A Unicorn Walks the Earth

[lflngpicker]

Pat, Thanks for bringing this rare species to our attention! Unicorn sighting, indeed!

[pheffernan]

I got to play Jacob Reuven's Kerman mandolin at a workshop a while ago and it really raised the bar for me. The mandolin and the experience of playing it were so significant that I wrote a blog about it.

It is exciting that some of these mandolins are coming to the open market. I have no doubt, none, absolutely none, that, if real, the price on that Kerman is worth it, every penny of it.

Are you thinking about it?

Outside of Avi and Jacob, who are these players?

I was under the impression that these instruments are largely owned by Israeli orchestra players who probably don’t have a lot of broad international name recognition.

[Mandolin Cafe]

Here are Avi's comments on the mandolin from our 2010 interview with him:

Arik Kerman is a one-man institution. He is the maker of the mandolins I and most of my colleagues from Israel play most of the time. He is based in Tel Aviv and I think he must be around seventy already. His mandolins reflect of a long relationship with many mandolin players, and careful attention to our requests. We would say things within our own tastes and needs, sometime things like "more bass, less bass," sometimes requests about the dimensions, or complaints about the volume, and he would find the way to make the adjustment. He's a perfect example for someone who thinks outside the box, and has had the courage to change some major things in the traditional way of mandolin making. Arik Kerman never makes the same mandolin twice. Each mandolin he has made in his life is different from the previous one, like he's obsessed with trying to build the perfect mandolin. I played many of his instruments since I've been 14 years old—he has always allowed me to exchange the instrument when he built a new one, until about ten years ago I found my current one and since then it's my favorite. By now I feel so comfortable with it like it's already a part of my body and my voice.

[allenhopkins]

There are rumors someone had planned to post a lower level model of Schmergel on the Cafe ads but Scott or one of the moderators gently dissuaded them from posting it. Reverb flat out refused because they were afraid the responses would blow up their bandwidth.

There are no "lower level models of Shmergel (no "c"). Couldn't be.

Whereas, I'm waiting for the "sports model" of Kerman mandolins -- the Kerman Ghia.

[addamr]

the Kerman Ghia.

That's too funny for sure.

Adam

[JeffD]

Outside of Avi and Jacob, who are these players?."

The only ones I can name are Fabio Gallucci from Italy, Vincent Beer-Demander from France and Mari Carmen Simon from Spain, all members of the Kerman Quartet. I have scene a few others now and again, but it is a small club. I would venture to guess that some of Jacob Reuven and Avi Avital's students play a Kerman.

[Glassweb]

People find these mandolins impressive? Really?

Tone not included...

[FLATROCK HILL]

People find these mandolins impressive? Really?

Tone not included...

I'm not all that impressed with this type of mandolin tone either. But then again, I know nothing about them... never even heard of a Kerman before this thread.
I am trying to keep an open mind, interested in learning new ways to look at things and understanding the attraction.

My interest fades quickly when I read what Martin wrote below.

She looked into getting a Kerman and was turned down by the builder because she wasn't high-profile enough, I guess. It's not just the build quality of the instrument, it's the difficulty of obtaining one even if you have the lettuce.

If this is truly the attitude of the builder, he can keep his fancy flat-tops.

[rcc56]

Well, not everyone is [as Mr. Glass describes himself on his home page] a "dyed in the wool Gibson freak."

Me, I like oval hole Gibsons, but I also like a really good cant top mandolin from time to time. When I had a symphony call for the mandolin part in Don Giovanni, I played an old upper line Martin. It seemed to suit the tonal requirements of that music better than a carved instrument.

I had never heard of them before. Perhaps they truly are great instruments. The workmanship appears to be very nice. I am a little curious, and wouldn't mind seeing one. But it's a lot of money for a "flat" top mandolin.

And the bottom line for me is that if I was going to buy anything in that price range, I would want to play such an instrument before spending that kind of money; and would want the option of a return policy if the instrument turned out not to suit me. It doesn't matter much, though. My buying days are about done.

I do know that for a cant top sound, a really good Larson is a darn good instrument at a fraction of the price.

[Peter Coronado]

[HonketyHank]

I think this video (which may pop up after the above one, if you listen to the whole thing) gives a much better rendition of the tone of a single Kerman mandolin.

