# Instruments and Equipment > Videos, Pictures & Sound Files >  2011 Gilchrist Model 5

## mandophil(e)

Attached are pics of #693.  The good folks at Gruhn's (Christie and Walter in particular) recommended this as a great sounding example of Steve's work, and one that he spent considerable time banging on before deciding to part with. D-log back, flat fingerboard, gold-wire frets, short fern inlay, side-bound, and a great sounding mandolin for one so young.  
It has been said many times before, but this mandolin is a clear example of why Gilchrist's are held in such high regard.  The gold standard.

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## Don Grieser

Congratulations mandophi(e)! That's just stunningly beautiful. Steve has all the details (especially tone) worked out after 693 instruments (actually way before that). What an amazing output of stellar instruments.

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## Chip Booth

Fantastic as always!  Interesting vine inlay, I have not seen that one before.

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## mtucker

Congrats and enjoy, that's a beauty! Are those Waverly or the StewMac vintage tuners?

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## mandophil(e)

The abbreviated Fern in the headstock is a new design Steve came up with.  This is the first batch of Model 5's that he's used it on.  The tuners are StewMac Golden Age vintage with hand turned MOP buttons Steve made himself.

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## mtucker

> The tuners are StewMac Golden Age vintage with hand turned MOP buttons Steve made himself.


i like the tuners! here's that durned fern on the far right, yours is bigger and muy bonito.

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## sgarrity

That is stunning!!  I'm sure it's a hoss.

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## Jason Stein

It really is just gorgeous.  Do you know what Steve calls this particular color?  Also, is this braced with tone bars?

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## mandophil(e)

693 is tone-bar, and the mandolin is done in Steve's Cremona finish. Attached pics show the color pretty much correctly.

As an aside, I got this mandolin from Gruhn in a Hoffee fiberglass case.  Amazing case, far better than a Calton.  Lighter, more room, the headstock floats in space instead of the scroll jammed against the inner wall, easier clasps, overall a very cool, very secure case.

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## sgarrity

The have a great design with the new teardrop case.  That F5 induces some serious MAS!  One of these days I'm just going to throw caution to the wind and do it.

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## Dan Margolis

Wow, that's very beautiful.  I hope to try a Gilchrist some day, but until then, can anyone recommend a few outstanding recordings of Steve's mandolins?  Unless that's considered a thread derailment.

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## Dan Margolis

Wow, that's very beautiful.  I hope to try a Gilchrist some day, but until then, can anyone recommend a few outstanding recordings of Steve's mandolins?  Unless that's considered a thread derailment.

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## mandophil(e)

I'd get on youtube and look at almost any videos featuring Mike Compton.  Two other folks playing Gil Model 5's are "manomando09" and "masa618", just do a search on youtube under those two names.  Masa618, in particular, gets some AMAZING tone from his Gil.

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## mtucker

there's tons of stuff on youtube, Ron Mccoury, Compton, Matt Flinner, Andy Leftwich, recent Joe Walsh, David Long, Gilchrist, Evan Marshall, Grisman recordings, on and on.

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## mandophil(e)

Yeah, but check out masa618.  That guy rocks!

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## AlanN

Gorgeous mandolin, gorgeous case.

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## mtucker

morning cafe au lait with a 5C :Wink:

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## Carleton Page

> Wow, that's very beautiful.  I hope to try a Gilchrist some day, but until then, can anyone recommend a few outstanding recordings of Steve's mandolins?  Unless that's considered a thread derailment.


If you go to Joe Val, the chances are good.  Grey Fox  is a good bet too.

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## Carleton Page

I have played 3 or 4 and they have all been wonderful. Congrats! Awesome mandolin.

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## blauserk

> Wow, that's very beautiful.  I hope to try a Gilchrist some day, but until then, can anyone recommend a few outstanding recordings of Steve's mandolins?


Buy Mike Compton & David Long's "Stomp" -- it's a great mando album to have in any event.  I imagine at least the Compton parts were recorded with a Gil; I don't know David Long but perhaps his parts too.  The songs I play the most sure sound like Gils when I give them a close listen (and play along).

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## mandophil(e)

Long is a Gilchrist man.

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## Brian Aldridge

Congrats Phil. That is a real beauty.

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## Cheryl Watson

Long's Gil is X-braced, Mike's is tone bar.  Both sound awesome in their hands.

