Recent Quality Mandolins

[re simmers]

There seems to be a good crop of quality mandolins hit the classifieds recently. Herschel's Altman, Wayne's Tucker, a couple Ellis, some good Gibsons, a Hutto. Any reason or just coincidence? Really fine mandolins.

Bob

[Ivan Kelsall]

When i see top quality instruments come up for sale,i think it's usually one of 3 reasons. 1) The seller's up-grading. 2) It's an instrument that's not required any more, or,3) The seller needs the cash for other things. I can't think that Herschel Sizemore really 'needs' the Altman as i believe that he still owns more than one Lloyd Loar mandolin & a Gibson Master Model. That several come up for sale at the same time is,i think, coincidence,but there's always a bunch of goodies in the Classified's & i always have no cash for 'em !!,
Ivan

[Willie Poole]

Some time a person just needs some cash to send a kid to college or maybe buy a new car or fishing boat....Plenty of reasons to sell, a person might just have more mandolins than he needs and since those are top of the line mandolins he is ready to make big bucks on his initial investment, also he may be thinking of retiring and not going out on the road so much, it is a rough life being a bluegrass musician and traveling....

Willie

[dcoventry]

When i see top quality instruments come up for sale,i think it's usually one of 3 reasons. 1) The seller's up-grading. 2) It's an instrument that's not required any more, or,3) The seller needs the cash for other things. I can't think that Herschel Sizemore really 'needs' the Altman as i believe that he still owns more than one Lloyd Loar mandolin & a Gibson Master Model. That several come up for sale at the same time is,i think, coincidence,but there's always a bunch of goodies in the Classified's & i always have no cash for 'em !!,
Ivan

I think about number 1 a lot. Stop laughing, that's not what I mean.

In general, you sell a killer Altman to upgrade to.....what? The top of the heap is only so high. I wonder this a lot when folks put in an add, "selling to acquire my dream instrument". I wanna know what THAT is!!

[Marty Jacobson]

There are so many dream instruments available right now... if I owned $10,000 mandolins, I think I would circulate through them, too. Look at guys like Gary H... He's owned so many amazing instruments. That's almost the main reason why I like building, getting to know a lot of different instruments. There's always something new to be surprised by.

[Clement Barrera-Ng]

Tax time, maybe ?

[JeffD]

When you cut a blueberry muffin in half, you will see some blueberries arranged in clumps. Probably means absolutely nothing.

[Wilbur James]

.Plenty of reasons to sell, a person might just have more mandolins than he needs and since those are top of the line mandolins he is ready to make big bucks on his initial investment, also he may be thinking of retiring and not going out on the road so much, it is a rough life being a bluegrass musician and traveling....

Willie

I think now a days your lucky to get your money back or make big bucks, there are just to many choices, If you can enjoy your instrument and break even your doing pretty good, most of the time one will lose a small percentage of what its worth, so think of that loss as the cost of enjoying that instrument while you have it.

[fiddler37]

Herschel probably did not actually buy the Altman, but he probably was endorsing it. I am sure it is a great instrument, but he has played the old Gibson Lloyd Loar for a lot of years, and at some point you just have to thin the inventory. You can get an Altman, but getting an old Gibson Loar is way more difficult to find and pay for.

[Wilbur James]

I did a workshop with Herschell, and he indeed did have the Altman with him and was using it during the workshop, this was before the Loar series came out, I will agree his Gibson Loar is still his favorite though.

[Scott Tichenor]

Classifieds Gone Wild

[Ivan Kelsall]

From dcoventry - "..you sell a killer Altman to upgrade to.....what ?.....". I understand your point,but 'upgrading' is one person deciding that the mandolin he has doesn't sound as good as the one he want's to buy,it's as simple as that. One man's upgrade is another man's downgrade. IMHO - i prefer the tone of Chris Thile's Dude.compared to his Loar. Ronnie McCoury apparently feels that the 'overall' tonal balance of his Gil.is better than that of 'his' Loar. R.Mc could maybe see the Loar as a downgrade,at least tonally,& isn't that what it's all about ?,
Ivan

[jmagill]

First, let me say that I don't have a collector's mentality. I don't want an instrument of every flavor, just a couple that are truly extraordinary, and, since I don't believe in leaving a great instrument unplayed, few enough that I can play them all regularly.

So, for a while, I would scratch my head at those with a dozen or more instruments. If they have more than they can find time to play, is it gratifying enough just to own them? Do they want enough to have an instrument to satisfy any and every particular mood? It still puzzles me, but to each his own.

Then there are those that are the subject of this thread: the ones that are regularly swapping instruments many of us would consider to be 'as good as it gets.' Why would anyone who could appreciate the virtues of a Gilchrist, Dudenbostel, Nugget, Altman, etc., or in my case, two Monteleones, turn around and sell them? Of course, the answers are various, but with the completion of my custom Holst F4, I began to get an insight as to one possible motive.

For some (and I like to see myself in this camp), looking for an instrument is the quest for Excalibur, those few guitars and mandolins one could spend a lifetime with, play every day, and be happy. The trick, of course, is knowing when you've found it.

For others, it might be to have an example of each kind, from each maker, and each time period to complete a personal, dreamed-of collection.

For those that are the subject of this thread, their hobby may be the buying and selling of great instruments as much as actually owning and playing them. For this bunch, what drives them is a motive I haven't seen mentioned here: the thrill of the hunt.

