Hey all -
I'll be in Atlanta 'til Tuesday, then on to Nashville. Any suggestions as to the best shops for mandolin sight-seeing in these towns?
Thanks,
Hey all -
I'll be in Atlanta 'til Tuesday, then on to Nashville. Any suggestions as to the best shops for mandolin sight-seeing in these towns?
Thanks,
CeeCee, Self-appointed Supreme Arbiter of All that is Good, Just, and True
1 Spousal Unit, 4 cats
1919 Gibson A1, Girouard custom F5, Collings MF, Northfield F5-S, Eastman 815, Eastman 514, Eastman 315, JBovier ELS-VC electric mando
The difference between theory and practice is smaller in theory than it is in practice. anon
Carter's vintage in Nashville would be at the top of my list.
2010 Heiden A5, 2020 Pomeroy oval A, 2013 Kentucky KM1000 F5, 2012 Girouard A Mandola w ff holes, 2001 Old Wave A oval octave
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+1 on Carters, I've never been there but hope to rectify that someday. Gruen's and Cotten Music in Nashville also.
Maple Street in ATL.
Clark Beavans
Carters is #1 for mandolins. Gruhns is #2 and just down the street a mile or so. Cotten Music is a nice store, but has small selection and is only open M-F. It is easy to spend hours in just Carters. They will let you play the signed Loars if you ask. They are in a glass case on the wall of the small front room, along with all the high end mandolins you've read about. They have sold out of Gilchrists so you won't find one of those. Forget about any other music store in Nashville area for mandolins.
Have fun on your trip!
All good suggestions so far. Here's one that might not be on your list (or anyone's list), my shop! We are located in Hendersonville, which is only about a 20 minute drive from downtown Nashville. I've always got a bunch of mandolins, guitars, and resophonic guitars on hand, as well as loads of work-in-progress to check out. CeeCee, I'm sure you'll have a blast checking out our shop, how we build things, etc. Heck, it might even be more fun than Carters and Gruhns combined! Consider yourself invited!
Steve -
Thanks for the invitation. Consider me accepting!
The first Loar F5 I owned is for sale currently in Atlanta.
http://www.maplestreetguitars.com/sh...UM,USM,LHM,MDL
It remains one of the best I have played.....
I think what I want to do is (1) look at mandola and (2) get some advice about external contact pickups and maybe buy one.
I second (and third) the suggestion of maple street guitars in Atlanta!!! I bought an Eastman 505 and a Taylor GS mini there great customer service and nice selection of instruments. Not huge selection, but nice selection.
Maple Street is a great store with a modest selection of mandolins. They have a few Collings, some Eastmans, some Kentucky's, and a real Lloyd Loar and a real Gibson Fern. Their acoustic guitar selection is awesome and they also carry Pro Plec and Wegen Picks.
The man who runs the shop wouldn't even let me SEE the Loar, much less play it. He simply dismissed me.
Well, truthfully, they aren't used to having instruments of that level in the shop so they are probably more worried about it when compared to shops like Carters in Nashville. Gruhn's is a little stand offish with $100k+ instruments as well. Sorry about that.
As I suggested in your forgotten pick thread. Look up Marty Jacobson. Think he put his address/street location in the other thread.
+1 on the "rude". The concern over a six figure instrument is understandable. Dismissing someone who wants to SEE an instrument that is for sale is not.
I know of an aircraft dealer who lost a seven figure sale because he 'dismissed' someone he judged not to be a potential buyer.
Bad business.
Cotton Music does seem to have a bit fewer mandolins than usual.
Even so, they have a couple of Nuggets, an Altman, a Givens, some Collings and Northfields.
But, I would go to see the brand new, hot from the shop, Kimble 2 point mandola.
I bet they would even let you play it.
Gary
vincit qui se vincit
If you go to Carter's, please check out the Poe F-4 and report impressions - thanks
Old Hometown, Cabin Fever String Band
The guy a maple street guitars can be the same way with his other mandolins , i have had good and bad experiences in the store, but i don't look like i could or would buy a Collings mandolin which he is wrong but now he's right cause i wouldn't buy it from them, i will go somewhere else
Ibanez 70's 524, 521, 3 511's,2 512's,513,1 514,3 80s 513's, 522
J Bovier F5-T custom shop
Kiso Suzuki V900,
The Loar lm600 Cherryburst
morgan monroe mms-5wc,ovation
Michael Kelly Octave Mandolin
Emandos Northfield octave tele 4, Northfield custom jem octave mandolin 5 octave strat 8
2 Flying v 8, octave 5, Exploryer octave 8 20"
Fender mandostrat 4,3 Epip mandobird 2,4/8, Kentucky. KM300E Eastwood mandocaster
Gold Tone F6,Badaax doubleneck 8/6
somewhat off track for mandolins, but if you have time while in Nashvegas, and are tooling around the old part of town near the Ryman, walk a couple blocks down and pay a visit to the Johnny Cash museum-even if you are not a JC fan, its a self guided tour and has many of his own personal things, lots of hand written letters from JC to others, and just a visit back into time. Wife and i spent about 3 hours in there last year and loved it. There's an indoor theatre to watch the Man in Black as well. Extremely interesting.
http://www.johnnycashmuseum.com/
And if you are hungry, and like BBQ, highly suggest Jacks, again, a couple blocks from the JC museum:
http://jacksbarbque.com/
hey, did Capo's have proplecs? if not, whatda end up with?
d
But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller
Furthering Mandolin Consciousness
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CeeCee. About that shop that wouldn't show the Loar...
(What I'm saying here is a joke-- just for fun.)
Maybe he overheard you telling about the time you dropped the 1949 Vincent Black Shadow...
Just kidding around.
I have, and continue, to enjoy your reports.
Another good word for Cotten. I bought my Elkhorn from them a couple years ago and couldn't have been happier. I haven't been in person, but would love to. Kim was a wonderful person to buy an instrument from, making me feel like a friend even though I've never met them. Truly excellent customer service. I doubt you would be brushed off for wanting to play an instrument.
As far as that, I heard from a friend of a co-worker of his once walking in to a nice jewelry store to buy a ring while in his scruffy work clothes. Engagement perhaps. When he asked about one of the more expensive items the shopkeeper responded with something like "well that's a bit out of your price range"... Intending to pay in cash, he took out a rather large roll of money, said "I suppose you're right - I think I'll take my money elsewhere" and walked out. One hope that sort of thing is a good lesson learned in customer service.
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