# Music by Genre > Celtic, U.K., Nordic, Quebecois, European Folk >  Celtic Mandolin Builders

## sgarrity

Looking to learn some more about the builders of these mandolins.  Sobell and Fylde being two of the oldest and well known builders, at least for me.  Taran Guitars and the Springwell mandolin.  Frank Tate.  Nigel Forster.  Red Valley here in the US.  Who are some other builders in this style?

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## mandrian

Hi, 

Joe Foley in Ireland seems to have had a good reputation for a long time.

Regards,

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## Jim McCullough

Daniel Brauchli in Tasmania does a lovely job.

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## seankeegan

Macdara Ó Faoláin

https://www.facebook.com/mofluthier/?ti=as

Gil Draper

http://www.draperstringedinstruments.com/

Paul Evans

https://www.siveenmandolins.com/

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Bill Foss, 

Tim Logan

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## Dave Hanson

Paul Shippey in England, superb mandolins,

Dave H

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## Jim Roberts

You mentioned Nigel Forster who I think learned his trade under Sobell but not 100% sure.
This Celtic model from Nigel sure sounds nice:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lg_StJ...ture=emb_title

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## Bill Foss

Keep us posted on your search and especially if you buy something. I've been thinking about getting something along these lines too.

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## Ray(T)

Jimmy Moon and Tom Buchanan are two more from the UK.

If you’re looking at Fylde, bear in mind that Roger “Barry” Bucknall still insists on putting a fret marker on the ninth rather than the tenth fret - drives me mad!

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## Mandobar

> You mentioned Nigel Forster who I think learned his trade under Sobell but not 100% sure.
> This Celtic model from Nigel sure sounds nice:
> 
> https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lg_StJ...ture=emb_title


Nigel worked for Stefan for over a decade.

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Jim Roberts

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## Paul Cowham

There is an excellent luthier who lives near me in Manchester called David Lim. He used to work for Oakwood instruments in the late 80's and has made a load of flat top mandolins, more recently he has started making Gibson A1 style mandos (I've just ordered one). He is also a very good uilleann piper and maker. There is a picture of him and 2 gibson style mandos on his website https://davidlim-uilleannpipes.com/lutherie/

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## sgarrity

Great info so far everyone!  Have always liked the Fylde Single Malt but yes, that dot on the 9th fret is maddening.  Some pretty healthy prices and wait times on others.  Good for those builders!!  Any other North American builders of this style?  Clearly there are plenty go builders making excellent carved top oval holes.

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## Dagger Gordon

Quite a lot of the names mentioned here cropped up in a similar thread about Irish bouzoukis last year.

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...ouzouki+makers

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## Jill McAuley

Did ye see this one? NFI on my part obviously - would love to have the $$ for this though!

https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/156847#156847

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## Mandobar

Be careful with the Sobells.  I’ve owned a few, and they all needed some sort of work, and not minor stuff.  Non-working truss rods, splits between the fretboard and top at the neck joint, etc.  I’ve got to say, the best Irish style mandolin I’ve owned is this



Shaun, you just missed a nice Trillium at TME, and at a great price.

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## sgarrity

You would post a pic of that Campanella..... :Laughing:   I did see the Trillium.  I'm kinda done with long scale mando family instruments, especially after getting the banjo.  It's just so much easier to play.  I briefly thought about maybe trying DAEB on it but when I went to look at it again, it was gone.

I've always liked the tone of Sobells but just haven't wanted to pay the price.  I've also heard about issues as Mary describes.  So it would have to be the right one from the right source.  Also really like the Springwell and Forsters.  Mostly trying to learn about this segment of mandolin builder since it's one I haven't dabbled in much.  I don't do well with ordering an instrument and waiting years for it.  Just want to be educated so I know what I'm looking at when stuff pops up on the used market.

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Bill Foss

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## HonketyHank

I bought a used Red Valley about six months ago. Even though the sound sample I heard before buying sounded good, I must confess that the looks of it really captured my interest. When I got it, it not only looked as good as advertised, it sounded better than I expected. Way better.

Here is the actual mandolin I bought: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHtY...ature=emb_logo
And here is another RV : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTbxvxV3ybo

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## seankeegan

https://www.facebook.com/10000558196...sn=mo&d=n&vh=e

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## sgarrity

Can’t get that link to open Sean

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## seankeegan

Hmm... Working here. It's a link to Macdara's FB page and a video of a new mandolin just strung up and on its way to Custys in Ennis. 

I think if you click on his FB page link you should find it. First video. I've not had a chance to try his Mandolins yet but looking forward to getting the chance.

https://www.facebook.com/mofluthier/?ti=as

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Jill McAuley

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## sgarrity

Thanks, That link worked.  Very nice sounding mandolin.

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## MooglePower

I highly recommend Macdara Ó Faoláin located in County Waterford.  He built a beautiful mandolin for me that sounds amazing.

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## Ray(T)

> Great info so far everyone!  Have always liked the Fylde Single Malt but yes, that dot on the 9th fret is maddening.  Some pretty healthy prices and wait times on others.  Good for those builders!!  Any other North American builders of this style?  Clearly there are plenty go builders making excellent carved top oval holes.


Fylde have a couple of mandolins for sale on their latest newsletter - https://www.fyldeguitars.com/news.html - and a video on shaping a mandolin neck, which I’ve yet to watch.

