# General Mandolin Topics > Looking for Information About Mandolins >  Collings, Girouard or Pava - looking for an A for $3000 or less

## dreadhead

I'm located in France, but will be visiting friends & family in late May/early June. The plan is to bring a mandolin back with me. I'll be flying in and out of Charlotte spending the first week in Myrtle Beach, SC and the 2nd week with friends in Asheville, NC. I'll be with my wife and son so traveling around to all the different music stores trying to track down the best mandolin at the right price isn't going to be my top priority. Too bad there isn't an Elderly or Gruhn equivalent around Asheville. What I'll probably do is buy in advance and have it delivered to my sister or my friends in Asheville.  Another thing bto consider aside from consistency in sound is resale ability. There's not a huge demand for mandolins in France, so going with a Collings, a well known brand with an excellent reputation, might make it the most obvious choice in case I ever decide to resale in order to upgrade. 
Out of the three I mentioned.....I'd like to hear from some people that have compared them.

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## JEStanek

It is a four and one half hour drive from Asheville NC, to Nashville.  Not much compared to flying across the Atlantic ocean.  What are the chances of Gruhn having all three?  I'm assuming you mean A with ff holes?  If you're open to oval holes, hitting a good vintage shop for an old Gibson seems in order, too.

Jamie

Also, would Girouard's schedule have a new one built for you by then?  What is their list like?

If it were me, with these choices,  I would be inclined to work with Max and Laurie and get a custom one built to my specs with a cool color Laurie does so well.

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## allenhopkins

*Harry & Jeannie West* have a store in Statesville, which is about 100 miles from Asheville.  Not quite Elderly, Gruhn, or Mandolin Brothers, but well worth a visit.

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## cayuga red

Contact Dennis at The Mandolin Store. He carries all three of the lines you reference.  He also sells lots of used mandos so he can share his experience regarding resale.

Good luck!

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Eldon Dennis

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## Russ Jordan

Danny Bishop's Fiddle and Fret is in Fairview, just outside of Asheville.  Danny is a dealer for Collings, Ellis, and Pava.
http://www.fiddleandfret.com

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## MandoDave1

Girouard, hands down.  I'm biased, though.  :Smile:

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Ben Cooper, 

Brandon Sumner

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## Ben Cooper

I second Dave's comment.  Girouard, all the way.  Email or call them (if you can).  They will work with you every step of the way to create the most wonderful instrument which is custom made to your own specifications and will fit you perfectly!  Of course, I am also biased... as I am a proud Girouard owner.  I suggest checking out their website AND contacting them to find out what their schedule is currently like.  It is WELL worth it!   girouardmandolins.com  is where you want to start.  You might also check the mandolin store or mandomutt to see if they have any in stock.

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## Ben Cooper

Oh, as far as resale goes.... you can probably sell any of the three mentioned through the Mandolin Store or Mandomutt or here throuigh the classifieds with little trouble!

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## F-2 Dave

I can't comment about Pava or Girouard, but I couldn't be happier with my Collings MT. Plus, they can be had used for $1K less than your budget all day. 

Dave

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## Mike Scott

Then there is Silverangel (Kentucky) and Skip Kelley (NC-which is where you'll be).  May want to check both of those too. NFI-BTW.

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## Sid Simpson

I have a Pava and a Girouard mandola, and I can highly recommend either as wonderful instruments you would be proud to play.  The Girouards are great to work with, and you would have a memorable experience with some very nice folks.  I think, though, they are currently engaged with a group of F style mandolins and may not be doing any new A styles for a few months.  Dennis at the Mandolin Store or Jeff at MandoMutt may have some available.  Super instruments from builders who should be charging much more for their instruments.

I can't say enough good things about the Pavas.  They are great mandolins, and would be worth it at twice the price. They are pretty much stripped down Ellis mandolins, with all the tone and playability.

I can't speak directly to the Collings, but they have a great reputation and are one of the go-to recommendations for A style mandolins.  People seem to love them, and there are some pros out there who sound great on them.

You could resell any of them easily, if you aren't happy with them.

I don't think you could go wrong with any of them.  They all have a little different sound and character, and I think it's as much personal preference with this group as anything else.  Pick one and play the heck out of it!