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## Dan Margolis

Well, of course, I heard Mike C. live two weeks ago solo picking and singing, and he was playing his Gilchrist, which sounded wonderful.  I'll check out some of those videos, plus I own "Stomp".  Thanks, everyone.

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## Mark Seale

The interesting thing about Long's X braced model is it is also a red spruce top and not englemann.

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## Pete Martin

That is one great mando you have Phil(e)!  Congrats. :Smile:

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## sgarrity

Here's some great playing on a Gil:

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## mandophil(e)

Masa618- the guy plays the heck out of that Gil.  His is #182, tone bar, and sounds like it has been played A LOT.

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## Miked

The last cut on Tone Poems, "Song For Two Pamelas" features a Gilchrest.   Incredible tone on that one, but then Grisman might have something to do with that.   :Wink:

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## William Smith

Boy thats a nice one ya have there, Neat inlay!My 82 is X braced,I'd like to play an 82 tone bar,to see the differences

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## Willie Poole

I saw an old clip of Ron McCoury playing his Gil and wondered why he would ever want a Loar, the Gil sound ed as good....Not to be negative but I did play one at a festival in Kissimmee Fla. that wasn`t up to the normal Gil sound but it was new and may have need needed to be "played" in....I would have still liked to own it....

     Willie

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## Cheryl Watson

> The interesting thing about Long's X braced model is it is also a red spruce top and not englemann.


Yes, and red spruce is the dominating factor over the type of bracing.

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## Carleton Page

The Last two times I have seen Ronnie, he was playing the Gil.I talked to him after I heard the Del McCoury band at Thomas Point Beach.  He told me he had to play the Gil when he played with Dirks due to needing to use the pickup. He said they have to use  pickups with Dirks because the women scream so loud.  He said that got him playing the Gil again and he just got used to it again.  He said his Gil has a super small neck that he likes,  and his Loar has a very large neck that I believe he said is radiused. He said he also liked that his Gil had a little more bass. When I saw  a few weeks ago with the Traveling McCourys and Peter Rowan he was playing it too. One of the all time most important mandolins in my mind. The Loar sounds awesome too of course. I am pretty convinced what we hear at this point is 80% Ronnie 20% any given mandolin. Related to that does anyone else think Ronnie's Gil sounds remarkably different tahn it used to on some of the older recordings such as the Cold Hard Facts? Awesome either way, but I feel that it used to sound a lot more modern/ dark, and now much more traditional/ Loarish. I know mandolins change, and this mandolin has probably been played more  than most, but I can't help that it is just mostly Ronnie pulling what he wants to hear out of the mandolin.

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## dcoventry

> Yes, and red spruce is the dominating factor over the type of bracing.


Well now. This is an interesting comment, is it not?

In general, I really do perfer Red Spruce, too. I am surprised to see someone make this statement, though.

Thoughts?

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## SternART

> anyone else think Ronnie's Gil sounds remarkably different than it used to on some of the older recordings such as the Cold Hard Facts? Awesome either way, but I feel that it used to sound a lot more modern/ dark, and now much more traditional/ Loarish.


I believe he has had more than one Gil.  As I recall Steve Earle has, or had one, that was previously Ronnie's.

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## Carleton Page

> I believe he has had more than one Gil.  As I recall Steve Earle has, or had one, that was previously Ronnie's.


Yes He did have another one, but I  don't think the other Gil was ever used as his main one. I don't know this for sure. i am pretty sure the one he is using now is the same one he got I think in the early 80's from the Dawg.  I have always assumed  the mandolin on albums such as the Cold Hard Facts was that early 80's X braced Gil,
 If it is not, well that would explain it.

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## Mark Seale

> Well now. This is an interesting comment, is it not?
> 
> In general, I really do perfer Red Spruce, too. I am surprised to see someone make this statement, though.
> 
> Thoughts?


These are thoughts directly from the wood master himself.  Mr. Gilchrist believes the materials supercede the bracing pattern, but they do make a difference.  Wildly oversimplified, but the generalization was super-stiff Red Spruce equates to a more piercing mid-range and the less stiff Englemann would have less mid-range punch, more fluffy, as he put it.  As the red spruce gets played in, the power of both the extreme bottom end and extreme top end come into the same range as the mid-range punch.  A comment made about one of his newer red spruce/tone bar machines was that it was what he felt a Loar would sound like new, now go play it for 80 years.

