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I was hanging out with Will Kimble in his shop today. He is up to 275.

183164Congratulations to Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper (Nathan Livers on mandolin) for winning Best Bluegrass Album at the Grammy's.

Steve Gilchrist was selling most of his F-5 mandolins through Gruhn at that time (including x braced examples).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQk3FPZmfaEHave a Merry "Mandocello" Christmas!

Another "c" word comes to mind in addition to "community" and "culture" with respect to the mandolin. That word is "connection." Whenever I hear music played that has a mandolin in it, my ears...

Shaun is correct. That was Will's personal mandolin. I was with Will yesterday. I have played that mandolin on several occassions. It is terrific, consistent with Brett's description. Will built the...

... and a photo of the Rawhide performance:148050

Here is an article I wrote that provides an earlier perspective on your question (written in 2004):

Gilchrist owners and admirers came from near and far to attend Gil-Fest. A record number of...

Signs were placed in the neighborhood. Someone in the local area found the mandolin (run over) alongside the road, called and returned the mandolin. The owner provided a reward (his choice).

Great news! The mandolin was found today about a half mile from the owner's departure location in Santa Monica. It was run over. Thank goodness to the Calton case, the instrument was unharmed. Thank...

Scott, you provide a wonderful service and great Website. Thank you.

Mark

Writing and playing to the mandola's voice helps it shine. Pairing it with a piano, mandocello and/or a mandolin seems to work well. The following tune "Broad Reach" from my Connections CD is an...

Here are a few more data points. On the low side, I have a receipt from Gruhns for a new Gilchrist F-5 priced at $1,500 in January, 1981. In 1985, the price was $2,000. In July, 1994 the price was...

Marty, yes. Believe virtually all are spoken for. 124812We had 38 at the Gil-Fest event in 2004:

Sean, yes, Steve called the brown stain "Cremona" in his last catalogue published in the 1990's. He called the red stain "Mahogany." The batch is going to Carter Vintage Guitars in Nashville.

About ready to take a trip to Nashville (photo from Christie Carter).124797

Batch is getting closer to delivery (image from Christie Carter).123745

Fretboards adorning the BIG Gils...122426

And the batch (less guitars). Image from Christie Carter.122027

Another picture of the mandocello...122026

The big oval hole is a K-4.5 (mandocello with maple neck, larger version of Mike Compton's F-4.5).

Besides creating great mandolins, Will started to write songs in January. He has done a wonderful job writing from the heart and/or from personal experiences. Might be interesting to ask/talk to him...

Another option to consider is Hugh Hanson (Nashville). He worked at Gruhn and is experienced with Loars.

82831 The front mandolin is #600 (D-Log) as is the light blond Gilchrist in the rear (#574). Middle one is not D-Log (#300).

'97 F-5 black topped Gilchrist. One of the few (like Alan N's pictured above) that has "The Gilchrist" versus just "Gilchrist."