Weber Vintage A

[NursingDaBlues]

My next purchase will be a Weber Vintage A. Not a new one. For those of you who may know, what would be a good year range to aim for?

[George R. Lane]

I would look at the 2007 or 08 models, they were made with the old wood Bruce got from a violin builder. Mine was an 07 and sounded great but, due to financial reasons it had to go. I don't believe they used up all the old wood by now.

[NursingDaBlues]

I would look at the 2007 or 08 models, they were made with the old wood Bruce got from a violin builder. Mine was an 07 and sounded great but, due to financial reasons it had to go. I don't believe they used up all the old wood by now.

Thanks for the guidance. I had heard about the "special wood" but had no clue as to the start and end dates of use. Now the only trick is to find one. It appears that a used Vintage A from any year is hard to come by.

[timacn]

I might be wrong, but I believe Bruce Weber said that stash of old wood was gone, at least for CVA production.

[Bob Clark]

I would look at the 2007 or 08 models, they were made with the old wood Bruce got from a violin builder. Mine was an 07 and sounded great but, due to financial reasons it had to go. I don't believe they used up all the old wood by now.

Actually, that supply of old wood lasted beyond these dates. I have a 2010 Vintage A that was made from that stash. I don't think it went much beyond 2010 though.

[Paul Merlo]

I believe my 2011 Custom Vintage A has the aged sitka spruce top, if that's what you're looking for. I understand different wood species will produce different sounds - so that's a consideration some people would actually find more important than date. The engleman spruce was recommended for a softer picking style. Their website currently lists Red Spruce as the top species.

If you find one, get the serial number and ask Weber if they still have the specs on record for that particular model.

As far as date ranges vs/ quality go - I don't think you could go wrong with any Weber mandolin from any year.

[Bob Clark]

As far as date ranges vs/ quality go - I don't think you could go wrong with any Weber mandolin from any year.

I agree with Paul. If a Vintage A is what you want, I would not hesitate to buy one whether its top was made from that aged wood or not. I am not sure how much difference that really makes anyway. Weber makes great mandolins and these are from the upper end of their lineup. I am sure they are all terrific mandolins. I know that I won't be selling mine!

[NursingDaBlues]

I agree with Paul. If a Vintage A is what you want, I would not hesitate to buy one whether its top was made from that aged wood or not. I am not sure how much difference that really makes anyway. Weber makes great mandolins and these are from the upper end of their lineup. I am sure they are all terrific mandolins. I know that I won't be selling mine!

Agreed. Weber quality, sound, and playability always seem to be top shelf. I've been really been happy with mine and, like you, won't be parting from them.

I had heard a Vintage A a while back and it had a gorgeous sound. Asked the player about it and he said that it was a borrowed instrument; all he knew was that it was made from "special wood." He also said that he was protecting it with his life to get it back to the owner intact after his gig; so I didn't ask to see the serial number. That's the basis for my original post.

[Dan Forney]

If you are still interested in a Custom Vintage A, I have a 2008 that I want to sell. I got this one on the cafe in 2012. PM me if interested. Here is a link to a video so you can hear it: https://youtu.be/TiHODwnBZxg
Dan