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## seankeegan

Not sure if this link will work. Ye vags with one of Frank's mandos.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CCbNPH-...d=ityj11nu8bya

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Jill McAuley

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## sgarrity

Those guys are excellent Sean!  How about Cas Davey mandolins?

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## seankeegan

I've never tried or come across Cas Davey mandolins, so can't comment.

There's also Dave Shapiro:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCNLLUiDJD8

Brian Lofthouse:

https://brianwplofthouse.wordpress.com/

Although not exclusively 'celtic mandolin maker', Phil Davidson makes beautiful flat top mandolins. His carved mandolins are amazing as well.

https://www.davidsoninstruments.com/...ke-a-davidson/

I'm with mandolbar - lots of great carved mandolins being made in the states that are perfect for playing 'celtic' music. These are my two favs at the moment:



According to Google photo memories, I arrived home from states with the Girouard 2 years ago this week. Played it almost everyday; it's a beast. Currently have it in C - tuned FCGD. 11.5's on the 1st string and wound 16s on the second. So much fun to play and sounds great with fiddle for trad tunes.

However, if there's one instrument that has my MAS flaring up it's the latest carved mandolins by Frank Tate. He recently completed a commission and it just looks so so good.



Probably won't go for blue  :Wink:  , but the back on it is just something else. And they're a joy to play. If you go onto Frank's FB page there's a clip of him and Brían from Ye Vagabonds playing it and the prototype to it. And if you fancy some aural torture, you can scroll thru the videos and there's one of my trying the prototype. 

https://www.facebook.com/franktateinstruments/

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Jill McAuley, 

sgarrity

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## seankeegan



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Bren, 

Chuck Leyda, 

hassettdes, 

Jean Andreasen, 

Jill McAuley, 

Jim Roberts, 

John Kelly, 

kmmando, 

sgarrity

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## urobouros

I just received a Richard Beard from the MC classifieds that I'm quite enamored with.  This is the first example of his that I've played but the neck is a nice middle ground between my Webers and the Kentucky, The Loar & TC versions that were only passing through  :Smile:

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## Boatswain

I strongly recommend Rory Dowlings Taran Springwell. 
I live in a climate very unlike Rorys neck of the woods. Today it is about 45*C/113*F with next to zero humidity. Rory ensured that every time he worked on my instrument it wasnt raining, humidity was cranked as far down in the workshop as possible, etc with ample time to let the wood rest. 
I ordered the Springwell in Scottish Sycamore due to the CITES ban on certain woods. It was about $150USD more for this wood but it is very beautiful to look at and the tone is amazing. 
The Springwell mandolins are not cheap, but it is more affordable than Sobel or Forster, and youre getting an instrument that is in the same league as those. 

If you cant afford a Taran Springwell I would also second the Red Valley option. I had one of his octave mandolins for a few years. I was in Seattle and stumbled upon a shop called Dusty Strings that he used to work in and impulse purchased the OM. Great instruments and I see now that he has a wide-body onion shaped mandolin that seems like it would be a great alternative.

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kmmando

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## sgarrity

Wow Sean......you're a killer player!!  You've got an Ellis AND a Girouard??  Excellent choices!  Thanks to all for the great info.  I narrowed my choices and am working on placing an order.  Will report back when the details are finalized.

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## Dagger Gordon

Cas Davey's instruments look really nice. Based in Cornwall.







And Frank Tate's stuff sounds great. I saw your clip Sean. Fantastic!

It seems to me we are in a new age of Irish mandolin playing, with a lot of very good younger players like Sean, Macdara and Ye Vagabonds. I've been enjoying checking out their videos on Facebook.

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## seankeegan

Thanks for your kind words.

Yeah Frank's instruments are great. Colm Naughton is a great player and he started posting a few videos on FB at the start of lockdown. He's playing one of Frank's. I don't think you need to be a 'friend' to be able to view it. I don't think they're on YouTube.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?sto...sn=mo&d=n&vh=i

Also Eamon O'Leary, one half of The Murphy Beds plays a Frank Tate bouzouki.

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## sgarrity

Thanks a million to everyone that has contributed to this thread.  It was a wonderful learning experience!  After much consideration I decided to order a flattop from Lawrence Nyberg.  He has a stellar reputation building CBOM instruments and agreed to take on my project.  We're going with flamed Claro Walnut and a cedar top along with a few nice adornment details.  Looking forward to it!!  :Mandosmiley:

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seankeegan

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## seankeegan

Congrats! Please do keep us posted with updates and info. I've not had the pleasure of trying his instruments, but checked out his website and clips on YouTube. They look and sound great!

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sgarrity

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## whistler

A quick mention of Dave Shapiro in Co. Kerry (can't find a website for him, but here are a few recommendations from The Session https://thesession.org/discussions/30256 https://thesession.org/discussions/35375#comment748425 https://thesession.org/discussions/23550#comment489233 )

...and Richard Osborne in Wales http://www.osborneguitars.co.uk

Both build great (and very different) mandolins and are splendid chaps... and if you feel inclined to build your own mandolin (guitar, bouzouki, mandola etc.), Richard runs residential courses.

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## whistler

...I see Dave Shapiro was mentioned earlier in the thread by Sean Keegan.

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