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## Brandon Sumner

Hi, I have not played any Pava's  but the look to be very nice instruments. I have played a Collins MT and found it to be a bit dry for my taste, but this was only one instrument. I just purchased a Girouard and really love it, warm, rich and stunning to look at. The price is good too. Ultimately, your best bet would be to play all 3 if possible and pick the one that speaks to you.
 Best of luck!

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## Mandobar

I own all three models mentioned here.  You can't go wrong with any.  As for resale, I think it's better to consider the feel and sound of the instrument first and foremost.

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Ben Cooper

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## Toycona

I just played 3 PAVAs today at Sylvan in Santa Cruz, but for the money I'd stay with my Girouard, hands down. They are easy to work with, and you can get Max and Lauri to dial in your tone and finish specs very well. (NFI)

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Ben Cooper

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## John Soper

All three should give you plenty of bang for the buck.  However, never buy based on estimates of resale value.  It is always best to play before you pay... but that is not always possible.  My best thoughts for buying WITHOUT  a preview:  if you buy used and don't dig the mandolin, you will not loose as much (if you buy cautiously) as if you buy new and something doesn't work for you.

Best of Luck!

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cayuga red

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## Mandobar

never buy an instrument based on the projected resale.  the economy and people's perceptions drive much of the secondary market.

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## dreadhead

Thanks for all the comments so far. I lived in Nashville a couple of years before moving here, was born 50 miles from there & still have lots of family in that area, but going there isn't in the cards this trip unfortunately. Getting a good mandolin player to test drive some mandos for me at Gruhn's might be a possibility though. 

All the praise for Girouard mandolins hasn't gone unnoticed & I had listened to the mp3's available on The Mandolin Store before I posted this thread. I really just started looking & had considered going custom, but it would have to be done & delivered by the end of may at the absolute latest. 

When I was looking at the Ellis website a few days ago, i had noticed that The Fiddle & Fret were dealers for Ellis, but they weren't listed as dealers for Pava. I'm still considering Pava & any other mandolin under $3000. I'd prefer an F to be honest, but the most important thing for me is sound & feel.....most bang for buck.

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## Jonathan James

Another maker to consider for an A is Paul Newson. For about $2500, you can get a custom hand-made A5 model in varnish with a  James tailpiece and Elite tuners.  Really fine maker (under the radar) with great tone.

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## Russ Jordan

> When I was looking at the Ellis website a few days ago, i had noticed that The Fiddle & Fret were dealers for Ellis, but they weren't listed as dealers for Pava.


I think Fiddle & Fret not being listed is an oversight--I bought Pava #1 from there, and know Danny has had some since.

I think one thing when considering Pava vs Collings is the neck profile, as they are very different.

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## dreadhead

> I think Fiddle & Fret not being listed is an oversight--I bought Pava #1 from there, and know Danny has had some since.
> 
> I think one thing when considering Pava vs Collings is the neck profile, as they are very different.


I'm not too picky about neck profiles on guitars and mandolins. I do prefer the wider 1 3/4" neck on guitars, but actually prefer the necks of my first mandolin (the Flatiron A5jr) & second mandolin (Elvenwood A) to my current wider necked The Loar 600. I have a friend from Tryon by the way....beautiful area. thanks for the info!

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## Charles E.

> Thanks for all the comments so far. I lived in Nashville a couple of years before moving here, was born 50 miles from there & still have lots of family in that area, but going there isn't in the cards this trip unfortunately. Getting a good mandolin player to test drive some mandos for me at Gruhn's might be a possibility though. 
> 
> All the praise for Girouard mandolins hasn't gone unnoticed & I had listened to the mp3's available on The Mandolin Store before I posted this thread. I'd prefer an F to be honest, but the most important thing for me is sound & feel.....most bang for buck.


There is a Girouard F-5 (2012) in the classifieds right now for well under 3K....

http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/72168

And it is in North Carolina, not too far from Ashville.  NFI

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Ben Cooper

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## Marcus CA

> I'd prefer an F to be honest, but the most important thing for me is sound & feel.....most bang for buck.


At your pricepoint, you won't find a new Collings F, although you might find a used one in the low $3K's in the Cafe Classifieds, especially if you're willing to wait until May or June, as you mentioned originally.  The Girouards have made some F's, but I think they sell new for $3,500, and they haven't made too many of those.  I've only seen Pava's A models, and I don't know if she has made any F's.  At the $3K price point for a new mando, my favorite F model would be a Weber Bitterroot.  If you go for a used F model, you could get a used Gibson F-9 or possibly one of their lower F-5 models.

