Read 'em and weep
Read 'em and weep
I'll take one!
If it's any consolation, the price of his standard F-5 invested in an S&P500 index funds with dividends reinvested would amount to almost exactly $35,000 today. So if this is your dream instrument, and you had the money then, and invested it in almost any no frills way, you have the money now to buy the same instrument - even after your capital gains taxes.
Alan,
What did he offer as far as a ‘Loar’ case?
Got on the list for an F5 standard in 1994 through Dexter Johnson. Got it 2 years later. Still got it, and it is an outstanding instrument with plenty of volume as well as a very sophisticated tone. Workmanship remains outstanding-much nicer than factory instruments of any age. It is at home in bluegrass, classical and old-time. SG will be remembered for many generations to come. What a deal!
alan , if I remember correctly , you had 332 and I had 331...I still have my booklet and order sheet and a signed hat from the first gilfest at stigma ...still got the pickguard from it too
Couldn't afford one then, either. Oh well.
Inflation is a bit#h.
I remember when John Reischman bought his F5 Loar for $8K (late 1970's) and I thought he WAY overpaid for it. HAH!!!! Inflation truly is a bit#h.
I'd like a 16" guitar at that price.
In 1987 I got mine for $2250!
There are people that like wheeling and dealing so much that they would rather invest and reinvest than sit on the front porch causing sympathetic air vibrations with a wooden box that has metal wires on it. Even though its chaqu´un a son I think you could translate John Hartford's meaningful proverb into mandolin as "a mandolin will get you through times of no money, but money won't get you through times of no mandolin"
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But I´d like to shed some light on instrument prices in general.
I´d have to do that from memory (albeit fairly acurate). At that time the distinction between 30ies and 40ies D-18 Martins were not really made. So a great Martin D-18 from that area cost about 5.000,00 USD (visit at Gruhn's in 1994). A Lloyd Loar F-5 cost about 40.000,00 USD (mandolin bros. mail "catalogue" from 1996). A prewar 40ies D-28 was around 11.000,00 USD (visit at Gruhn's in 1994). Would it be fair to say that Grisman's Tone Poems I singlehandedly rocked the vintage instrument prices and Gilchrist prices?
Had my dad bought Coca Cola stock in 1982 with all he had and probably taken a mortage on the house (and sold it at the right time), the family would be passing gas through silk now.
Look at other items (concert harps, violins and violin bows [!!!]) and mandolin prices feel suddenly very decent even though certain instruments remain unobtainable for most people.
Olaf
To be honest, scraping together $2250 was really, really tough in 1987. I’m glad I did it though. #179 is a great instrument.
Cheers
Gerry, yup that’s the one. Tone bars The other one is 188. X braced
Cheers
take a look at this Gilchrist for sale: https://www.bromptons.co/auction/25t...gilchrist.html
Reserve was not met. I believe it was £6000. It then went on an after sale bid for 2 days. A friend and I put a bid in at £6500 but it went for £8500. These prices have 25% auction fees/vat to be added so the winner paid £10540.
I don't know who got it.
Jimmy P
UK
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