# General Mandolin Topics > General Mandolin Discussions >  What is the best mandolin somebody handed you to play

## Rick Schmidlin

Me, It was John Reishmans Loar. When I lived in Vancouver I took lessons from him and he would hand me his Loar. Then one night at a club I was producing a video clip of the Jaybirds and John was talking to the band. He had his Loar in his hand said I could play it while he and the chatted about set list and I played it about  15 minutes or so. :Mandosmiley:

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## Ben Somerville

I played a Loar owned by a guy named Tom Mindte for about 5 minutes, and it sure sounded good!

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## Matt DeBlass

Well, the "best" one is the one I don't have to give back, but aside from that I got to play around with one of those Howe-Orme mandolinettos, and a friends 'teens Gibson oval A. Nothing Loar-quality yet.

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## red7flag

I was in Tom Ellis' booth at IBMA and after having me test drive one of his ovals, he handed me another instrument without comment.  I looked down.  Gibson on the headstock.  Looked old, very old.  "Is this what I think it is?"  Tom just smiled.  I was so afriad that I would drop it.  I played a few tunes.  Truthfully, the instrument had spent recent time in a safe and needed some waking up.  Tom's smile when he handed it to me was worth the experience alone.

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## Kevin K

Dave Harvey handed me a Loar, incredible.  and also got to play a few DMM's along with it.

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## TNT

A 1927 Fern That belongs to a fella named Mark ( Thanks Mark!). He let me beat on her at SPBGMA for a long time.  Everyone has a little different twist to the "Perfect tone"  this one had  Mine.

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## 300win

Nobody's handed me one to play, I always got mine in my hands.

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## re simmers

close call.    either ron pennington's gilchrist or herschel's 2 consecutive # loars.

bob

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## Ed Goist

This one's easy for me...
Rebecca Lovell's Duff F5...
No doubt about it!

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## 8ch(pl)

A Gilchrist A model.

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## GRW3

The most valuable was a Gichrist but the overall was Tom Ellis's personal mandolin. (The one with the 'kisses' in the maple figuring.) I understand somebody actually got him to sell it to them. Money talks... It wa just magic.

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## mandroid

UPS guy has brought some, but I had to pay for them first..  :Whistling: 

 My Mix A5 is about to go out to the Jam Tonight.  :Cool: 

In an Eastman FG case. backpacked on my Bicycle..  :Wink:

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## Toycona

Without a doubt, a Heiden. Then, closely following...a Clark two pointer. However, I'm partial to my Manndolin right now.

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## mandolirius

Many, many good ones. Roland White's Randy Wood #2 was memorable. Played a couple of Heidens that were all you could want in a mandolin. There have been a couple of Gilchrists that really rung my bell. And then there are the Loars, including those belonging to Reischman, Wakefield, Grisman and Monroe. But the one I can never forget, the best mandolin I've ever played belongs to a Seattle-ite, Phil Williams. I was doing desk duty at a camp. Phil was off to teach a bass class and left his Loar in my care for a couple of hours. Slow at the desk, so I just sat there and played (and fell in love).

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## swampy

I haven't played a Loar, but I've played some fine mandos by some great builders both big and small. By far, the best was a snakehead A junior. A friend of a friend had just got it out of the shop, and he had only recently started playing. He asked me to take it for a spin so he could hear it from a distance. The whole thing vibrated with every note, and it roared. I was playing bluegrass with a few other guys, and this thing didn't cut through the banjo, but rather it seemed to just run it over.

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## eightmoremiles

1940s DeAngelico upstairs in George Gruhn's "inner sanctum". It is a two point symmetric body with an oval hole, typical "rough" DeAngelico finish, but the most instant response, volume and tone quality I have ever heard.
It may still be for sale?

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## f5loar

Not handed to me but one of the best ones I've gotten to play was in the vault in Nashville at CMHF.  I got to go in there and spend a few hours pickin' on their private donated stash and this '28 Fern really stood out as being super great.  Also the Fern known as the Gary Brown '27 Fern was handed to me by Gary Brown in the early 80's and it has stayed on my mind as being one of the best Ferns I've ever played. Gary Brown sold it many years ago.  Another stand out was a July 9th '23 Loar 2 numbers from Monroes in dead mint condition that was/is in the hands of a serious collector in IL.  The same collector also had/has the June 13, '23 Gold Plated Custom Loar made for William Place, Jr that really was up there on the food chain of being the best of the best Loars out there.

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## Willie Poole

A Cafe member named Brian Aldridge came by my house one day and had a Loar, a Gilchrist, a `25 Fern and a `37 F-7 that had been converted to an F-5 by Randy Wood....The Gilchrist to me was the best but only by a small margin.... it would be very hard to say that one "really" stood out above any other, they were all great mandolins and Brian has a great ear for knowing good mandolins...With that he paid me a nice compliment of two that I had sitting around....