[Glassweb]

Well, not everyone is [as Mr. Glass describes himself on his home page] a "dyed in the wool Gibson freak."

Me, I like oval hole Gibsons, but I also like a really good cant top mandolin from time to time. When I had a symphony call for the mandolin part in Don Giovanni, I played an old upper line Martin. It seemed to suit the tonal requirements of that music better than a carved instrument.

I had never heard of them before. Perhaps they truly are great instruments. The workmanship appears to be very nice. I am a little curious, and wouldn't mind seeing one. But it's a lot of money for a "flat" top mandolin.

And the bottom line for me is that if I was going to buy anything in that price range, I would want to play such an instrument before spending that kind of money; and would want the option of a return policy if the instrument turned out not to suit me. It doesn't matter much, though. My buying days are about done.

I do know that for a cant top sound, a really good Larson is a darn good instrument at a fraction of the price.

Update: Now a dyed-in-the-wool Kimble aficionado!

The two Israeli mandolinists (Avatar and Ruvens) are fantastic players. I would love to hear them on a high-quality, carved arch-top instrument.

[fernmando]

Dang. I got all excited. Wanted to see a Unicorn.

[rcc56]

Well, when I first read the title of this thread, I thought it was going to be about Rolfe Gerhardt's Unicorn mandolins.
And I haven't seen one of those for quite a long time.

[Louise NM]

Interesting that after a three-year wait the owner is selling her Kerman in less than three months—it's a 2022. Either she really doesn't care for it or she's hit a rough stretch of road in the meantime.

[pheffernan]

Interesting that after a three-year wait the owner is selling her Kerman in less than three months—it's a 2022. Either she really doesn't care for it or she's hit a rough stretch of road in the meantime.

The seller would consider a trade for a Gilchrist according to the Reverb ad.

[Sue Rieter]

"After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing after all as wanting. It is not logical, but is often true."

- Spock, 'Star Trek', Season 2, episode 1

[Mandobar]

"After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing after all as wanting. It is not logical, but is often true."

- Spock, 'Star Trek', Season 2, episode 1

Ain't it the truth.

[pops1]

Well, when I first read the title of this thread, I thought it was going to be about Rolfe Gerhardt's Unicorn mandolins.
And I haven't seen one of those for quite a long time.

I play mine every day.

[journeybear]

Interesting that after a three-year wait the owner is selling her Kerman in less than three months—it's a 2022. Either she really doesn't care for it or she's hit a rough stretch of road in the meantime.

Wonder what happened there. Was it not worth the wait? Was it overrated, overhyped, overpriced? Or was it all just a hoped-for investment opportunity? If it's the latter, that is quite an investment in time.

As presented in these clips, it's a fine-sounding instrument, although that perception is certainly helped by it being played by talented musicians. I don't understand why someone would be so invested in acquiring one, in terms of time and money, and then try to move it. Something seems amiss.

BTW, the Café Classifieds listing in the OP has been removed.

[Bill McCall]

……
I don't understand why someone would be so invested in acquiring one, in terms of time and money, and then try to move it. Something seems amiss.

You seem to have missed a couple of other threads on this topic.

[Mandobar]

I think many people are testing the market. Some tests go well, others well, not so much. There's a lot to be said for marketing skills, even in this "mandolin-economy." As they say- timing is everything.

[journeybear]

You seem to have missed a couple of other threads on this topic.

Oh my! There are other threads about this? And yes, I have.

PS: Don't overestimate my interest in this.

[JeffD]

I was under the impression that these instruments are largely owned by Israeli orchestra players who probably don’t have a lot of broad international name recognition.

We all live in a bubble. In the classical mandolin world they have a ton of international name recognition. But, like even bluegrass, outside the bubble who knows them. I mean, most people who don't follow mandolin have not heard of Chris Thile.

[allenhopkins]

Dang. I got all excited. Wanted to see a Unicorn.

As Shel Silverstein put it:

"You'll see green alligators and long-necked geese,
Humpty-backed camels and chimpanzees;
You'll see cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you're born,
You're never gonna see any unicorns"

How about:

"You'll see 'Green Burst' Webers, long-necked bouzoukis,
Bowl-backed Calaces, and old A-3's;
You'll see Rovers, Rogues and Ratliffs, but sure as you're born,
Only Rolfe Gerhardt can build you a Unicorn."