Brentrup Prices Up?

[samlyman]

If you are on the hunt for a Brentrup be sure to follow the well-worn advice to try it first if possible and insist on a trial period if you cannot try it first. Greg Boyd had an early Brentrup a few years ago that was at best average. The Collings MT and Gibson A5L hanging next to it stomped all over that one! I am not slamming this luthier or any other ... just saying that instruments vary no matter the name on the headstock.

[Demetrius]

Stamlyman I agree about trying it first or an an approval period no matter who the maker.
Im a fan of Gilchrists and Dude's but there were a couple I have tried that had I
purchased them with no option of a trial, I would've been very upset. That said, I've also
played Gil's and Dudes that I've been obsessed with. It all varies, but like Gil and Dude
with a Brentrup you have a lot less of a chance of ending up with a dud...

Yes if Thile played a Brentrup it would send Brentrups to the moon $wise.

[Demetrius]

Although something does confuse me... Thile plays a Flatiron octave mandolin/bouzouki, and he's been playing it for a very long time.
Literally longer than he's publically played anything else I think. Why hasn't that sky rocketed in price?
He's had that thing since the early to mid 90's.

[Jim Garber]

Yes if Thile played a Brentrup it would send Brentrups to the moon $wise.

Although something does confuse me... Thile plays a Flatiron octave mandolin/bouzouki, and he's been playing it for a very long time.
Literally longer than he's publically played anything else I think. Why hasn't that sky rocketed in price?
He's had that thing since the early to mid 90's.

By comparison, while Thile played a Dude I don't know that the prices skyrocketed solely because of that fact. Then he purchases his first Loar. Did that make any difference in the retail prices? Maybe there are mandolin players out there who only salivate over what their heroes play. However, unless I am mistaken, I would guess that the statistical median age of mandolin players —at least from what I can sense from this site — is much higher than the population of rock guitarists many of whom have to have the same brand and model of guitars that their heroes play.

Yes there many of us love CT's playing but that doesn't mean that we have to to play the same instruments that he owns and plays.

[Mandobar]

Jim is right. I owned a an early Brentrup F5 that was pretty average. The neck on it was pretty hefty, and it was a bear to play. I had my luthier work in it more times than I can even remember. We changed the bridge, the tailpiece. It just was not happening. I eventually traded it.

While I think Chris is a talented guy, the mandolin market does not rise and set in what brand of instrument he is playing. Even with Grisman in his corner, Giacomels have not become popular. Pricing is a tricky thing, and pricing on used instruments is really set by the buyers.

[Demetrius]

Idk...used dudes went up to $30-$35k when Thile was playing them and now they're around $21k
Id say $9- $14k drop is pretty significant.

[Jim Garber]

I know Lynn raised the prices on his new instruments but his are pretty rare and I don't re call that used ones were ever that high. I think it is more the luthier's star status than CT's IMHO. Come to think of it what is Lynn up to these days? Maybe concentrating more on guitars?

[Demetrius]

His guitars are pretty killer... I've wanted one for a while.

[darylcrisp]

His guitars are pretty killer... I've wanted one for a while.

CottenMusic has a used Lynn D:
https://www.facebook.com/Cotten-Musi...94142890598219

[Mandobar]

I think prices in general are down. Who thought you'd be able to get a used Gil F5 for under 20k? But I've never seen a used Dude even advertised at 30k.

The only instrument that I know of that sold recently for a significantly increased value was a Kim Walker Brazilian OM 45 in Brazilian. I think it went for over 40k, meaning it sold for that, which was over the asking price. The dealer who sold it said he had three people scrambling over it.

[Atlanta Mando Mike]

Chris playing the Dude definitely had a big impact on those prices. But, there was more at work. One, he was a once in a generation player who changed the game on that instrument. This happened at the same time as the great mandolin inflationary period. The fit and finish of Dudes are at the highest level. Supply of those mandolins are pretty low, there really aren't that many. Bit of a mosaic I think. I doubt Chris playing another maker will have the same impact on price. It may have an impact, but much less.

[AlanN]

Chris playing the Dude definitely had a big impact on those prices. But, there was more at work. One, he was a once in a generation player who changed the game on that instrument. This happened at the same time as the great mandolin inflationary period. The fit and finish of Dudes are at the highest level. Supply of those mandolins are pretty low, there really aren't that many. Bit of a mosaic I think. I doubt Chris playing another maker will have the same impact on price. It may have an impact, but much less.

Troo dat. The Rigel CT model comes to mind.

[Mandobar]

Alan, I was just thinking that same thing this morning.


That said, everyone needs to find their own comfort zone with an instrument. One man's heaven is another man's hell. Nothing like playing an instrument and feeling like your are fighting with it to get the sound you want, especially if it's winning the struggle.

[Marcus CA]

The musical instrument market is very soft, and there's more and more stuff entering the used market every day. It's hard to tell where used prices will go.

The ever-increasing number of mandolins listed in the Cafe Classfieds proves that point, and many of those instruments are from the upper echelons. If you want to buy a $10K+ used mandolin, you will usually get several choices a month. Meanwhile, new ones in that price range are still being built. We're back to supply/demand here; how does the number of new and used mandolins entering the market at this price point compare with the number of people who are looking for a new or used mandolin at this price point? We're talking significant disposable income here.