    Willie

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## jasona

At a Comando gathering I was totally captivated by Dave Crummy's Master Model (That SternArt used to own), when Jim French said "I can't believe that one over there is all alone" and went to to fetch off a stand a mandolin for a hot young picker elsewhere at the gathering. Later it turned out to be a Loar, of course. At that same gathering I really enjoyed a rare Mellondolin...

Best actually handed to me were both of Andrew Collins' Heiden F5s. His new one in particular was spectacular, but I was not at my best at the time.

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## misterb

Our own Mandolin Mick let me pick on his beauty F9, last year at Bean Blossom.  There is a a high end Gibson that comes out to our jams that once belonged to Allan Bibey.  Hoping that that one gets handed to me some day!
db

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## danb

I got to be the guy handing 76547 around at wintergrass 2004 :-) Some of the most fun I ever had was seeing the looks on the faces that got to play it. There were a few times I had just handed it to someone to try and suddenly had to go, I felt awful when I had to ask for it back quickly!

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## Rick Schmidlin

Back in 2006 I was sad and blue over a romantic break-up, but I had a VIP pass to Merlefest to cheer me up. During the evening performances I sat in a section by the little cabin stage at the back by the fence, so I could see the show. There were three lawn chairs there and two were be being by a  very nice couple used.The man in the chair asked if I would use the empty one and sit with them. That was man was Don MacRostie and he explained the other was for his son who was wandering around the grounds catching other shows. Each night I would join Don and his wife and enjoy the evening music. Then on the last night Don and I went back stage and he show me a Red Diamond he just made that featured LOAR specs. It was brand spanking new and when I played it I only dreamed I could have a mandolin that sounded that much like a Loar. Well in a week or so that will be true. Oh yeah the girl and I are back togeather and we got married last June.

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## Bertram Henze

I attend ITM sessions on a regular basis with my Fylde OM. One night, somebody waved at me and held up his mandolin - it was also a Fylde. We swapped instruments and the mandolin felt very good, lots of room to move on the wide fretboard (as a Fylde player, you come to expect that as natural), easy action, very good sustain for a mandolin.

Granted, this is not the most romantic story, but with a Fylde you get used to not getting your socks knocked off by another instrument...  :Grin:

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## Eric Hanson

I am not one who has played as many as others, but there are three that stand out in my memory.
 On a trip to Elderly Instruments earlier this year I played a 1923 Loar, three numbers from The Big Mon's, a Giacomel J-5, and a 1927 Gibson Fern.
 The Giacomel was really nice. Fit and finish were fantastic. The playing of it was very easy, set-up was wonderful. Balanced across the whole of the instrument in tone. 
 I then played the '23 Loar.It was really nice. High ringing bell tones with a SOLID D chop chord.
 I then was able to play the '27 Fern. It was by far the loudest of the three. It was very easy to play. Setup was great, neck was really nice in the left hand. The tone  was powerful! One of the salesmen stood about fifteen to twenty feet away and commented that it was much louder than the Loar. If I had $73,000 in disposable cash, that would be where I would put it.

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## KristinEliza

most expensive - a Loar

sweetest - Gil mandola...it was butter in my hands... :Mandosmiley:

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## Dusty

I played Tom's Loar at SPBGMA as well as Danny Robert's Loar.  I also have played Mark Royal's 29 Fern that has to be up there with the best.  I didn't get to play it, but the best sounding mandolin I have heard in a long time would be the Gilchrist that was played in a jam by Aubrey Hayney.  But there again, some people can make a cigar box sound good.  It sure is fun trying out all the great mandos and thanks again to all the owners who let us "kick the tires"

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## 300win

> Nobody's handed me one to play, I always got mine in my hands.


Wouldn't trying to sound like a dummy on this. But over the years I've played some great sounding mandolins, but that was mostly very long ago and just about any mandolin back then that someone handed me I felt they were great because at that time until I was able to finally get a decent mandolin { it was a A5 model built by Bob Shue, I think either his 3rd or 4th A he built, which I wish I could find } because the one I had was terrible. And I do know that some of those people let me pick on a little were real Gibsons, but quite a few if not most were probably Gibson copies. Since I started back to picking again, I can only think of three times that I tried other folks mandolins, one was a Gibson Sam Bush that to my ears was very weak but it was brand new, another was a early '90s Fern it was very, very good, and the other was one built by a local guy where I live, Mr. Roy MacMillian who also is the composer of "When You Go Walking After Midnight" which won the IBMA award for song of the year a few years back, and Mr. MacMillian builds a pretty decent sounding mandolin. Not to brag but my own Gibson F5 Jam-master is as good of a mandolin as I have played. I have played some others since getting it that were in stores, and none of those sounded as good as mine did the first day I played it when it was hanging in the store, so I guess I got real lucky. Dave Harvey has told me that he remembers my mandolin as being one of the best they had built in that line at the time, it was I believe the 5th JM made, so thats saying something if he remembers it as many mandolins as he looks over.

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## Tom C

One time when Mike Compton and Davis Long played at Parkside Lounge in NYC, I drove Larry Wexer home to get a couple of Loars he recently aquired to show Mike and David. I met him a couple of times and is a really nice guy. He let me and others play them without any hesitance or pondering where they are at any given time. One was a recent find that still needed to be set up.

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## Spencer

> But the one I can never forget, the best mandolin I've ever played belongs to a Seattle-ite, Phil Williams. I was doing desk duty at a camp. Phil was off to teach a bass class and left his Loar in my care for a couple of hours. Slow at the desk, so I just sat there and played (and fell in love).


Yes, Phil kindly let me play it once, the only Loar I've ever played, and it was really nice.  What impressed me a lot was how little effort it took to be clearly heard amid all the other instruments.  On the same day, I played that, I played Pete Martin's Gilchrist and Nate Bray's old F-12.  All totally different, really great mandolins.  Don't ask me to pick.  But I was still quite happy with my old Flatbush after playing them all.

Spencer

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## F5G WIZ

I got to play Brians Loar a couple years ago, wonderful instrument.  Have also played three other Loars all were great but Marc Daley's brand new Gilchrist back in 05' had to be the best.  And it wasn't even broke in yet.




> A Cafe member named Brian Aldridge came by my house one day and had a Loar, a Gilchrist, a `25 Fern and a `37 F-7 that had been converted to an F-5 by Randy Wood....The Gilchrist to me was the best but only by a small margin.... it would be very hard to say that one "really" stood out above any other, they were all great mandolins and Brian has a great ear for knowing good mandolins...With that he paid me a nice compliment of two that I had sitting around....
> 
>     Willie

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## f5loar

I recall Bob Shue did those A5 copies in early 70's.  And I got either the 3rd or 4th one.  Dennis Severt would have gotten the other one.  And at the time we both thought it was the best mandolin we had played at the time even better then our real Gibsons. Dennis had a 60's F5 and I had a 60's A5 round hole.   It was during that A5 Loar copy fad craze when Doyle and Sam and Bobby played the A5 copies. Monroe never caught the bug.  Tut Taylor started a mando revolution in the late 60's with the discovery of the one and only made Loar signed A5. 
I don't know if Dennis still has his but mine went through the court system by way of a ten year divorce battle in which I lost the Shue A5 but got to keep the F5 Loar.  Another really fine F5 I remember as being a stand out was the 1956 F5 that Dean Webb used for 30 years in the Dillards.  He told me it was good when he bought it new and never found a better one.  I got to pick on that one a lot and it really was a goodin'.

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## AlanN

There have been many:

Thile's Dude
Ronnie's Gil
F5Loar's 09-July
Arnie Solomon's Altman
A guy's Nugget at IBMA
Wayne Benson's Triggs
Dempsey's Hutto
One of Wayne J's Loars

and many I don't remember

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## Ken_P

Last time I was at Mandolin Brothers, they had a Loar and a Gilchrist in the back room, playable upon request, as long as an employee was there to make sure you didn't do anything stupid. I tried both and there was no contest - the Gil is hands down the greatest instrument (not just mandolin) I've ever played. The Loar, surprisingly, didn't impress me much on it's own and sounded positively small compared to the Gilchrist.

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## Denny Gies

Having held, but never played a Loar, I'd have to say my own Randy Wood F5 is the best I've played.

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## wreded

i was just figuring out chop chords and that back-beat thing at a friend's house and one of the guys handed me his Loar.  OMG!  Took him a few minutes to convince me i could even *touch* it.  One of those "i'm not worthy" moments.

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## stratman62

Tut's A5 Loar but I am really liking my F7 Manndolin

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## 300win

> I recall Bob Shue did those A5 copies in early 70's.  And I got either the 3rd or 4th one.  Dennis Severt would have gotten the other one.  And at the time we both thought it was the best mandolin we had played at the time even better then our real Gibsons. Dennis had a 60's F5 and I had a 60's A5 round hole.   It was during that A5 Loar copy fad craze when Doyle and Sam and Bobby played the A5 copies. Monroe never caught the bug.  Tut Taylor started a mando revolution in the late 60's with the discovery of the one and only made Loar signed A5. 
> I don't know if Dennis still has his but mine went through the court system by way of a ten year divorce battle in which I lost the Shue A5 but got to keep the F5 Loar.  Another really fine F5 I remember as being a stand out was the 1956 F5 that Dean Webb used for 30 years in the Dillards.  He told me it was good when he bought it new and never found a better one.  I got to pick on that one a lot and it really was a goodin'.


