Hello, I've been looking for my first mandolin and during my hunt I happened across the YouTube videos posted by David Mold (Old Sausage on the Cafe) and really fell for the sound of his Silverangel. I don't know how much the sound has to do with the actual mandolin as compared to his excellent playing and/or the recording setup he has. I know that a well-mic'd guitar can tend to make an instrument sound a lot better than it does without any amplification. That said, I'm sure that David bought and plays the Silverangel for a reason and I do like that sound. I found the Silverangel website and dropped a note to Ken Ratcliff and received a nice response saying he would build me whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. I then started checking for Silverangels everywhere I was looking for other mandolins--all the usual places. I also checked the list of dealers on Ken's website: Fret 'N Fiddle, Gruhn Guitars and VintageMandolin.com and found no Ratcliff's at any of those sites. I did send an email to Charles Johnson, the proprietor of VintageMandolins--which is really a huge site for vintage guitars and other instruments as well. I received a reply from him saying that he had been a dealer for Silverangels (and supposed that he still was), but hadn't received any new mandolins from Ken in a couple/few years. Nor had he seen any on the used market. He was kind of puzzled himself. I continued to scour the web for references or reviews or reports about the Silverangels and everything I found, with the exception of this group, seems to be dated around 2009 and nothing newer than that. Even here the majority of the traffic also dates back a few years, but at least there are some recent posts. None of this has much to do with how much I like the Silverangel sound on David Mold's videos, but I wanted to check here and see whether there had been any changes in Ken's operation. I guess he could just be so busy with private orders that he doesn't have any to send to dealers. And I guess that no instruments on the used market could mean that everyone who has one loves theirs so much that they'd never sell it--both good omens. But I'm puzzled by the scarcity of information since 2009 or so. So I thought I would just post here and see what info there might be on the current and ongoing status of the brand? TIA STP
I started to correspond with Ken in early November. I had never held nor played a Silverangel, but the folks who owned them seem to be not unlike a cult, but in a very positive sense. Fast forward until mid-March, when my Distressed F5 arrived, joining a Collings MT2V and Weber Fern at home. I was the second or third owner of those instruments, but had sold a Phoenix and had some $$ burning a hole in my pocket, along with a wicked case of MAS. I was quite intrigued by Ken's work, so I put feelers out on this link (PhilO) with the hopes of talking to other owners. I found a fellow who also owned an MT2V, so at least we could do a reasonable comparison. The bottom line is that the purchase of the SA was one of my better financial moves lately. The more I play it, the better it sounds, and it has really held its own in the 12 or so jams I have played in since it arrived. The bass seems to be deeper than the Weber and Collings, but the A and E strings do a fine job on the other end of things. I am not sure about the retail part of your question, but as I spend way too much time on this webpage, and use the great classified section that Scott has set up to sell and buy instruments, I too have noticed that the SA are few and far between. I don't know how many of them are out there...mine is #331...but upon first blush, I wonder why anyone would sell one once they have had time to play it. Dave Mold is a very talented picker.....but your sound may vary......I know mine does. I hope this helps a little.
Thanks, Philo. Sounds like Silverangel and Ken are doing fine. Maybe I'll search for something to begin on and work towards having one built. I'm leaning towards the economy A-style. Sounds like you got yours delivered in good time also--3 1/2 months?
I would have had it a little earlier, but I was a very long ways from home when it was done, so Ken had to wait until I got home before he could ship it.
Porschefan, I own mostly oval hole mandolins and the SilverAngel (distressed A) is the only F hole I own. I have played it directly comparing to numerous high end instruments and prefer its very dark bassy sound to the others. I bought mine used. On the idea of "dealers" - SilverAngels used to be made by Ken and his wife as I understand it and now just Ken and I don't think it is his total income either, so production is not huge by any means. So he is not going to keep "dealers" walls filled with instruments the way Collings does and I think being a dealer for his instruments just means that one or two have gone through there in the past, possibly at a time when supply exceeded direct orders. On sound, the tone you hear on David Mold's videos is what mine sounds like too. I think they are very honest recordings.
Hi John, Thanks for the input. I'm glad to hear about another satisfied Silver Angel player. And especially to hear that the sound I hear is characteristic of Ken's work. I really like it. I think my strategy is going to be to find something to get started with--maybe an old Gibson A and then get something going with Ken. I mean he's only asking $2K for the basic A-style, which is beyond reasonable in my book. How do you find the fit and finish? Is it up there with other handmades?
