New weber "custom vintage"new weber "

[Rick Schmidlin]

I wanted to know if anybody has played the New Weber "Custom Vintage" - Old Wood - Oval Hole? I am looking for companion for my MF5.

[pjlama]

The guys At Greg Boyd's are especially high on it but you probably know that hence the thread. If not call them and they'll gush about it, it must be pretty special for the praise and they know good tone.

[Steve Cantrell]

The Greg Boyd website has nothing but sterling praise for this mandolin.

[Lee]

It's a pretty high dollar amount.
Personally, I'd prefer a few less frets. The fingerboard really hangs out over the oval hole. Very tantalizing nonetheless.
I'm still keeping my fingers crossed waiting for Collings oval-hole mando to materialize. Especially the MT equivalent.

[JEStanek]

Does it have the vintage sound associated with the 12 fret to body necks with integral board? This one, it really looks beautiful, has 15 with an elevated board.

Jamie

[sgarrity]

They need to shorten that fingerboard for sure. And that sure is a bunch of $$$ for a lacquer A style. But I definitely like the idea

[Kevin Briggs]

The price seems in the right ballpark to me. The Collings MT2 above it on the same page is only a little less. The Givens A above it is $1,000 more. I've talked to Greg. He knows what he's doing. He does not try to squeeze water out of a rock, so to speak. If he says it's in the class of Gilchrist and Nugget oval As, then it is. That being the case, it's a helluva deal. Webers are great mandolins.

[John Flynn]

Sounds like some people are judging this mando by the hype on Boyd's website. Hello? They are in the business of selling mandolins! If the thing is really as good as a Gil or Nugget as they say, why aren't they charging what it's worth? Do you buy cars based on what the dealer says about them?

You could get a vintage Gibson oval, or a custom-build like a Pomeroy or Old Wave made to your specs, for less, and probably have a better oval sound, since it would actually be a vintage design and not just old wood.

[Nick Triesch]

A high end guitar shop is different than a Chevy dealer. Weber mandolins have changed. Also, a great mandolin does not have to cost $21,000. My friends custom cedar top Yellowstone sounds fantastic. Also our local guitar store has a Collings MT-2 that sounds great. Nick

[Kevin Briggs]

I have to agree with the car shop analogy. What does Greg Boyd have to gain by saying a mandolin sounds better than it really does? Sure, he might sell it faster, but then he has a disappointed customer. Then, his word is mud, so he sells less mandolins than before. Lying to mandolin players about the quality of mandolins is a sure way to go out of business really fast.

[John Flynn]

Lying to mandolin players about the quality of mandolins is a sure way to go out of business really fast.

Oh, come on, get real! I could name you at least two online dealers who, and it is well documented on this site, have actually lied thier a-- off consistently about mandolins and they are still in business. Plus, I never said Boyd was lying, just hyping, which by the way, a lot of dealers and builders do all the time. I have to imagine it increases thier business, or they wouldn't do it. Mandolin players have to heed, "Let the buyer beware" as much or more than anyone else, I don't care who they are dealing with. But hey, believe whatever floats your boat. My guess is that Boyd or Weber would not sign up for an independently run, blind challenge against a Gilchrist oval! If they did, and they won, I would take it all back!

[Kevin Briggs]

There's a difference between lying and selling. Basedon conversations I've had with Greg Boyd, he freely admits what ranks with a Nugget and what does not, including what he has in stock. I maintain that if Greg advertsises it sounds that good, then it does. Does he want to sell it, sure he does. Does he want some ticked off suctomer trying to send it back after a week because it doesn't sound as good as he said? Probably not....

[Tom C]

How about a link to this mando?

[sgarrity]

Try this one hereGreg Boyd

[Tom C]

I've been eyeing Peter Coombe for a while. At about $2700 US dolloars it has everything I want -including 12 fret cross piece. And they look awesome. Anybody have one of these?

[sgarrity]

Coombe's look great and always get rave reviews. You hardly ever see them for sale on the used market and when you do, they don't last long. I'd love to play one someday. Old Wave is another great oval hole option. Dumbest thing I did was sell the one I had. But ya live and ya learn.

This mandolin is still basically an Absoroka model with an oval hole and some "old" wood. $3500 is a buncha money for one. And I'm not knockin' Weber. I've played a bunch of 'em and they are finely crafted instruments. Especially the cedar topped F5's.

[John Flynn]

Absoroka model with an oval hole

That's interesting. I didn't make the connection until now, but I played a new Absoroka with an oval hole at a local store on Saturday. It even had the same "pumpkin top" coloring as the one at Boyd's, but it was not an "old wood." It was a great looking instrument and it played well, but I did not care for the tone. I thought it was kind of dead. It did not come close to my Old Wave oval.

[Lee]

I'll have to contact Peter Coombe to see how he's doing. He built himself a new house and mandolin workshop recently. Don't know if he's fully back into production yet.

[Lee]

As for the 15-fret long elevated neck on an oval-hole, I played the BRW prototype for a few days and loved it. Of course, that was a three-point (two-points with a lower body point). No reason Ben couldn't omit the points and make it an A-style body.

[peter.coombe]

Hey Lee, The house is nearly finished. Currently we are working on the new bigger and better workshop. This one is almost twice as big and is properly insulated so I can work all year round. At the moment it is about 5 or 6 deg C in the old workshop which is too cold for glueing and too damn cold for me too. Locked it up last weekend. So, I am still working on the new house and workshop and not fully back into production yet. The mandolins are still getting built, but somewhat slower.

[John Rosett]

My guess is that Boyd or Weber would not sign up for an independently run, blind challenge against a Gilchrist oval! If they did, and they won, I would take it all back![/QUOTE]
Actually, they do have a Gilchrist oval hole A at Greg's shop on a regular basis. I'd be interested in hearing them side by side too.
I've done a lot of business with Greg Boyd over the years, and he's one of the most honest people around. He definately stands behind his word, and his products, and if an instrument he's selling isn't all he says it is to the customer, he'd take it back. Sure he wants to sell mandolins, but I don't think that he's going to make a claim that he can't back up.

[Lee]

Hi Peter, glad to hear the new place is coming along! #I'm enjoying the #102 F-hole A very much. Such pretty wood! The back absolutely glows and attains such depth when it catches the sun. The tone so sweet for an F-hole. Dainty when soft, but lots of volume when you dig in. #Smooth and even all over. #
Glad to hear you're still churning them out, if somewhat slower.

[peter.coombe]

Glad you are enjoying the mandolin. #I have just put up a series of photographs of the building project on my web site for those who are interested. #Go to My Webpage.