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## mandophil(e)

I've owned and played a number of Loars over the years, and am reasonably familiar with the overall tonal quality a Loar can achieve (although every one I've experienced had its own voice).  #693, which is red spruce and tone bar, has many of those tonal characteristics - more than other newish mandolins (including older Gils) that I've played.  VERY resonant.  Great balance, string to string and up the neck (the G string from the 6th fret up is a little tight).  Really complex tone with cutting E, and beautiful, full G,D and A strings.  Orchestral when you hit an open chord.  Great sustain.  And deceptive power.  You can keep digging in and it keeps responding.  
I've heard from someone else who got one of #693's siblings, and has also experienced many vintage F5's.  He said the same thing.  Sounds like a Loar.  I've seen/heard a number of claims that this mandolin or that is as good as a Loar, but I'd never played a new mandolin that reminded me of a Loar, until now.  Obviously it is kind of silly to claim a mandolin that's less than a year old could be as good as a well played in 90 years old mandolin that's the the archetype for all mandolins.  But this mandolin has a lot of those tonal qualities.

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## mtucker

Nice vid, great player. Check it at around the 5:30 mark -

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## dcoventry

HEY!!

Ronnie has a tonegard on his Loar. Fight or no fight?

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## dcoventry

> Really complex tone with cutting E, and beautiful, full G,D and A strings.  Orchestral when you hit an open chord.  Great sustain.  And deceptive power.  You can keep digging in and it keeps responding.  
>   .


This is one of the aspects of Red Spruce I find most appealing. My G5 has so much headroom when playing, it seems like there is always a higher gear/volume. I find it generally true that Engelmann especially but also Sitka to some extent seem to compress when I go up in volume or even distort a little. Engelmann and Sitka are both a little warmer and open early on, to be sure.

Folks, these are just general comments, but they seem to hold true in my experiences.

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## AlanN

> You can keep digging in and it keeps responding.


I love this comment. Reminds me of an ad for a Givens in the old MWN: The sound keeps on coming. Never breaks up.

It is so true.

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## Marc Berman

> HEY!!
> 
> Ronnie has a tonegard on his Loar. Fight or no fight?


You'll have to include Mike Marshall, John Reischman and the Dawg  :Smile:

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## Willie Poole

Great clip of Ronnie and his mandolins....I compared the Loar with his Gilchrist and to me there isn`t a lot of difference if any, the Loar may be a tad louder but that just might be the position he had away from the mic....Both are great mandolins and he said that he was given the Gilchrist by Grissman, now I need to find a friend like that, I once gave a PacRim mandolin to an up and coming picker but it was far from a Gil...

    Great video....Willie

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## Perry

> Wow, that's very beautiful.  I hope to try a Gilchrist some day, but until then, can anyone recommend a few outstanding recordings of Steve's mandolins?  Unless that's considered a thread derailment.


I think this recording capture's the sound of Compton's Gilchrist well.

http://www.amazon.com/Twenty-Year-Bl.../dp/B0002J4YL0

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## Perry

> The interesting thing about Long's X braced model is it is also a red spruce top and not englemann.


Congrats Phil! That is one perfect looking mandolin.

FWIW I've got the same config as Long's. Though unlike Phil's cremona finish my cremona appears much redder??

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## goose 2

I have owned and played many Gilchrists and to my ears the Gil in Shaun's clip has the most Loarish tone I have ever heard from a Gil. Man I love it.  I wonder if it has that thick "brooding or dark" undertone that you can hear/feel on a MM or Loar when played live? Does anyone know if Steve has changed anything in his bulilding recently?  I like what I got but man that makes me want a Gil that sounds like that one real bad!!!

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## Mark Seale

> I have owned and played many Gilchrists and to my ears the Gil in Shaun's clip has the most Loarish tone I have ever heard from a Gil. Man I love it.  I wonder if it has that thick "brooding or dark" undertone that you can hear/feel on a MM or Loar when played live? Does anyone know if Steve has changed anything in his bulilding recently?  I like what I got but man that makes me want a Gil that sounds like that one real bad!!!


