Originally Posted by
Dagger Gordon
Thanks a lot man.
A big part of finding a maker obviously depends on your location and your budget.
As you probably realise, I play a Stefan Sobell 10 string mandolin. Hard to find and certainly expensive, but Sobell does now seem to be making mandolins again with a new chap helping him.
Tom Wright (see above) seems to have had a lot of luck with Buchanan instruments. I know Mr Buchanan. He used to live near me here in the Highlands and I tried out several of his mandolins in years gone by, but I have never played a 10 string mandolin by him.
I once (only once) tried a 10 string mandolin by London maker Paul Hathway in Hobgoblin in London. The guy in the shop really liked it and especially liked a pickup it was fitted with. It was not expensive, so maybe worth a look, but I have to stress I haven't seen much of his stuff.
Paul Shippey in England makes nice mandolins. Ewen MacPherson from Shooglenifty plays his instruments.
I don't really like recommending instruments which I haven't played, but this might give you food for thought.