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Thread: Who makes A-style mandos that sound similar to Givens?

  1. #1

    Default Who makes A-style mandos that sound similar to Givens?

    Hi,
    So I recently played an older A-style Givens that sounded great. I loved how "woody" imho it sounded.

    I think, maybe..., I got the same vibe from a 1985 Steve Carlson Flatiron A5. Woody and the notes just popped off the fretboard.

    FWIW, I played these mandos briefly. Like a song or 2. But something about the "woodiness" and the way the notes "percolated" or "popped" was very appealing... and stuck in my head.

    Besides an 80's Carlson Flatiron, I heard Old Wave's maybe... have a similar tone. Maybe??

    Curious if any builders over the last couple of years have a similar "woody" tone with good volume in the $2000-2500 range.

    Hope I'm asking this correctly....... Thanks folks.

    (BTW, I'm not looking to pull the trigger now. But def sometime in the next couple of years.)
    Last edited by lespaul_79; Sep-13-2019 at 4:36pm.

  2. #2
    My Florida is scooped pheffernan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Who makes A-style mandos that sound similar to Givens?

    Quote Originally Posted by lespaul_79 View Post
    Curious if any builders over the last couple of years have a similar "woody" tone with good volume in the $2000-2500 range
    How about Bob Givens? https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/143892#143892
    1924 Gibson A Snakehead
    2005 National RM-1
    2007 Hester A5
    2009 Passernig A5
    2015 Black A2-z
    2010 Black GBOM
    2017 Poe Scout
    2014 Smart F-Style Mandola
    2018 Vessel TM5
    2019 Hogan F5

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  4. #3
    Fingers of Concrete ccravens's Avatar
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    Default Re: Who makes A-style mandos that sound similar to Givens?

    Quote Originally Posted by lespaul_79 View Post

    I think, maybe..., I got the same vibe from a 1985 Steve Carlson Flatiron A5. Woody and the notes just popped off the fretboard.
    The Givens/Carlson Flatiron comparison, IMO, is an apt one.
    Chris Cravens

    Girouard A5
    Montana Flatiron A-Jr.
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    Leo Posch D-18

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  6. #4

    Default Re: Who makes A-style mandos that sound similar to Givens?

    Thanks y'all.

    @pheffernan.... yeah, can't pull the trigger now. But saw it and would love to get it.
    @ccravens.... whew... I was wondering if that was a somewhat "apples to apples" comparison.

  7. #5

    Default Re: Who makes A-style mandos that sound similar to Givens?

    Steve Weil in Idaho . Worked with Givens for years and continued making "Givens legacy" mandolins after Bob Givens' passing. Last I checked his mandolins seem to fall within your price range. I compared a A5 legacy with a A5 Givens' and it was like 3 card Monty. They were so similar that you could have pulled a switch and no one would ever know except for the label.

  8. #6

    Default Re: Who makes A-style mandos that sound similar to Givens?

    I played a FANTASTIC givens last summer, and it reminded me of a Kimble. Very dark and punchy.

  9. #7
    Registered User doc holiday's Avatar
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    Default Re: Who makes A-style mandos that sound similar to Givens?

    Greg Boyd always has Givens and at the moment he's got a Steve Weil as well. He's a real gentleman and a great guy to talk to about Bob Givens.

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  11. #8

    Default Re: Who makes A-style mandos that sound similar to Givens?

    Thanks folks. Again, just curious who else makes a similar tone. Just curious about that "market".

  12. #9

    Default Re: Who makes A-style mandos that sound similar to Givens?

    What I remember about that tone is it is very punchy. I like what you said about the notes just jumping off the fretboard. It's a great sound. I think I've heard it in flatirons, I've heard it in a Ratliff A model once. The Kimbell, maybe some others. Maybe it's like Dempsey Young's Hutto.

  13. #10
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    Default Re: Who makes A-style mandos that sound similar to Givens?

    Some of the older Gibsons sound this way, worth looking in to

  14. #11
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    Default Re: Who makes A-style mandos that sound similar to Givens?

    Lou Stiver!

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