lukmanohnz
Feb-10-2011, 11:46pm
It didn't take long for me to outgrow my pretty little Savannah plywood starter mandolin - received as a Christmas gift, er, last December. That would be December 2010, less than two months ago, my wife - giver of said gift - was quick to point out. I am lucky to live near Tall Toad in Petaluma, CA, which stocks a nice assortment of Eastman, Weber, MK, Gibson, and a plethora of vintage and antique mandolins. They also have a large number of used and collectible mandolins on consignment from none other than David Grisman, who lives nearby. I've been eyeing a nice Weber Gallatin for the last couple of weeks (brand new, but built before they switched from mahogany to maple on this model) that plays like butter and has a nice woody tone. I sold some unused gear in anticipation of buying an all-solid wood mandolin that would last me a lifetime. I was set to buy the Weber today, but when I arrived at the store my friend who works there told me he thought I should check out a used mandolin from the collection in the upstairs glass case that was only slightly more expensive than the Weber. I did - it is the mandolin in the pictures attached. My friend and I sat in a quiet room and A-B'd the Weber and Capek back and forth. There really was no comparison. And this is not to cast any aspersions whatsoever on the Weber Gallatin which is really a lovely player. But this Capek - it's on another level entirely. Wide open tone, oodles of chop, and if the Weber plays like butter, this thing plays like... well... WD-40?... I dunno how to describe it. It's un-put-down-able.
After a few minutes back and forth from the Weber to the Capek, my buddy went back to the glass case and pulled out a Gibson F-5. I don't know which model exactly, I was too google-eyed in curly maple to notice. I did see the price tag - over $8,000. (That was the store's 'discounted' price.) Having played mandolin all of 7 weeks now (I'm a 35 year veteran of the guitar - just never got around to the mandolin before) I couldn't believe I was holding an actual Gibson F-5 in my hands. We A-B'd the Gibson and Capek back and forth. That was fun, though my fumbling fingers couldn't do either instrument justice. The Gibson was incredible to behold, though I have to say the Capek was set up better (as a used instrument on consigment from DG himself should be). I could tell the Gibson would blossom into a much more sophisticated tonal stratosphere than the Capek, but I don't have the wherewithal to fill that $6000 gap. Nor do I have any business owning such a stunning instrument as that - it should - and hopefully will - be in the hands of someone capable of creating the art it was made to manifest.
The store owner CALLED DG WHILE I WAS PLAYING HIS CAPEK to ask if he would shave anything off his asking price, and came back upstairs to tell me he'd take $150 off. He needn't have - I was already sold. I found Capek's web site, and determined that the mandolin I now own is described by the builder as a 'beginner/student' model. It is more mandolin than I deserve to own at this early stage in my skill development. But I am thrilled that I have the means to afford it, a loving wife who's only response to my buying it is happiness for me, a locally owned music store that has managed to stay in business in the face of growing competition from online retailers and the worst recession in recent history, and two healthy hands to play it. And David - if you're out there reading this - thank you so very, very much for giving me the opportunity to own such an incredible instrument for such an affordable price relative to its workmanship, quality of materials, and tone. To me this is well beyond a beginner model - this is likely the last mandolin I will ever own.
After a few minutes back and forth from the Weber to the Capek, my buddy went back to the glass case and pulled out a Gibson F-5. I don't know which model exactly, I was too google-eyed in curly maple to notice. I did see the price tag - over $8,000. (That was the store's 'discounted' price.) Having played mandolin all of 7 weeks now (I'm a 35 year veteran of the guitar - just never got around to the mandolin before) I couldn't believe I was holding an actual Gibson F-5 in my hands. We A-B'd the Gibson and Capek back and forth. That was fun, though my fumbling fingers couldn't do either instrument justice. The Gibson was incredible to behold, though I have to say the Capek was set up better (as a used instrument on consigment from DG himself should be). I could tell the Gibson would blossom into a much more sophisticated tonal stratosphere than the Capek, but I don't have the wherewithal to fill that $6000 gap. Nor do I have any business owning such a stunning instrument as that - it should - and hopefully will - be in the hands of someone capable of creating the art it was made to manifest.
The store owner CALLED DG WHILE I WAS PLAYING HIS CAPEK to ask if he would shave anything off his asking price, and came back upstairs to tell me he'd take $150 off. He needn't have - I was already sold. I found Capek's web site, and determined that the mandolin I now own is described by the builder as a 'beginner/student' model. It is more mandolin than I deserve to own at this early stage in my skill development. But I am thrilled that I have the means to afford it, a loving wife who's only response to my buying it is happiness for me, a locally owned music store that has managed to stay in business in the face of growing competition from online retailers and the worst recession in recent history, and two healthy hands to play it. And David - if you're out there reading this - thank you so very, very much for giving me the opportunity to own such an incredible instrument for such an affordable price relative to its workmanship, quality of materials, and tone. To me this is well beyond a beginner model - this is likely the last mandolin I will ever own.