is excellent even better than the Givens due to a slightly longer scale length I believe (if that is the right term). Thanks for your comments, Jim.
Jim Hilburn
Sep-01-2007, 2:04pm
The Jeep was a '60 utility wagon and this was probably 10 years before there was a Wrangler. Back then it was CJ-5's and CJ-7's.
I didn't keep track of Ome after that, but got to know Mike pretty well before he moved to Michigan. Those Ome's were some of the only decent options out there for a mandolin in the 70's. It was a dismal time except for the few custom builders like Mike, Gilchrist, Monty, Randy Wood and Ellis.
Was it a Willys(sp)? I had one but my brother who was really the mechanical one said enough was enough with my fascination with older vehicles. I'm driving a 97 Wrangler today although the new Jeeps look interesting.
Anyway, hopefully someone is archiving some of these oral (?) histories as I'm sure it will be revisited. Were there other employees at OME who worked on the production models who later moved into independent building? It seems to have been a time when quite a few of you were beginning/perfecting your craft.Its been my belief that product improvement usually follows dissatisfaction with current production. Once again, thanks for your insights. It is appreciated!
Jim Hilburn
Dec-20-2019, 10:57am
I got back into reading these Ome threads and see I never answered the last question.
This is the Willys I sold to get the Ome. An Iphone photo of a snapshot.
allenhopkins
Dec-20-2019, 1:38pm
Took 12 years to answer that question. Amazing when superannuated threads resurface, Cafe members still on board, discussion still lively.