It's really tough to talk about the feel of a mando, since what some people like, other people can't stand.  For me, a Weber neck is much more comfortable than a Collings neck, but that has more to do with the size and shape of my hand than the craftsmanship and design of either company's instruments.  That's why plenty of people will strongly agree and disagree with my preference.

If you're looking for the most bang for the buck, at $4K, I'd say that you would probably find it in an F-model, but at $3K, you might be more successful with an A-model.

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## Ben Cooper

Girouard F still in the classifieds and Mandolin store has 2 A style.

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## Mandobar

We are forgetting here that the OP is not planning his purchase until May of 2014.

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## yankees1

Northfield A is around $2500.

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## John Kinn

I would go a long way to be able to play a 3K mandolin before I bought it. Personal feel is a big part of the deal. Just my 2c.

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## Charles E.

> There is a Girouard F-5 (2012) in the classifieds right now for well under 3K....
> 
> http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/72168
> 
> And it is in North Carolina, not too far from Ashville.  NFI


And it is gone, I wonder if the OP got it?

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## pheffernan

> And it is gone, I wonder if the OP got it?


I'm guessing dslaboone got it: http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...ouard-opinions

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## BobMcC

Pava.

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## Mandobar

> And it is gone, I wonder if the OP got it?


no, i think it went to another cafe member

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## dreadhead

> no, i think it went to another cafe member


I saw the ad before it sold & had considered it, but in the description I read this: "In general, Max does the fit and Lauri the finish, but this one was built by Lauri under Max's supervision. She did an outstanding job. Excellent fit and finish and this instrument is a Beast!" I"m sure it's a great mandolin, but I'd want to get a Cafe members opinion on it before I pulled the trigger. I bought a Martin D-18 Authentic before trying it & also have a custom resophonic squareneck so I've taken my chances before, but just going by the description, I'd rather have a Girouard in which Max had done the fit & Lauri had done the finish.

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## Canoedad

You may also consider a BRW by Ohio luthier Ben Wilcox.  I have it on the best possible authority that he is going to build some A models with appointments in line with a Collings MT except with his same varnish finish and still well within your price parameters.  You'll have to search for Ben Wilcox here on the Café as "BRW" is to short a search term.

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## Skip Kelley

Joseph, Look at mandomut.com to see what he has. He is located in NC. Enjoy your trip!

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Charles E.

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## dreadhead

> Joseph, Look at mandomut.com to see what he has. He is located in NC. Enjoy your trip!


thank you, I've heard good things about your mandolins too.

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## Mandobar

> I saw the ad before it sold & had considered it, but in the description I read this: "In general, Max does the fit and Lauri the finish, but this one was built by Lauri under Max's supervision. She did an outstanding job. Excellent fit and finish and this instrument is a Beast!" I"m sure it's a great mandolin, but I'd want to get a Cafe members opinion on it before I pulled the trigger. I bought a Martin D-18 Authentic before trying it & also have a custom resophonic squareneck so I've taken my chances before, but just going by the description, I'd rather have a Girouard in which Max had done the fit & Lauri had done the finish.


I would not have let that stop me.  Knowing Lauri and Max I'd have to say that for under $3k that was the steal of 2013.  If the instrument was not up to their standards it would have been a vapor of smoke in their wood stove.  I was tempted, but they are making me an F5 style next.

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## Ben Cooper

> I would not have let that stop me.  Knowing Lauri and Max I'd have to say that for under $3k that was the steal of 2013.  If the instrument was not up to their standards it would have been a vapor of smoke in their wood stove.  I was tempted, but they are making me an F5 style next.


I agree with Mary... both of them are consummate craftspeople!  If it did not meet their exacting standards... it never would have gone out.  And yes, the woodstove would probably have been fed.

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## Dave LaBoone

> I'm guessing dslaboone got it: http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...ouard-opinions


Yes! I did get it...picked it up this morning, and the unopened box is staring me down as we speak.   :Cool:

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Ben Cooper

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## Ben Cooper

> Yes! I did get it...picked it up this morning, and the unopened box is staring me down as we speak.


