Why so many Sam Bush mando's for sale

[tr6drvr]

Is it me or are there a preponderance of Sam Bush mando's for sale in the Cafe Classifieds? Seems like just about every day or so a new one appears, all in a tight price range that is fairly discounted from new street pricing. Is there an educated guess out there why? Is it maybe because there are a lot of them sold and in players hands or perhaps a lot of owners really aren't all that happy with the model? Just wondering because spec-wise, these seem to be a mandolin I would like.

[Bernie Daniel]

I noticed it too and wondered the same thing. I wish it would stop because every time I see another one I think about buying it.

Even though I'm totally satisfied with the 2001 Sam Bush model I already have I still mentally go over each new advert. comparing all details with mine -- MAS is a strange thing.

[woodwizard]

Everyone I had the chance to pick on was a cannon with awesome tone. I can't figure it out either

[Charlieshafer]

These clumps o' instruments happen all the time. At one point there were three Nuggtes, 5 Duffs, etc. Nothing but a coincidence. But, Bernie's right..if you're jonesing for a fine mandolin, not a bad time at all to push the "pay" button.

[tr6drvr]

I noticed it too and wondered the same thing. I wish it would stop because every time I see another one I think about buying it.

Even though I'm totally satisfied with the 2001 Sam Bush model I already have I still mentally go over each new advert. comparing all details with mine -- MAS is a strange thing.

Well I suppose you could buy them all, satisfying MAS (well humoring it anyways). cornering the market and driving the value up....

[Stephen Cagle]

No educated guess here at all on the issue. However I will say that this does seem to be a mandolin that some buy and then not long after want to get rid of. It could be a fad thing ya know. Sam Bush model with a little wider nut, little different finish and the infamous finger board ext cut off. When you think of a gibson (well let me say "for me" so someone doesn't get upset) you just don't think of the SB model. You (most) think of a traditional gibson F5. Darker tobacco finish, The Gibson in the head stock and it having the finger board ext (normal or scooped but it is atleast there). I personally feel that it is a fad and as quick as someone buys a "Sam Bush Model" and picks it a while then the fad is over. Again this is only my thought on it.

[Stephen Cagle]

Let me say real quickly that I played a SB model last year or maybe the year before at SPBGMA and I thought it was one of the best sounding gibsons Dave had with him that year. Really nice. It's just when I think of Gibson or here someone say "Gibson" I never ever think of the SB model.

[Mike Snyder]

I heard another one last weekend. Outstanding. Consistantly loud with Gibson tone just oozing out all over. That they are for sale is just the nature of the market. Some move up, some down, some sideways. The wide board is a deal killer for me, but the quality of the instruments is very high.

[Dan Margolis]

I played one at a music store in November that, at the time, was nothing special. I say "at the time" because I assume that it will open up after a while and be excellent. Can't say that I like the look of the cut-off extension, though.

[John Kinn]

I guess the wide nut isn't for everyone. And besides, there's only one Hoss..

[Bernie Daniel]

I heard another one last weekend. Outstanding. Consistantly loud with Gibson tone just oozing out all over. That they are for sale is just the nature of the market. Some move up, some down, some sideways. The wide board is a deal killer for me, but the quality of the instruments is very high.

Warning! what follows are probably boring comments except for those who think the Sam Bush is a great addition to the Gibson line up -- many of these reasons pro and con were already mentioned in this string:

Some get a Sam just for the wide nut, -- while othes would NOT get it just for that reason.
Some love the 30's headstock inlay --others have to have a "The" with their "Gibson",
Some like the big rectangular block markers on the fretboard -- some prefer dots or nothing,
Some like the extension lopped off the end of the fretboard -- some think it's unsightly;
Most like the radiused fretboard and bridge -- a few don't I would suppose;
Some like the alternate sunburst pattern -- some have to have the pre-war look;
Some need are glad it comes without pickguard -- others really want one.

So there are lots of features that differ on the Sam Bush models from a typical Gibson Fern for example.

For me the biggest positive feature of the Sam Bush model is the wider nut -- it's great -- cleans up my picking. I had a new fossilzed ivory nut cut for the Sam that exactly matches my F-4 and now its pretty seamless playing between the two.

I also like the radiused fretboard, and bridge, the cut off extension, and the 30's style headstock.....but I added back an abbreviated pickguard, and I'm really no fan of the block inlays on the fingerboard. I like the sunburst and finish but I like a Fern too. I wish mine had the second signture lable -- early ones did not.

So, I think the Sam Bush model is great change of pace for the Gibson F-style line. I'll guess the number on sale now is just coincidence?

[Mike Snyder]

My F5G wants to be a Bush when it grows up.

[tree]

I've been a one-mandolin guy since I got my first (and only) good mandolin in 2003, a '94 F5G. I've kept it up and slightly modified it to fit me, and I really, really like it. Never felt the urge to own another mandolin, except a couple of times when I got it refretted I thought it might be nice to have a backup while it was in the shop.