My opinion, some based on conversation, is that the methodology hasn't changed, but the tonal goal has.  When building from the old list he was asked to build McCoury sounding instruments.  Since that list was completed, he was able to pursue more of the sound that he had come to believe was closer to Loar as a new instrument.  In that time, his own playing improved dramatically allowing him to hear more of what he was trying to get to, more of the subtlety of the truly great instruments.  All of this leading to a consistent improvement in building.  As great as his early instruments are, the newer ones are as good as anything being built.

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## mandophil(e)

You have to believe that at the 700 instrument mark, the guy has had the opportunity to really refine and fine tune the build process. It is still hard for me to believe anyone could accomplish that without a shop full of elves to help.  

That mandolin in the clip above posted by Shaun is, I believe, a truly superior example.  Man, I love that tone.

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## mtucker

> My opinion, some based on conversation, is that the methodology hasn't changed, but the tonal goal has.  When building from the old list he was asked to build McCoury sounding instruments.  Since that list was completed, he was able to pursue more of the sound that he had come to believe was closer to Loar as a new instrument.  In that time, his own playing improved dramatically allowing him to hear more of what he was trying to get to, more of the subtlety of the truly great instruments.  All of this leading to a consistent improvement in building.  As great as his early instruments are, the newer ones are as good as anything being built.


Bingo!, Mark ....he's also had no shortage of Loars to keep him busy and curious along the way.  I don't know the age of Masa's is Shaun's vid, but sure sounds good with him playing it.

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## Andrew B. Carlson

Masa's Gil is #182. I don't know if that helps someone with guessing the year it was made. But it's older.

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## Andrew B. Carlson

Masa said his best guess was 1987 for a build date.

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## mtucker

double post.

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## mtucker

sounds great...masa can play it.

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## sgarrity

His Gil certainly sounds wonderful.....but he sure can play!

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## sgarrity

double post, cant seem to get a video to embed

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## grassrootphilosopher

> Masa's Gil is #182. I don't know if that helps someone with guessing the year it was made. But it's older.


Masa´s Gil was retopped. It originally had S-holes. An accident caused the necessity for Steve Gilchrist to put on a new top. That causes the question as to when was the retop done...




> Apr-09-2010, 2:49am #769
> grassrootphilosopher
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> Apr-09-2010, 7:01pm #771
> masa618
> masa618 is offline
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Anyhow, it is a very fine mandolin and Masa-san is a picker with whom I´d like to pick some.

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## Don Grieser

I'm kinda partial to the sound of this one.  :Wink:

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## mandophil(e)

Hey Don:

I'm partial to it too.  Tone or x?  What year is it?

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## Don Grieser

I got it in Oct 1999 after a little over a year wait, tone bars, red spruce, hard maple one piece back, tobacco, fern. 

I recently played a 2011 that had everything this one has except 12+ years of playing Monroe style back by the bridge. I'm sure yours has it too.

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## mandophil(e)

Dumb question:  are cremona and tobacco the same finish color, or are they different?

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## Don Grieser

A picture is worth....



left to right: my lighter tobacco, Long's darker tobacco (?), Compton's F4, Compton's definitely cremona.

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## mandophil(e)

"is worth"...a thousand words and about 80,000 grand in this case.  Thanks. Don.  That really answered the question.

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## Michael Cameron

> Yes, and red spruce is the dominating factor over the type of bracing.


Beautiful instrument,mandophile! Where can I hear it online? 

Regarding this maker,I had x-brace and tone bar Gilchrists from the early '90s;both had Engleman (sp?) tops I think. The x-braced one(#93270) had a flowerpot;tone bar with fern was #0229. I may have the numbers reversed. Because I can make any mandolin sound bad,I sold them both.

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## AlanN

Here's my '98 Tobacco cross-braced Model 5, looks a little 'redder' than the one above.

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## mandophil(e)

Hey Alan: Bound f-holes and block inlay - is that an non-blond Artist model or a straight custom order?  Either way, really cool looking axe.

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## grassrootphilosopher

> Here's my '98 Tobacco cross-braced Model 5, looks a little 'redder' than the one above.


Really a '98 and not say a '78 or a typo?

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## AlanN

Pure custom order on the appointments:

- blocks
- 20 fret flat board
- bound f-holes
- 'The'
- one piece back

I asked for the Tobacco stain. And the truss rod cover was my later addition: it reads 'Frank Wakefield'. About a year ago, had a full fret replacement done by the late Snuffy Smith, we went with the larger wire.

