Heiden's....the most expensive modern mandolin builder?

[Rob Fowler]

The subject line says it all but with a recent listing of a Heiden Artist at the Music Emporium (https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/210060#210060). The description noted that the new 2023 price for a Heiden Artist F is now $30,000. And I bet he'll get plenty of orders at that price with how highly regarded his mandolins are. I can't think of any other modern builders that are currently charging this much.

A few other amazing looking Heidens currently in the classifieds:
2015 F Artist: https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/210135#210135
2014 A Artist for sale from Forrest O'Connor: https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/210096#210096

I'll just keep enjoying my A5 Northfield for the time being but if anyone is looking to just donate a Heiden I'm yer boy!

[Mandobar]

Don’t forget Nugget.

[Rob Fowler]

Don’t forget Nugget.

Are his top-of-the line F models selling for that now? I have seen a few for $25,000, I think but am fully not aware of his current build price.

[rcc56]

I didn't find prices for new instruments on his website. He's listing a used 2001 Artist model for $21k, very nicely cleaned up and re-fretted.

I had one come across my workbench about 3 or 4 years ago for some emergency setup work. At the time, I had barely heard of the maker and wasn't aware that they fetched high prices, or I would have paid more attention to the sound. But the owner was an out-of-town travelling pro, he had a soundcheck pending in 2 hours, and the instrument needed the frets cleaned up, the nut and truss rod checked, and the "platforms" on the bridge base lowered so we could get the action down in a hurry. I remember being frustrated that I didn't have a 5-40 tap to extend the threads in the bridge base, and that there was no way to get hold of one in a timely manner. So I had to make do with less than the best tool for the job, which is something that I'd rather not do.

I do remember that it was a very nicely crafted instrument. He made his soundcheck, and when I called him a couple of weeks later to check on my work, he said that it was doing fine.

[Mandobar]

I think Nugget’s prices are in line with Heiden’s. The last F5 in the Classifieds was priced somewhat low. The one at Carters before that was in the $30k range. The used A5 at TME this summer was just shy of $20k.

And then there is Monteleone.

[rcc56]

Carter has just listed a Monteleone Grand Artist for $32.5k.
Add another $7500 to that, and it will buy the nice old Gibson fern at Gruhn's.

Considering the price of cars these days, that doesn't sound as bad as it used to. I just had to replace my ancient van, and a used Forester base model cost as much as TME's Heiden. A car is good for a decade or two, but a top notch instrument is good for a lifetime.

Funny how some folks will pay $70K for a BMW every 4 or 5 years, but won't spend $3000 for a decent mandolin or guitar.

[Josh Levine]

I don’t know what Nugget’s new F5s go for but they seem to be selling for 30 at retailers depending on condition.

[jherm]

hieden was not that expensive 5 years ago ...... his A model was around 5000 and im thinking his F was just under 10000 ..... i was going to order one but oliver apitius
was cheaper......around 7000 for his F model......... i cant believe he 's asking that much dudenbostel was around 18000 to 20000 last time i checked but i suppose he went through the roof too.

[Mandobar]

I paid $8500 in October 2018 for a brand new, direct from Michael Heiden, A5 Standard. The two Artist A5s he had at the time were around $11k. The F’s available a few months later from his website were right around $20k.

As for Dudenbostel, a very basic A5 sold, new, this past summer for around $10k. A used F5 for over 20k. I expect his new pricing is close, if not the same as Heiden’s.

[cayuga red]

The subject line says it all but with a recent listing of a Heiden Artist at the Music Emporium (https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/210060#210060). The description noted that the new 2023 price for a Heiden Artist F is now $30,000. And I bet he'll get plenty of orders at that price with how highly regarded his mandolins are. I can't think of any other modern builders that are currently charging this much.

A few other amazing looking Heidens currently in the classifieds:
2015 F Artist: https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/210135#210135
2014 A Artist for sale from Forrest O'Connor: https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/210096#210096

I'll just keep enjoying my A5 Northfield for the time being but if anyone is looking to just donate a Heiden I'm yer boy!

