Results 1 to 19 of 19

Thread: Article: Rarities and Lutherie Tango at Gryphon Stringed Instruments

  1. #1
    Administrator Mandolin Cafe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 1998
    Location
    Lawrence, KS
    Posts
    3,835
    Blog Entries
    14

    Default Article: Rarities and Lutherie Tango at Gryphon Stringed Instrume


  2. #2
    Registered User avaldes's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Champaign County, IL
    Posts
    366

    Default Re: Article: Rarities and Lutherie Tango at Gryphon Stringed Inst

    I so miss Gryphon. I lived in that area (San Carlos) until I moved to Illinois in 2011. I took up mandolin in 2012 after playing flamenco guitar for years. We visited family Christmas 2013, and I rented a Kentucky mandolin from Gryphon to keep up my practice routine. They let me play a 1920s Gibson F4. When I returned the Kentucky, they let me play the Gibson again, and said I could apply my rental fee towards purchase. Nice try, guys.
    But seriously, I really miss the store, the people, the atmosphere. It is exactly as Graham describes it. Long may you run.

  3. #3

    Default

    How lucky I am to have Gryphon be my local neighborhood shop. Only a half mile from my house, I can't count the times I've detoured there on my way home from work. 45 minutes there spent playing all the new and consignment instruments in such a relaxed atmosphere makes the troubles of the day melt away. Sitting back in the banjo and mandolin section of the store and hitting an open "G" chord on a mandolin and hearing the sympathetic ringing from all the other instruments is really something. And finally, to have Frank and his staff as my local go-to guys when I'm in need of a setup, repair, or advice is something that I never take for granted.

    Bill

  4. #4
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Mount Holly, NC
    Posts
    1

    Default

    I get to stop during frequent trips from NC. What a great place to sit down and try quality instruments. The staff are happy to jam with you! Who'd think this kind of place would be in Silicon Valley!
    Mark

  5. #5
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    SF Bay Area
    Posts
    486

    Default Re: Article: Rarities and Lutherie Tango at Gryphon Stringed Inst

    Great article. Richard and Frank are some of the gems among this amazing music community, and the whole Gryphon team are experts. Not to mention the music classes and teachers there have over the years kick-started many musicians. And there is always something there I want. . . Here's to local music stores!

  6. #6
    Registered User Billy Packard's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Grass Valley
    Posts
    885

    Default

    I live about an hour away, a safe distance to avoid impulsive purchases! On several occasions Frank has turned me loose in a quiet back room to spend some serious time on an important mandolin I was considering. No pressure, just the time I needed to get to know the instrument. Frank Ford is a fine man and his knowledge of history as well as luthier skills is legendary. I consider Gryphon the best shop in the S.F. Bay area.

  7. #7
    Registered User JAK's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    California
    Posts
    804

    Default

    "Bucket list," no doubt about it.

  8. #8

    Default Re: Article: Rarities and Lutherie Tango at Gryphon Stringed Inst

    Not completely relevant, but important nevertheless is Frank's amazing, amazing website, frets.com. Even the name is amazing. He had the foresight to grab an important, everyday noun that represents his enterprise perfectly back before all these had been bought up. If you have the privilege of spending a few minutes chatting with him, you'll get a sample of Frank's smart, dry, slightly irony-tinged wit. And his web site is him.

  9. #9
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Howell, NJ
    Posts
    26,875

    Default

    I don't find myself in California as much as I used to but Gryphon is on my list of places I want to visit. Frank's generous sharing of his knowledge has made a whole lot of us better at what we do.

