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Thread: Where are all the (new) mandolins?

  1. #26
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    Default Re: Where are all the (new) mandolins?

    Quote Originally Posted by ivancook View Post
    I don't disagree with a lot of what you're saying about JIT in general, but I'm not sure it really applies here. The lower priced instruments produced oversees like The Loar, Eastman, Kentucky, etc. (which are more likely to manufacture at a scale where JIT makes sense) are still pretty much available. The OP says as much. It's the mid-range and high end stuff that's no longer sitting on shelves. A lot of those builders are domestic (US based) and do employ CNC to reduce labor time, but they are still very limited in what they can produce. I haven't really seen parts like tuners become hard to find, but maybe a luthier can chime in on whether or not that's been issue. For the shops that have multiple employees like Collings, I'm sure they had some down time due to restrictions in 2020, and likely had some employee exits that further reduced their capacity. But still... It seems to me that at least on the mid to high end market most makers are still producing about what they can and the demand has just increased so stuff sells as soon as it ships. Used market is hot too!

    I'd blame increased demand (working from home, stimulus checks, low interest rates, FOMO, perhaps a few more investment buyers) at the mid to high end of the market more than reduced supply.
    I would not be surprised that some of the market isn't people who played 30 years ago, and because they are now stuck at home, getting depressed because the COVID numbers are setting new records, decided to get back into it. and they are buying a decent instrument, because Mandolins like many other instruments, don't really depreciate. A Mandolin that costs $10K today, will be worth at least $10K even 25 years from now, maybe more, especially if the maker who crafted it, is no longer making new instruments. You can bet that the guy who bought a violin from Tony down at the violin shop, never dreamed it would be worth over $1 Million some 300 years later.

    I also suspect that many domestic makers also do a lot of repair work, repairs may only take an hour or two, and you see that money when the instrument is picked up, rather then a commission, which could have a deposit that pays little more then your materials costs, until it's completed months later. I also suspect that many builders are also making other instruments, like Guitars, violins, etc.

  2. #27
    Registered User Marcus CA's Avatar
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    Default Re: Where are all the (new) mandolins?

    Here in the SF Bay Area, the good news is that the new mandolin stock is looking better. The bad news is that, as another thread here discusses, the prices are up significantly.

    Sylvan got four Pava A-5's which range in price from $2,900-$4,000, an Ellis A-5 Deluxe tagged at $7K, and two Eastman mandocellos at $2,420. Gryphon just got in a Northfield NFS-F5, tagged at $3,500. I'd like to think that these price increases are excessive, but if these instruments find homes in the next few weeks, then I won't be able to say that.
    still trying to turn dreams into memories

  3. #28
    Registered User doc holiday's Avatar
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    Default Re: Where are all the (new) mandolins?

    Quote Originally Posted by PaulS View Post
    I think a lot of it has to do with the modern concept of Just In Time Delivery, where you hold very little inventory, and expect regular deliveries of stock, the more expensive an item, the fewer you hold in stock. A distributor that sells 12 instruments a year that cost $10K each, may have it set up to get one a month. Now you toss in a 6 month or 8 month shipping delay, and you get a massive back order situation, to the point that the distributor stops taking orders.

    Now local shops that hand make instruments, are often lone gunmen, that may have a few instruments in production at any one time, and may take 6 months to a year from raw wood to finished instrument. I think a lot of them, could expand to semi-custom manufacturing. For example you take a block of maple, use a CNC router to cut out the pieces you need, and do 95% of the carving. Instead of taking a month to carve a Mandolin top, you take a week, you still use your steam bending machine for the sides, you still use your hand gluing jib to finish the body assembly, maybe you pawn off some of the work to an apprentice.... You still hand tune the body through carving, but for stuff like drilling the tuner holes, the machine has already done that,
    Paul, but how long does it take to pay off your new CNC machine....?

  4. #29
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    Default Re: Where are all the (new) mandolins?

    Click image for larger version. 

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ID:	198565 here is a photo of my newest bunch of mandolins.. there is even a lefty in there too...
    kterry

  5. #30
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    Default Re: Where are all the (new) mandolins?

    hmmmmmm, well, I just recently sold 2 quality used mandolins here in the Classifieds. Both sold within 5 minutes. No kidding. Guess I priced too low.

    So the next day I went to The Mandolin Store and bought a new mandolin. I helped to deplete the stock of new mandolins.

    Does this make me part of the problem?