And they are worth every penny. Simply amazing mandolins.

[Rob Fowler]

Carter has just listed a Monteleone Grand Artist for $32.5k.
Add another $7500 to that, and it will buy the nice old Gibson fern at Gruhn's.

Considering the price of cars these days, that doesn't sound as bad as it used to. I just had to replace my ancient van, and a used Forester base model cost as much as TME's Heiden. A car is good for a decade or two, but a top notch instrument is good for a lifetime.

Funny how some folks will pay $70K for a BMW every 4 or 5 years, but won't spend $3000 for a decent mandolin or guitar.

Wow, I had not seen that Grand Artist at Carters: https://cartervintage.com/shop/monte...FFylQw56GJE64g

Wonder if Gils are going to go up, too? They still seem to be in the $20,000-22,000 range?

[Amanda Gregg]

This is probably the stupidest question an economist could ask (price is what the market will bear!), but: are they really worth it? I think of Heidens are fantastic mandolins but not in the same tier as Gilchrist or Monteleone.

[joh]

This is probably the stupidest question an economist could ask (price is what the market will bear!), but: are they really worth it? I think of Heidens are fantastic mandolins but not in the same tier as Gilchrist or Monteleone.

I've had the good fortunate of spending considerable time with a number of Gils, one Monteleone, and a few Heidens. Without a doubt, Heidens are in the same tier.

Tone is a subjective matter, but I did prefer the Heiden tone over the other two. Setup and playability of Heidens are unmatched. Fit and finish were on par.

Gils do a better job of nailing the traditional look and sound bluegrassers often seek and Monteleone obviously has a visual aesthetic all of his own. Each fill their own unique space in the mandolin world I think, but there is no doubt in my mind that Heidens are every bit of mandolin as a Gil or a Monte (or a Dude, or a Nugget).

Edit - and I'd add on the other objective measures, Heidens are just as balanced and strong across the fingerboard as a Gil. A Gil probably does have a bit more volume than a Heiden.

[slaminsam]

[Rob Fowler]

And another Heiden for sale in the classifieds: https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/210135#210135

[Mark Seale]

This is probably the stupidest question an economist could ask (price is what the market will bear!), but: are they really worth it? I think of Heidens are fantastic mandolins but not in the same tier as Gilchrist or Monteleone.

You mention both Gilchrist and Monteleone as comparison, so I have to weigh in. I've had the distinct pleasure of owning all 3 at some point and overlapped most of them for direct comparison. I LOVED my Monteleone for its tone and responsiveness, however, I always felt the neck shape was just too heavy for my hand. I know several people raved about it, but that feel is such a personal thing, I found that I never picked it up that I didn't think about it being a little uncomfortable. BUT, the sound, it was amazing (I'm sure it still is.) It had balance throughout the full register, it responded to both light and heavy touch. I've had two Gilchrist mandolins and still have my Model 5. It is a mid-range machine, but it will do anything you ask it. The neck shape is perfect (for me) and like the Monteleone, the tone is there whether you are giving the full gas or playing with a light touch. As it has aged, and I've played with different string sets, it is almost as balanced across the spectrum as the Monteleone. The Model 3 I had, (and is in all respects, the one that got away) was an early 2000's build that was simply fantastic but with more note bloom and less zing to the note than the Model 5. It had an equally fine neck and feel about it. And then there was the Heiden. A beautiful A model that was very reminiscent of my Monteleone. They were so close, you would have been 50/50 in a blind listening test. The neck was not as heavy as the Monteleone but still a tad heavier than either of the Gilchrists. Fit and finish was as good as any maker out there. These days, Heidens are the only instruments that pique my interest as much as the Gils.

[Alex Orr]

This is probably the stupidest question an economist could ask (price is what the market will bear!), but: are they really worth it? I think of Heidens are fantastic mandolins but not in the same tier as Gilchrist or Monteleone.

