Canadian builders

[JenWantstaJam]

I am considering having a mando made, and I would prefer to buy within Canada, so I am interested in hearing about any personal experiences you have had with Canadian luthiers and their mandos. I can't afford any more than $2000, but I don't mind hearing about more expensive instruments to keep in mind for after I pay off my student loans. I'm also not looking for an F-style. I have been to the builders section, and looked at every Canadian website I could find. I just wanted to hear more from the players.

Thanks!

[s1m0n]

I've dealt with BC Luthier Laurence Nyberg, and can recommend his work. I don't know if he makes a mandolin, although the does do all sort of other mandoids.

http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin....=nyberg (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=16;t=18125;hl=nyberg)

[peterleyenaar]

You might try Peter Sawchyn in Regina, he makes great mandolins, Butch Baldasari plays one of his,
http://www.sawchyn.com/
Julian Tubb in Bergen, Alberta also makes great intruments
http://www.juliantubb.com/
Both of these luthiers make outstanding sounding mandolins with finishes to perfection.

[Mike Buesseler]

Don't overlook Brian Dean in Quebec, or Jamie Wiens! Brian hasn't started on my OM yet, but we're already having fun. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Steven Stone]

Jamie Wiens. BC. Killer mandos. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[JenWantstaJam]

Great suggestions! #I have considered sawchyn before, and I am reconsidering. #The Nyburgs are beeeauutiful though! #I think I've decided to get an oval-hole A-style. #There also seem to be a lot of Scottish luthiers in my price range too...

(re: Brian Dean - yes, I had bookmarked his site. What's his price range?)

[jasona]

Oval holes opens up quite a range. There is a fellow in Hamilton who makes a nice flattop student model for around $700 (forget his name--he's in the listing on the Cafe), and Celtic Cross got some buzz around here a fwe years ago. I've exchanged emails with both when I was looking to upgrade.

Of course, there are always Michael Heiden and Oliver Apitius...

[JenWantstaJam]

re: the Hamilton guy... I believe you were refering to Mike Spicer. The only contact info I can find is a phone#. I found an email addy, but my email bounced.

I am considering: Sawchyn, Brian Dean, Freshwater, Celtic Cross (Neil Russel), and Thomas Buchanan. How do these instruments compare to a Weber Aspen? (Another possibility, but it didn't seem worth double that of my Fender)

[mad dawg]

re: the Hamilton guy... I believe you were refering to Mike Spicer.

That's the guy. He makes some nice flat-top tear-drop shaped mandolins, with slightly wider necks than usual (1 5/16" at the nut). I had the student model for a while; it played very nicely, but it had laminated sides and back, and I wasn't too impressed with the tone. I'll send you the most recent email address I have for him, but if interested, I would recommend going with one of his all solid models.

[Joe Mendel]

I've got 2 Sawchyn mandolins & an octave mandolin, they are all excellent. Great sound beautiful work, & they play very easily, too. Peter is a nice guy & easy to work with also.

[camando]

I have a Celtic Cross octave from Neil Russell. Great guy, experienced builder and a steal for the cash. Pleasure to chat with and offered much good advice throughout the process.

Chris in Canada

[Potosimando]

Gavin Baird makes exquisite mandolins "Sheba Musical Instruments"--do a search on either Gavin's name or his company's name. #Here is his email: sheba musical instruments <mandolin@mts.net>

I purchased a used Baird, and have exchanged many very helpful emails with Gavin since--very responsive and knowledgeable/helpful fellow...but even if he wasn't a great guy (which he certainly appears to be), his instruments are wonderful in fit/finish, design/coolness, and tone.

[aaron]

Michael Heiden in Chilliwack builds fantastic mandoins but not in the $2000 price range. I would highly recommend Larry Muth in Regina. His mandolins are wonderful and realistically priced. His website is available in the builders section.

[Dave Voyles]

Here's another vote for Larry Muth. He builds a great mandolin and is very easy to work with.

[Mike Crocker]

Did anyone mention Oliver Apitius? Mooh.

[JGWoods]

They talk funny http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

jgwoods

[levin4now]

i was in downtown Hamilton this summer walking around, asked a guy in a music shop about mandolins, and he told me that there was a guy next door who built em. he was closed, but I knocked. He answered. Let me in . Showed me a mando and it was a 'spicer'. I exclaimed that I heard about these, and that's when he smiled broadly.

It was a nice little A.

[MDW]

I'm in late on this topic but I'll cast another vote for Larry Muth. I bought an F-5 of his 1.5 years ago and haven't had a single MAS attack since. Great tone, great volume, and tremendous looks.

Mark

[Mike Crocker]

I also like Baird, and Muth, and Beardsell, and Woodley.

Mooh.

[atetone]

Another word of praise for Peter Sawchyn. He built me a beauty and is a great guy to deal with and talk to.

