I started playing mandolin around 1979. There weren't a lot of mandolins being made at that time, and used ones were not very common in southern New England.
My first mandolin was a $40 Korean job. The top caved in when it was only a year or two old. My second mandolin was a Strad-o-lin, which cost $75 and needed a set of tuners. Not a bad mandolin, but not great. Although it has been retired, I still have it.
After I moved to Tennessee, I met Norman Blake, and he put a black A-4 in my hands. It was the first old Gibson I had ever played, and a light went on: "Oh, this is what a good mandolin is supposed to sound like." So I saved my pennies, and went to George Gruhn's then small store on Broadway, and bought an F-4 for myself and a '39 Martin 0-18 guitar for my girlfriend. The total price for both of them was $2500. It was more fun back in those days. I still have the F-4, which has not been retired.
I think the black A-4 is the same one that eventually ended up in Peter Ostroushko's hands. Unfortunately, it looks doubtful that Pete will ever be able to play it again.
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