Now, rather than trading in the marketplace, I love working with luthiers on custom instruments. This is the first time since 2006 that I haven't had a guitar or mandolin on order or under construction, and I realize how much I miss the planning, the collaboration with the builder during the construction phase, the anticipation, and then exploration and evaluation of the newly completed instrument. It's been almost as fun as playing, and the process has been as gratifying as the goal, so I can relate to those who love the process of constantly swapping, and the steady flow through their hands of one fine instrument after another.

Now that I've got the instruments I need to keep me inspired musically, I feel a bit bereft at the loss of the process, but a few minutes playing one of these jewels refocuses me on what I find most important, the ability to make beautiful music. But, for those trader-types out there, happily and constantly buying and selling, who I used to think were driven by restless dissatisfaction with what they have, I say, more power to you, and Happy Hunting!

[Astro]

For many, the thrill is in the chase.

MAS/GAS continues until the thrill goes into remission by the prospect of the burdensome chore of selling; or you eventually become acclimated to whatever was missing in your life that you tried to fulfill with a shiny new toy: or you run out of energy for the chase; or you run out of money.

Or, some just like mandos.

[Willie Poole]

Wilber...I have bought and sold a few mandolins and I always came out way ahead when selling them...A 1950 Gibson F-12 bought in 1971 for $450 and sold in 1982 for over $1800 tells me that a good many instruments do go up in value, the Kentucky KM-900 was selling new for $800 less than two years ago and now they are going for over $1,000...The OP was talking about good quality mandolins and I have noticed for years those have increased in value, at least in the area where I am located....

I will admit that some of the imports don`t re-sell for what they cost new and there are some good bargains there, some that are great will soon get a good name and start selling at an increase....Thats the way I see it anyway....I don`t sell many anymore so maybe the market is different than when I was buying and selling....

Willie

[Ivan Kelsall]

It could be that over here in the UK,which is relatively uninhabited by top quality mandolins,that 'ingnorance is bliss'. I've never had the chance to play any mandolin built by the 'premier' builders,& so i've nothing really to compare my 2 instruments to. I do know that Weber instruments are widely regarded as being 'good',& my "Fern" sounds good to me.My Lebeda has a different tone & sounds more like what i've come to believe is a much woodier,dryer sound,which i like also. I'd dearly love to be able to sample a few top quality mandolins ie.Dude./Gil./Altman/Hutto etc.,just to be able to gauge the quality of the 2 i own.I might be surprised at how good my 2 really are,or,i could be bitterly disapointed - Tough !,in my cash strapped state,i'd have to live with it,
Ivan

[jealbe49]

Herschel has had a few Altman's and still has the last Loar series mandolin Bob made for him. I am blessed to have one of the Loar series that Herschel had for a time. It is from the same batch as Mike Marshall's. Only reason he did not keep it was he wanted the neck to set in his hand just like his favorite Loar. When Bob got the neck to Herschel's taste, that is the one he kept. I have talked to Herschel and he loves that mandolin and plays it. The collaboration between Herschel and Bob produced some very special mandolins.

[mandroid]

Tax time, maybe ?

it is April.. Caesar Needs it for the Empire..

[clobflute]

It could be that over here in the UK,which is relatively uninhabited by top quality mandolins,that 'ingnorance is bliss'. I've never had the chance to play any mandolin built by the 'premier' builders,& so i've nothing really to compare my 2 instruments to. I do know that Weber instruments are widely regarded as being 'good',& my "Fern" sounds good to me.
Ivan

Hi there,

I found the Weber Gallatin F mandolin being sold from a UK site......sold out that is! What are the qualities of the Weber Fern mandolin like?

They say that their next Gallatin F style with scrolls will be September 2013
They have one with an oval hole, but I'd rather have an oval hole with a bowlback...

I guess I would definitely prefer to save up and get a handcrafted Gallatin type F mandolin, than mess around getting some intermediate factory pressed one. Testing one might be difficult, as the only Weber stockist here is in Brighton.

[DataNick]

First, let me say that I don't have a collector's mentality. I don't want an instrument of every flavor, just a couple that are truly extraordinary, and, since I don't believe in leaving a great instrument unplayed, few enough that I can play them all regularly.

So, for a while, I would scratch my head at those with a dozen or more instruments. If they have more than they can find time to play, is it gratifying enough just to own them? Do they want enough to have an instrument to satisfy any and every particular mood? It still puzzles me, but to each his own.

Then there are those that are the subject of this thread: the ones that are regularly swapping instruments many of us would consider to be 'as good as it gets.' Why would anyone who could appreciate the virtues of a Gilchrist, Dudenbostel, Nugget, Altman, etc., or in my case, two Monteleones,...

Dude,

Two Monteleones...you're killin' me! (LOL)

I've got MAS/MAD bad, real bad!

[f5joe]

I never question why someone is selling something. There are many, many reasons. If it's quality and I'm in the mood ....... well, I might just be interested.

[pefjr]

This thread says a lot about this forum. I believe the Café has the largest listings of Mandolins in one listing next to Ebay. All done on the honor and word of the seller. Amazing, and speaks volumes to the set up, organization, and management. That's is overlooking the rest of the Classified's other sections. Well done Scott!

[re simmers]

Yes, very well done.

The mandolin is an exceptional instrument. And mandolinists are exceptional people.

Bob