  10. #10
    Registered User Billy Packard's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Grass Valley
    Posts
    885

    Default Re: Article: Rarities and Lutherie Tango at Gryphon Stringed Inst

    Quote Originally Posted by pointpergame View Post
    Not completely relevant, but important nevertheless is Frank's amazing, amazing website, frets.com. Even the name is amazing. He had the foresight to grab an important, everyday noun that represents his enterprise perfectly back before all these had been bought up. If you have the privilege of spending a few minutes chatting with him, you'll get a sample of Frank's smart, dry, slightly irony-tinged wit. And his web site is him.
    Yes and Yes! Frank is a delight to chit and chat with, he keeps you chuckling. And the web site is a must see for all of us...daily even!
    Billy Packard
    Gilchrist A3, 1993
    Stiver Fern, 1990
    Weber Fern, 2007
    Gibson F4 Hybrid #1, D. Harvey 2009
    Gibson 1923 A2
    Numerous wonderful guitars

  11. #11
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Burlington, VT
    Posts
    140

    Default

    While the article as a whole was interesting, I definitely have a bone to pick with some of the points made. I'm 22 and have a hell of a lot of respect for the old musicians and the old instruments. Whether it's a beautiful old Martin or a F-4 or a snakehead, it's common knowledge that these are the instruments that were used and that they have "the sound". I definitely know the value of Loar F5, both in price and in musicality, and was blown away when I got my hands on one for the first time a few years ago at Mandolin Bros. I currently work at a small acoustic music shop and we get plenty of people my age that understand that our '72 D-28 is a "bluegrass cannon" and that our 1880s Baystate is not to be played with unless they really really know what they're doing. It's not like gear heads aren't still gear heads. But when I want to get an F5 style mandolin I'm gonna gravitate to a Weber or a Collings, or any of the other amazing builders out now that cost a fraction of what an old gibson would cost. Like the F-10 at Retrofret in Brooklyn; costs an arm and a leg but it sounds lacking to my ear. There are a lot more electric players now than there were back in the day. But when someone's a gear head and play acoustic music, you bet your ass they know about Lloyd Loar, and you bet your ass they know the difference between an F-2 and an F5. And they still get a kick out of the old harmony and regal guitars we get in. Old guys love to make it seem like us young players don't know what we're talking about. But guess what, plenty of old guys are pretty clueless themselves.

    P.S. I didn't come from a musical family and have been playing seriously since I was 14.

  12. The following members say thank you to Bslot0622 for this post:


  13. #12

    Default

    Good article. I am a Gryphon fan. Richard knows of what he speaks. But remember the article wasn't written by him, so thus edited to a degree or more. I have personally stood in awe at the mandolin rack there and have played a few oldies along side the new ones. I ended up with a Collings MT. "I can't afford the amazing old ones. New ones are fantastic too, cheaper, and the necks are so nice", said the 25 year old mando player who wasn't me.

  14. #13
    Administrator Mandolin Cafe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 1998
    Location
    Lawrence, KS
    Posts
    3,835
    Blog Entries
    14

    Default

    Noting the anniversary of this fine Bill Graham article published two years ago today.

  15. #14
    Administrator Mandolin Cafe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 1998
    Location
    Lawrence, KS
    Posts
    3,835
    Blog Entries
    14

    Default

    Observing the anniversary of this fine Bill Graham article.

  16. #15
    Administrator Mandolin Cafe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 1998
    Location
    Lawrence, KS
    Posts
    3,835
    Blog Entries
    14

    Default

    Nothing today's anniversary of this feature interview by Bill Graham.

  17. #16
    Administrator Mandolin Cafe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 1998
    Location
    Lawrence, KS
    Posts
    3,835
    Blog Entries
    14

    Default

    Noting the anniversary of this interview.

  18. #17
    Administrator Mandolin Cafe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 1998
    Location
    Lawrence, KS
    Posts
    3,835
    Blog Entries
    14

    Default

    Published this date 2016.

  19. #18
    Administrator Mandolin Cafe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 1998
    Location
    Lawrence, KS
    Posts
    3,835
    Blog Entries
    14

    Default

    Noting the anniversary of this feature.

  20. #19
    Administrator Mandolin Cafe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 1998
    Location
    Lawrence, KS
    Posts
    3,835
    Blog Entries
    14

    Default

    Noting the anniversary of this feature.

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •