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Thread: Lafferty Imports?

  1. #1
    Fatally Flawed Bill Kammerzell's Avatar
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    Default Lafferty Imports?

    I guess I'm way behind on the times. I didn't realize Lafferty was making mandolins in China.
    https://reverb.com/item/1694066-lafferty-lf-5i-w-ohsc
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    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lafferty Imports?

    Dennis had some made in China. The origin of that one should be pretty apparent by it's hardware.
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    Fatally Flawed Bill Kammerzell's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lafferty Imports?

    Quote Originally Posted by MikeEdgerton View Post
    Dennis had some made in China. The origin of that one should be pretty apparent by it's hardware.
    I did go to the Lafferty web site today and it was plainly stated they had made some mandolins in China since 2012. I had definitely missed that. First one I had seen made there. Interesting.
    Ray Dearstone #009 D1A (1999)
    Skip Kelley #063 Offset Two Point (2017)
    Arches #9 A Style (2005)
    Bourgeois M5A (2022)
    Hohner and Seydel Harmonicas (various keys)

    "Heck, Jimmy Martin don't even believe in Santy Claus!"

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    Registered User Stephen Cagle's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lafferty Imports?

    That one your looking at is an eastman. Ratliff makes one that's a great lafferty! American made of course and the price reflects it as well. Summit also makes a lafferty that's pretty darn good as well. VERY easy to look at the mandolin and see. I can pick em out a mile away😁
    Enjoy.

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    Fatally Flawed Bill Kammerzell's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lafferty Imports?

    Quote Originally Posted by Stephen Cagle View Post
    That one your looking at is an eastman. Ratliff makes one that's a great lafferty! American made of course and the price reflects it as well. Summit also makes a lafferty that's pretty darn good as well. VERY easy to look at the mandolin and see. I can pick em out a mile away��
    Enjoy.
    I was just reading some old threads that the Asian Lafferty mandolins were made by Eastman. I really can't find a good reason right now to purchase an import, anyway. Especially paying in excess of $1,000.00 USD. Under that, it would still be for a used arch top, made in the states. I've come to the conclusion at this point that for a new mandolin, a US made A style gives the most bang for the buck, in general. I've got a Econo A Silverangel on order with Ken Ratcliff right now, which will very likely be my next mandolin expenditure.
    Ray Dearstone #009 D1A (1999)
    Skip Kelley #063 Offset Two Point (2017)
    Arches #9 A Style (2005)
    Bourgeois M5A (2022)
    Hohner and Seydel Harmonicas (various keys)

    "Heck, Jimmy Martin don't even believe in Santy Claus!"

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    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lafferty Imports?

    Quote Originally Posted by willkamm View Post
    I I've come to the conclusion at this point that for a new mandolin, a US made A style gives the most bang for the buck, in general..
    Maybe doesn't apply, depending on the degree of your bluegrassiness, but I think a flat top mandolin gives the best quality for the buck under $1000.00.
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  9. #7
    Fatally Flawed Bill Kammerzell's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lafferty Imports?

    Quote Originally Posted by JeffD View Post
    Maybe doesn't apply, depending on the degree of your bluegrassiness, but I think a flat top mandolin gives the best quality for the buck under $1000.00.
    Yes. I owned a Mid-Missouri. M-2 I believe. It was very good. Nice sound. Yes, you are correct. Don't quite have the "Bark" as it were, of an arch top. I would agree. The Mid Missouri's I have seen for sale, used, can be had for under $500.00. So, yes, a pretty nice buy for the dollar. In fact, I purchased mine for $400.00, with a hard shell, used. Got right about that much when I sold it.
    Ray Dearstone #009 D1A (1999)
    Skip Kelley #063 Offset Two Point (2017)
    Arches #9 A Style (2005)
    Bourgeois M5A (2022)
    Hohner and Seydel Harmonicas (various keys)

    "Heck, Jimmy Martin don't even believe in Santy Claus!"

  10. #8
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lafferty Imports?

    Quote Originally Posted by willkamm View Post
    Yes. I owned a Mid-Missouri. M-2 I believe. It was very good. Nice sound. .
    And there are more than a few similarly priced arch tops not as well built.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

    The entire staff
    funny....

  11. #9
    Fatally Flawed Bill Kammerzell's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lafferty Imports?

    Quote Originally Posted by JeffD View Post
    And there are more than a few similarly priced arch tops not as well built.
    Really? Made in the USA?
    Ray Dearstone #009 D1A (1999)
    Skip Kelley #063 Offset Two Point (2017)
    Arches #9 A Style (2005)
    Bourgeois M5A (2022)
    Hohner and Seydel Harmonicas (various keys)

    "Heck, Jimmy Martin don't even believe in Santy Claus!"

  12. #10
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lafferty Imports?

    I don't pay much attention to where the instrument is made, to tell you the truth. But thinking about it, probably not.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

    The entire staff
    funny....

  13. #11
    Fatally Flawed Bill Kammerzell's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lafferty Imports?

    Quote Originally Posted by JeffD View Post
    I don't pay much attention to where the instrument is made, to tell you the truth. But thinking about it, probably not.
    My conclusion was based on US made products. Stated that. I do pay attention to where the product is made. Personal preference is all.
    Ray Dearstone #009 D1A (1999)
    Skip Kelley #063 Offset Two Point (2017)
    Arches #9 A Style (2005)
    Bourgeois M5A (2022)
    Hohner and Seydel Harmonicas (various keys)

    "Heck, Jimmy Martin don't even believe in Santy Claus!"

  14. #12
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lafferty Imports?

    No, I get it. And likely lots of folks would agree.

    I was only responding to your statement about the best bang for the buck being a US made arch top. Tripped my personal issue: how often folks jump directly to the arch top, overlooking the flat top as a viable option.

    And especially, if American made is important, there are many options under $1000.00 in flat tops that could make one happy for ever.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

    The entire staff
    funny....

  15. #13
    Fatally Flawed Bill Kammerzell's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lafferty Imports?

    Quote Originally Posted by JeffD View Post
    No, I get it. And likely lots of folks would agree.

    I was only responding to your statement about the best bang for the buck being a US made arch top. Tripped my personal issue: how often folks jump directly to the arch top, overlooking the flat top as a viable option.

    And especially, if American made is important, there are many options under $1000.00 in flat tops that could make one happy for ever.
    Definitely an option no doubt. It was one which I considered. In fact for quite some time the Flat Top was the only US made mandolin I could find under One thousand bucks. I enjoyed the Missouri. It just did not have the overall sound I like in a mandolin. Didn't really have anything to do with just Bluegrass music. There are other types of music I really enjoy playing where the flat top just didn't have the hard sound I like to come from a mandolin. That "Bark" so to speak.
    For the moment the only other US brand of mandolin I can find lately under 1000.00 are used Breedlove's, in the OO and OF style. Not a great resale at this time. Which is okay as I really enjoy the 2014 OF I have for which I paid under a thousand. It was really worth the price. I'm really looking forward to getting the Silverangel after what other owners have said about the product.
    Ray Dearstone #009 D1A (1999)
    Skip Kelley #063 Offset Two Point (2017)
    Arches #9 A Style (2005)
    Bourgeois M5A (2022)
    Hohner and Seydel Harmonicas (various keys)

    "Heck, Jimmy Martin don't even believe in Santy Claus!"

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