Dude. The thing sounds great. Just calm down and play it some more.
One thing you need to remember. Any time an instrument goes through major surgery, it takes a while to fully recover. I've had neck resets done on old Martins. It takes a solid 18 months for them to regain ground until they sound better than they did before the reset.
A full re top will take a while. Not only does the new, red spruce top need to break in, but the entire instrument needs to re acclimate to being an instrument, and not just bits of wood glued together.
Just relax and enjoy the ride.
B
Above post is so true, I had my 36 F-5 fern sent with the bridge off and once I set it to what I liked it took a long time of pickin before it settled again and started to sound what an old fern should sound like! Once you break contact with the bridge/top it takes a while same with a new top/new mandolin they need broke in! Some say that's krazy talk but I've had enough mandolins and worked on enough it's the truth!
Depends on what woods Joe uses, and the voicings applied to that particular build. The last new F5 that TME got was as "Gibson" as you can get without seeing the name "Gibson" on the label. While it might not have looked like one, sure sounded like one.
As for the Gil, Dem, I understand your issue with the Givens (I've owned and played a lot of these and the necks are just too small for me), but really, what's not to like about the Gil?
"your posts ... very VERY opinionated ...basing your opinion/recommendations ... pot calling ...kettle... black...sarcasm...comment ...unwarranted...unnecessary...."
I reckon that Gilchrist will be truly great mandolin once it has settled in. Steve did a great job retopping it.
Nic Gellie
In my humble opinion, that is the wisest decision you've made since this show premiered a little more than a year ago.
But...you're the one who has to live with your decisions. Except for the fact that you've made this process somewhat of an audience-participation soap opera, it's really none of our business what you ultimately decide to do.
I'm not too sure what it is that you're really looking for. I am pretty sure that if you let that Gil go without giving it a fair chance, you're going to regret it.
Good luck.
I remember Sharon Gilchrest saying it took a year for her Gilchrist to sound the same after simply replacing the fingerboard. It may take some time to truly develop it's sound.
THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!
I like the tone of that Gil a lot. To me, its a little more of the narrow, dense, traditional style tone, as opposed to the big, wide, modern tone... I've been leaning more towards the traditional thing anyway lately-might be why I'm partial. I agree with the other posters, it will likely settle in and get better (response, complexity, depth) over the next 15-24 months but its not going to do a 180. It should keep its characteristics, just get better. Its also doubtful it will be a fast, abrupt change. I do really think you are looking at at least a year and 2 at the long end of the curve. In general, you won't know what you are giving up unless you wait. But hey, you could always buy it back again!
Even with the severe penalty for playing Christmas music before Halloween, that Gilchrist scores high.
2010 Heiden A5, 2020 Pomeroy oval A, 2013 Kentucky KM1000 F5, 2012 Girouard A Mandola w ff holes, 2001 Old Wave A oval octave
http://HillbillyChamberMusic.bandcamp.com
Videos: https://www.youtube.com/@hillbillychambermusic
It's a good thing I drove a long way to the mandolin store. I could have driven a much shorter distance to Durango and looked at Elkhorn mandolins. I'd be broke ......but happy
Peter Kaufman violin
Old Wave two point
Hey Dem, have you ever commissioned a mandolin just for you? Call Collings and get one baked up for you!
(No joke, my own mind wonders. . . )
f-d
ˇpapá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!
'20 A3, '30 L-1, '97 914, 2012 Cohen A5, 2012 Muth A5, '14 OM28A
It will be a wait for more torrified Collings. They are out of wood for the tops, and are looking for some more. I had the guys at TME call.
"your posts ... very VERY opinionated ...basing your opinion/recommendations ... pot calling ...kettle... black...sarcasm...comment ...unwarranted...unnecessary...."
Nic Gellie
Tony Huber
1930 Martin Style C #14783
2011 Mowry GOM
2013 Hester F4 #31
2014 Ellis F5 #322
2017 Nyberg Mandola #172
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