Gilchrist F5 8081

[ethanopia]

According to the current owner this was the first Gilchrist made. It's quality sugests that he must have made others prior to this one but from what I understand this is the first official one that was sold by Gruhn, when Gilchrist was working there.

Its side bound on the top neck and peghead. The peghead veneer was removed by someone along the line with a bad replacement, but Steve recently re-did it and shaved the neck a little to a comfortable subtle v shape.

This thing sounds more like a Loar than 3 out of the four Loars I've played. Incredible monster mandolin for being his first!

No it is not mine but I played the heck out of it last night at jam and it blew me away. I apologize about the quality of pics, after the jam I hurriedly snapped a few pics because I figured some folks out here might be interested. Hopefully I will get better more detailed shots later.

[ethanopia]

the incredible tighly curled one piece back, nice eh?

[ethanopia]

now for the flashless pics, the usual disclaimers apply to the ever elusive attempt to capture the sunburst finish digital cameras just do'nt do it justice.

[ethanopia]

and the flashless back

[grandmainger]

That mandolin has one of the most beautiful scroll I have ever seen. I love it!

[batman]

Is it the one that Mike Compton had? I heard he bought the first one imported into the US. Don

[Darryl Wolfe]

I've got records on most of the Gilchrists that Gruhn sold. I'll check this one out a see what I have on it

dgw

[Darryl Wolfe]

ps, his serial number scheme (to the best of my knowledge) is 8081 80 year 81 instrument number

[Jim Hilburn]

In '81, I had built my first mandolin and was working on a couple more, but I was doing my regular job as an electrician. I had an apprentice that knew I was building,but then he took an extended trip to bum around Australia.
He sent me this newspaper article from the Warrnambool Standard, dated Aug. 15,1981.
You may need your magnifying glass, this is the best scan I could get, and I'm going to try to get it to post as large as will be accepted.

[sunburst]

I repaired 7951 a few years back. (I'm pretty sure that was the number, Made in 1979, instrument number 51.)
I think the owner says it was the first American sold Gilcrist. I think he got it from Mandolin Bros.

[Darryl Wolfe]

I've got pictures of one of the earliest mandolins (maybe the one that he is holding in that picture)

Steve, like most every other builder of the time put "The Gibson" on them for a while

[Darryl Wolfe]

Steve did a stint with Gruhn..doing repairs and building. He then returned to Austrailia..and Gruhn was he outlet in the US shortly thereafter. To my memory the fisrt ones he sent Gruhn were in 1980. Lynn Dudenbostel bought the first floor sample (that was supposedly not for sale). I think it's serial number was 8086, but I will have to check this evening. If he sees this thread, I'm sure he will clarify.

[ethanopia]

When I saw the number of 8081 I thought that seemed rather late to be number one? I could have sworn I'd seen GIlchrists from 79 but again I'm no expert, so the claim that it is number one may be a bit of a twist or spin on the truth. It might be closer to the truth to say it was first one sold in the US with the Gilchrist name on it?

I think the previous owner was liquididating some instruments when he sold 8081 to finance the purchase of Joe Val's old instrument? Anyone know who that was...

[Darryl Wolfe]

Kevin

[Brian Aldridge]

Lynch

[Mando4Life]

ethanopia,

you may want to contact Mark D. from the cafe (mandoa2z, i think). he is writing a book about Mr. Gilchrist and may have an answer for you.

someone else on the cafe here had #8084 at one time i think. they may know something as well.

wbl

[ethanopia]

I met Mark D. at IBMA, nice guy. I was going to contact him about this one and see if he needed decent shots of it for his project. If nothing else it would give me a good excuse to take some nicer pics of it.

I also figured that I would get lightly flogged for calling it "number one" because I knew in the back of mind that was likely not the case but none the less my posting fingers got the best of me.

Anyone else any more info on it. I'm sure the current owner would appreciate any more insight into it.

And cool article Jim thanks as much of it as I could read http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[sunburst]

According to George Gruhn, Gilchrist built 9 mandolins in '76 and '77.
From '78 to '82 the number system is year (two digits) and number (two or three digits) 7810 - 82144.
7951, the one I worked on was built in May of '79.
8081, the one in the picture was built inMarch of '80.

This info and more is in Gruhns Guide to Vintage Guitars.

[Scotti Adams]

I had #8084...got it in 1985 from a buddy of mine...Mr. Gil told me it was made while he was working for Gruhn. I sold it about 4 years ago...it wound up being owned by a man in Philly.