I love it.

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## AlanN

> Really a '98 and not say a '78 or a typo?


Uh, no...neither a typo nor a '78. 98419, delivered to me in September-1998; wait time was 15 months from date of order to date of delivery.

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## mtucker

> Uh, no...neither a typo nor a '78. 98419, delivered to me in September-1998


D'andrea pro plec 1.5mm - $1.00
Roo strap - $40
'_The_' Gilchrist - priceless!  :Grin:

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## Jonathan James

Noticed David Long's Gil has the broken headstock...I'm sure that's a good story.

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## AlanN

Here's a so-so pic. Those grommets are long gone.

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## grassrootphilosopher

> Uh, no...neither a typo nor a '78. 98419, delivered to me in September-1998; wait time was 15 months from date of order to date of delivery.


Interesting. 

I was misled by the earlier Gilchrist color scheme (at least from the photo), the "The Gilchrist" as used on pre 80ies Gils and the bound f-holes that to me on the photo didn´t look like 90ies holes. A cute mandolin anyhow.

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## AlanN

> Interesting. 
> 
> I was misled by the earlier Gilchrist color scheme (at least from the photo), the "The Gilchrist" as used on pre 80ies Gils and the bound f-holes that to me on the photo didn´t look like 90ies holes. A cute mandolin anyhow.


Interesting.

Never have heard this instrument described as such. And it's been played by many. This is the 3rd of 3 I ordered from the builder. Why don't you post a photo of your Gilchrist, as you seem very aware of Gilchrist mandolins.

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## mtucker

> Why don't you post a photo of your Gilchrist


I really like those bound sound holes and blocks on yours!  ... I ran out of cayesh, so we cut some corners on the curl of mine by eliminating some of the binding and fret extension.  :Crying:  :Grin:

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## Joe Parker

It seems as though this thread has turned into a show and tell so here is my #06612. Flat fingerboard,tone bars,red spruce top.

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## Andrew B. Carlson

That's gorgeous Joe! I'm a sucker for the traditional look. Make that backside a one piece and there would be my ideal Gil.

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## sgarrity

I'm with Andrew, I love the traditional look too.  It doesn't get much better than that!

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## mandophil(e)

Hey Joe:

That is a great looking mandolin! Am I remembering right that yours has a little wider nut width?  
Two piece back is fine with me, by the way.  As long as it is the right wood, which is a pretty safe bet on a Gilchrist.

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## Joe Parker

Thanks all for the kind comments. Yes,the nut width is 1 3/16,an option I requested when ordering.

Joe

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## Joe Parker

Btw,Mandophil(e), congrats on the beauty you introduced to us at the beginning of this thread,it is stunning! I know you are having a ball playing it,or as Compton would say,"teaching it some manners!" I apologize for all of us who hijacked your thread and know that it would be hard to steal any thunder away from your new Gilchrist,enjoy!!

Best,
Joe

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## mandophil(e)

Very kind Joe.  The more the merrier, however.  I could look at Steve's mandolins all day long.

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## mtucker

> I could look at Steve's mandolins all day long.


okay, if you insist, Phil. Older brother to yours, from the same motha woodpile.  :Grin:

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## Don Grieser

mtucker, you devil....  :Grin:

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## Mandomusic

Congrats Phil. Here is a variety pack. #'s 600, 300 and 574.

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## mtucker

> mtucker, you devil....


it do have a funky numba!  :Laughing:

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## mtucker

> Congrats Phil. Here is a variety pack. #'s 600, 300 and 574.


don't be fooled by the trick photography, those are 'fake' Gilchrist asian imports!  :Wink:  :Laughing:  

perhaps one of my all-time favorite flavor-packed shots :Disbelief:  i'll have a mocha caramel...no, make that honey vanilla, please..

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## blauserk

> I could look at Steve's mandolins all day long.


I've resisted long enough.  10-670.  2-piece D-log back

Raw: (If you look closely, you'll see MTucker's in there behind mine.)


Cooked:


I am partial to this view, otherwise known as "the business end."

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## Glassweb

> okay, if you insist, Phil. Older brother to yours, from the same motha woodpile.


_deadly_...

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## mtucker

> Raw: (If you look closely, you'll see MTucker's in there behind mine.)