[AW Meyer]

This is my first post on this board. I, too, have been investigating the Canadian builders. I looked at Peter Sawchyn's, and Michael Heiden's mandolins, as well as those of Larry Muth. I've had the opportunity to play a Heiden and a Sawchyn. They are wonderful mandolins, but...
a Heiden A-style begins at $7500 (CDN), with a two-year waiting list. Peter's waiting list is even longer, and his A-Style is $3200(CDN). Larry Muth's mandolins are very nice, I've been told by reliable sources. I communicated with Larry. He builds a fine looking A-Style for $2200(CDN), but also has a two-year waiting list.

[Scott Tichenor]

If I didn't own so darn many F mandolins already, a Wiens F would be on order. Either that or a Heiden. Geez, doesn't get much better than those two. The ax Heiden had at IBMA was a beast. So, this week I put a deposit on a Joseph Yanuziello electric mandolin. I can't tell you how long I've lusted over this instrument. It was purely looks and I finally could hold off no longer. No experience with his instrumets whatsoever. Turns out he's been a real pleasure to work with and I'm really looking forward to the delivery of this mandolin some time next year. To my surprise, I mentioned this order to a local friend who does repair at Mass Street Music--this is in Kansas, folks. He about flipped, and told me he'd seen on of Joseph's instruments lately and that he had been completely knocked out by it. This is someone I trust working on my Nugget.

It's true: life is good.

So what's this have to do with Canadian builders of F style mandolins? Little, but just excited about my own order. I now return you to your regular programming.

[Nick Triesch]

Scott, Do you own a Bill Davis? I heard they were fantastic. Sorry, off subject. Nick

[gbarnett]

I'm chiming in away late, here, but Mario Proulx from Iroquois Falls ON @: proulxguitars.com builds really fine instruments and a guy in Sarnia ON, Don Carter from MidTown Music is also a really good builder. Both of these guys build mandos as well as guitars.

[CTH Man]

How about Paul Josey here in N.S......he's building some great mandolins...or maybe Robert LeBlanc from N.B..
Perhaps a little more than 2K...but worth it!

[Caleb]

Larrivee

[RichM]

You need only look to the left to see how I feel about Canadian builder Allan Beardsell... :)

[Denman John]

Larrivee

I play my Larrivee mandolin everyday ~ seems to work ;-)

John

[Matt Bowe]

Did anyone mention Oliver Apitius? Mooh.

I'm pretty sure that this has already been covered in another thread here
but OA has hung up his shop apron.

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?33742-Apitius-studio-nbsp-a&highlight=Oliver+Apitius

[jasona]

Holy thread necromancy Batman!

[KitLarson]

Hi just anote david Sohn in Abbottsford Bc has some very nice mandolins,I had my Gibson F5 set up at the shop and it played like great his mandolins are very popular here on the west coast.hey does anyone have Paul Joseys email or Phone # down there in Nova Scotia> thanks dc

[doc holiday]

Nice to see so many builders listed. The $2000 price really puts many of the name builders out of the market. Michael Heiden by the way moved from Chilliwack to Creston BC more than a year ago. I heard that Julian Tubb was doing cabinetry, and wasn't building. Last time I saw Julian a couple of years ago, he hadn't built a mandolin in quite a while but had a couple of fine Jazz archtops on the go. By the way, Michael Heiden's work just gets better and better. I saw a beautiful octave in his shop in January, as well as a new Engleman topped F5 for Ben Winship, and his latest flattop guitars are very fine.

[Ed Goist]

Hi haven't seen Larry Muth mentioned yet in this thread.
Larry makes a very attractive and highly regarded 2-Point mandolin (http://muthmandolins.sasktelwebsite.net/muth/2-Point.html).
He was one of the finalist builders in my recent search for a luthier to build a 2-Point for me.
Many folks here on the forum have lots of good things to say about him.

[Jim MacDaniel]

You need only look to the left to see how I feel about Canadian builder Allan Beardsell... :)

Rich - that Kaycraft inspired Beardsell of yours is still the coolest looking instrument I've seen in a long time.

[KitLarson]

Hey Paul its Campbell look me up in the Chilliwack phone book,Swain says Hi!

[Mike Crocker]

I'm pretty sure that this has already been covered in another thread here
but OA has hung up his shop apron.

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?33742-Apitius-studio-nbsp-a&highlight=Oliver+Apitius

Yeah...but check the post dates, this is a zombie thread and I believe OA stopped after I posted in 2004. Apitius still had a price list in 2005.

Peace, Mike.

[Mike Crocker]

Hi haven't seen Larry Muth mentioned yet in this thread.

Actually, I think I did, but he deserves a repeat mention. I used to play with a guy that had an early Muth F style, and it was a killer, woody, smooth, and loud instrument. A chord on that thing had the note definition of a fine grand piano.

