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Thread: bill davis artist model A mandolin

  1. #1

    Default bill davis artist model A mandolin

    so do people have opinions on the quality and value of a used bill davis artist model A mandolin? i have been offered a trade. i am wondering why his web page is gone? and do his mandolins hold their value. anyone know what thecost new? and have an estimate what used ones go for? there are some very old threads about them but not in the last decades that i can find. thanks

  2. #2
    Registered User EvanElk's Avatar
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    Default Re: bill davis artist model A mandolin

    I owned Bill Davis A5 Artist #115 that I bought here on the cafe about 10 years ago. I was mainly a guitarist when bought it and kept the Davis for 8 years or so before I started studying mandolin more seriously and exploring higher end instruments. Others on the cafe will certainly know more, but I remember researching Mr. Davis back when I bought the mandolin and was unable to find a website or any information about whether he was actively building. The Davis was my first mandolin Click image for larger version. 

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ID:	170692 built by a small builder and I have since owned or played many high end instruments. What I will say is that the build quality was superb and the fit and finish rival the top builders making mandolins today. Aesthetically gorgeous. As I recall, however, I found it had a comparatively high string tension and a tightness to the tone - the tone was not a woody bluegrass tone, but a more treble dominant and modern tone. I didn't know enough at the time about what kinds of things a luthier might to do address what was clearly a well built mandolin technically that lacked responsiveness. I've never sent a mandolin to the Mando Voodoo doctors, but in retrospect, my Davis A5 might have been qood candidate for that intervention. Your actual question was about value. I bought mine in 2009 for $1700 and sold it in 2016 for $2000. I always felt that it must be worth more than this, but there is no better market test than posting a mandolin for sale on the cafe and finding out what this community of very knowledgable players and collectors will pay.
    Last edited by EvanElk; Sep-01-2018 at 1:24pm.
    2003 John Sullivan F5 "Roy"
    2015 Heiden F Artist
    2019 Ruhland F5 #35

  3. #3

    Default Re: bill davis artist model A mandolin

    thanks. i was hoping for more than one reply but yours was informative

  4. #4
    Purveyor of Sunshine sgarrity's Avatar
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    Default Re: bill davis artist model A mandolin

    I owned a Davis F5 I bought from Mass St Music. Top notch build quality. Bill was a machinist by trade and the joint work was second to none. A fine all around mandolin. More modern, almost Collings-ish tone. I wouldn’t want to be into an A for more than $2,000. Not sure how many he built but I’d guess under 50. Others might know more.

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