Gilchrist at Dusty Strings

[Richard Mott]

I found myself in Seattle on Sunday with a few extra hours to spend, so I stopped by Dusty Strings. They had for sale a used Gilchrist F4C--his "classical" amber-finish mandolin made with softer spruce and red maple for a warmer, bassier sound. With the caveat that although I read this forum daily, I am not a mandolin player and have only once even held one before this weekend. But this thing was amazing!!! Just an incredible amount of sound poured out of it--it felt like it was alive in your hands. While I was there I played a number of other mandolins from very well-regarded shops, but the difference was just tremendous--more pronounced I would say than in the guitar world. The Gilchrist had been marked down and whoever picks it up will have an incredible instrument.

[Marcus CA]

I played it when I was there last month. It has a pristine sound to it, but doesn't seem to be meant for bluegrass. Apparently, it had a twin F5 that sold pretty quickly. I see that the price is just below $13K now, and it was just above $13K when I was there.

[William Smith]

I found myself in Seattle on Sunday with a few extra hours to spend, so I stopped by Dusty Strings. They had for sale a used Gilchrist F4C--his "classical" amber-finish mandolin made with softer spruce and red maple for a warmer, bassier sound. With the caveat that although I read this forum daily, I am not a mandolin player and have only once even held one before this weekend. But this thing was amazing!!! Just an incredible amount of sound poured out of it--it felt like it was alive in your hands. While I was there I played a number of other mandolins from very well-regarded shops, but the difference was just tremendous--more pronounced I would say than in the guitar world. The Gilchrist had been marked down and whoever picks it up will have an incredible instrument.

Did you play the 1936 Gibson F-5 fern? If so how was it?

[Richard Mott]

On price, I think the F4C was originally going for $16K, so it is now about 3K less--which seemed like an excellent price for one of Steve Gilchrist's C instruments.
On sound, yeah this is not optimal as a bluegrass instrument, partly the sound hole I think, but mainly woods/construction make it sweeter, bassier, with less of a bluegrass bark.
I saw that great '30s Fern Gibson, it was in a glass case with the Gilchrist, but nearly three times the price. I definitely should have listened to it, but unfortunately didn't. It looked beautiful and I'm sure was topnotch.

[William Smith]

On price, I think the F4C was originally going for $16K, so it is now about 3K less--which seemed like an excellent price for one of Steve Gilchrist's C instruments.
On sound, yeah this is not optimal as a bluegrass instrument, partly the sound hole I think, but mainly woods/construction make it sweeter, bassier, with less of a bluegrass bark.
I saw that great '30s Fern Gibson, it was in a glass case with the Gilchrist, but nearly three times the price. I definitely should have listened to it, but unfortunately didn't. It looked beautiful and I'm sure was topnotch.

Bummer on the Gibson, I just wondered if its as great sounding in person as the youtube video of her! I think its a goodun but overpriced, should be 25-30g my opinion and they vary.

[Richard Mott]

Yeah, I too was surprised at the Gibson, didn't realize '30s Ferns could cost that much. My sense is the Gil was priced low, the Gibson high. If someone bought both, it'd be an even break.