One lucky person!

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## dreadhead

> Yes! I did get it...picked it up this morning, and the unopened box is staring me down as we speak.


I saw your sound clip & I missed out on a good one!

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## dreadhead

My wife wasn't too happy when she found out how much I wanted to spend, but she came around today. I think she realized just how much I wanted a new mandolin when i temporarily put my D-18 Authentic up for sale! I couldn't bring myself to sell it though & canceled my ad.

I'm ready to take the plunge and go ahead and buy, but I want to stay under 2000€ which would be around $2700 right now (I just hope that internet sales tax law hasn't gone into effect yet!). One mandolin I didn't mention that I've heard a lot about is the Northfield and the one at Elderly looks pretty sweet -The F5S. Have they sorted out those finish issues & should I even consider it? I missed out on a good deal on a used Collings MT....you really have to act fast because they seem to go fast. I'm also looking at a couple of Girouard varnish mandolins on two sites & I see a Pava player that I could go for too. This is a tough choice! Has anybody actually played any of the specific mandolins I mentioned?

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## Clement Barrera-Ng

> One mandolin I didn't mention that I've heard a lot about is the Northfield and the one at Elderly looks pretty sweet -The F5S. Have they sorted out those finish issues & should I even consider it? I missed out on a good deal on a used Collings MT....you really have to act fast because they seem to go fast. I'm also looking at a couple of Girouard varnish mandolins on two sites & I see a Pava player that I could go for too. this is a tough choice!


Ditto on missing out on that MT...  As for the Northfield NF-5S - the S series are finished in lacquer and not varnish which is where some of the issues have been reported in the past. So I don't expect the same finish issue to happen with them. Just my 2 cents.

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## DataNick

Talk to Seth Rippey at Rippey Mandos: he's a cafe member. After talking to him, and Tom Ellis, if I was in the market for a new A model; it's really hard to beat the Pava...nothing against the Collings MT or Girouard...

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## yankees1

> Ditto on missing out on that MT...  As for the Northfield NF-5S - the S series are finished in lacquer and not varnish which is where some of the issues have been reported in the past. So I don't expect the same finish issue to happen with them. Just my 2 cents.


 The french polish process is the problem, actually a moisture problem. I know someone who has played both of the Northfields ( S series and Master models) and according to him the voice was almost identical and very, very good ! Finish on S series very nice but finish problems with the varnish/FP Master model still evident. I'm sure Northfield will eventually get the finish problem resolved !

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## dreadhead

Right now, I'm heavily leaning towards getting a Pava Player. Has anyone on here had a chance to try out the one at the Music Emporium? I have until May to buy, but I don't know how difficult it will be to find one in the coming months.....they don't seem to stick around in the stores too long.

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## Northfield mando

Dear dreadhead, an owner of one of our mandolins sent me a link to this forum thread. They mentioned that our mandolins were coming up in topic amongst some nice company, always nice to hear. I just read through the comments and want to offer a direct contact. If you have any questions or would like discuss our instruments, their specifications-our tonal approach, etc please feel free to reach out to me. I realize this is a forum and that you're after other people's opinions, so I'll stay away from directly responding to some of the statements made above. But, for what it's worth, I'm here to help if I can. Good luck with your search and enjoy it... finding the right instrument is one of the most rewarding journeys possible, IMO. Thanks, Adrian Bagale Northfield Mandolins, 269-267-3678

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## yankees1

> Right now, I'm heavily leaning towards getting a Pava Player. Has anyone on here had a chance to try out the one at the Music Emporium? I have until May to buy, but I don't know how difficult it will be to find one in the coming months.....they don't seem to stick around in the stores too long.


 Dreadhead, If there is anyway you can play any of these mandolins before buying , do so ! Best information I can give you ! I have an Ellis A5 and I expect the Pava will sound very similar to it. However, don't eliminate a Northfield ! For the money and even more it is the best bargain out there ! But, don't take my word for it, try to locate a Northfield to play ! You will be glad you took the effort to do so ! Northfield is a fantastic sounding mandolin !

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## Dave Reiner

> Right now, I'm heavily leaning towards getting a Pava Player. Has anyone on here had a chance to try out the one at the Music Emporium? I have until May to buy, but I don't know how difficult it will be to find one in the coming months.....they don't seem to stick around in the stores too long.