[Darryl Wolfe]

Confirmed....Dudenbostels Gil was 8086. It was the floor sample at Gruhn...after Gil return to Austr.

[Lynn Dudenbostel]

Yes, 8086 was the one I bought at Gruhn's in 1982. Darryl is right. That's part of what inspired me to get into building these things! Either 8085 or 8087 (consecutive number to mine) was an F-4. I can't remember the serial number on Compton's, but I think it was a '78. I believe he told me it was the first one imported to the US. I've worked on it a couple of times. Great sounding mando. It said "The Gilchrist" on the peghead.

Lynn

[ethanopia]

I think 8081 used to say The Gilchrist in a more clunky script but now has the more delicate non "The" overlay, with an excelent Flower Pot. And did I mention it sounds really good too.

[sunburst]

Claiming to have the first Gilchrist in America sure is popular!http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[Mandomusic]

Ethan, good to hear from you. #It was a pleasure meeting you at IBMA. #Thanks for your CD -- great playing.

Regarding Gilchrist mandolin number 8081, it is a stunning instrument and historically important for several reasons. #While not the first Gilchrist mandolin, it is the first spirit varnish Gilchrist mandolin (versus lacquer finish). It is also the first x braced mandolin (an idea George Gruhn had introduced to Steve from archtop guitars) and the first Gil with a "z" notch in the fretboard extension. #It was sold through Gruhn's in 1980. #It was built without a logo. #It is the 81st instrument Stephen Gilchrist made. #The first mandolin was built in 1976 and is owned by his daughter. #

The first Gilchrist mandolin sold in the U.S. is number 7949 (an F2 style mandolin). #The first batch (of four) F-5 style mandolins were numbers 7951 through 7954. #Mandolin Brothers sold numbers 7951 and 7952. #Gruhn's sold 7953 and 7954. #Mike Compton was the first American to buy a Gilchrist F-5 style mandolin (number 7953).

Jim, I would love to obtain a photo copy of your article. Could you please email me offline? #

Darryl, you are correct on Stephen's serial numbering scheme. #However, there is an exception. #For numbers 145 through 258 (1983 through early 1993), Steve did not add the year prefix.

Best Regards,

Mark Daly

[Mandomusic]

Lynn, the mandolin after yours (number 8087) is the F-4 style Gilchrist. #It has a longer (14 fret) neck and mahogany finish.

Mark

[kudzugypsy]

steve can really turn out the mandolins. 81 mandolins in less than 4 years. i remember reading where he could take a fresh block of spruce, and by the time you got back from lunch, he'd have it carved and tuned!

[ethanopia]

yeah and Steve I heard used to carve it with a Swiss army nife blinfolded...just kidding of course.

Thanks for the kind words and info Mark I thought the idea that it was umero uno was a little out there but I love a good story just like everybody else. SO i had fun believing it while it lasted http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

I will pass all the info on to the owner. Do you have good pictures of 8081 already? I f not I could get some decent ones...

[Scotti Adams]

Well, I know one thing for sure...I wish I had 8084 back....

[Jim Hilburn]

I've been trying to get the text of the newspaper article combined in such a way that I could post it in about 3 postings so it could be ledgible, but I'm not having much luck, so I'm going to do it in 5 postings. There's some interesting info here.

[Jim Hilburn]

pt. 2

[Jim Hilburn]

pt. 3

[Jim Hilburn]

pt. 4

[Jim Hilburn]

pt. 5

[Jim Hilburn]

pt. 6

[Jim Hilburn]

Here are the photo's.

[Jim Hilburn]

You can see he's playing one with "The Gibson' on the peghead.
In this photo, you can see how he works in batches. I've never seen anyone else with the dovetails set without at least having the top on. How did he reference center? The rim must have been in a jig.

[Mandomusic]

Jim, thanks for posting the article and photos!

Great article and timely. I will be traveling to Warrnambool shortly to photograph his shop. The article dovetails with interviews and conversations I have had with Steve. He is still completely fascinated with Loars. I recently observed him handling several -- there is a healthy obsession to the point of sniffing the f-holes.

Ethan, I do not have good photos of 8081. If it is located in your neck of the woods, I would like to make a trip and photograph it, if possible. It should be included in the book due to the historical significance (first varnish and x braced Gil). You can contact me offline or through www.mandomusic.com. Thanks.

Best Regards,

Mark

[Scotti Adams]

..Jim..funny you mention about the dovetail and how he centered it....my neck in #8084 was not centered..it was more to the treble side.