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Thread: Ms. Griffith A5 Loar

  1. #1
    Registered User Max Girouard's Avatar
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    Default Ms. Griffith A5 Loar

    $345K, How about that! I've already got five dollars saved up!

  2. #2
    wood butcher Spruce's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ms. Griffith A5 Loar

    Where are U seeing this, Max?

  3. #3
    Registered User f5loar's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ms. Griffith A5 Loar

    What's that old saying "A bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush"?? That's what I've always heard about the price of the A5. It's worth the price of 2 F5s. Pretty darn close!
    It should sell pretty quickly into a collector's vault.

  4. #4
    Registered User John Soper's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ms. Griffith A5 Loar

    Mandolin Cafe home page carries the news. I know the owner of the Mr Griffith F-5, and it's a wonderful mando. He and I were talking about putting our resources together on this last night. I think we could beat your bid, Max, but only by a little bit...

  5. #5
    wood butcher Spruce's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ms. Griffith A5 Loar

    Quote Originally Posted by f5loar View Post
    It should sell pretty quickly into a collector's vault.
    I would like to applaud the owner of the A5 for his incredible generosity over the years, lending the instrument to at least 3 builders I know of to make drawings, Hacklingers, etc. etc.

    If it does go into a vault, it'll at least be highly documented for others to make copies...

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  7. #6
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    Default Re: Ms. Griffith A5 Loar

    One of the ads about Kentucky mandolins says that their newest A model, KM-900 series, is a duplicate of the A-5 Loar, I would just love to hear the two of them side by side and compare them...I have searched for a Kentucky dealer here where I live and found one but they don`t have the KM-900 in stock right now....345 grand compared to 1 grand for the Ky, can it be 300 times better? It`s all in the mind of any person that wants it I guess.....I know I would love to own it but not at that price....

    Willie

  8. #7
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ms. Griffith A5 Loar

    The ultimate snakehead. One of a kind. Loar F5's are in a unique club unto themselves but this mandolin is the club.

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  10. #8
    wood butcher Spruce's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ms. Griffith A5 Loar

    Yep.

    Best sounding Loar I ever played....(sigh).

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  12. #9
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ms. Griffith A5 Loar

    Wow. That says a whole lot. I pretty much had my snakehead craving under control and this may have triggered it again.

  13. #10
    Site founder Scott Tichenor's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ms. Griffith A5 Loar

    It is indeed remarkable. Played it yesterday and it's about 50 feet away at the moment. May have another wack at it.

  14. #11
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ms. Griffith A5 Loar

    I am seething with envy right now. Go play it again for me.

  15. #12
    Registered User j. condino's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ms. Griffith A5 Loar

    Quote Originally Posted by Spruce View Post
    I would like to applaud the owner of the A5 for his incredible generosity over the years, lending the instrument to at least 3 builders I know of to make drawings, Hacklingers, etc. etc.
    Add me to that club. I spent a fantastic afternoon with it, all nerded out with the calipers and hacklingers with another big name builder sitting right next to me with huge smiles on our faces; 'great mandolin. 'Seems like a waste to lock it up in a vault....

    j.
    www.condino.com

  16. #13
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ms. Griffith A5 Loar

    Wonderful! Serious mandolin with a serious history. Glad to hear that it is being appreciated by you folks.
    Jim

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  17. #14
    Kelley Mandolins Skip Kelley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ms. Griffith A5 Loar

    The price is definately reflective of it's one of a kind uniqueness! I would love to be able to pick it.

  18. #15
    In The Van Ben Milne's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ms. Griffith A5 Loar

    and they say the fancy bits make 'em more expensive...
    Hereby & forthwith, any instrument with an odd number of strings shall be considered broken. With regard to mix levels, usually the best approach is treating the mandolin the same as a cowbell.

  19. #16

    Default Re: Ms. Griffith A5 Loar

    I too got the play the Loar A the third time....haunting tone.......Just picked up a Kentucky KM900 and it is very nice......as close to a copy of the Loar as I have played. Red spruce top and Michigan maple back and sides.....the sunburst is very nice also.

  20. #17
    Purveyor of Sunshine sgarrity's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ms. Griffith A5 Loar

    That is one mandolin I'd give my eye teeth to get to play for a few minutes!

  21. #18
    Registered User Glassweb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ms. Griffith A5 Loar

    I have a feeling Gail will be re-creating the legend and glory of this mandolin for years to come... and at the highest level of perfection possible.
    Last edited by Glassweb; Oct-03-2010 at 6:21pm.

  22. #19

    Default Re: Ms. Griffith A5 Loar

    Hi' Scott.....................We want to see photos of you and this mandolin........Please show us!!!!!!!!!! Stevie.

  23. #20
    Hester Mandolins Gail Hester's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ms. Griffith A5 Loar

    I would like to applaud the owner of the A5 for his incredible generosity over the years, lending the instrument to at least 3 builders I know of to make drawings, Hacklingers, etc. etc.
    Yes, just amaizing.

    I have a feeling Gail will be re-creating the legend and glory of this mandolin for years to come...
    Thank you so much, I'll be trying for as long as I can.

    I love everything about that mandolin, the sound, the way it was conceived, and its beauty...
    Gail Hester

  24. #21
    Registered User Max Girouard's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ms. Griffith A5 Loar

    Anyone know of any recordings featuring this mandolin? I saw the Youtube videos but was looking for actual recordings.

  25. #22
    Mandogenerator Mike Black's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ms. Griffith A5 Loar

    Tone Poems #1.
    John Hartford - Aereo-Plain & Steam Powered Aereo Takes.

  26. #23
    wood butcher Spruce's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ms. Griffith A5 Loar

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Black View Post
    Steam Powered Aereo Takes.
    Yeah, there's a tune on there called "Ruff and Ready" that I would hold up as being one of the finest recordings of a mandolin I've ever heard...

    The tone of that instrument, the mics, and the mix, are just perfect....
    And the playing is not bad, either.... ;-)

  27. #24
    Registered User grassrootphilosopher's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ms. Griffith A5 Loar

    What makes the Griffith Loar tone special over other Loars? "I Donīt Want Your Mandolins Mister" (East Virginia Blues) from the Tone Poems I (in D#) is great, but so is "Iīm A Pilgrim" from the same CD (just get the amount of dynamics in the "hot" recording). The Griffith Loar does not have a "Monroe" tone at all, no?
    Olaf

  28. #25
    Work in Progress Ed Goist's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ms. Griffith A5 Loar

    Quote Originally Posted by grassrootphilosopher View Post
    What makes the Griffith Loar tone special over other Loars? "I Donīt Want Your Mandolins Mister" (East Virginia Blues) from the Tone Poems I (in D#) is great, but so is "Iīm A Pilgrim" from the same CD (just get the amount of dynamics in the "hot" recording). The Griffith Loar does not have a "Monroe" tone at all, no?
    Certainly tone can have nothing to do with the price of instruments in this range...
    Once one gets to a certain threshold (and, based on what I've read here, that's a matter of debate...$5K, $10K, $25K, whatever) price is driven by collectability and provenance, and not by tone and playability, no?
    c.1965 Harmony Monterey H410 Mandolin
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