# General Mandolin Topics > General Mandolin Discussions >  Some of Norman Blake's Instruments up for sale at Carter Vintage

## Mandolin Cafe

Carter Vintage has been asked to sell some of Norman Blake's instruments and you're seeing them here first--they're not even on their web site yet, but will be soon. We probably won't list them all but certainly some of main interest to this community.

First up, Norman's Gilchrist F-4.

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Denny Gies, 

Fretbear, 

hank, 

Mark Gunter, 

masa618, 

oliverkollar, 

red7flag, 

Robert Mitchell, 

Steve-o, 

T.D.Nydn

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## Mandolin Cafe

Norman's 1941 000 Martin Guitar

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hank, 

Mark Gunter, 

masa618, 

red7flag

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## Mandolin Cafe

1915 Vega Cylinderback.

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hank, 

Mark Gunter

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## Mandolin Cafe

1921 0-21 Martin

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hank, 

Mark Gunter

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## Jim Garber

Holy smokes, Scott. Those are lovely instruments. That Gilchrist is gorgeous. Of course, Norman always had exquisite taste in his instruments. And I am sure has plenty of wonderful ones left to play.

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## Mandolin Cafe

Another 1915 Vega Cylinderback.

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bbcee, 

hank, 

Mark Gunter

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## Mandolin Cafe

We'd love to own that Gilchrist F-4 and it will sell fast. Not in the cards for us, unfortunately. There are a few other instruments but that's all of the mandolins and the guitars that interest us most for the moment. May post more later. We'll see.

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## Kirk Albrecht

I think what you have labeled as a 1921 -000 Martin Guitar is actually a 1931.

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## TheMandoKit

Well, it looks like a 000-21, but not a 1921 000. Not sure if it's 1931, but certainly 1930's.

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## Glassweb

the Gil F4 is IT!

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hank

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## BrianWilliam

Dang!  

Wonder why he's selling them....

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## Jim Garber

That rosewood Vega cylinder back is beautiful too. I agree that Gilchrist is tempting but certainly not in my cards, either.

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hank

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## MikeEdgerton

> Wonder why he's selling them....


Nancy finally figured out how many he had.

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Austin Bob, 

chasray, 

citeog, 

hank, 

John Soper, 

Mark Gunter, 

Randy Smith, 

Ryk Loske, 

stratman62, 

T.D.Nydn

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## Mandolin Cafe

> I think what you have labeled as a 1921 -000 Martin Guitar is actually a 1931.


We just went by what the images were labelled in Dropbox. We'll defer to your assessment, or wait until CVG actually posts.

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## sgarrity

How much is the Gil?

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## Mandolin Cafe

Christie gave me a price a few days ago but she's pulling together a list and it's best I wait before quoting. Possible it could have changed since then so best we wait. Actually surprised it wasn't a lot higher but maybe that's the lifelong Norman Blake fan in me thinking.

Mike Comptons Gilchrist F-4 is one of the finest instruments I've heard. I thought it was just his hands which are the best, but the instrument itself is a cannon. This one is said to be remarkable as well from Mike, and he has played it.

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## sgarrity

Understood. That could cause me to do something stupid. I wonder if he's recorded with it?

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## Mandolin Cafe

Christie confirms the guitars were mislabeled in Dropbox which we used to post here. I'll correct above shortly.

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## LillianBelle

> How much is the Gil?


Strike that - the $19,500 is an octave up on their site.

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## Don Grieser

> Mike Comptons Gilchrist F-4 is one of the finest instruments I've heard. I thought it was just his hands which are the best, but the instrument itself is a cannon. This one is said to be remarkable as well from Mike, and he has played it.


That's what I've heard MC say too.

Trying to help you out, Shaun.  :Wink:

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hank, 

Jim Roberts, 

masa618

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## mandopaul

Wow, just a dream to own any of them...now back to reality, but fun to look at 'em.

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## wildpikr

That F4...oh man...drool...

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hank

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## Northwest Steve

There is also an A4 at Bernunzio Music

https://bernunzio.com/product/gibson-4-22279/

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## Jeff Mando

> Dang!  
> 
> Wonder why he's selling them....


Retirement?  Who knows.......wonder if he owns a signed Loar?

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## mandopops

I agree with Jim and the others about the Gilchrist F4. It is spectacular.
Joe B

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## John Rosett

I guess that Norman's not letting go of his Flying V collection yet...

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## wildpikr

> Retirement?  Who knows.......wonder if he owns a signed Loar?


I think he does...I seem to remember that from his Homespun video lesson.  He took some time to talk about some of his instruments and discuss the tone quality...called it 'tone time'...

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## lenf12

> Retirement?  Who knows.......wonder if he owns a signed Loar?