Tom I know that Gwen Auman [girl mandolin player in a all girl band } she also got a Shue A5 after I got mine. I had Bob inlay Shue in the headstock along with a winding snake for snakehead I guess was what I was thinking. He also built me a custom case for it but laid out the inside for a F5 to fit in case I wanted to get one of those from him later on he said. That was one heck of a case, heavy and built like a tank, I honestly think it would probably be as strong as any of these high dollar cases that are on the market now. I remember at least twice that people accidently stepped on it and there was not any damage what-so-ever. I sold that mandolin to three guys who went in together to buy it, and two weeks later at the Mecklinburg fiddlers convention somebody stole it out of one of their vehicles. I talked to the guys and thay think they know who done it but could never prove it. I sure would love to locate that mandolin again. I hated to sell it but I had two boys ages 3 and less than a year old and times were tough then. The sale of it brought several groceries, gas and helped pay some bills. It was a good mandolin, really had a good chop, and a good tone, if it's still around I expect that it is great by now. I know that Dennis don't have his anymore as he was up at my house a couple years ago and we talked about the old times. He still has his F5 though. As far as Gwen, I have no idea if she still plays or is alive. I think if I remember correctly that Bob told me that everyone he had built until he built mine he had inlaid The Gibson in the headstock. I do remember when I talked to him about building it I told him to put his name on it and the snake. It was a cool looking snake he cut it out himself and even had the snakes tounge flicking out. I would know that mandolin again for sure as soon as I seen it if it has not been changed. And it has been 30 years ago that I sold it. Herb Lambert had a great sounding F5, I know it had The Gibson inlaid on it, but I have no idea if it was an original or a copy. I got to play that one some. Herb was a mentor of sorts to me. He would play anything I asked him to as many times as I asked him but only at the speed it was suppose to go, he never slowed anything down while showing me. I think that helped me to really pay attention and develop my ear, because that's the only way I can learn now still.

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## Rodney Riley

The Weber F-style Gallatin that the salesman at Fazio's Frets and Friends in St. Louis handed me. Was delivered a week later, wife smiled and said Happy Birthday/Merry Christmas. Birthday is 12-21  :Smile:

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## f5loar

I just picked with Herb about a month ago.  He's still hitting it just fine.  My Shue and Dennis's had the "The Gibson" with flowerpot in the snakehead.  I remember Gwen too but I'm thinking hers was after ours.

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## Don Raven

Lloyd Loar signed F -it totaly freaked me out just to hold it.

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## Martin Stevens

either mike marshall's loar or thile's dude

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## mandolirius

> either mike marshall's loar or thile's dude


Well, which was it?   :Grin:

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## Austin Koerner

A Loar, a Gil, and a Collings MF5V Deluxe. Really though, I'd rather own the Collings.

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## Ken Feil

Tiny Moore's 5 string Bigsby electric.

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## sgarrity

1)  A blonde birdseye Gilchrist A5
2)  One of Herschel's Loars, I believe it was an April, 23?  Played it about 30 minutes while he played my Heiden.  Good times!
3)  Andrew Collins' old Heiden A5.  I bought one shortly after.

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## Martin Stevens

> Well, which was it?


gotta go with the dude

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## june39

Sam's Hoss just after he acquired it.

Doug McCash

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## Dave Greenspoon

Picked on a few different Loars, and none of them lit my fire like the Monteleone GA I had the chance to test drive at MandoBros.  Wow. Jaw dropping tone, beautiful clarity and sustain on picked notes, amazing percussive bark, totally comfortable fit, and extremely easy to play.  Darn near even made _me_ sound good.  :-)

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## Connor_Briggs

I played a 1922 Lloyd Loar for a few songs. By far the best i've ever held, and played! Amazing sound!

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## Jeff Oxley

Ronnie McCoury's Gil...very briefly, alas (only for as long as he took to evaluate/tune my mandolin at last year's Delfest Academy)---mmmm, buttery!  Beyond that...my "new" Stiver, _still over the moon about it_!

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## pjlama

Don Greisers Gil or Gils should I say  :Wink:

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## ellisppi

I met Monroe in about 85 at Austin City Limits to show him a mandolin (actually Buck's). When I introduced myself, he looked at me and said "boy, din't you useta play banjo with me?" Wayne Lewis said "no Bill, that was Tony" He handed me his, took mine and took off on Kentucky Mandolin. All I remember was trying to keep up (though I won Hugo in 78 with that tune) and BOY was his action HIGH

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## 300win

> I met Monroe in about 85 at Austin City Limits to show him a mandolin (actually Buck's). When I introduced myself, he looked at me and said "boy, din't you useta play banjo with me?" Wayne Lewis said "no Bill, that was Tony" He handed me his, took mine and took off on Kentucky Mandolin. All I remember was trying to keep up (though I won Hugo in 78 with that tune) and BOY was his action HIGH


Yea he had that "real man action ". Not for us mortal weaklings.