That's a nice shot. Yeah, i'm assuming that Steve put the serial # on the neck to remind himself it was his, when he carved it ... his mitts are quite large. Phil, yours may well have that under the fingerboard, too. the neck was slimmed when i got it. My first impression was how lightweight it was.

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## mandophil(e)

Mark:

I NEVER get tired of seeing that trio of Gil backs. Amazing, amazing image.

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## sgarrity

You guys are killin' me here!!!  670 is one serious mandolin.

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## Don Grieser

blauserk, looks like somebody kissed that maple.

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## mtucker

> You guys are killin' me here!!!


Okay, let me hit you one more time!  :Laughing:  Photo courtesy of (mando) Phil.

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## Wilbur James

That did it for me! I LOVE the color and that ancient vibe, I can't help but admire them, Maybe one day........

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## sgarrity

Now that's just mean!!    :Grin:     That is a pile of beautiful maple.

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## blauserk

Anyone know the numbers of the table full of scrolls?  I think I recognize that Model 4 in the lower left-hand corner.  One-piece D-log back.

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## mandophil(e)

Actually, I'm not sure that's D-log. Christie at Gruhn's told me 693 was D-log, but Steve confirmed that it is a similarly hard, equally great sounding log he's been using for a while. This is from Steve directly, referring to 693: "It isn't "D" log but maple from the same area of upstate NY and just as good, if not better.The spruce is my prefered "hardline" red spruce from Nova Scotia".

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## mtucker

> I think I recognize that Model 4 in the lower left-hand corner.


they look like the same markings to me when you do a side by side.  Yours? More pics..?

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## mandophil(e)

That's 693 on the far right of that group shot posted above.

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## pjlama

Now you guys had to drag 670 into this thing. I miss that one, we had a good run but far too short. I'll be back but am going to bide my time so it'll be forever.

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## dcoventry

> Actually, I'm not sure that's D-log. Christie at Gruhn's told me 693 was D-log, but Steve confirmed that it is a similarly hard, equally great sounding log he's been using for a while. This is from Steve directly, referring to 693: "It isn't "D" log but maple from the same area of upstate NY and just as good, if not better.The spruce is my prefered "hardline" red spruce from Nova Scotia".


Hey, did you guys catch that last bit about, "The spruce is my prefered "hardline" red spruce from Nova Scotia". That is fascinating, I think. I really do wonder if that explains a lot about the tone, volume and overall uber-coolness of his mandos? Yes, he is skilled, but he obviously has chosen that wood for a reason. Fascinating.

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## mandophil(e)

My limited experience with tone woods in mandolins seems to point to the following:  the harder the wood (both spruce and maple) the more ringing and complex the tone and the more responsive the instrument.  Obviously the luthier's skill plays a huge part, and different people like different kinds of tone in a mandolin.  But the mandolins I've flipped out the most over have been red spruce and hard sugar maple.

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## mandophil(e)

Hey pjlama:  I'm curious how the Heiden F5 and the Model 5 Gil compared tone and otherwise?  I've heard great things about Heiden's work but have never played one.

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## pjlama

> Hey, did you guys catch that last bit about, "The spruce is my prefered "hardline" red spruce from Nova Scotia". That is fascinating, I think. I really do wonder if that explains a lot about the tone, volume and overall uber-coolness of his mandos? Yes, he is skilled, but he obviously has chosen that wood for a reason. Fascinating.


Umm no. Steve Gilchrist is the absolute master, you could send him to your local home depot with $100 and he would return you a mandolin that would blow you out of your chair. All the talk about d-log and whatnot is fun but he has a special skill that has yet to be 
rivaled. I've played and owned the best mandolins available and Mr Gilchrist is the master, game, set, match.

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## pjlama

> Hey pjlama:  I'm curious how the Heiden F5 and the Model 5 Gil compared tone and otherwise?  I've heard great things about Heiden's work but have never played one.


The Heiden is absolutely wonderful and a real treasure. This is a little bit of oranges to apples as the Heiden has a different thing going on. For me Gilchrist is the summit, Heiden is damn close, the closest I've played (to pure satisfaction) but at the end of the day a good Gil is the ultimate. With that said if I can't have a Gil the Heiden makes me equally as happy and I'm a very happy guy. I hope that makes sense but a players relationship with his instrument is sometimes hard to put into words.

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## Jason Stein

I'm curious about the points - are they dovetailed (Loar-style)?