As always, it depends on your own finances and how much a dollar is worth to you. Those prices are over half my yearly salary, before taxes. No instrument is worth that kind of money to someone in my socio-economic bracket who is a hobbyist mando player and who plays plugged in at nearly all my band's gigs. The cost of a Heiden mando would be the same as a full kitchen renovation in our house! The kitchen doesn't seem to have been updated since the '80's and there is literally a hole in the floor that we keep covered with a rug because we haven't saved enough yet to pay to have new heardwoods installed, which is our eventual goal. I could solve that or buy a new Heiden...which makes more sense?

Compare this to a few years back when I was at a party and a couple of guys brought their Gilchrists. Turns out they had multiple Gillys and weren't even really all that good, nor did they play all that much...but, as I recall, one owned a successful law firm and one owned a successful real estate development firm. Dropping $20k on their instrument hobby was like me recently spending $250 to upgrade my vocal mic. It was a bit spendy but not something I lost much sleep over. If you're pulling down $300k a year, have no real debt to speak of, and enjoy buying expensive instruments, then a $20k mando might not be the pricey. FWIW, both of those guys were really nice and let everyone pass around and play their Gillys as long as they wanted.

At any rate, whenever this question of value to cost comes up I always think it's important to consider that while $30k is unquestionably a lot of money, to some folks it's a gargantuan amount of money and to other folks it might simply be what they expect to blow on vacations each year.

[Mandobar]

Mark, I believe that our Heidens were probably built around the same timeframe in 2018.

[doc holiday]

And they are worth every penny. Simply amazing mandolins.

Absolutely!

[doc holiday]

hieden was not that expensive 5 years ago ...... his A model was around 5000 and im thinking his F was just under 10000 ..... i was going to order one but oliver apitius
was cheaper......around 7000 for his F model......... i cant believe he 's asking that much dudenbostel was around 18000 to 20000 last time i checked but i suppose he went through the roof too.

5 years ago was 2018.... my F5 artist was $11k in 2009. I'm pretty sure Michael's A models weren't $5k, because I bought an Ellis from Tom in 2011 for $5.8k because I couldn't afford the Heiden A. Michael is has long been at the top of his game and deserves all the the recognition he's getting.

[sgarrity]

I have an Artist A5 and it was I think $7,200 in 2006. I got it for $6,600 in 2007. They're expensive because they're worth it!

[Rob Fowler]

I have an Artist A5 and it was I think $7,200 in 2006. I got it for $6,600 in 2007. They're expensive because they're worth it!

You've had that mando for a long time and it sure is amazing! Do I remember you saying somewhere that it was an Englemann top?

[Jim Roberts]

You’ve got a great Heiden. Best I’ve played.

[Don Grieser]

I bought my 2010 A5 in 2014 and got a discounted price since one of the owners used bug spray or something that ate through the top coat in a few places. I've never had it fixed so I don't have to worry about causing any damage to the finish.

When I got it, I had a Gilchrist F5 that I had bought new in 1999. I sold my Gilchrist soon after. I preferred the tone, the intonation, the playability/setup, and especially the neck profile on my Heiden over the Gilchrist. It was like the Heiden was made specifically for my hands and ears. So yes, Heiden is a top tier builder.

[Rob Fowler]

I bought my 2010 A5 in 2014 and got a discounted price since one of the owners used bug spray or something that ate through the top coat in a few places. I've never had it fixed so I don't have to worry about causing any damage to the finish.

When I got it, I had a Gilchrist F5 that I had bought new in 1999. I sold my Gilchrist soon after. I preferred the tone, the intonation, the playability/setup, and especially the neck profile on my Heiden over the Gilchrist. It was like the Heiden was made specifically for my hands and ear. So yes, Heiden is a top tier builder.

I was hoping we'd hear from you in this thread, Don! You still have that Duff A5 or did that move on to someone else?