Thanks, Andrew. I ordered one from Biktrix on-line. Great bike, and built like a tank. Got it in a week from Saskatoon to Maine.
"your posts ... very VERY opinionated ...basing your opinion/recommendations ... pot calling ...kettle... black...sarcasm...comment ...unwarranted...unnecessary...."
This was an interesting thread. Now, 14 months later, has anything really changed in the mandolin marketplace?
Not much. Prices are still up [and will probably stay up], inventories are still low but improving a little, Weber is still not building, Collings and others production numbers are still low, and nobody knows what Gibson is doing [if they're doing anything].
It does seem that Eastman, Northfield, and Kentucky production levels have increased a bit.
As far as the used market is concerned, I think it will be a long time before you'll be able to walk into a Nashville store and play a dozen oval hole Gibsons again.
If only just, at least the lack of selection tamps down the MAS
2020 Northfield Big Mon
2016 Skip Kelley A5
2011 Weber Gallatin A20
2021 Northfield Flattop Octave Mandolin
2019 Pono Flattop Octave
Richard Beard Celtic Flattop
And a few electrics
Hope no one minds us inserting some information. Mandolins under the Weber name are probably being built this very moment, but we're not supposed to talk about what's going on with that because it involves details not the meant for public consumption--so we won't! But don't look for the same business model or kind of numbers they used to produce again based on what we know. Will clarify that the few folks that have continued pushing the failed theory closing on ten years now that they'll be built in China are still wrong. Gibson's mandolin numbers are said to be headed sharply down next year according to several sources that would prefer we didn't use their name--as in they are only going to produce two different models and a maybe a couple of one-off pricey "trophy models" like they do from time to time for lack of a better term. Collings is a fraction of what they used to produce pre-pandemic and it does not appear that will change, and why would it when you can build an electric guitar like they build that everyone seems to want? Northfield's production has increased sharply and doesn't appear to be slowing and they continue to sell at a fairly breathtaking rate. I don't have a feel for Eastman or Kentucky but assume they are still playing catch-up. I'm actually heartened to hear old Gibson mandolins are harder to find. Didn't have an opinion on that myself but it seems accurate.
I do have reporting from the Classifieds that allows us to see what mandolins are selling as often as we wish to check, and I think people would be surprised how many fly in and out of the Classifieds on a daily basis. It's nothing to see 8-10 mandolins or more sell per day, and that does not include individual sellers that may not have a web site to point to where we can verify. Saw three leave the classifieds prior to 8:00 a.m. this morning. May not sound like much but multiply that by the days in a month or year. Still a lot of activity and this location is just one tiny spot where you can buy one.
None of this addresses pricing particularly, which was the original question, but the idea that there's been either some kind of increase or decrease in sales due to prices (which the numbers show are sharply up for quite a few) has not had any if much of a measurable change in the market. People that want instruments still find ways to get what they want.
Last edited by Mandolin Cafe; Aug-17-2022 at 12:04pm.
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Good news about Weber. I can only hope they continue to offer the F20 Octave, those are just awesome!
Bad news about Gibson, it felt like they where very good offerings lately.
"Gibson's mandolin numbers are said to be headed sharply down next year . . . as they are only going to produce two different models and maybe a couple of one-off trophy models like they do from time to time . . ."
Well, if you put that latest Gibson news together with the next most recent Cafe news that:
". . . Gibson announced to their retailers . . . that no orders are going to be taken until 2023 and their entire mandolin line is being retooled in order to be 'more historically accurate' . . ." [May 28th] . . .
But they are "fulfilling what orders they have in the pipeline . . ." [May 29th] . . .
All I can make of it is I still don't know what Gibson's intentions really are [???], and I'm not sure they know either.
All I do know is that I've consistently heard that Dave Harvey is a great craftsman, and I wish him the best. Maybe one day I'll be able to see one of his mandolins.
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Perhaps we'll get a limited edition F-5 ZW [Zakk Wylde] for one of the "trophy" models. Or maybe a Flying V mandolin . . .
And I don't know why we haven't already seen a Les Paul mandolin model.
I better quit. Someone in their marketing office might read this and start getting ideas . . .
Last edited by rcc56; Aug-17-2022 at 8:44pm.
Oh, you want Gibson stories? I have a massive list of who they are suing or have sued. It's a list that never stops growing, and most of it goes untold here. But here's a better one. It's no secret they outsource a *lot* of CNC work to a certain business, both for guitars and mandolins. Anyone that thinks that all happens inside a factory in Nashville should get in line to buy that bridge in Brooklyn. Plenty of other guitar companies do the same. Gibson sent a trio of reps to said company to inspect the operation and discuss the contract. During the discussion the issue of mandolin parts said company is providing came up. At some point the proverbial deer in the headlights look came on and one of them uttered, "Gibson makes mandolins?" This is a true story told by the owner of the company that was in the meeting. Gibson corporate: the gift that keeps giving.
By the way, Carter Vintage sold three mandolins overnight.
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Maybe if their legal expenses get too high, the owners will let the boys in the front office go and replace them with someone who's more interested in making instruments. They'd stand a better chance of making a decent profit.
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"Gibson makes mandolins?"
I wouldn't be surprised if those words had been uttered before, during the 1970's - early 80's.
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