  6. #31
    Purveyor of Sunshine sgarrity's Avatar
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    Default Re: Where are all the (new) mandolins?

    Quote Originally Posted by Nashville View Post
    hmmmmmm, well, I just recently sold 2 quality used mandolins here in the Classifieds. Both sold within 5 minutes. No kidding. Guess I priced too low.

    So the next day I went to The Mandolin Store and bought a new mandolin. I helped to deplete the stock of new mandolins.

    Does this make me part of the problem?
    You sold 2 and bought 1…..I’d say you’re part of the solution

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  8. #32
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    Default Re: Where are all the (new) mandolins?

    Ellis/Pava uses a CNC machine. Final carving by hand.
    Jammin' south of the river
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  9. #33
    Registered User E.R. Villalobos's Avatar
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    Default Re: Where are all the (new) mandolins?

    well, I went to the Mandolin Store last week and bought a new quality mandolin, and then sold my current one! Ok, the sale did take 24 hours...


    Quote Originally Posted by Nashville View Post
    hmmmmmm, well, I just recently sold 2 quality used mandolins here in the Classifieds. Both sold within 5 minutes. No kidding. Guess I priced too low.

    So the next day I went to The Mandolin Store and bought a new mandolin. I helped to deplete the stock of new mandolins.

    Does this make me part of the problem?

  10. #34
    Worlds ok-ist mando playr Zach Wilson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Where are all the (new) mandolins?

    Quote Originally Posted by Nashville View Post
    So the next day I went to The Mandolin Store and bought a new mandolin. I helped to deplete the stock of new mandolins.

    Does this make me part of the problem?
    I have 5 (one on permanent lend to a buddy) and never sold any. I'm the problem
    Worlds okay-ist mandolin player

    Relative newcomer

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    https://youtube.com/@zachwilson54?si=iGum4xPlSj0pbcjj

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  12. #35

    Default Re: Where are all the (new) mandolins?

    Mandolins are better than Bitcoin. And they sound better too.
    "your posts ... very VERY opinionated ...basing your opinion/recommendations ... pot calling ...kettle... black...sarcasm...comment ...unwarranted...unnecessary...."

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  14. #36

    Default Re: Where are all the (new) mandolins?

    So, I was at The Music Emporium Wednesday morning, and they are working diligently on maintaining a decent level of stock. They have managed to procure a used Heiden A5 which I played for a while. I call it Sleeping Beauty, because at first strum it's nice, but five minutes in you are reaching for your wallet. I had to keep reminding myself that I have one of these at home.

    They also have a nice Flatiron F5, a Voight F5, and Outlier A5, and they have some new Collings as well as a few used mandolins that I have released from my stash. They have a Northfield octave and a really nice Big Mon....or at least they did. There was also a really nice Girouard GBOM there, used.

    I had a very long conversation with Ian and Adam while I was there. We were lamenting on how many builders have retired and pondering the fact that we haven't seen many others trying to fill the open niche. Perhaps this is for a different thread, but we have an active builders list here on the Cafe but where are the mandolins that these folks are building?


    Ok, this is the end of my spiel,....as my grandfather used to say, some 'em if you got 'em.
    Last edited by Mandobar; Jan-07-2022 at 10:01am.
    "your posts ... very VERY opinionated ...basing your opinion/recommendations ... pot calling ...kettle... black...sarcasm...comment ...unwarranted...unnecessary...."

  15. #37
    Registered User Marcus CA's Avatar
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    Default Re: Where are all the (new) mandolins?

    Quote Originally Posted by Mandobar View Post
    we have an active builders list here on the Cafe but where are the mandolins that these folks are building?
    I’ve always been under the impression that they sell their instruments directly to customers, rather than through stores.
    still trying to turn dreams into memories

  16. #38

    Default Re: Where are all the (new) mandolins?

    Quote Originally Posted by Marcus CA View Post
    I’ve always been under the impression that they sell their instruments directly to customers, rather than through stores.
    I wasn't assuming that they were all selling through stores. But I was wondering why we have never seen at least a used one every so often from more of them. Or that someone would offer one in trade or one would appear in a store used somewhere. Right?

    On a database with 800 plus builders, I'd expect to see at least 50 active builders. Wouldn't you?
    "your posts ... very VERY opinionated ...basing your opinion/recommendations ... pot calling ...kettle... black...sarcasm...comment ...unwarranted...unnecessary...."

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