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Thread: Gilchrist

  1. #1
    Registered User Willow20's Avatar
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    Default Gilchrist

    If this has been asked before my apologies I can not find it.
    I was wondering what your thoughts on the best year/s Gilchrist hit his stride, Tone/volume/playability ?
    Thanks

  2. #2
    Registered User G. Fisher's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gilchrist..............

    1975
    “Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something.”

    My Mandos:
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  3. #3
    Registered User John Soper's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gilchrist..............

    Hard to go wrong!

  4. #4

    Default Re: Gilchrist..............

    some folks feel that he managed a step up in early 2000.... but I have never heard one that I thought was anything less than stellar.... I have had two, a 90's which I sold, and have always regretted it.... and an F style Octave which I still treasure....
    John D

  5. #5

    Default Re: Gilchrist

    Whenever Ronnie McCoury's Gilchrist was made-- I don't know if I've heard a better instrument... though as always it might be the player.

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    JRG 

  7. #6
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    Default Re: Gilchrist

    I always liked Steve's answer: "The next one".

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  9. #7

    Default Re: Gilchrist

    Speaking of the next one, it's fun to watch the progress of his batches - http://www.gilchristmandolins.com/current-1

    I wish all builders did that, though I think his annual batches may be unique?

    Here's a previous thread about "best years" - https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...re-a-best-year

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  11. #8
    Registered User Willow20's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gilchrist

    Thanks men, Im going to try my best to locate a pre owned, Steves batch is spoken for as usual.
    Anyone knowing where I may locate one, Much appreciated.
    Best/

  12. #9
    Registered User Charles E.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: Gilchrist

    There is this one in the Cafe classifieds.

    https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/165691#165691

    NFI
    Charley

    A bunch of stuff with four strings

  13. #10
    Joe B mandopops's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gilchrist

    I’ve played several & been up close & personal with a few Gilchrists. I thought they’ve all been outstanding. Carter’s in Nashville has had a Gilchrist F2, oval hole, for sale for a while. I don’t think I’ve ever played a Gilchrist oval. Does anyone have experience with one of his? Not that I will shelling out the big bucks for one right now, I’m curious.
    Joe B
    A Splendid Time is Guaranteed for All

  14. #11
    Registered User Brad Grafton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gilchrist

    I love my #794 but I have played a couple D-logs. Something to look into.
    It's not an addiction... It's an investment.
    Gil #794
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  15. #12
    Registered User G. Fisher's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gilchrist

    Quote Originally Posted by KEB View Post
    Whenever Ronnie McCoury's Gilchrist was made-- I don't know if I've heard a better instrument... though as always it might be the player.

    Ronnie has #128 built in December of 1981.

    http://www.gilchristmandolins.com/128
    “Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something.”

    My Mandos:
    1981 Lloyd LaPlant F5 #6
    2001 Lloyd LaPlant F5 #57
    2006 Lloyd LaPlant F5 #106
    2017 Boeh F5 #27
    2020 Boeh 2-point #31
    2012 Grey Eagle 2-point #57V

  16. #13
    Registered User darylcrisp's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gilchrist

    GregBoyds had one or two used of late, check there

    just checked, already gone, but there's a couple more very interesting ones there
    https://gregboyd.com/product-category/mandolin/

  17. #14
    Registered User Pete Martin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gilchrist

    When I bought one in the early 90’s I looked for a few years for one 1980 or before as I had played several I really liked. Got a good one from 1980.
    -----------
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  18. #15

    Default Re: Gilchrist

    I played an oval hole F4-C—Steve’s “classical” mandolin, made a little more bass-prominent, and it was shockingly alive. My sense is Steve has been making top flight instruments for over 40 years and it would be useful to figure out what you’re looking for and then whether in any particular period Gilchrists emphasized those qualities. Presumably one of his more important shifts was the more frequent use of tone-bar versus X-bracing. But overall two thoughts: 1) The variation instrument-to-instrument may be more important to your ear than building period to period; and 2) My bias would be that the longer someone’s been building, the more experience is reflected in their instruments—i.e., they are probably working on their best instruments today. Stradivari’s “Golden Period” came late in his career.

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  20. #16

    Default Re: Gilchrist

    Quote Originally Posted by mandopops View Post
    I’ve played several & been up close & personal with a few Gilchrists. I thought they’ve all been outstanding. Carter’s in Nashville has had a Gilchrist F2, oval hole, for sale for a while. I don’t think I’ve ever played a Gilchrist oval. Does anyone have experience with one of his? Not that I will shelling out the big bucks for one right now, I’m curious.
    Joe B
    I have one of his oval F-4 “jr” models (which just means it doesn’t have much binding or inlay - it still gets comments on how gorgeous it looks though). I really like it. I have two Loar era A’s and it has more volume than either of them without losing the rich oval tone. The only odd thing about it is that it’s my hardest instrument to keep in tune. I haven’t been able to figure out why, nothing is loose or obvious. I think it might be that it’s such a dynamic and responsive instrument, it’s just more sensitive to temp variations.

    But overall I think this is a great instrument. The combo of it being an oval and not having the high end binding and inlays meant it was less than half of what his instruments go for. Mike Compton had one of his F-4s and called it the F-4.5, the F-4 that wants to be an F-5 and it’s pretty true.

  21. #17

    Default Re: Gilchrist

    Steve says once you've made 100 of them you start to get how it's done. So I guess after 800...

  22. #18
    Registered User Marcus CA's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gilchrist

    Quote Originally Posted by AlanN View Post
    I always liked Steve's answer: "The next one".
    I think that many or most builders will feel that way about their work, because unless they're hit with arthritis or Parkinson's, that's generally true.

    I also think that most builders hit several strides over the course of their careers. As you've read here, plenty of players --- including Ronnie McCoury --- are thrilled with mandos that Gilchrist built during his first 5-10 years, but I bet that Steve could tell you a number of things that he does even better now than he did forty years ago.

    Quote Originally Posted by Willow20 View Post
    Anyone knowing where I may locate one, Much appreciated./
    One usually shows up in the Classifieds every few weeks. Also, Carter's and/or Gruhn's usually has a few used ones in stock.

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Hilburn View Post
    Steve says once you've made 100 of them you start to get how it's done. So I guess after 800...
    Even though I usually see a Gilchrist listed in the Cafe Classifieds every few weeks, I rarely see more than one or two Hilburns listed in the Classifieds each year. Players rarely seem to be willing to part with those. Hmmmmmm.
    still trying to turn dreams into memories

  23. #19
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    Default Re: Gilchrist

    Quote Originally Posted by Marcus CA View Post
    I think that many or most builders will feel that way about their work, because unless they're hit with arthritis or Parkinson's, that's generally true.
    Perhaps so. But there are mid-stride periods that hold special sway. Someone mentioned Gilchrist's D log mandolins, which I think were crafted in the 2000 - 2010 era, maybe a bit later. And then there are the July 9, 1923 Gibson Master Models, long before the last of the Loars were built. Those have special appeal.

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  25. #20

    Default Re: Gilchrist

    Marcus, it's not too mysterious. There's only 45 of them.

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