I played the Pava A5 at the Music Emporium last week and thought it was great.  Very playable, nice punch and excellent tone to it.  Similar to an Ellis (surprise!). Somebody will be happy with that one.

Dave

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## Manfred Hacker

Dreadhead, don't forget to factor in customs fees and tax when returning to Europe. It is a huge percentage of the price of the instrument.
I don't know about France, but generally customs personnel in Europe are very suspicious about people returning from the US with instrument cases. It might be easier to get away with a used instrument. Just my 2 cents'

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## almeriastrings

> Dreadhead, don't forget to factor in customs fees and tax when returning to Europe. It is a huge percentage of the price of the instrument.
> I don't know about France, but generally customs personnel in Europe are very suspicious about people returning from the US with instrument cases. It might be easier to get away with a used instrument. Just my 2 cents'


Yes. Absolutely right.

Be careful. If you have it shipped, then look at +25/30% in taxes/fees.  If you bring back yourself, then there could be 2-3% duty and 20% TVA (VAT) payable on return... do not be tempted to evade this, as they can catch up with you at any time and can confiscate the instrument and can fine you very heavily.

I recently refused a good deal on a (very) high end vintage instrument because the seller had "smuggled" it in without paying taxes. If I ever tried to re-sell, and the serial number was checked, it could have been a *big* problem. It is just not worth it.

PS: Trevor at the Acoustic Music Co has an absolutely gorgeous  Pava right now, fully legal with taxes all paid:

http://www.theacousticmusicco.co.uk/...mandolins.html

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## dreadhead

Thanks for all the comments and advice everybody. As an American traveling on an American passport, I am always more apprehensive flying into the U.S. than flying out with all the increased airport security since "the day that everything changed". The French always just pass me through like all the other American tourists that come here on vacation. I did buy a Martin  guitar from the states once and had it delivered. I ended up paying over 700 Euros in shipping, taxes, VAT. I do know of French people that have bought guitars while on vacation and didn't pay customs, but I would advise them against it. There's also a certain Martin dealer in Florida very popular with the French that apparently is willing to declare guitars for much less than their worth, but if there was a problem, the buyer would only be covered for the declared amount. I would not buy from this dealer. 

On another note.... between the Northfield and Pava, which would be the most versatile? I do play some bluegrass but I play all sorts of different styles. I do want a mandolin with f holes though. I think the Northfields are beautiful mandolins and I respect the opinions of people like Adam Steffey.... I am considering them too as well as the others I've mentioned.

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## yankees1

> Thanks for all the comments and advice everybody. As an American traveling on an American passport, I am always more apprehensive flying into the U.S. than flying out with all the increased airport security since "the day that everything changed". The French always just pass me through like all the other American tourists that come here on vacation. I did buy a Martin  guitar from the states once and had it delivered. I ended up paying over 700 Euros in shipping, taxes, VAT. I do know of French people that have bought guitars while on vacation and didn't pay customs, but I would advise them against it. There's also a certain Martin dealer in Florida very popular with the French that apparently is willing to declare guitars for much less than their worth, but if there was a problem, the buyer would only be covered for the declared amount. I would not buy from this dealer. 
> 
> On another note.... between the Northfield and Pava, which would be the most versatile? I do play some bluegrass but I play all sorts of different styles. I do want a mandolin with f holes though. I think the Northfields are beautiful mandolins and I respect the opinions of people like Adam Steffey.... I am considering them too as well as the others I've mentioned.


 I have owned Northfield and Ellis. I have no doubt that a Pava will sound similar to the Ellis although I have not played a Pava, I stand by my belief that you should try to play both before deciding but this may not be possible. I think for the money and the sound you want I would go with the Northfield F5. F's have a  better resale value than an A model in case you ever want to sell it. But, my deciding factor is the tone/sound and Northfield is very good  and you would love it. On the treble side my Northfield was much better in the area of projection and bell like clarity than my Ellis. Chop was also better on the Northfield.  Yes, I did have some finish problems with mine but many did not. Adrian at Northfield told me to send it back and they re-buffed the finish at no charge. I think Northfield has already made changes to their finish but you should give Adrian a call and talk with him.Both Adrian at Northfield and the Ellis people were great to deal with and both want to make sure the customer is satisfied.

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## mandogerry

I admit to being slightly geographically, Euro currency, and import fees challenged -- but since you are in France, have you considered an excursion to England and the Acoustic Music Company? They always seem to have mandolins by all three of the luthiers you're looking at (and some beautiful ones they are). Perhaps less expensive than buying an instrument in the US and shipping it back to France. They no longer ship to the US, but I still browse their site for the sheer beauty of the mandolins they have.

Acoustic Music Company is a Cafe sponsor and seems to have a great reputation. I have no personal interest in their business, but this might be a good solution for you.

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## dreadhead

> I admit to being slightly geographically, Euro currency, and import fees challenged -- but since you are in France, have you considered an excursion to England and the Acoustic Music Company? They always seem to have mandolins by all three of the luthiers you're looking at (and some beautiful ones they are). Perhaps less expensive than buying an instrument in the US and shipping it back to France. They no longer ship to the US, but I still browse their site for the sheer beauty of the mandolins they have.
> 
> Acoustic Music Company is a Cafe sponsor and seems to have a great reputation. I have no personal interest in their business, but this might be a good solution for you.


It probably would be about the same price if I was going to have a mandolin  shipped to me from the U.S. I also visit  the Acoustic Music Company site & may buy from them in the future. they have a huge selection of fine mandolins. The Krishot A they have right now is pretty sweet & his mandolins get great reviews. Bryan Kimsey has a real good comparison video on Youtube. Still though, it's around 160€ over my self-imposed budget. I did send an e-mail to the luthier about the cost of a custom but he hasn't gotten back to me yet. From the little research I did on Krishot, I believe that he primarily voices his mandolins for bluegrass. As I said, I do play some bluegrass, but I also play some classical, folk, blues, jazz, & celtic/Irish music.    
I think if I was to buy from a European luthier, then I'd want to go custom. There's also a French luthier, Coufleau, with a good reputation. I have no idea how much he charges though.... I'm still leaning towards going with a Pava. 

I have been researching  the forum, but I'd like to hear more opinions from people who have played both Northfield & Pava. Feel free to send me a private message if you don't want to publicly show a preference for one or the other. From what I've read, I think that I'd be happy with either one. I want the mandolin that will fit my needs the best. Playability & tone are most important to me. If I was going on looks alone, I'd probably prefer the Northfield, but that is of the least importance for me.

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## Mike Bunting

Has anybody recommeded Flatbush mandolins out of Denmark. I believe that Steffey played one for awhile. 
http://www.flatbush.dk/Mandolins.htm

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## darylcrisp

i'll weigh in with my recent buying experience.
I come from a background of fingerstyle guitar, play a lot of dropped tunings, DADGAD and others. I like slower mournful type songs, especially in the minor keys. Play weissenborn and mountain dulcimer also. My wife and daughter each have weber F style mandolins-I had never really tried playing mandolin-just didn't have time. About a month ago I saw a video that really hit home to me. The player was using a mandolin for some slower, deeper type music. It was beautiful. Since we already had two excellent F style webers, I decided I wanted an A. Started looking at the Collings and Webers, did a lot of research, then found Pava. The Pava came highly recommended since I described what I wanted to play much like what you have. Not just bluegrass. Two owners of fine instruments both recommended a Pava if I could find one. They sell the other brands you mentioned also.

I've found the Pava to have a wonderful string balance, everything just fits and sounds large. The notes are full and thick-especially the trebles-not harsh. Build quality is outstanding. It reminds me of a jewel. Light, airy, bell quality to the notes, easy playability.

I adjusted the truss rod to achieve a totally flat fretboard, dropped the action below 1/16" at the 12th and it rings with no buzz. Very easy to fret and play. I highly considered both the Collings and the Girouard(spoke with the builder and confirmed these do not come with adjustable truss rods-carbon fiber is used in the neck. I prefer to have adjustable truss rods in all my instruments whenever possible. just a personal thing).

I would assume, based on what I know in guitars and recently being around the café here, Collings would have a quicker resale, but I think folks in the know-especially here-would buy either of the 3 brands just as quick.

I paid around $2200 for my Pava, it is the base satin model. Its killer!
http://www.themandolinstore.com/scri...idproduct=9785
Its much nicer looking in person.

