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Thread: Killer Monteleone at Gryphon

  1. #1
    Registered User Glassweb's Avatar
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    Default Killer Monteleone at Gryphon

    NFI here, but Gryphon Strings just acquired an extremely rare and great-sounding Grand Artist Radio Flyer mandolin by John Monteleone. I got to play this mandolin and a couple of others at John's workshop out on Long Island many, many years ago. I almost pulled the trigger on this one, but had way too much money tied up in mandolins at that time to go for another. I also played a Radio Flyer A model (which, coincidentally, is up for sale at Carter's) which I liked equally as well... both really beautiful, superb-sounding mandolins. I recall John was very excited about the unorthodox finishes he used on these... in person they were supremely beautiful!

    So there you go... if you want a to get a really great sounding, artistically exceptional mandolin by one of the living masters check out the Radio Flyer offerings at Gryphon and Carter's. The Radio Flyer A-model seems pretty reasonable compared to its fancier cousin... however they both sound great!

    Just noticed there is a video on YouTube of Tristan Scroggins working out on the Radio Flyer A model at Carter's. I think my memory served me well on this one... beautiful tone! The Monteleone? Tristan? Or both!
    Last edited by Glassweb; Aug-10-2021 at 12:58am.

  2. #2
    Administrator Mandolin Cafe's Avatar
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    Default Re: Killer Monteleone at Gryphon

    Appears it sold since being posted on the Classifieds at yesterday at 6:45 p.m. Central. Snagged an image from the ad before it disappears.

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  3. #3

    Default Re: Killer Monteleone at Gryphon

    I saw that classified yesterday. At $33k it was a bit over my credit card limit; but, I guess it was a bargain to have gone that fast!
    2018 Kentucky KM-950, 2017 Ellis A5 Deluxe

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    Registered User Glassweb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Killer Monteleone at Gryphon

    Thar she goes!

  5. #5
    Administrator Mandolin Cafe's Avatar
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    Default Re: Killer Monteleone at Gryphon

    Among the paraphernalia with the sale is this letter to the original buyer. That mandolin sold for $28,625 in 2004 so the $33K price for 2021--not saying it sold for that but think it's likely--adds a new perspective. I've heard what a mandolin order from him goes for these days but will let someone else share that information if they wish. Here's the link to it in sold status from the retailer while it's still in their inventory.

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  6. #6
    Registered User Glassweb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Killer Monteleone at Gryphon

    Appears to be back up on the Gryphon site... ?

  7. #7
    Registered User Mark Seale's Avatar
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    Default Re: Killer Monteleone at Gryphon

    Was likely on hold, it looks like a gorgeous instrument.

  8. #8
    perpetual beginner... jmagill's Avatar
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    Default Re: Killer Monteleone at Gryphon

    John made me a Grand Artist model mandolin in 1980, and I also bought a matching Grand Artist model with an oval hole (very rare) from him one day when I was visiting his shop.

    When I spoke with him a year or two ago he told me he'd pretty much stopped making mandolins, because it takes him almost as much time to build one as an archtop guitar he can sell for two or three times as much – they're just not cost-effective for him to build anymore.

    There are some nice used Monteleones around, but if you want a new Monteleone mandolin you'd have to sweet-talk him into it.

    And we all know what talks the loudest and sweetest.

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