Doug Clark mandolins

[Steve Baker]

A couple of weeks ago I was at a barn concert listening to Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers. I'd never heard, nor heard of, these guys but they put on an excellent show. I was particularly struck sound from the mandolin. It was a A style made by Doug Clark, a luthier out of North Carolina. It was probably the best sounding mandolin I've ever heard, and I've heard a bunch.
Doug Clark has a very minimal web presence, so contacting him through Joe Mullins' group might be the best route. His prices, at about $2K for the A style, are way reasonable for what you get. If you're in the market it would surely be worth the effort to check him him out. The Radio Flyers are worth looking up as well..
Just thought I'd pass this along...
Steve

[Bob Clark]

Interesting post, Steve. Thanks for letting us know. I don't see Doug Clark (no relation) in the Builders Database. I hope he finds his way into it. That is a great resource for us and could be a really good connection to him.

[HappyPickin]

Doug is located in Canton, North Carolina near Asheville. Darren Nicholson of Balsam Range plays one of Doug's mandolins. There is a video on the Darren Nicholson Band FB page of him at Doug's shop playing several different Clark mandolins. Darren also lives in Canton so you can probably contact him on FB to find out how to get in touch with Doug.

Edit: Doug Clark Mandolins (828)421-2811

[JRG]

I've heard Darren's mandolin and Mike Hunter's of the Midnight Plowboys and both look and sound outstanding.

[HappyPickin]

This followed me home from Fiddle and Fret. I wasn't even in the market for another mandolin.

[HappyPickin]

[Louise NM]

Nice looking! Congratulations.

[MontanaMatt]

That is a very pronounced recurve. What does the back look like?

[HappyPickin]

That is a very pronounced recurve. What does the back look like?

I see that you have a Ratliff. It was made about 40 miles from me. I was trying to decide between a Ratliff A and a Doug Clark A when this one was handed to me to take home for the weekend because it supposedly needed to be played. It is a "one of" and had just been hanging around in the shop. It opened up fairly quickly and I fell in love with both the physical and sonic balance. It will flat out kill a banjo if needed but still retains its tone and balance. When I drove back across the mountain with an envelope full of presidents I left the Clark at home in Tennessee. My house won't be getting new windows on the Northwest side this summer as planned.