Makers getting Top Dollar

[mrmando]

If builder John Doe puts on his web site he sold one for $40K does he rise near the top?

No list of high-dollar builders is complete without the fabulous John L. Williams!
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...he-classifieds

[Timbofood]

I said it once, I'll say it again:
"They will only bring as much as the buyer is willing to pay."
Many valid points here, small boutique builders have spent countless hours learning their craft, some guys seem to be able to "pound out" decent products. Some never will quite "get it" and then, there are builders who simply have the time and talent to make as many as they feel inclined. For me anymore, sadly, they will not be within my reach. I have been lucky enough to have played some very fine examples from several of the levels, mentioned above, all out of reach and all interesting, some desirable some, not so much. If I was a situation which would make owning one feasible, the "search list" for me would be pretty small. But, I'm repeating myself.

[Mandolin Cafe]

No list of high-dollar builders is complete without the fabulous John L. Williams!
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...he-classifieds

Why yes, in fact we do have that in backup from April, 2013. For your viewing pleasure, one of the top three mandolin builders by price in the world. For now.

[mrmando]

You could definitely add Paul Bigsby to the deceased list.

Both of the recent Bigsby mandolin finds, the 10-string and the 5-string, have now sold. I don't know what the final prices were, but the asking prices were in the Monteleone range.

[Ivan Kelsall]

I'd bet even the builders of the over-ornate Asian mandolins had a snigger at that Gibson. How to make a 'potentially' lovely instrument into a complete travesty IMHO,
Ivan

[Mandolin Architect]

Hey man! I havnt been on the cafe in over 6 months and I just seen this thread Yes, as Karl Hoyt mentioned I have a much larger shop now and I also have 9 pro players playing my mandolins.....
and no.... none of them were free. I made a decision a long time ago that I would never make free mandolins. I have another two batches coming out here real soon. The first will be finished this week

[Doug Freeman]

Some of the pricing here is fuzzy. Some wildly inaccurate. But it does reduce the building community to a bunch of numbers. I think they deserve better.

Agreed. This thread gave me the creeps from post one. Still, I've looked back in on it, kind of like a rubber neck driver gawking at a fatal wreck on the highway.

[lowtone2]

Old thread, but I wonder where does Campanella sit on this list? I’ve never seen a price but assume they are not inexpensive.

[yankees1]

I can name (but won't...) at LEAST 10 builders who don't get that kind of scratch for their instruments but whose work is every bit as good as any of the above mentioned builders....

I absolutely agree ! BUT, I will name one ! Max Girouard ! I have played half of your list at Grhun's and I would take a Girouard over any that I played.

[Aaron Woods]

Can you imagine if we all watched and contributed instrument reviews as accurate and beautiful as what the FBJ did on JR's mandolin?

I've heard him play 6' away (pre-social distancing) and the video is accurate.

Not that looking at mandolins with outrageous woods and inlays isn't fun.

Perhaps it would be better if we reflected on tonal character with a video that used proper microphones operated by sound technicians..

This would benefit everyone that wants to know more than the level of binding, inlay, Florida, case, pick etc.

What is it? What bracing and how exactly does it change the tone? What did it sound like? Soul?

Remember that Sharon Gilchrist peghead video that she references swapping the fingerboard put her instrument back to "new" and only started to return after six months of playing? #thehorror

[Doug Freeman]

Off topic, but it was nice to watch that Reischman video again. In one closeup (2:17-2:22, and only at that point) it appears he has the G and D courses strung in octaves. Is that a thing?

[MontanaMatt]

Off topic, but it was nice to watch that Reischman video again. In one closeup (2:17-2:22, and only at that point) it appears he has the G and D courses strung in octaves. Is that a thing?

Wow, I’ve not seen that on regular f...perhaps it’s a editing error of a different instrument? I’ve seen that on octaves though.

[pops1]

On any of the other closeup shots of the mandolin and him playing it they are not octaves. I think that is a random shot from somewhere???

[Marty Jacobson]

Off topic, but it was nice to watch that Reischman video again. In one closeup (2:17-2:22, and only at that point) it appears he has the G and D courses strung in octaves. Is that a thing?

Look at the intonation.. that's an octave mandolin/bouzouki. Nice catch, though.