I've got a nice 2 point Peter Cox mandolin, walnut and cedar, chunky neck, Schaller tuners, made somewhere near Georgian Bay, Penetanguishing maybe. It doesn't have a bluegrass bark so much as a celtic voice.

Peace, Mike.

[Wanderer]

Larry is still going strong and has quite the waiting list right now. He is also a great guy to deal with. Very knowledgeable and patient. I finally commisioned an F5 custom and unfortunately I'll be considerably older when it arrives but it will certainly be worth the wait. He also makes some really slick looking 2 pointers and his A's look great as well. Check him out at http://muthmandolins.sasktelwebsite.net/muth/Home.html.
Hi haven't seen Larry Muth mentioned yet in this thread.
Larry makes a very attractive and highly regarded 2-Point mandolin (http://muthmandolins.sasktelwebsite.net/muth/2-Point.html).
He was one of the finalist builders in my recent search for a luthier to build a 2-Point for me.
Many folks here on the forum have lots of good things to say about him.

[retroman]

Bob Laughlin builds guitars and mando family instruments in Vancouver. I have a Laughlin medium guitar that I have been enjoying since 1999. There are a few excellent players on the local scene who play his instruments. Bob is also a very nice guy.

http://www.laughlinguitars.ca/

[trevor]

I have a couple of Peter Sawchyn's mandolins in stock. Both are excellent and Peter is great to work with. Heiden mandolins are also incredible but way out of your price range.

[fatt-dad]

I think this is the year that Larry will be building me my A5. Conventional red spruce and maple. Other than the wait (about 2 years), he's just a great guy!

f-d

[BBarton]

I have 2 of Peter Sawchyn's mandos (and thinking of selling the F4 type) and an octave mando -- workmanship is the best I've seen; very meticulous with detail and finish is impeccable. If you're looking at staying below $2K, there's a used Sawchyn A5 (his older style) on the Cafe for $1850, which seems like a pretty good deal to me.

[rico mando]

I have 2 of Peter Sawchyn's mandos (and thinking of selling the F4 type) and an octave mando -- workmanship is the best I've seen; very meticulous with detail and finish is impeccable. If you're looking at staying below $2K, there's a used Sawchyn A5 (his older style) on the Cafe for $1850, which seems like a pretty good deal to me.
:)

[yankees1]

Jamie Wiens. BC. Killer mandos. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif Not for $2000. !

[Rick Schmidlin]

I would rather consider any world wide builder, there so much to choose from.

[sgarrity]

Are you guys aware this thread is from 2004??

[yankees1]

Are you guys aware this thread is from 2004?? Nope! :( $2000. would buy more back then !

[Bruce Clausen]

Actually, Laughlin's price for a mandolin is a good deal lower in Canadian money now than it was when I ordered mine in 2004. :(

In a recent visit to Dusty Strings in Seattle, the best two mandos I saw were a Sohn and a Laughlin. Canada rocks! :)

[BBarton]

2004...oops! Never even noticed!

[Charlieshafer]

More important and to the point, I wonder if the OP ever paid off her student loans. We might be looking back at $500 available for a mandolin.

[mandobassman]

Gavin Baird makes exquisite mandolins "Sheba Musical Instruments"--do a search on either Gavin's name or his company's name. #Here is his email: sheba musical instruments <mandolin@mts.net>

I purchased a used Baird, and have exchanged many very helpful emails with Gavin since--very responsive and knowledgeable/helpful fellow...but even if he wasn't a great guy (which he certainly appears to be), his instruments are wonderful in fit/finish, design/coolness, and tone.

I would also recommend Baird. Peter Ostroushko plays one and it is one of the most powerful and full sounding mandolins I have ever heard. Another builder that I don't think was mentioned is Oliver Apitius. Remember the awesome sounding one that Adam Steffey played with Alison Krauss.

http://apitiusmandolins.com/index.html
http://www.sheba.ca/

[Bill Snyder]

A couple of notes - the OP has not logged in since Jan. 2005 and Gavin Baird's website says he retired from building in 2010.
As for Mr. Apitius according to some past threads on the Cafe he is no longer building. He stopped in 2006.

[carojester]

Wyatt Wilkie, wilkiestringedinstruments.com is a Canadian builder in Royston, BC. He does incredible work. I just got my newly finished mandolin from him and I'm over the moon happy with it!

[Caleb]

Wyatt Wilkie, wilkiestringedinstruments.com is a Canadian builder in Royston, BC. He does incredible work. I just got my newly finished mandolin from him and I'm over the moon happy with it!Isn't he David Wilkie's (Cowboy Celtic) son? David Wilkie is a great mandolin player, and a favorite musician of mine.

[Mike Bunting]

Isn't he David Wilkie's (Cowboy Celtic) son? David Wilkie is a great mandolin player, and a favorite musician of mine.
Indeed he is.