Two shops near Asheville that usually carry some nice mandolins are:

Musicoutlet in Sevierville, Tn(near pigeon forge Tn) they tend to usually have 5 or 6 nice webers and I've seen up to 10 gibsons before. Nice folks to deal with and they have a ton of guitars and things. martin, taylor, Gibson, all sorts of electrics.

not far from Music outlet is Smoky Mountain Guitars in Pigeonforge Tn. He carries Huss/Dalton, Collings guitars and used to stock the mandolins-might want to give either a call if these brands interest you.

Someone mentioned Sylvans had Pava's, I've bought a guitar and Kanilea Uke from these folks, they are great to work with. They are musicians and will play the instruments over the phone repeatedly for you, and will describe the strengths and such of each. They are well liked in the guitar world.

best of luck in deciding-its a hard choice-I know, just went thru it myself-same brands
d

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## Manfred Hacker

> Has anybody recommeded Flatbush mandolins out of Denmark. I believe that Steffey played one for awhile. 
> http://www.flatbush.dk/Mandolins.htm


I don't know about Steffey, but Alan Bibey plays and promotes a Flatbush in his instructional video. I personally liked the Flatbush tone there better than the Gibson (Loar?) he played. And not just because there was no pick-click ...

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## dreadhead

> I don't know about Steffey, but Alan Bibey plays and promotes a Flatbush in his instructional video. I personally liked the Flatbush tone there better than the Gibson (Loar?) he played. And not just because there was no pick-click ...


Flatbush came up the last time I was looking for information about European & French luthiers. His prices aren't listed on his site, but I think a custom Flatbush would be over my budget. Looking at the exchange rate, the €uro is only worth 83 cents to the £, whereas the dollar is only worth 73 cents to the €uro making it much more attractive buying my mandolin from the U.S. 
I am going to see if I can find some music stores with an online presence located in the Czech republic. I know a really good Czech flatpicker that I've jammed with and he knows several of the Czech luthiers personally. I'll send him an e-mail and see what information he can give me. If there are no online stores, he could at the least give me an idea of how much some of these mandolins go for in Czech Korunas & then I could see what that amount would be in €uros.

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## yankees1

> Flatbush came up the last time I was looking for information about European & French luthiers. His prices aren't listed on his site, but I think a custom Flatbush would be over my budget. Looking at the exchange rate, the €uro is only worth 83 cents to the £, whereas the dollar is only worth 73 cents to the €uro making it much more attractive buying my mandolin from the U.S. 
> I am going to see if I can find some music stores with an online presence located in the Czech republic. I know a really good Czech flatpicker that I've jammed with and he knows several of the Czech luthiers personally. I'll send him an e-mail and see what information he can give me. If there are no online stores, he could at the least give me an idea of how much some of these mandolins go for in Czech Korunas & then I could see what that amount would be in €uros.


 You are proceeding in an intelligent manner, getting everyone's opinion and  hopefully playing a few before purchasing. Of those you have mentioned I am still in the Northfield camp ! For a F5 you can't beat their price and sound is great no matter what style of music you will be playing.

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## dreadhead

> You are proceeding in an intelligent manner, getting everyone's opinion and  hopefully playing a few before purchasing. Of those you have mentioned I am still in the Northfield camp ! For a F5 you can't beat their price and sound is great no matter what style of music you will be playing.


I received a private message from someone that owns a Northfield, several other fine mandolins & has actually played a certain Pava in a particular store. He gave it a thumbs up. That means a lot more to me knowing the variability from mandolin to mandolin. By the way, has anyone tried the Northfield F5 available at Elderly? I'm not sure if the photo on the website is the actual mandolin they have in stock though....very beautiful, but does it have the sound to go with it?

I am doing some research on the Czech luthiers... If this thread comes up in a search, I want to add this link because it lists all the websites for some of the Czech luthiers: http://www.plzenak.cz/hudba/vyrobci

I used the search term: Čeština  hudba  mandolína   which means Czech music mandolin     I'm still waiting on a response from my Czech friend....

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## dreadhead

I found a pretty good deal, I think, on a used Collings MT2 for $2600. Has anyone compared an MT2 to a Northfield F5-S or Pava Player?

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## yankees1

I have played two Collings and neither compared to the Northfield F5.