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## Black Lightnin'

Nice question! Mine would definitely have to be Tommy Austin's Hutto... It was so amazing!  :Mandosmiley:

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## George R. Lane

I have been lucky enough to have played Reichmans Loar and another one at Greg Boyds. But the one that stands out is my new Weber Yellowstone. It is a beautiful instrument and sounds so clean and strong. And since I helped pick out the woods with Bruce, this one has special meaning to me. Does it sound as good as Reichman's, NO. But I love it and it didn't cost me 250K.

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## John Ritchhart

Emory Lester's Heiden. Best action/tone combo I've ever seen. Almost plays itself.

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## doc holiday

Well, John Reischman's Loar and  a Gibson from Mr. Ellis keepers...

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## mtucker

Red Diamond

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## Mike Bunting

> Red Diamond


 :Laughing: 
mtucker, you're cracking me up here.

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## mtucker

> mtucker, you're cracking me up here.


 :Crying:  :Crying:  :Crying:

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## Loudloar

It would be when Bill handed me his mandolin. (I told this story a while back on another thread, but it sure fits here.)

When I had first gotten my Loar I was at a Bluegrass festival and got a front-row seat to watch Bill Monroe's set. He broke a string on the first song. I had my mando with me, so I walked to the side of the stage and handed it to one of the BG Boys. Big Mon played it for the rest of the set. That was a thrill. The next day Bill was scheduled to do a mandolin workshop. I showed up early and so did Bill. It was just him and me. He started playing one of his modal tunes, probably something he had just made up, and I was struggling. Just then one of the BG Boys called him away, I think to get paid by the promoter. Bill handed me his mandolin and said he'd be right back. Not a soul was around. I put my Loar down and played Bill's. It had that awesome Bill Monroe tone, not that I could begin to sound like him. But it was a special moment to be able to play the holy grail of mandolins. 

Steve

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## Jack Roberts

Years ago, a salesman at buffalo brothers handed me the 1918 A1 from perdition.
Very bad -- condition, no pick guard, a lot more finish worn off than remaining, a cigarette burn on the oval, covered with tarry crud, and a smell like a tomcat urinated in an ashtray. And it was priced higher than the museum pieces in the glass case.
I thought he was dissing me.
But whatever. I started playing it and 30 minutes later I owned it.
The best.

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## Nolan

> I got to be the guy handing 76547 around at wintergrass 2004 :-) Some of the most fun I ever had was seeing the looks on the faces that got to play it. There were a few times I had just handed it to someone to try and suddenly had to go, I felt awful when I had to ask for it back quickly!


Hey... I got to be one of those guys!  Thanks Dan!

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## 300win

> Red Diamond


I have got a few chuckles seeing your two word post. Thanks for the laughs. Your two word post reminds me of the guy in the movie "One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest", that said 'hit me' all the time they wre playing cards. Again thanks for the humor, it is a blessing to make people laugh. Something I've worked at all my life.

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## Justus True Waldron

I know this is an older thread, but does anyone know what # Tom Mindte's Loar is? I was fortunate enough to get to play it for about a half hour or so a couple years ago... definitely one of those defining moments of mandolindum for me. I didn't actually know it was a loar until afterwards (I guess I could have looked inside) but I would have sworn after two notes it was just from the sound and feel - exactly what I had imagined. If there are "good sounding ones" and "ok sounding ones" I'm pretty sure his is far into the "great" category.

Maybe 9 years ago when I first started playing, Frank Wakefield had me over and gave me a lesson in his kitchen. That's my only other loar experience... didn't let me play his though :p

Played a Monteleon GA last month... it was really cool from a design/craftsmanship perspective and it was plenty loud, but the tone didn't impress me as much... certainly wasn't as "complex" as the loar.

Jesse Cobb swapped mandos with me for a song... I don't remember who made his, but it sure sounded nice. I wish I could have paid more attention to it, I was kind of nervous - I'm a big fan of his playing, and to play the mandolin I'd been listening to for a couple of years, well...

My favorite mando I've ever played? That would have to be a tie between Tom's loar and the first batch of varnish/steer horn binding mandos Marty Macica made (His traditional "Hoss" mando and the "Hippie" mando that is currently at Rudy's in NYC). I got to spend a lot time with those instruments, even playing a show with one of them, and to me they had the same exact quality of "feel" that the loar did... I digress. I could talk about mandos all day! So much easier then working [=

Anyone know the serial # of Tom's loar though?

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## mandobassman

Two come to mind for me.  The first was way back in the late '70s.  Buck White and The Down Home Folks were performing an outdoor music festival on the Parkway in Philadelphia.  I was talking to Buck after the show and asked him about his mandolin.  He handed me his Luke Thompson mando and it had the sweetest tone.  Looked liked it was assembled by someones 2 year old, but boy did it sound good.
The second was a 1942 Gibson F5.  My friend, Randy Lindley, who I played in a band with in Houston, owned it and played it in Karl Shifflet's band.  That mandolin had such incredible volume and had the classic Gibson tone so sought after.

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## KitLarson

Hi,never played any famous ones,my friend Barry had a Givens A model I wanted and the tone was the best ever better than my Gibson f5 and my Flatiron F5,it was an original Givens.

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## mrmando

Brock mandocello. Hoo-wee!

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## tjg

I played Peter Ostroushko 's mandolin once made by Peter White, Ken Keppeler, and Peter O.  It had a wonderful tone and was very easy to play.  Also had the opportunity to play a July 9th Loar which was not too shabby.

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## Paul Cowham

Last November I went to the European Guitar and Mandolin Academy in Germany. Mike Marshall was one of the tutors and one evening there was a jam session (great session, I was sat next to Don Stiernberg  :Smile:  )

Mike Marshall joined in partway through the session and I was playing guitar (there were loads on mandolins). Mike asked if he could play my guitar, so naturally I handed it to him. He was about to start playing it but just before he did he handed me his Loar, that is the best mandolin anybody's handed me to play. I played a lot of really nice mandolins when I went to TAMCO in Brighton 3 years ago, and I'm lucky enough to own a very nice mandolin (Heiden A artist) but this was a cut above anything else I've played.

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## Harrmob

I have played a lot of mandolins, but Mike Compton's oval hole F4 Gilchrist, with the Sugar Maple back and sides, was by far the best sounding. There were frequencies of the heavens bellowing out of the oval hole, and it was my fingers doing the work. It just didn't seem right.

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## George R. Lane

I forgot I already posted.

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## Wilbur James

I have played a Ghilchrist at the Monroe mandolin camp that was a pleasure to hear the tones coming from within, I played a loar at gruens that seemed as if it were asleep, I then did a workshop with Hersdchell Sizemore and he had his 23 loar and an Altman F5 with him. His loar was wonderful and the Altman was almost if not equal to my ears. A few months later I ended up with that Altman and it would be very hard to find a better mandolin to take its place.

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## Charley wild

Tut's A5 would have to be the nicest sounding mandolin I've played to date. I also recall a late 60's, early 70's F5 I played once when a guy sat in a band I was with. We swapped mandolins for a set. The finish was lousy I remember but that thing was a cracker! I had to back off the mic! It also had a a nice warm sound. I know Gibsons from that era aren't very renown but that one was an exception for sure!

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## Jill McAuley

Gilchrist Model 1 - needless to say it was awesome!

Cheers,
Jill

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## Keith Witty

A LaPlant, I'm not sure what model number it was. It was a good one, though.

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## Jim Garber

Woodley F2, Monteleone A model -- both played for about 20 minutes + each at CMSA 2004. Monteleone Baby Grand owned by a friend. I have heard him play it for years and he always sounded great. He is still a fantastic player and that mandolin is one of the best out there.

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## Brent Hutto

I was actually offered the chance to play a couple of mandolins by a builder whose mandolins I feel are among the finest in the world. Between my lack of "chops" and how nervous I'd be playing such fine instruments, I declined and ask him to play them for me. 

Probably should have acted like I've been there before and played them but I'm actually quite self-conscious about my inability to do a fine instrument any justice at all. And I can't deny that the image of a mandolin that valuable falling from my hands to the floor popped into my head, as well!

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## coletrickle

I recently got a chance to play both a Duff F5 and a Stanley F5. Didn't get more than a few minutes on each, but they both were outstanding in tone and volume. Personally it is hard to get to know and experience an instrument in just a few minutes. Even when I go to Elderly and play the mandos on the wall, I always wish I could have some more time to get to play them.

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## G. Fisher

Two that stick out for me are the John Sullivan owned by Spruce. The other was Scott Tichenor's Nugget that I got to play at Wintergrass at the Mandolin tasting.

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## mandroid

Tried a '22 A4, on consignment, here, liked it, so it's been in my house for 10 years.. 

 Small town, guess, I just don't have the travel budget of the rest of you do.  :Coffee:

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## Paul Merlo

I was pickin away at a 1919 A1 in a local store a while ago and apparently passed the audition because a guy came over and said "try this one".  He handed me a 1924 Gibson F4 that felt, sounded, played and smelled incredible to me.  I want that mandolin dearly, but they're asking around $9K.  I know it's a bit overpriced, but I still don't have $7K cash to offer anyway.  Besides, I have an awesome custom made Weber Vintage A that should tide me over until dinner anyway.

