Hi all,
I’m not familiar with this maker and hoping the forum can educate me. What are some comparable brands you would compare against. Notable characteristics? Lastly, this price seems right?
http://A.L. Smart F5 1990 Sunburst h...ntent=22276847
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Hi all,
I’m not familiar with this maker and hoping the forum can educate me. What are some comparable brands you would compare against. Notable characteristics? Lastly, this price seems right?
http://A.L. Smart F5 1990 Sunburst h...ntent=22276847
Can't get that link to work.
Dave H
The link isn’t working for me either, but there is a more recent Smart F5 that’s been languishing for some time at Morgan Music with an asking price of $4995.99:
https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/148375#148375
http://www.morganmusic.com/usedmando...tegory=4256012
I can’t speak for everyone, but I think of Lawrence’s work as part of an Idaho tradition, preceded by Bob Givens and now followed by Austin Clark, of building beautiful, handmade mandolins. He tends to work with locally sourced woods, including Engelmann spruce, and his mandolas in particular are owned by some of the best players in the world (Marshall, Reischman, Thile, etc.).
Let’s see if this link works better:
https://reverb.com/item/22276847-a-l...ntent=22276847
I didn’t realize that it was a lefthanded F5, which is a relative rarity. The price has already dropped considerably, but it has also been listed for nine months. So I might consider an offer, but be wary as the seller has had issues with two sold instruments in the feedback section.
The earlier Smart mandolins have stunning voices, most have engelmann tops. The Music Emporium sold a used two point Smart for just under $6k a few months back, so I’d say the price on the A5 in the classifieds is quite reasonable.
I’ve played some of the newer ones with Adirondack tops and have to say, I prefer the earlier ones with engelmann tops.
That said, I’m thinking the F5 at Morgan is the one with the re-voiced top that’s been at a few shops over the last few years. Not sure why that was done, but if I remember correctly, it was not done by Smart. Which may be why it’s been around for sale for a while. Lots of pros play Smart instruments, including Chris Thile (mandola), Mike Marshall, Joe K Walsh, and Courtney Hartman is playing one of his archtops.
I own a Smart F5 and it is a very well made mandolin. Beautifully constructed with an exquisite voice. Mine is a bit newer, 2014 so I can’t really speak to older Smart mandolins. Here’s a clip of mine. Mine has an engleman top and soundwise compares well to my engleman topped Givens, with the Smart having a sweeter tone with more of a bell like ring and Givens more woody and punchy. The Smart is the strongest mandolin I own. It is very even from string to string and doesn’t lose any tone as you move up the neck.
The above does not play.
Thanks or the reply's.
Fixed the link here:
https://reverb.com/item/22276847-a-l...-1990-sunburst
Victor Daniel, Beautiful sounding instrument. Very sweet and even toned. Might be worth visiting this AL Smart I'm considering.
Might be some other players with Smart mandolas. :whistling:
The Smart mandolins I've played have been excellent. Lawrence sent me one of his 10 strings with fan frets to try out quite a few years ago when I was thinking about ordering one. That one was exceptional.
Do you have any examples? I see precious few luthier-built F5’s in the wild. I don’t know what Lawrence is charging for an F5 mandolin these days, but I was quoted $12K by him for a new F5 mandola, so I’m going to guess that the figure is north of $9K, making a used one for less that 2/3 the price a relative bargain . . . most likely because it’s a lefty.
It’s also 30 years old, if it truly is from 1990. Generally a used Smart F5 would be around $7k.
Also an "A" style at Reverb.
https://reverb.com/item/17220902-a-l...custom-a-style
This has been listed for a year.
I have a fan fret 5 course Mandola and an F hole Mandocello of his. You can't find much better fit and finish, and his voicing is top quality. You simply can't go wrong getting one of his instruments. Marshall, Rosum, you name top grade musicians that own his creations and you get the idea
This option might be a lower priced alternative for the OP:
https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/150628#150628
There was recently a black Smart A5 that moved quickly in the classifieds with an asking price of $3700:
https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/150539#150539