Confused About Ellis

[Rick Schmidlin]

I never played a Ellis I didn't like an maybe have a lust for if I went back to my mandolin daze That will not happen after my tragic hearing problem that is now cleared up. But I read here a lot and always love listening to mandolin live and recording. In the classified a see a lot of fine Ellis mandolins for sale, what's up

[Bigtuna]

The simple answer would be, that times are hard. The money could be and needs to be put somewhere else.

[JPerkins]

Most of those ads are for brand new mandolins being sold by dealers. There are 3 used now, or 2, if you don't count mr. wet feet. Don't see how that makes them any different from any other mandolin.

[Capt. E]

I noticed a used Ellis A in the classifieds last week priced at 4K: it was gone in a couple of days.
And yes, two listed now are new instruments, I've played them both. Wish I could afford one.

Even harder to find is a Weber "Bighorn" with ff holes. People just don't seem to let go of them.

[JeffD]

Cafe classifieds are such a small and unrepresentative slice of the "for sale" world, I don't know that any trend, if there really is one, means much.

[mandroid]

Buy the Ellis, lose the job , sell the Ellis to Keep the House a little longer..

seems basics of economics these days..

[Ivan Kelsall]

Hi Rick - I'm sorry to read that you've had a problem with your hearing.I sincerely hope that it's cleared up for good. Tom Ellis's mandolins have been one of my favourites,even before i began playing. I read an article years back in the now defunct 'Frets' magazine about Ellis mandolins & the use of one by a certain Mr R.Skaggs.I've had the same feelings as you re.other makes of instrument.The last time i looked at the classifieds,there were 2 Gilchrists for sale - what's wrong with them i ask myself. Nothing !.
As has been mentioned above,times for some folk are financially hard,& $20K US is more use than a mandolin right now.Other than that,i think that like myself,some folks sell for a change of instrument. I've pondered a number of times on buying an Ellis "A" style & trading in my Weber "Fern",but at age 67,does it make any sense to do so ?. I'm still pondering,
Ivan