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## BBarton

Also, Reischman's Loar -- 'got to noodle on it for about a minute or two at a workshop. Gorgeous!!!  But one of the sweetest mandos I had a chance to play for awhile was a Gil model 3(?) that Twelfth Fret in Toronto had on consignment for awhile a couple of years ago. 'Couldn't afford to take it home though.

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## Michael Eck

Mandolinists are nice people. As a result I've been able to briefly taste a few very high level mandos, including Wakefield's Loar, Danny Roberts' Loar, Chris Brashear's Henderson (not long after he got it), David Long's Gil and Reid Burgess' Paganoni. Of that bunch, the Gil impressed me most.

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## mommythrice

At mando camp several years ago, Dave Harvey handed me Ricky Skaggs' Loar (after he dropped it on the floor :Disbelief: ). It was really nice, but I was expecting magic.  It still sounded like me.  I preferred the Gibson that Dave built for himself.  It just seemed easier to play and had a great sound.

I almost played Mark Stoffel's Gilchrist, but he handed it to my 12-year old instead.  THAT was a scary moment for me!

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## Cheryl Watson

I've played a lot of nice mandolins including a July 9 Loar, but I will never forget the Buckeye F5 I played a few years ago.  It had this fullness of tone, volume and cut that was just unbelievable.  I played it in a loud jam and it just sang!

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## f5loar

In the late 80's I went to see Herman Von Berniwitz at his home in Arlington, VA.  He was in his 90's then and personally knew Dave Apollon and Lloyd Loar which impressed me to say the least.  He handed me his 1921 Gibson F4 and it was the finest F4 I've ever had in my hands.  It had incrediable volume and tone.  He said he liked it because when he was conducting his mandolin orchestra they could hear him lead them.  He then handed me a very nice signed Loar H5 mandola with a clear pickguard on it.  I noticed it once had a Virzi in it and he told how he jerked it out with a pair of long nosed pliers and threw in the trash where it belonged.  I asked why and he said "because it was choking the sound to death".  Herman like many old timers that knew about Loar's Virzi addition to the Gibson line didn't really like them.

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## Dobe

Been tickled with every Nugget I've ever spanked (probably some 6 or 7) ,2 or 3 stood out of that bunch. A local Loar a few times but the best would be either Stephen Stones 30' Fern or his Gilchrist F. Weren't side by side on the same night so it's hard to tell.
He says if he only had one to keep it'd be the Gil. I tend to think the Fern might have been my favorite except for that damn Florida !  I also believe you should take them dang cages of the things, (toneguard  AUGHHHH)  I like to feel it in my belly  :Smile:

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## stratman62

The Griffith Loar and a Kimble F5. That Kimble actually breathes!

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## Charlieshafer

A Red Diamond and a Monteleone GA. I think I liked the Red Diamond more, but they were pretty quick hits.

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## robert.najlis

Andy Statman's Kimble (Andy handed it to me)

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## swinginmandolins

Handed a Red Diamond that disappointed, but that was due to it missing an a string and too low action.
Handed me through UPS from the builder my Holst!

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## Charles E.

Earlier this month I went to see My friend Joe Newberry with Mike Compton. Joe introduced me to Mike before the show and he just handed me his Gilchrist F-5, after I played it for a few minutes he handed me his Duff mandola! Both very nice instruments.

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## LA Mando

At the Kaufman Kamp a few years ago, Andy Owens let me play his Loar. I was too scared to see what it could do, and no way was I going to adjust the strap so I could really play freely. I held the Loar for dear life and picked a few notes. It sounded amazing even with that fearful effort. Keith Yoder let me borrow his custom Weber that was also fantastic. I've also played Carlo Aonzo's mandolin, which is not only a neapolitan mandolin, but the man plays it with no shoulder strap. How on earth???

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## Joe Parker

I recall the day Steve Gilchrist handed me #612...

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## Mike Romkey

Well, this is just name dropping! : ) Chris' Dude, Mike's Loar, Larry's Loar, Don's Gil, Mike's Gil, my new Duff.

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## Michael Eck

Gently off topic, but tonight I got to play a few chords on an 1850's Martin guitar!

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## goose 2

My first Master Model was one of the early ones from 2002.  It was awesome.  I was in  Byron Berline's shop in Guthrie,OK in about 2003 and asked him to check the finish on my mandolin because I thought something might be wrong with it as it was getting that crackalura thing in the varnish.  He played it and looked at it and told me that there was absolutely nothing wrong with my mandolin and to prove his point he pulled out his Loar and offered it to me to play.  Only time I have played a Loar and a recent MM side by side.  Great fun.

