Results 1 to 19 of 19

Thread: Bill davis artist mandolin

  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Bucks Co., PA
    Posts
    2,745

    Default

    I have no financial interest but there's an intriguing looking Bill Davis A5 near the end of the Classifieds.
    Nice price too.
    I haven't heard much about his mandolins on these pages. What's the word?
    Wye Knot

  2. #2
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Tulsa, Oklahoma
    Posts
    199

    Default

    Bill makes a great mandolin. I played an 'A' and 'F' style at Winfield last year and they both looked, sounded and played great. Excellent construction, great woods/materials. Highly recomended. I sound like a shill, but truly, they are fine intruments. NFI.
    Tim
    Passernig F5

  3. #3
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Lawrence
    Posts
    168

    Default

    I think it is a steal.
    The secret is... your thoughts create vibrations.
    Rigel Q95 espresso con panna
    J Bovier Tradition satin carmel
    Sullivan A style
    Doug Edwards arm rests
    Dudenbostel Hat
    Picture of Big Mon himself...

  4. #4
    Purveyor of Sunshine sgarrity's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    5,658

    Default

    I owned Davis F5 #16 for almost 2 years. It was a very fine mandolin in all areas. His fit and finish is as good or better than any maker out there. If I hadn't just taken 6 months off from working, I'd grab that A5 in a heartbeat.

    Shaun

  5. The following members say thank you to sgarrity for this post:


  6. #5
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Bucks Co., PA
    Posts
    2,745

    Default

    If it weren't for the special ordered slightly wider fingerboard, it'd be mine by now.
    Bill told me the price of a new A5 and, yes, this one's certainly a steal.
    Won't someone please take this out from under my eye?
    Wye Knot

  7. #6
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Topeka
    Posts
    62

    Default

    Just put our Billy D (#7) back in the case. # Hadn't played it for a while. #Still as sweet as candy!




  8. #7
    Registered User mingusb1's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Burlington, NC
    Posts
    675

    Default

    Fear not, the slightly wider fretboard makes it a breeze to play!

    Financial Interest Indeed!

    Z
    Member since 2003!

  9. #8

    Default Re: Bill davis artist mandolin

    Good morning. I have a Bill Davis F Style Mandolin. Signed by Bill Davis 2-13-03 and #11203. Can anyone tell me anything about this beautiful instrument? Can anyone share a value range? Thank you all for any information I can get.

  10. #9
    Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Central Illinois
    Posts
    3,563

    Default Re: Bill davis artist mandolin

    Must have sold as it is gone from Classifieds or at least I can't locate it !

  11. #10
    Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Central Illinois
    Posts
    3,563

    Default Re: Bill davis artist mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by sgarrity View Post
    I owned Davis F5 #16 for almost 2 years. It was a very fine mandolin in all areas. His fit and finish is as good or better than any maker out there. If I hadn't just taken 6 months off from working, I'd grab that A5 in a heartbeat.

    Shaun
    If Sgarrity says it's that good, then it must be GOOD ! I trust and respect his opinions !

  12. #11

    Default Re: Bill davis artist mandolin

    I don't have it listed. I own it and wanted to find more information if possible.

  13. #12
    Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Central Illinois
    Posts
    3,563

    Default Re: Bill davis artist mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by Bubba55 View Post
    I don't have it listed. I own it and wanted to find more information if possible.
    Congratulations ! Would love to see photo and hear any sound clips !

  14. #13

    Default Re: Bill davis artist mandolin

    Yankees1, I sent you a PM.

  15. #14

    Default Re: Bill davis artist mandolin

    Yankees1, I sent you a PM.

  16. #15
    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Rochester NY 14610
    Posts
    17,378

    Default Re: Bill davis artist mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by yankees1 View Post
    Must have sold as it is gone from Classifieds or at least I can't locate it !
    The OP's "mandolin in the classifieds" was there in 2007.

    Nobody ain't gonna locate it now.

    This thread's in the running for the longest hiatus, between posts #7 and #8.
    Allen Hopkins
    Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
    Natl Triolian Dobro mando
    Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
    H-O mandolinetto
    Stradolin Vega banjolin
    Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
    Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
    Flatiron 3K OM

  17. #16
    Administrator Mandolin Cafe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 1998
    Location
    Lawrence, KS
    Posts
    3,826
    Blog Entries
    14

    Default Re: Bill davis artist mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by Bubba55 View Post
    Good morning. I have a Bill Davis F Style Mandolin. Signed by Bill Davis 2-13-03 and #11203. Can anyone tell me anything about this beautiful instrument? Can anyone share a value range? Thank you all for any information I can get.
    Bill Davis was a former aircraft employee in Wichita which is a hub for that kind of manufacturing. He had pretty serious CNC chops is what I always heard. He built mandolins sporadically for a few years and then quit quite a few years ago, guessing maybe 8-10 years. Its been longer that than since I've seen him. Not sure how long he did it full-time but it wasn't that long. They were fairly well respected, well made instruments. He was pretty much impossible to get ahold of when he was building and that hasn't changed since he left the business. His mandolins were either sold directly or through Mass Street Music in Lawrence. Possible one of the Wichita music stores might have carried a few but I doubt it. Believe I know one person in Kansas City that owns one of his mandolins but that's it. He's like a lot of regional builders that get well known locally and then decide to move on. It's not a business for everyone. Your chance of tracking down some that might know him is very slim. As far as appraisal, I'd say take it to a dealer that knows his business. Just not enough of them in the market.

  18. The following members say thank you to Mandolin Cafe for this post:


  19. #17
    Purveyor of Sunshine sgarrity's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    5,658

    Default Re: Bill davis artist mandolin

    I'll echo everything Scott said. Bill was here and gone fairly quickly. But his build quality was top notch. Collings level fit and finish. One thing I didn't like and why I sold mine was he really dished out the recurve. That made the top edge of the binding a sharp edge. It was beautiful to look at and done very precisely but not very comfortable on the forearm. I guess and armrest would have solved the problem but I'm not a fan of all the add on products. Charles at Mandolin World Head Quarters sold my F5 a few years back. I think it went for around $3k. A lot of Mando for the money IMHO.

    Mine did come from Mass St. Was deciding between the Davis and a matte finished MT2. Scott actually came over to the store and played both so I could hear them from the front.

  20. #18

    Default Re: Bill davis artist mandolin

    Thank you so much for the great history!

  21. #19

    Default Re: Bill davis artist mandolin

    Thanks also for the feedback! Probably just hang on to this instrument but nice to know more about Mr. Davis

Similar Threads

  1. Bill Davis mandolins?
    By mcgroup53 in forum Looking for Information About Mandolins
    Replies: 9
    Last: Sep-13-2006, 11:48pm
  2. Bill Davis Flattop Mando..
    By telepbrman in forum Looking for Information About Mandolins
    Replies: 7
    Last: Nov-22-2005, 1:03am
  3. The new Bill Davis website
    By pickinNgrinnin in forum General Mandolin Discussions
    Replies: 7
    Last: Jul-24-2005, 4:25pm
  4. New Bill Davis Flattop
    By Scott Tichenor in forum Videos, Pictures & Sound Files
    Replies: 26
    Last: Mar-01-2005, 2:13pm
  5. Bill Davis F5
    By pickinNgrinnin in forum Videos, Pictures & Sound Files
    Replies: 47
    Last: Sep-19-2004, 9:56pm

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •