Re: Gilchrist Mandolins, is there a best year?
Hey Bren and John, Gryphon Stringed Instruments in Palo Alto, CA has a wonderful 1987 Fern for sale. I went by last Tuesday and spent 45 minutes in a back room playing it and it is wonderful. The E & A 's ring out, singing, and the D & G have a very focused powerful sound. It is reminiscent of Loar's I have played, that bluegrass tone. It has been played a lot and is very open sounding. It is from an estate sale and priced very well at $16,250.
BTW, My 1993 Gilchrist A3 is X braced with an engelmann top and sugar maple S & B. It is warmer and a touch darker sounding than the Fern. It is very powerful and just gets louder the harder I play it. It has sustain for as long as you want. Also, in the years I have owned and played it the tone and volume have improved continually.
Billy Packard
Gilchrist A3, 1993
Stiver Fern, 1990
Weber Fern, 2007
Gibson F4 Hybrid #1, D. Harvey 2009
Gibson 1923 A2
Numerous wonderful guitars
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