Une jolie-laide - a grand gil.

[Robb Todd]

Here is a link to the new to me Gilchrist "The Pasky". I will take my own photo tonight.

http://www.gilchristmandolins.com/387

She has taught me a lesson.

I have been searching for a Gil model 3 for some time but ironically being in Oz has made that hard (shipping ,duties and inspecting). So when this popped up in the classifieds and was located here in Oz it seemed like fate. However she was not museum quality, an X not // and RM not HM basically she was the opposite of all the things I was fussy about. Skip honestly told me she had quite a few dings, her tailpiece and case were missing. No birth cetificate.. oh and she had been sleeping on the couch probably with the cat.

She was from the deceased estate of the wonderful and much loved old dame of music in Oz Fay Pasky. Steve Gilchrist told me she tended to have a utilitarian approach to instruments. Skip drove her to Steve for an inspection. She was in fine voice. Steve agreed to do a service and make a new tailpiece. The tailpiece was found at the last minute and Steve found one of the early cases he used on his instruments with a friend here in Oz.

When she arrived it was apparent she was far from museum quality, I admit my heart sank a bit. However I picked her up and she felt solid like she wanted to be played.

Last night I got to play her and two things emerged. First what a voice, she was really open Faye had done me no disservice using her as her maker had intended, as an instrument. Second because she was a bit dinged I felt a greater freedom with her.

Lesson learnt when buying a mandolin be flexible, never judge a book by its cover.

Dealing with Skip and Steve also reinforced to me that we are just stewards of an instrument. In 80 years from now someone will be enjoying "the Pasky" dings and all, I will play my part to ensure that happens.

Thanks to Skip, Steve and of course Fay.

[red7flag]

Great looking instrument. While I have never played a Gil A model I have played a number of F5 and a very famous F4. I have never been disappointed in the tone of any. Congratulations on a great find.

[Mandocarver]

Nothing "laide" about that baby - au contraire - enjoy her!

[F-2 Dave]

Beautiful, congratulations.

[Nick Gellie]

Well done finding her. We will all be interested in her looks now. Beautiful to begin with.

[AlanN]

I notice the tailpiece is of the older style, not the hinged-with-knob piece he designed. The vintage of this mandolin is right around the time when that t/p came to be, perhaps a bit before.

Beautiful instrument. Enjoy it.

[journeybear]

Good story and fine-looking instrument. And i'll wager fine-sounding as well. Dings, scuffs, scrapes, etc. just add character, and serve as visual props for stories. I got my 1918 Gibson A for a fairly low price partly because of some cosmetic damage, which didn't affect its sound an iota. But sometimes these imperfections make people shy away. I believe they give it personality and history, showing evidence of a life having been lived - and presumably still in progress. Enjoy your new partner in merry-making, and add a few dings of your own!

[Robb Todd]

I notice the tailpiece is of the older style, not the hinged-with-knob piece he designed. The vintage of this mandolin is right around the time when that t/p came to be, perhaps a bit before.

Beautiful instrument. Enjoy it.

Yes a point of discussion with Steve. It was this batch the hinge came in Steve thought they all had it so he was surprised. Until the old one was found he was going to build a new one but we agreed it had to be kept original. Indeed Steve's own data base was slightly out on this one so its worth checking it.

[blauserk]

Looks beautiful. I don't mind a mandolin that has been well loved. That's a rarity to have a flowerpot inlay on an A-style Gil, yes?