Greg Boyd had an early Brentrup a few years ago that was at best average.

A few years ago, Gryphon had a used Brentrup F5 from around 2005 that they were selling in the mid-$3K's. In hindsight, I guess that was quite a bargain! It sounded pretty good, but in my hands, about the same as a Collings or a Weber. The buyer of that $18K Brentrup will be somebody who has a big enough wallet to afford it and have either strong enough skills or illusions to make it sound to him/her like an $18K mandolin.

[pops1]

When I got my Brentrup it was very nice, but lacked the power in the G string. After playing it a lot and refitting the bridge it is now better than anything I have yet to play. Every time MAS kicks in I play the mandolin and it just doesn't compare, which works for me just fine. The sound of Han's mandolin is so much more richer and has more depth of tone that when I really want something else I simply play mine and problem solved. I played several mandolins at Greg Boyd's today and none of them "blew my dress up", but I feel with some work and time there were a couple that could sound very nice. I don't really wear a dress, just thought I should add that.

[Dagger Gordon]

After playing it a lot and refitting the bridge it is now better than anything I have yet to play.

Refitting the bridge. Was it not quite in the right place or what?

It does show us (once again) that you have got to get a proper set-up (or in the case of a wrongly positioned bridge) get the basics right.
It also shows that you can't really properly compare instruments until they are well set up. And even then, you may want to adjust the height of the bridge to suit your playing, etc etc.

[Mandobar]

That's absolutely true, but after 2 bridge changes, countless tweakings, and a tailpiece upgrade I gave up and traded the mandolin away. This was an early F5 with a baseball bat neck, and I am sure the later ones are quite different.

Sometimes you just don't bond with an instrument.

[fatt-dad]

I bought a Brentrup, oval-hole, a-model hybrid (15-fret neck joint) for something close to $2K. The finish was VERY fragile - i.e., to the point where a fingernail would leave a prominent mark. I also found the instrument did not produce a sound that I liked. It was neither an oval hole or an f-hole sound - not surprising, just an observation.

I sold it almost immediately for the same price point. The guy that bought it thought it was great. We were both happy.

I was not even remotely thinking of the resale of the Brentrup lineup in my transaction.

f-d

[pops1]

Refitting the bridge. Was it not quite in the right place or what?

It does show us (once again) that you have got to get a proper set-up (or in the case of a wrongly positioned bridge) get the basics right.
It also shows that you can't really properly compare instruments until they are well set up. And even then, you may want to adjust the height of the bridge to suit your playing, etc etc.

It's not that it was in the wrong position, I refit it to the top. I think a newer mandolin top will settle after a time and change the fit of the bridge. Once this was refit it has been a wonderful mandolin. The neck is very slim 1 1/8" but the slim I am talking about is the depth of the neck. I have another mandolin with the same width, but the depth is greater and plays much different. If mandobar's mandolin was setup differently it may have been a different animal altogether.

[JAK]

Some Gibson Loars are great, some are average when it comes to volume, tone, playability, etc. Same goes for Brentrup or any other mandolin maker. Some years ago at "Loar Fest" in Bakersfield, CA there was a Brentrup and a Gibson Loar being played side by side. The Brentrup had the most volume, tone, and overall presence; at least to my ears.

[Jim Garber]

Has the price of Brentrups gone up dramatically? Spotted a "V8" at Carter Vintage Guitars for $18,500. There are no new Brentrups being made (as far as I know), but the last time I spotted a Brentrup for sale it was nowhere near the price at Carters.

For posterity, I think a photo of this very original design is in order. This is not your average F-5 clone.

I don't know if this is the same one that the OP mentions. Still at Carter's for over 4 years? I assume Mandobar knows... In the classifieds for $4000 less @ $14,500. On Carter's site.

Actually I just checked my files and I think it is the same one.

[John Soper]

Pretty sure it's the same one, Jim. Just a bit too radical in the curb side appeal for most, but I' sure like to play it & hear it in person.

[jim simpson]

I don't know if this is the same one that the OP mentions. Still at Carter's for over 4 years? I assume Mandobar knows... In the classifieds for $4000 less @ $14,500. On Carter's site.

Actually I just checked my files and I think it is the same one.

I just love this particular design! I would want it to sound great too but wow! Not as radical looking as the Giacomel:
https://giacomelmandolins.com/

[Jim Garber]

I don’t think he made too many of those modernistic ones. I think there was one he called Stealth that was similar. I played one in Connecticut a few years back but didn’t like the tone that much. Maybe the V8 has it? Anyone played it?

I still love my A4C. It has come around again lately in the rotation. I bought her a Dudenbostal arm rest, too.

[pops1]

One thing for sure, you don't see many Brentrup's for sale. Most folks must be happy enough with them to keep them. I have a V21 and have only seen one other for sale in the last 10 or so years. The finish on mine is also fragile, but since it is a working instrument and sounds so good, I have given up worrying about the looks.