Played a 2001 Sam Bush model in Elderly's (one of 3 in the store at the time) while visiting in Ann Arbor the week of Thanksgiving. I was amazed at that instrument, it played so effortlessly and sounded so good. I actually tried to figure out how I could sell the F5G and pony up the additional cash for that ax. I realized that I really liked the wider neck and bigger frets . . . wasn't as crazy about the neck profile and there were some cosmetic dings, but nothing close to a dealbreaker. I swear, that thing played like a Les Paul. I noticed on Friday that it was no longer on the web site.

[Bernie Daniel]

I've been a one-mandolin guy since I got my first (and only) good mandolin in 2003, a '94 F5G...Played a 2001 Sam Bush model in Elderly's (one of 3 in the store at the time) while visiting in Ann Arbor the week of Thanksgiving. I was amazed at that instrument, it played so effortlessly and sounded so good. I actually tried to figure out how I could sell the F5G and pony up the additional cash for that ax. I realized that I really liked the wider neck and bigger frets . . . wasn't as crazy about the neck profile and there were some cosmetic dings, but nothing close to a dealbreaker. I swear, that thing played like a Les Paul. I noticed on Friday that it was no longer on the web site.

I am like that as well -- I play better & cleaner on the Sam Bush model. In my case I have good right hand motion but not good pick accuracy and consistency. So I benefit from the slightly larger inter-course distances and I really like the big frets, the radiused features, andf the clear access to the strings with no click.

As to cost of a Sam Bush model -- yes kind of too high -- frustrating for the switch you want to make. I came over to a Sam from a Fern. But the price of the Sams have hung right in there at about $5000 to 5500 now for a couple of years.

So to go from an F-5G to a Sam can be a $2K outlay and that is hard to justify for a mandolin that is essentially identical in build to the G and will sound, generally, very similar.

Basically you are trading up for easier picking and the aesthetics of it -- not better sound/projection.

There was very little difference in the sound of my Fern and Sam -- I had them both around for a couple of months and others who back-to-back played them said the same thing.

The one thing you can keep your eye out for is the F-5G custom (a G with a Bush neck) -- these will generally be $500 -1,000 more than a regular F-5G but maybe $1K less than a Sam and it has most of what you want in playability -- every thing if you do the radius but that's more $$.

[tburcham]

Wow I was just thinking about posting that very question today. As a daily visitor to the Cafe, there a quite a few of these that have re-listed multiple times. The best Gibson I've ever played was a varnished Sam Bush Master Model. What a mandolin! I think the $5K price point is tough in these economic times. At that price point you can get into some high end small builders, particularly if you're not adverse to an A-style. But if you're after the Gibson tone, these are really great playing instruments.

[fredfrank]

Many of these are now approaching their expiration date.

[tree]

That 2001 Bush in Elderly's sounded better than my F5G, particularly in the trebles. Much clearer than the sort of "boxy" trebles I hear when driving the G.

Overall, it felt like there was more volume with less effort. I think I liked the radius of the fretboard and the extra space from the "chopped off" extension, in addition to the big frets and wider neck. Block inlays seemed cool, too - but that may be just because they're different than what I'm used to.

Wonder who wound up with it? I bet they're happy. I was maneuvering to be in position to make an offer on it next time we go to Ann Arbor, probably this summer.

[gregsguitars]

On the wider nut / string spacing, I would assume if the Mandolin floats your boat , then you could also have a new nut with tighter string spacing made,if you liked the wider board that is...

[Bill Bradshaw]

Not that I'd know (no, I didn't search), but have folks compared Mr. Bush's mandolin to Loars? Maybe some people assume they are getting something comparable to a Loar when they buy a Sam Bush model? Just a thought. Obviously lots of people like what they hear in his mandolin, and it's obvouis Mr. Bush liked what he heard when he played that mandolin. Was he looking for and hearing a Loar sound?

If his instrument is ("unique) and others didn't hear the Loar sound when they bought their SB models, maybe they just didn't hear what they hoped for.

Personally, I want to play them all, wish I could afford them all, and could keep them all.

Cheers,

Bill

[mandobassman]

I guess the wide nut isn't for everyone. And besides, there's only one Hoss..

I think that is exactly what it is. Not everyone likes the wide nut and, if I'm not mistaken, the string spacing at the bridge is wider as well. I think people get it and can't adjust to the different feel.

[Fretbear]

Sam's tone is unique and bears little resemblance to the classic tone. It is very crystalline and unique to him and Hoss.

[Paul Statman]

Sam's tone is unique and bears little resemblance to the classic tone. It is very crystalline and unique to him and Hoss.

Hmmm...Car? Driver? Combination?

[Elliot Luber]

MAS is a cruel illness.

[Pete Counter]

Im not really a gibson guy, but my friend has a sb model and I love that mando, if the rest are anywhere close to that one I would buy it. It also seems anyone Ive talked to who has owned one is very fond of it but people still want the "in" maker and the gibson is the one they usually finance it with, dont know why, if I owned my friends sam bush I would never sell it!

[jmalmsteen]

You can get one of these for 5k. Personally, I am not a fan of the block inlays or the fretboard Sam Bush inlays. I love Sam as a player but I don't want an artist's name on my mandolin- I want it to be my mandolin. If you like the features, it seems like a great deal now. And, yes, there seem to be a lot of them available for whatever reason.