I think there is a good reason you don't see them on the used market much. People get them and hold onto them. Mine is Laura's 6th, and the fit and finish isn't as perfect as a Collings, but I much preferred it out front having it played for me in a heads up with several models of that brand. Now that I have it dialed to my preferences, I'm not shopping for anything else. Well, maybe an octave mandolin...but seriously, one of the only mandolins I would consider dropping it for was a Master Model, but I'm never going to be spending $15K on a mandolin so unlikely. Tone of mine is ballpark what you hear in David's videos. I think I get slightly tighter mids but the familial resemblance is definitely there.
On fit and finish - my only complaint was that I had to smooth the ends of a couple of the frets that were a bit sharp on the end where my thumb slid across them. 3 minutes of careful work with 400 grit paper and done. All else, completely and happily satisfied and I am a very picky player. That being said, an old Gibson oval will be a very different sound so you may want to listen some more and decide which one suits you or, like me, you will end up with both, or three or four.
There is a used SA I just saw on the classified for $1700. This might be worth a serious look.
Thanks for the heads up. He's in Australia, but I've contacted him. Waiting to hear more details, get pix, hopefully a sound clip.
I think he had his built with the idea of having it sound like mine, so it ought to be quite similar. Mine does sound pretty much like the videos in real life, I think, and I've had other people play it who can make it sound better than I do. It's not the world's finest ever mando, but it wouldn't be easy to find a better one for the money. Plus, it has a unique sound with bags of character that I don't think I'd ever want to be without now.
Hi David, I emailed and he said he'd send more pix and a clip, but I never heard back despite several follow up emails. It's still on the classifieds though??? As you may know, I'm going to see what Marty Jacobsen can come up with in his next batch.
Yes, I'm not entirely sure he still wants to sell it - I saw he put it on there a while back, and then later I saw him posting about how pleased he was with it and that he was going to keep it, so I'm not sure. I didn't know you were getting Marty to build one, but he did say he'd been working on getting one with a sound like mine. After he saw it, he seemed to have a few ideas. I'd still very much like to go over to Marty's place and try out some of his mandolins in front of some recording equipment, so maybe I'll ask him if I can do that. He had one there that sounded a little like mine, and another that sounded completely different to anything I'd played before and I was quite taken with.
Yes, I'm not entirely sure he still wants to sell it - I saw he put it on there a while back, and then later I saw him posting about how pleased he was with it and that he was going to keep it, so I'm not sure. I think it was gone from the classifieds for awhile and now is back up. I'm kind of involved with getting the Jacobson now and I have the Kalamazoo arriving today to have something to start with, so unless he contacts me with a killer offer or something, I'll pass on it for now. I didn't know you were getting Marty to build one, but he did say he'd been working on getting one with a sound like mine. After he saw it, he seemed to have a few ideas. I'd still very much like to go over to Marty's place and try out some of his mandolins in front of some recording equipment, so maybe I'll ask him if I can do that. He had one there that sounded a little like mine, and another that sounded completely different to anything I'd played before and I was quite taken with. I was really glad that you took yours to the party and Marty got a chance to hear it. He said that it's everything and more than I noticed from the videos. It would be great if you get a chance to visit more and record some. I'd like to get as "Silverangelish" as possible, but listening to #16, I was kind of charmed by that one too--with light strings and super-easy action no less. Which one caught your ear? STP
Hmm, maybe we need to make a Jacobson Mandolins Social Group to continue this part of the discussion...
That's a great idea....how do we do it? STP
I just did it.
Just a note to say that I had my SilverAngel for sale in the last month. I thought that Stephen was fairly keen to buy it but some reason my emails were not getting through to him. As the ad was due to expire, I decided not to renew it. I think my Silverangel sounds great and I am too and froing about selling it. If someone wants to make me a good offer, I will consider it. But you better be quick because I am heading off to Europe and Russia for a conference next week. Cheers Nic
Nic, PM sent. STP
Just a note to say that I am keeping the Silverangel for the moment. Stephen declined to purchase her. I am heading overseas for the next 5 weeks, so I will be missing playing my mandolins in that time.
Stephen, I'm pretty sure that Ken could make you one.
