Kimble f5

[Jim Roberts]

Just a plug (NFI) for a remarkable Kimble F style mandolin for sale at Cotten Music Center in Nashville. #I had the opportunity to play this Kimble and it is loud, woody and all the other good things you can say about a mandolin. #Kim Sherman, the owner of Cotten Music, is a first class lady to do business with. #If you're in the vicinity, I highly suggest stopping by the store to check out this fine instrument.

[Jonathan James]

Man, that is a thing of beauty. I like his play on the headstock for a unique look on a F5...

[sgarrity]

That is a beauty. I need to get off the 'cafe and go sell some more routers and switches so I can afford one of these......

[sachmo]

Pretty,,,,,,,,,,,,,,looks like he had an extra A style neck laying aroung.

[red7flag]

Kim Sherman with Cotten Music is all Jim said she is and more, true class with that lady. Just as Jim said, she is great to work with and a pleasure to get to know. As far as the mando, every Kimble I have played sounded great and played like butter, loud and full and woody.
Tony

[Crowder]

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[Chris Biorkman]

I really, really like the looks of that thing. I thought Will was going for the Loar look and tone with his newer work, so I'm a little surprised to see the different headstock, but I think it looks awesome nevertheless.

[Will Kimble]

Thanks for the kind words everybody.

I am really proud of this mandolin, it is very difficult to change anything on the iconic F5 shape and and still have it look coherent. #I think this design pays homage to tradition but shows a lot of my personal style. #Thanks to Mike Kemnitzer for showing me that this can be done so beautifully, and also my Dad for all his design help and input over the years. #

Sachmo - F style necks are longer than A style necks, it has to do with the location of the 15th fret crosspiece relative to the end of the body. #Basically more neck sticks out on an F. #True for oval holes as well, there is always a little more room on an F than an A. #This means the truss rods are different lengths, too. #Just wanted you to realize this wasn't an afterthought. #

Biorkman - You are right, I am after a "Loar" tone with my newer work. #I wish you could hear this one and tell me how I'm doing. #

Modern instruments with Waverly tuners feel more neck heavy to me than the Loars I have played. #I don't like mandolins to be neck heavy, and I have continued to use Schallers on many of my personal instruments because they feel more like the old ones. #For instance, Andy Statman's mandolin is one I built for myself with Schallers... #

On this mandolin, I decided to attack that problem by combining the lightest tuner combination (Schallers with Waverly tuner bushings) with a smaller headstock. #It is hard to describe how different this mandolin feels when you play it, but it is very noticeable and unique. #I have not built enough this way to have any insight into how it might affect the sound - but I am sure it does one way or another. #I am excited about the results and plan to build some more like this in the future. #

By the way, the new Waverly tuners with machined (rather than cast) baseplates are significantly lighter than the old ones. #And Waverlys with ebony or ivoroid buttons are significantly lighter than those with pearl buttons. #I have measured all of these bits again and again as I have been quite obsessed about weight in this area. # #

Crowder - I am sure you are only joking, but I want you to know that pricing is something I take very seriously and I don't think you will find a better mandolin for the money. #Yes, I know it is a LOT of money. #But I have A/B'ed these things to death and back - with the best mandolins I can find - and I know exactly where I stand. #Hey, spend a little mando money on your mama and maybe she will come around!!! #

Will Kimble
www.kimblemandolins.com

[steve V. johnson]

Hi Will!

Beautiful work. I really love the headstock.

Thanks,

stv

[Crowder]

Crowder - I am sure you are only joking, but I want you to know that pricing is something I take very seriously and I don't think you will find a better mandolin for the money. #Yes, I know it is a LOT of money. #But I have A/B'ed these things to death and back - with the best mandolins I can find - and I know exactly where I stand. #Hey, spend a little mando money on your mama and maybe she will come around!!! #

Will Kimble
www.kimblemandolins.com

No offense meant and sounds like none taken. I have heard nothing but raves about your mandolins and you should be proud that you can command that price point.

I'm still looking for the "sweet spot" when it comes to giving mama money and getting anything back. Give me 15-20 more years and I'll have it sussed out.

[Chris Biorkman]

FWIW I thought it was priced extremely reasonably. If I hadn't just dropped so much on my Ellis, I would definitely have been on the phone with Cotten today. That thing looks killer and while I've never played one of Will's instruments, his reputation certainly warrants the price tag, probably even more. #

Will, congrats on the new addition to your family although next time you should let me know before stealing my baby's first name.

