Trip to Carter's

[Atlanta Mando Mike]

Just back from a weekend trip to Nashville and a few hours at Carter's Vintage. There are 2 brand new Duffs there that are phenomenal. One Loar style with tone bars and one x braced and blonde... totally different from each other and each spectacular in their own way. Loud, great tone, play awesome, look awesome. The mandolins he is putting out now rival anyone, period. End of rant and NFI. Just really impressed.

[FLATROCK HILL]

The mandolins he is putting out now rival anyone, period. End of rant and NFI. Just really impressed.

Not exactly a "rant" I don't think, but certainly an enthusiastic review! Thanks.

Looking at the Carter site, I see four Duff F5s listed as new. I'm curious which of the 'non-blonds' did you play/like? Looks like there's one with an abbreviated P/G and a radius board. Two with flat boards and the standard Gibson size P/Gs, one of which has a neck repair.

[DataNick]

Duff is on my wish list radar...hear nothing but tremendous reviews of his work since the re-tool of 2006-07 I believe...

[Atlanta Mando Mike]

These 2,

https://cartervintage.com/collection...nt=44601795395

https://cartervintage.com/collection...nt=36282850883

[Perilous Deep]

Wow, the video recording of that blonde F5 does indeed sound wonderful. And like you say, very different from the Loar-spec sound of other Duffs, as best you can tell from an internet video, of course.

[Al Trujillo]

That blond......!!!

[Atlanta Mando Mike]

The volume and cut on that blond was something else. Lots of power!

[Josh Levine]

I grabbed an A5 from them at the beginning of the year that is a monster. I was talking to Mike Compton and he said there was a sunburst F5 that he especially liked. Wonder if that is the one.

[KEB]

I got to go there earlier this month-- what an amazing store!

I've never seen so many different mandolins, and I've certainly never had the opportunity to try them! The people there are insanely cool. Living in Delaware, I'm kind of forced to travel to try out a few instruments, and the mid-Atlantic is woefully short of variety. Based on reviews here, I blindly ordered a Silverangel a few years ago and love it, but I've not had the opportunity to really try out all the other instruments in that price range. I'm happy to say that I made a really good choice. I found that my Silverangel sounds, to my ears, as good or better than most of the ones up on the wall-- including another absolute stunner up there by Ken.

There was a Vega cylinder back that I thought was a great deal soundwise. There was a 1916(?) oval holed Mandola that I took into the back room and really enjoyed, and I was surprised at how much I liked the Phoenix Bluegrass on the wall.

The best instrument (again, for my ears), that I tried was the July 9, Red Diamond. If I were looking to drop >$10,000, that's one of the few instruments that I'd trade my Silverangel for. I thought I'd leave with terrible MAS-- instead, I left really happy with my existing mandolin!

[Phil Goodson]

Paul Duff began my decline in MAS about 5 years ago when I played one of his A5s at Gruhn's. Played it for 6 months and decided to buy one of his Fs and sell the A. I've been pretty happy ever since. Paul makes a great instrument.

(Remember that I said "decline" in MAS,.... not "cure". )

[Bogle]

Hey Mike,....it was good to meet you last Saturday, and (after hearing your great playing) I knew you were going to love that blonde Duff!

Steve D.

[Atlanta Mando Mike]

Steve, good meeting you as well. I went right in and played that blond after you mentioned it. You were right, really is a good one. I'm really still thinking about that Sunburst one though. Was a little smoother, little more silky. Little less volume and cut though... Always give and take it seems but a lot of fun!

[DataNick]

These 2,

https://cartervintage.com/collection...nt=44601795395

https://cartervintage.com/collection...nt=36282850883

You're killin me Mike, you're killin ,me!...LOL!

[Loubrava]

I was lucky enough to be in Nashville last week and play quite a few mandolins at Carters that place is fantastic ! But the Blonde that did it for me was the Gilchrist it out shined every other one I played and every other one another player was playing He was trying to buy the Gil but I think he left without it, if I had 18K in my budget I'd buy it. Sounds crazy I never thought I'd say a mandolin was worth 18K. It's a tough call when thinking about comparing costs Imean does it sound 3 times better than a 6K mandolin ? I can't answer that one but it sure was cool being able to play some mandolins I've only read about. A big thanks to Carters my next mandolin purchase will be from them unfortunately it won't be in the 18k range unless I win the lottery.
And a side note to those that have never been, Nashville is absolutely an awesome City if you've never been go ! I've never seen anything like it I experienced more music and better musicians in 4 days than I have in the last 40 years I was blown away.
Lou

[Brian Harris]

Lou: Nashville is Disneyland for musicians. I loved it. There are so many music "nerds" there - everyone wants to talk music. And yeah, the musicianship... the jaw-dropping "oh my gosh" musicianship from approachable, humble, friendly people.

Carters is like an instrument museum where you can touch stuff. And they're into it. A guy brought out the Martin D-whatever ($150,000) just so I could see it (I didn't even ask... we were just chatting). And I never thought I'd see a real Gibson Loar let alone 3! Gruhns is also a great way to burn up a day playing all those guitars you only see on-line.

Ahh... Nashville. I wonder what it'll feel like in another 5 years.

[Billy Packard]

PLUS! There's lots of other things to do in Nashville, in particular a sight to see is the full sized reproduction of the Greek Parthenon with a 30' high, 24 karat plated statue of Athena inside!

Then there's the Ryman theatre that is almost sacrosanct with the legends of music that have performed there over the many decades.

There is the (relatively) new Grand Ole Opry theatre with all the trimmings.

Check out the Visitors bureau for a complete reference guide.

Nashville is a very cool place indeed.

Billy

ps, since I was there the Carters went out on their own and created the amazing business they have now. I forget where they used to work....

[Danny Clark]

I was there two weeks ago one of the new sunburst Duffs the Gilchrist and the newer Red Diamond were my picks
Could have been happy with either of them
Or all of them
Danny