I understand the signed Loar belongs to Nancy. Gotta love that girl's taste... :Wink: 

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

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hank, 

sgarrity

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## sgarrity

> That's what I've heard MC say too.
> 
> Trying to help you out, Shaun.


With friends like these...... :Laughing: 

I've heard from MC that this is a killer F4. If it's anything close to his.....Wow!
I'm scared to call Carters...... :Mandosmiley:

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hank

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## Verne Andru

That Gil is beautiful.

Is that 0-21 Martin correct? Looks like it may have had a tailpiece/floating-bridge at one time and was changed to a fixed bridge?

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## Cremona5

If they still have the April `23 F-5 that I played many years ago, it is quite incredible. Easily as good as any that I've ever heard. It made the `24 that I brought along for Norman to try out sound like it was made in the Mattel factory. Our conversation over those mandolins gave me a quote from him that I've often recalled, "We just play `em, we don't preserve `em".
Drew

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hank

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## Mandobar

Norman had a stroke a few years back and is just back to playing, but from what I have heard from mutual friends he has a collection of instruments that would astound you.  I am thinking that this is just the fringes of what he and Nancy have collected over the years.

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## ferrousgeek

> Norman had a stroke a few years back and is just back to playing, but from what I have heard from mutual friends he has a collection of instruments that would astound you.  I am thinking that this is just the fringes of what he and Nancy have collected over the years.


Norman had a transient ischemic attack, often described as a mini-stroke back in 2012. He was back to recording and playing live in about 6  months from what I recall. He has released albums of his own, as well as recorded on other projects since then, including the upcoming Mike Compton album. Lots of info regarding Norman's health and activities on the web.
https://youtu.be/fTdJnCG6_TY
https://youtu.be/fctl5M1w-aE
https://youtu.be/G9zcxHZG5OY
Norman has bought and sold instruments for many years. Almost a side business. I'm sure an instrument once owned by Norman would fetch a much higher price than an instrument from an unknown player. More power to him, he deserves whatever he receives! I'm guessing at 78, he's realizing he just doesn't need them all. In recent years he seems to be playing small body Gibson L series or Martin 00 guitars, so maybe he's keeping what is comfortable for him to play at this stage of the game.
And yes, the Loar is Nancy's.

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hank, 

Randy Smith

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## Luna Pick

Carter Vintage may even sell that Gil before we even see what the price is.

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## hank

Getting my F.O.N.11757 S/N 73294 1923 F-4 has been like winning the Lotto.  Yes, she breaks up if driven as hard as my F5 but what is lost in power is gained in finesse and delicacy of response and tone.  Can anyone elaborate on how these Gil's compare to the pinnacle of F4 evolution at the Kalamazoo factory.  The aperture size looks very similar but I wonder if the cross brace location and oval hole are tweeked to project and have a bit more Umf? AKA a Cannon?

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## mandomedic

> We'd love to own that Gilchrist F-4 and it will sell fast. Not in the cards for us, unfortunately. There are a few other instruments but that's all of the mandolins and the guitars that interest us most for the moment. May post more later. We'll see.


What a wonderful collection of instruments. Thanks for the post Scott.

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## Timbofood

Didn't someone say that...
"Old pickers never go away, they just change tuning."
If not, I'll take that credit!
I will trade it for the "F-4" though.

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## Luna Pick

Anyone know when these instruments will be priced?

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## Buck

> Is that 0-21 Martin correct? Looks like it may have had a tailpiece/floating-bridge at one time and was changed to a fixed bridge?


It had a tailpiece at one point, but that was not original of course.  The neck was reset and new bridge fitted before Norman acquired it.

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## Fretbear

Here is a link to a good 1995 interview with Blake. 
I consider him to be one of America's most important string musicians. 
There are pictures of some of his and Nancy's favourite instruments linked at the end of the interview.

Blake: I use my D-18H on stage. There were four D-18H's made; mine was
made in 1934 (Serial #56300) and the others are two from 1936 and one from
1957. George Gruhn said the two from 36 were not located so mine could be
the only one in existence. 

http://www.chiefnoda.com/intvw/nb.html

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## Ron McMillan

People enchanted by the Gilchrist F4 ought to consider a trip to Brighton, England, where Trevor has a 1979 (near the bottom of this page) that was, I seem to recall, the first F4 Gilchrist ever sent to the American market. I played it, and it was head and shoulders above a room full of stunning instruments. Trevor no longer ships to the USA, but with the pound so weak against the dollar just now, you could fly over and pick it up and still get a bargain.

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## Dave Hanson

Trevor is shipping to the USA again.

Top dealer.

Dave H

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## Ron McMillan

> Trevor is shipping to the USA again.
> 
> Top dealer.
> 
> Dave H


Thanks for letting us know. That must be a recent development.

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## Cheryl Watson

> I guess that Norman's not letting go of his Flying V collection yet...


That's what I'M waiting for.

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