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## dcoventry

> Umm no. Steve Gilchrist is the absolute master, you could send him to your local home depot with $100 and he would return you a mandolin that would blow you out of your chair. All the talk about d-log and whatnot is fun but he has a special skill that has yet to be 
> rivaled. I've played and owned the best mandolins available and Mr Gilchrist is the master, game, set, match.


PJ, I'm not debating his obvious skill, but I am more interested in the choices of wood he makes, why, and how they help him express his skill to the highest extent.

You know, that stuff, the nuts and bolts.

The woods in my three acoustic instruments listed below are just crazy beautiful with the Traugott guitar maybe topping the others! The back and neck on that thing are hypnotizing. I have been fascinated by materials choices the last few weeks and logic behind the choices. I suppose I am ramping for a custom build and I am doing some basic research.

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## pjlama

I understand but I think he has much more to do with the result than the choice of materials. I was speaking with a customer today in my store about how something worked and finally said "it's magic, I don't understand it, can't explain it, I just know that it works." I know that's totally lame but sometimes magic is real. Sorry if I came off as flippant but the guy is just magic. I would love to give him a limited budget and send him to home depot though, that would be super fun.

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## woodwizard

Woooh!!! dang ! MAS attack

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## mandophil(e)

> I understand but I think he has much more to do with the result than the choice of materials. I was speaking with a customer today in my store about how something worked and finally said "it's magic, I don't understand it, can't explain it, I just know that it works." I know that's totally lame but sometimes magic is real. Sorry if I came off as flippant but the guy is just magic. I would love to give him a limited budget and send him to home depot though, that would be super fun.


My belief is part of what makes Gilchrist Gilchrist is his ability to select great tone wood then maximize what he does with.  You know, carve away everything that isn't a mandolin.  After almost 700 instruments built, he's had the trial and error experience that may be unique in mandolin building history, at least for modern (non-bowlback) mandolins.

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## dcoventry

> My belief is part of what makes Gilchrist Gilchrist is his ability to select great tone wood then maximize what he does with.  You know, carve away everything that isn't a mandolin.  After almost 700 instruments built, he's had the trial and error experience that may be unique in mandolin building history, at least for modern (non-bowlback) mandolins.


Very much along my lines of thinking. Well said.

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## Mark Seale

> My belief is part of what makes Gilchrist Gilchrist is his ability to select great tone wood then maximize what he does with.  You know, carve away everything that isn't a mandolin.  After almost 700 instruments built, he's had the trial and error experience that may be unique in mandolin building history, at least for modern (non-bowlback) mandolins.


This is true and not to be discounted whatsoever.  As pjlama said, and I believe wholeheartedly as well, Gilchrist has something the rest are trying to get to.  It most definitely starts with a recipe of what he knows to work best for his craft.  That includes the tonewood, the bridge, the nut material, etc.  He is the genius that is able to marry art and engineering into one of (or 700 of) the finest instruments around and the scary thing is he keeps getting better.  I will have one someday.

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## Mandomusic

Genius, hard-woods, experience, yes. He along with a few other top-tier builders also have a picker's advantage.

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## mandophil(e)

Good point.  He plays them.

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## mtucker

Lumber pile  :Cow:

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## mandophil(e)

#693 is the 5th from front.  And, yes, that's some beautiful wood.

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## blauserk

No. 693 is beautiful, and that's an impressive batch--is that the same batch that is shown on the table with the backs up in the earlier photograph?  Looks like custom fingerboard inlays on the mandolin that is the 6th from the front.

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## mandophil(e)

I believe both the pic of the Gil's in white posted above and the earlier posted shot of the stained backs are the same batch.  Steve sent me both pics and pointed out 693 in each of them.  Don't know about the fretboard inlay that appears to be custom, but would sure like to.

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## mtucker

a few iso shots of the same mates as above.. L5's and 2jr's.  :Cow:

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## blauserk

Not to hijack this thread even more, but is Steve enjoying guitars more these days?  I had heard he didn't like doing guitars, but the guitars seem to be making up a bigger part of recent batches.

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## mandophil(e)

From what I gather there was a pretty long queue of folks wanting a Gilchrist guitar, and he's trying to build guitars to meet the demand.  Seems odd to me, but then I've never played (or seen) a Gilchrist guitar.  Based on his mandolins, I'm guessing the guitars have to be killer.

