I just bought a jbovier tradition from Jeff. (MAS is intense with me; i can't help myself). I'd love to see videos and photos of y'alls jboviers while I wait for mine!
I just bought a jbovier tradition from Jeff. (MAS is intense with me; i can't help myself). I'd love to see videos and photos of y'alls jboviers while I wait for mine!
Nice! I'm sure he will take great care of you and your new mandolin!
I'm a fan of Jeff's JBovier mandolins. I've owned 4 and still have one, the A5 Tradition. Great mandolins, excellent setup & unbeatable price.
This is the one I still have. I've upgraded to a solid tailpiece.
Here's a F5Z that I had but had to sell to pay for a new washing machine
And also had some of his previous edition A5X with X bracing.
2010 A5X
2011 A5X
Congrats and happy pickin'!
I'm interested in the Zebra wood J. Bovier (black top). Looks sweet!
I have heard people praise jboviers on the forums for a while, and this mandolin does not disappoint. It's a damn fine bluegrass mandolin. In addition to having wailing highs it's got a strong g string. Really even sounding across all the strings. It's got excellent chop; nice and loud. Dang, it is a lot of mandolin for the money.
This is one of those if you want to try one you got to buy one mandolins. I'd love to try one sometime.
Silverangel A
Arches F style kit
1913 Gibson A-1
You are right, it is a buy one to try one (although with where I live every mandolin is a buy one try one; it's why i go through so many mandolins!). I bought it with the thought that i might have to turn it over. But I'm very pleasantly surprised. It doesn't have the same complexity of tone as a pava, obviously. But it's got a good low end and really chops. Body-wise it's noticeably less deep than an eastman but somehow sounds cavernous in comparison to my eastman. I put a tonegard on it and that really only accentuates that deep sound. I really dunno how Jeff Cowherd has managed it, what factory he uses in China or what, but it's a very good mandolin. Seriously outpaces its pricetag
Jeff builds a great mandolin and does an amazing set up! Enjoy!
2014 BRW F5 #114
2022 Kentucky KM 950 Master Model
YouTube Original Recording of My composition "Closer Walk"
You would probably be astounded to know the marketing costs of an Eastman, plus the inventory sitting in the pipeline, plus the retailer markup. But buyers seem to need a big company to give them confidence to buy.
The direct to consumer sales method is hard. I have two Pono guitars and a Pono Uke. Fabulous instruments I like better than the Eastman. There is no plastic to be seen. Pono has all but quit the guitar business. My $400 Uke is the equal of most $1k instruments I've played. They have a no questions asked return policy.
Same goes for the defunct Carvin company. I'd put my AG 300 amp against any of the 1k plus competition, and IMHO they smoke the Fishmans. But they failed. Same no hassle return policy. Marketing works.
Silverangel A
Arches F style kit
1913 Gibson A-1
I just bought a lefty A5 from Jeff. I am a mandolin newbie, and wanted to start out with a mandolin that wasn't a cheapie nor an expensive, but wonderful Weber or Collings. Nothing worse than getting a new instrument and being turned off to playing it because it sounded bad.
Ever try hunting for a lefty mandolin?
Anyway, my wife and I went to Harry and Jeannie's music store in Statesville, NC. Great place, 25 - 30 mandolins hanging on the wall. But the one in the window really caught my eye. It was a JBovier F-style, with zebra wood back and sides, and a black lacquered top. I picked it up and played it. Wow! Now, I have fat fingers, and even though the nut was only 1 1/8, it felt great. If it was a lefty, I would have bought it right then.
I had been eyeing the A5 lefty on Jeff's website for a few weeks now. On the way home, I made the decision to buy it.
Can't wait to get it, and start learning how to play it.
F5 Special, about 2012 I think. I like the new tailpiece better.
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