As you can see, Cole is furious at you.

[Bradley]

I have been playing for a long time and very foolishly sold my Kimble #24......Lets just say thats the one that got away that I wish I had back...I will be at SPGMA and might have to go by and look at this one...

[Will Kimble]

Biorkman - I love Tom's mandolins, nice call.

Please try to play one of mine if you get a chance, that is the only way to know what I am up to. I have worked really hard and am happy to have a good reputation, but one of the first things I ask a customer (or potential customer) is if they have played any of my mandolins. I am proud of my work and I think it is a great value, but that doesn't mean I think it is the right choice for everybody - there is some really great stuff out there these days.

Thanks for inquiring about Cole, he is doing great - was born on the 19th and is already 10 lbs, 12.5 oz. The Doc stretched his legs out today and said "Look at those feet, he is going to be a BIG boy!" For those that don't know, my Dad is 6' 9" tall...

Will Kimble

[JimRichter]

Will's work is a great value -- just look at a photo of Cole to confirm that

Will and I did a gig together a few months back. #I had the privilege of playing banjo next to Will playing one of his recent (within the last year) F5s. #The tone would knock your socks off. #My former F2--which was no slouch in the tone department--fell a distant 2nd to that F5. #Of course it's hard to compare oval to F-hole instruments, but that F5 just sounded like it was all there. #Take the opportunity when you can to play one of Will's instruments.

Or, if you can't do that, catch Andy Statman's latest videos on YouTube which feature his Kimble F5.

Jim

[JimRichter]

By the way, a little off topic, but if you look under my username, you'll see my little saying that's been on there for awhile. That's actually a tip of the hat to Will. Will and I were at a Compton workshop maybe 3 years back and someone asked about how not to get lost during one's soloing. Maybe the question focused on improvisation, I can't recall. Will spoke up and asked if the person had tried the melody.

I think what makes Will special is that he is a musician who builds mandolins.

Jim

[Chris Biorkman]

It's funny how you think that buying a nice instrument that you love more than life itself will cure you of wanting anything else...

And then you see pictures of mandolins like this and you immediately start asking yourself if your kids really need to go to college or if you should delay buying your wife a new car.

I think I have a sickness.

[Glassweb]

Get one of "Wheel"s" mandolins while they're still reasonably priced... the ones I've played were all XXXceptional! And that mandola was none too shabby either...

[pgfoto]

Hi Folks..
I just couldn't resist getting involved in this thread. I received my Kimble F5 a little over a week ago. In fact I called Will today to let him know how happy I am with this instrument. I consider myself to be fortunate to have a mandolin of this quality in my hands. While I am by no means a connoisseur I had the opportunity to A/B/C/D/E/F, two of Will's F5s, a Gilchrist,a Nugget and two Loars all at the same sitting. I of course was in mando heaven that day. I learned two things; one, not all Loars are equal. And two, Will's current work matched my expectation of what I wanted in an instrument.

This mandolin, out of the shipping box(after it warmed up to room temperature I live in the Chicago area)just blew me away. Great tone, loud, and a Loar like feel. It's a winner and I can't wait to hear what it's going to sound like in a few years.

I think, you can buy a varnished Collings MF5 for about the same price as Will's F5 and maybe it will sound as good as the Kimble I have in two or three years. Nothing against Collings, I love my Collings MF. I just think that for about the same money, the Kimble is and will be a much better value.


Phil

[Perry]

Please make it stop!

Note to self: that would make a nice match to my Kimble oval

[pjlama]

Guys you gotta stop all this, I having a MAS attack. Some of you know how weak I am, you need to give the Kimble love-fest a break before I do something. BTW that mando is beautiful Will.

[pjlama]

Oh I should add that Will's two point design is perfect, there was an Engelmann top two point in the classifieds that really hurt me a couple months ago.

[woodwizard]

Very nice looking. I hope some day I will get a chance to try one out.

[Crowder]

Someone start a "Thinking about a Kimble...." thread. Quick!

[AlanN]

That is one I'd like to try, and a Lewis, and a Stanley, and a Wiens....never ending

[kyblue]

"Look at those feet, he is going to be a BIG boy!" For those that don't know, my Dad is 6' 9" tall...

We love to hear that kind of stuff in KY...think blue... get a round ball in his hands early!

Paula