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## Mandomusic

His mandolins are terrific. I believe his guitars are even better.

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## mtucker

what mandomusic said. Steve's been at guitars for many years...newer Jr and older L5....moo  :Cow:

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## Mark Seale

> what mandomusic said. Steve's been at guitars for many years...newer Jr and older L5....moo


I want....

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## Glassweb

Steve's guitars are among the best arch-top guitars in the world. Simple, elegant, no-frills instruments that play and sound fantastic. I agree with Mark... his guitars might be better than his mandos. The guy does it all! Steve Gilchrist is, to me at least, perhaps the most impressive luthier of our time...

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## OldGus

Stop it fellas.... you making these mandolins seem a lot more attainable than they are for me, lol.......

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## mtucker

not a model 5 but....under Pops' watchful eye, Daniel just started taking orders for little Jags. I'm sure they'll play good.

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## PJ Doland

COOL.

What's the price on those little Jag cubs?

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## mandophil(e)

Back to our regularly scheduled programming.....

A beautiful example of Steve's artistry from the late '90's.  And it sounds FANTASTIC!  Steve seemed to make a lot of Artist models in '98.

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## mtucker

> COOL.
> 
> What's the price on those little Jag cubs?


dunno pricing, email Christie at Gruhn if interested. i believe steve started by building solid body electric guitars in his early days....the next Gen may be cutting his chops.  :Wink:

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## blauserk

> It seems as though this thread has turned into a show and tell so here is my #06612. Flat fingerboard,tone bars,red spruce top.


Do you happen to know if yours is tobacco or cremona?  I'm guessing tobacco.

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## Joe Parker

> Do you happen to know if yours is tobacco or cremona?  I'm guessing tobacco.


Steve referred to it as Cremona when I received it from him.

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## blauserk

Does Steve personally prefer flat boards?  The few mandos that I know he's kept for a while have all had flat boards.

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## pjlama

It would seem so. I think #666 is a prime example.

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## mandophil(e)

Steve built #693 as his personal instrument, and banged away on it, opening it up nicely before deciding that he needed the proceeds from it to move his building project on Lake Gnotuk along.  Flat board as well. When I got it from Gruhn's it was set up to Steve's personal liking - strings about an inch off the fingerboard.  Sounded great, but....  The guy must have fingers of steel.

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## Wilbur James

Now that is "MAN SIZED" , I can't imagine the strings an inch off the fingerboard (fret board?)

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## mandophil(e)

The string height mentioned previously was a slight exaggeration.  More correctly it felt like an inch.

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## sgarrity

Ribbit, ribbit......    :Grin:

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Cheryl Watson, 

Mark Seale

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## Don Grieser

Shaun! Sounds great! Have you been holding out on us?

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## Glassweb

Arrrr... ye be showin' yer talent there laddy! Good stuff Shaun... and the mandolin ain't too shabby neither!

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## Mike Bunting

That sounds great Shaun.

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## Mike Snyder

Great! Old-time sounds best on an F5 style. Known it all along!

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## sgarrity

Thank you gentlemen.  I got it earlier this week.  We've been getting acquainted and workin' on teachin'er some manners.  We've still got a little ways to go.    :Wink:   :Mandosmiley: 

I'm absolutely in love with this thing.  It's just what I've been hunting all these years!

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## mtucker

You certainly look like you're enjoying yourself on that thang. Congrats, man. :Smile:

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## P Josey

Shaun, that's a great sounding mandolin. When was it built?

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## fatt-dad

Shaun,  Great tune, well played and what a cool mandolin!!  Yeah, I could imagine that as the end game. . .

f-d

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## sgarrity

A good Gil F5 is sure hard to beat. This one is #670 from 2010 and it's certainly the end game for me in an F5.

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## Glassweb

"END GAME"??? C'mon brother... you KNOW there's no such thing as "end game" when it comes to MAS! S'just the end to a new beginning!

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## sgarrity

LOL.....notice I send end game in an F5!  That leaves me LOTS of MAS options!    :Mandosmiley:

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## pjlama

Awesome! You two make a great couple, I'm stoked for you Shaun, that's a great mandolin. Enjoy it in good health for many years.

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## Chip Booth

Great news Shaun!  I am late to the party but welcome to the club!

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