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## dreadhead

I went ahead & made my choice. I'll probably go custom next time, but the Collings MT2  I just bought should  be a major step up from my current mandolin which is a the Loar 600VS. I had a hard time deciding, but in the end found a good deal on a slightly used (6 months or less) model. Thanks for all your contributions to this thread.  :Smile:

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## jasona

> I received a private message from someone that owns a Northfield, several other fine mandolins & has actually played a certain Pava in a particular store. He gave it a thumbs up. That means a lot more to me knowing the variability from mandolin to mandolin. By the way, has anyone tried the Northfield F5 available at Elderly? I'm not sure if the photo on the website is the actual mandolin they have in stock though....very beautiful, but does it have the sound to go with it?
> 
> I am doing some research on the Czech luthiers... If this thread comes up in a search, I want to add this link because it lists all the websites for some of the Czech luthiers: http://www.plzenak.cz/hudba/vyrobci
> 
> I used the search term: Čeština  hudba  mandolína   which means Czech music mandolin     I'm still waiting on a response from my Czech friend....


I have picked around on a Krishot and a Capek and both were stellar instruments (even if the Krishot was a tad on the quiet side)

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## Josh Levine

Can't go wrong with the MT2. It should keep you occupied for a while.

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## dreadhead

> Can't go wrong with the MT2. It should keep you occupied for a while.


This really was a tough choice. I actually had one of the Cafe's stores put a hold on a Pava Player & had a Northfield F5-S in my shopping cart at one point on the Elderly website. It would have been much easier if I could have actually tried them all out.
Here are some photos

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## Clement Barrera-Ng

That MT2 is a beaut! Congrats Joseph.

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## jasona

yes indeed love the look of that black topped finish. I have never played a bad Collings, enjoy!

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## CeeCee_C

You made a good choice. Actually, I don't think you could have gone wrong with any of your options. BTW, if you're having Girouard build an instrument for you and you ask for a truss rod, they'll build it that way.

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## dreadhead

Thanks barrangatan, jasona  & CeeCee_C!




> You made a good choice. Actually, I don't think you could have gone wrong with any of your options. BTW, if you're having Girouard build an instrument for you and you ask for a truss rod, they'll build it that way.


I chatted with Max through some exchanges & a Girouard could be in my future at some point. I was also considering the Girouard #67 on Mandomutt's site & thought about contacting Skip Kelley. There are actually a few mandolins over on mandomutt's website that I probably would have been more than happy with & I noticed that he just lowered the price on that  FlatIron Festival F. 
I'm happy with my decision though and Kyle at the Mando Shop is a pleasure to do business with. He's installing a strap button, setting the mandolin up & will ship her out this later this week. The waiting is the hardest part!

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## almeriastrings

Cannot go wrong there, as _all_ these are seriously high calibre instruments. The MT2 looks great!

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## Cathy

Fiddle and Fret is now listed as a Pava dealer as well as an Ellis.

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## Petrus

Can someone create a poll on this forum platform? I've never seen one yet. It might be insightful.

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## Mandobar

I played Dave Surette's Girouard tonight.  Holy Mole!  Amazing.  They really outdid themselves.

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## californiajed

> I went ahead & made my choice. I'll probably go custom next time, but the Collings MT2  I just bought should  be a major step up from my current mandolin which is a the Loar 600VS. I had a hard time deciding, but in the end found a good deal on a slightly used (6 months or less) model. Thanks for all your contributions to this thread.


I suspect you will be thrilled with your choice.  I've had the opportunity to play several MT2s and none disappointed.  From my experience, the often repeated praise for Collings' consistency is based in truth.  The one you got looks beautiful.  It should be a very safe purchase at that price as well, should your experience with it be sub-par. (But I cannot imagine it will be.)

Happy picking!

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## pheffernan

> I went ahead & made my choice. I'll probably go custom next time, but the Collings MT2  I just bought should  be a major step up from my current mandolin which is a the Loar 600VS. I had a hard time deciding, but in the end found a good deal on a slightly used (6 months or less) model. Thanks for all your contributions to this thread.


You could complete the pair with an MT2O now without leaving May or France! http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/76441

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## Capt. E

> Girouard, hands down.  I'm biased, though.


I'm biased as well: If you find a Pava, buy it. Great mandolin for the money. Every bit the equal of the Ellis A's that are priced 50% higher.

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jshane, 

Mandobar

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