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## Chris Rogers

As many before me have already said, Reischman's Loar was the best sounding to me (but then he liked mine too!). But for shear mojo, it would have to be Loar's Loar.

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## j. condino

The Griffith A5.

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## mandomiss

David Grisman handed me his Loar to check out backstage at Rocky Grass when I was fifteen. I couldn't believe the volume and playability of that thing!  Truly one of those great moments in life.

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## Mike Crater

Dawg let me play his Giacomel J5 during the 2007 Symposium.  Played like butter, but it was a tad noisy in the room to hear what it sounded like with me playing...

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## gummia

Chris Thile's 1924 Lloyd Loar Gibson.  
We were chatting after a Punch Brothers set at the Living Room in NY. I had asked him if he would show me his Loar. He got it out and then handed it to me while he went to the bathroom. So I sat with his Loar in a near empty venue just looking at every detail on that mandolin. And played it for about 10 minutes. It was so smooth to play and sounded great to my ears. 

I had been jamming on it for a few minutes and then I was in the middle of some basic tune when he got back from the bathroom (think it was Whiskey before breakfast), and I didn't notice at once that he was back but when I noticed his smiling face next to me, listening, I kind of panicked, and stopped playing. Then I played a little bit more and he complimented me on my plying technique.  What a nice guy he is.  I still can't believe that he trusted me with his Loar while he left the room.

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## Fishel

In rehearsal with Grisman's band to replace Andy Statman in some klezmer-and-dawg shows, I was using my bowl-back for klezmer tunes. For a different tune, David casually handed me a Loar (no idea of the date). That instrument absolutely played like nothing I'd ever played before (or since). He said we could bring it on the road, but I was terrified, so he brought out some other old F5 that was also great - just not quite as great. Mandolin players sure are nice folks!

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## courses

As I walked through the farmer's market, I spotted a feller that I recognized from a nearby regular weekly jam session. He was sitting at his booth, playing a mando so I said hi and he offered me his instrument to try. When I saw "Dudenbostel" I politely declined, thinking "I'm not worthy"

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## Jim Garber

One of the very best was Michael Sassano's Monteleone Baby Grand prob from around mid 1980s. I have also played a few Loars and D'Angelicos handed to me by Stan Jay at Mandolin Brothers. Ralf Leenen has handed me quite a few exquisite Embergher bowlbacks which I would say were the best of that class.

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## meveral3

toss up between a Taggert F-5 or the Kimball A style .

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## John McCoy

Shortly after Jethro died, I was in a music store in Evanston, owned by a luthier _par excellance_, that both of us frequented.  The family had placed one of his Gibsons with the shop to sell.  When I walked in, the owner saw me and came over and said, "Hey, John:  I've got a mandolin you want to play."  I don't know the specific model, but it was an F-style with f holes.  Playability was impeccable; tone was out of this world.  Just playing some scales I drew a crowd.  That's not true:  the instrument drew a crowd.

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Ed Goist

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## jmalmsteen

I had the chance to play two Loars at IBMA for over a half hour. That was one of the best days of my life.

Realistically, the best mandolin was an F body Duff since I could never buy a Loar.

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## Bill Bradshaw

A 93 Givens A that Greg Boyd had at his shop in Missoula was simply amazing.

Bill

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## Marc Berman

#1 My Lawrence Smart  :Smile: 
#2 JR's Loar
#3 An F-5 Gibson Victorian that Bruce Harvey brought to Mandolin Camp North a few years back.

An honorable mention goes to Michael Sassano's Monteleone Baby Grand

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## Brian Ray

Compton's Gil. Without question, the best mandolin I've ever played. Though Roger Siminoff once threw (gently) Loar's Loar in my hands... (without telling me what it was).

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## G-Run

> Compton's Gil. Without question, the best mandolin I've ever played. Though Roger Siminoff once threw (gently) Loar's Loar in my hands... (without telling me what it was).


  I played Tony Willamson's Loar.(Hoss) I bought an Ellis and sold it.(Hoss) I have played an Weber Fern, Gibson Master distressed,(Hoss) Gibson Master 2001,(Hoss) Gibson D. Lawson, but,     The best sounding and playing but by only small margins, and by my ears openions, was and is my Bob Shue F-5 copy. Sorry $10,000 and above guy's. When it is played at festivals and jams I am alway's asked,what is that that you are playing? E to G strings she is level and loud. G, A, D, and a B chop that drives through the walls into other rooms. I don't think I have the best mandolin built but the best I have ever played and owned. My openion guy's.

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Ed Goist

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## Pete Martin

Tie between John Reichmans Loar and the Loar A5 with my 80 Gilchrist being a close second.

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