Mandolins cost ___?____...audience participation

[Pete Jenner]

Eh? He addressed this in his post, Item 1.

This is an epic task - Herculean in scope, Sisyphean in nature - and what he needs, besides a commendation just for trying, and encouragement to continue, is contribution, not criticism.

It's not a criticism - just a statement of fact. I'm merely pointing out the scale of the omission.

[Petrus]

Great start, but a book could probably be written on this topic!

Have you checked out the list at Jazz Mando? There might be some you want to add if they're not on there already (going beyond BG obviously):

http://jazzmando.com/spotlight_build..._century.shtml

[Rush Burkhardt]

Keep the faith...and remember: This is not intended to be a COMPLETE guide! It's intended to be an early answer for those asking the questions: What, how much, who, etc.? And, if you have a suggestion for additions, be specific, please! I appreciate those of you who can make specific suggestions, beyond Bluegrass, particularly!

[Rush Burkhardt]

And...enjoy the journey!

[Sven the Impaler]

Like it....keep it simple.

And thanks for doing it.

[Petrus]

I think you'll realize you've bitten off more than you can chew. I've done that on various projects over the years and ended up leaving a lot of them incomplete! When you add electrics, OMs, resonators, the list multiplies exponentially.

[Mandobart]

A lot of great small shop luthiers/builders are not included on this list that should probably be there...

I would recommend you take a look at some of the builders that contribute to the "Builders and Repair" forum. Also, take a look at the Social Groups that feature specific builders. At the high end you show some great builders (Monteleone, Dudenbostel) so you should include the great builders at the lower price points, too. My recommendations?
Howard (Sonny) Morris, Joe Mendel, Tom TJ Jessen (Cricketfiddle), and I know there are more. So many new players don't know they can get an awesome new handcrafted mandolin from one of these folks for under $5 k.

[Rush Burkhardt]

Good suggestions, Mandobart!... Would you let me know the specific price ranges for each?...I'll be happy to add them to the chart! Thanks!

[JeffD]

2) I’m a bluegrass-er and didn’t range far from “ff” holes. Easy to add to the chart, yourself, though! Send me those you'd like added (builder, model [A, F, Oval, ff], and price range.) I'll attempt to add them to the chart!... For those of you whose mandolins I’ve missed, and those of you who play classical, choro, etc. where bowl backs, oval-hole and flattop mandolins are dominant

This can be covered by titling the chart in some way: An aid to the pricing of mandolins popular in bluegrass music in America." Something like that.

Because your "etc." above covers a whole lot of music. World wide the number of mandolinners who don't follow bluegrass is much larger than the number who do, and even in the States it is probably close if not true also.

[Jim Garber]

...you should include the great builders at the lower price points, too. My recommendations?
Howard (Sonny) Morris, Joe Mendel, Tom TJ Jessen (Cricketfiddle), and I know there are more. So many new players don't know they can get an awesome new handcrafted mandolin from one of these folks for under $5 k.

Big Muddy, Jacobson, Gypsy, Crystal Forest, & prob a dozen more.

[Rush Burkhardt]

Lots of good suggestions! Thanks! While you're at it, how about going to some of these builders, finding their price range, and adding that to your suggestions! If you'll do that, I'll update the chart.

Although I've placed a somewhat bluegrass tone to this chart, I believe we could put any builder on the chart.

These are the general price points:

<.2K / .3-.9K / 1-1.9K / 2-2.9K / 3-4.9K / 5-10K / 11-25K / 26-99K / 100K>
NEW
USED

Thanks!

[roysboy]

FWIW, there are mandolins for sale under $200. I haven't played any of them other than a Rogue (surprisingly, acceptable sounding) and Michael Kelly (seriously sunken top, so jury still out). But I am a little saddened to see that prices are going up, if this is any indication, and the once very affordable Rogue has suffered a 20% increase, now priced at a lofty $59.99.

Well ..the more expensive that ROGUE gets , the better it must be ....right ? ..haha

[JeffD]

Big Muddy, Jacobson, Gypsy, Crystal Forest, & prob a dozen more.

Zakly.

[JeffD]

I don't have any problem with the chart being bluegrass-centric. As long as it is explicitly so.

As you can tell from some of my posts elsewhere, I feel for many newbies who come innocently looking for a good mandolin on a limited budget, and are immediately shunted into arch top F-5 type instruments, thinking that is all there is. They can end up spending money (or buying perhaps less quality than they otherwise could), and maybe only because they didn't know you don't need a scroll or an arch top or sunburst or a whatever. Newbies especially, I think, need to see a the big picture of what mandolinning can be, before considering any specific recommendation, (regardless of how apt the recommendation may be).

[Rush Burkhardt]

"big picture of what mandolinning can be, before considering any specific recommendation"
1. No recommendations made on the chart!
2. Requested that additional suggestions be made to broaden the scope [as well as my knowledge].
3. The only additional request is that, if one adds a mandolin [say: Big Muddy, Jacobson, Gypsy, Crystal Forest] they also provide information [pricing] so they can be added to the chart!
Thanks!

[John Garcia]

There's no need for any of this complicated stuff. It's all governed by one simple formula:

P = 4x + 1000.

Where P is the price of the mandolin in dollars, and x is the amount of money your spouse thinks you should pay for it.

That one made me laugh, because it is very true....