Anyone else play a Summit?

[David]

I recently acquired a Summit F-100S made by Paul Schneider of Hartsville, TN, and I love it. Got a great deal on it through Craigslist. Here are some pics of it and one of me and the new axe with my band Off The Wagon playing last Friday at the Station Inn here in Nashville. I do kinda wish it was the fancy F-200 model with full binding and gold tuners, but the tone is great and I expect it to open up even more. Anyone else play one? Thoughts? Pics?

[Ivan Kelsall]

My friend Kevin McCormick (another cafe member - can't remember his cafe name though) has a Summit F-5 Artist & it's a really lovely Mandolin. We've A/B 'd them with my Weber Fern & they are so alike it's ridiculous. The Summit is beautifully made, sounds great & considering that the one in stock at TAMCO in Brighton UK,is just over 1/2 the current price of a Weber Fern - it's a good buy for someone,
Saska

[Kevin K]

I've played a custom F-100 for about six years now and enjoy it very much.

[David]

Thanks guys, guess there's not too many other Summit players around here.

[fatt-dad]

I think of my Flatiron A5-1 as a Summit cousin as Paul Schneider likely made it when he worked under Carlson. Does he use X-bracing or parallel? I've always wondered about his work. . .

f-d

[Mike Black]

I'm kind of partial to Summit's myself, especially since I've worked with Paul back in 1994 when he first started building full-time (in Mulvane, KS). I have a F-200C that was basically the prototype for the Artist series. I also have a black top A-100 with binding on front and back. Both are killer. My F-200 is definitely a banjo killer.

I'll post pictures later.

[Mike Black]

I think of my Flatiron A5-1 as a Summit cousin as Paul Schneider likely made it when he worked under Carlson. Does he use X-bracing or parallel? I've always wondered about his work. . .

f-d

They were all Parallel in the beginning, but I believe that Paul has been using x-bracing for awhile now too.

[mandomurph]

Played one in the music store recently and really liked it. Great sound and easy to play. Liked it better than the Weber or Collings. Didn't really care for the sunburst on it. Too harsh for my taste. Haven't seen a Summit that didn't have the same type of harsh coloring. I'm sure they must come in more subtle shades.

[David]

Mine is x-braced. You can judge the sunburst by my photos, I don't think it's harsh by any means, real classic looking if you ask me.

[mandomurph]

I guess I just prefer a more natural look over all sunbursts. But that's just me.

[Goodin]

I used to have a Summit F-200S. They are great mandolins for the price range from a small builder. I always like to support the small builders. I played it at Gruhn and knew I had to have it and put it on the plastic right then. I thought the sound was similar to a Weber but slightly more woody. It had nice volume and decent A and up chop but the G chop was weaker. The low end was somewhat weak and the neck was alittle too fat for my taste. Overall though, great mandolins for the money.

[Dan_dolin]

This is my first post....and am glad to brag on the Summit Artist that I own. I bought it new about 3 years ago. This is one awsome mandolin. It has really opened up, loud with excellent tone. Try one....you'll like it!

[Sheryl McDonald]

I saw and played an A model for the first time last August when we were in the Bay area on vacation-- I couldn't bypass a trip to Gryphon Strings. Up until then I had never heard of or seen a Summit, but wow! what a great sound, and what volume. It blew away all the Webers and Collings in the shop.
When I got home, I started lusting after one, but then the recession set in, so that solved that issue.
If I had had a spare chunk of bills in my pocket, I might have taken that one homebe an owner.

[Terry Braund]

I posted this a couple of years ago to a similar thread and I still love my Summit:

"I have a Summit F-100S #169 with upgraded flamed maple back and spruce top. I love it! I bought it very slightly used after Paul had loaned it to Jesse McReynolds for a recording session with Bobby Osborne. Jesse wrote a nice letter to Paul about how much he enjoyed playing the mando and Paul sent me the original handwritten letter signed by Jesse when I purchased the mando. The CD this Summit was play on by Jesse is "Bobby & Jesse Masters of the Mandolin".

I just wish I could play it half as good as Jesse! "

[Mike Snyder]

Hopefully ksmandocat will weigh in on his Summit F. I've found it to have a pleasing sound, and it's a very clean build. Mike Black plays a Summit which he built himself when serving as an apprentice, if I'm not mistaken. It can be heard, quite plainly, at Carp camp in Winfield each September. Very obviously well played in. Check out Three Bean Salad videos, specifically Problem Solved and Biscuts and Gravy. These are my go to stuff for when I'm missing that Winfield vibe. Definitely gives your ear a taste of what the Summit can sound like.

[David]

Terry, that's a very cool story about Jesse and your mandolin. I am definitely going to look for a copy of that album, which I remember seeing somewhere before. And boy I like that music Three Bean Salad makes, good stuff!

[Mike Black]

Thanks for the kind responses about Three Bean Salad.

Here are the pictures of my Summit set. Number 30 & 33-7.

[JamesPV]

I've owned two Summit A models I bought used, a blonde one (A-100N) from 1995 or thereabouts (#66, I think) and the sunburst A-100S I have now (a 2004), bought from another Cafe member. The earlier one had a deep V-shaped neck and the current one has the more usual rounded neck profile.

I nearly sold the 2004 on consignment a few months ago trying to conserve on finances, but luckily a friend suggested I reconsider since he thought it was the best sounding mando in the shop (comparing to several Webers among others). I'm very glad I kept it (despite still needing to conserve financially). I just wish my playing could come closer to doing the instrument justice. But again, maybe someday. Professor Eschliman's text is helping, gradually.

Both of my Summits have sounded good, the 2004 being a bit more punchy and bluegrass-sounding, though that's not what I usually play on it. The F-100's and A-100's I've heard (several of each) have a very similar sound to my ears, so it would be hard to justify a larger investment just for the scroll, but maybe I'll do that one day.

I met Paul at Winfield some years ago and he's a very nice guy, as well as a fabulous builder.

I'd say if you have a chance to acquire a Summit, do it.
Jim

[Paul Haley]

My friend Kevin McCormick (another cafe member - can't remember his cafe name though) has a Summit F-5 Artist & it's a really lovely Mandolin. We've A/B 'd them with my Weber Fern & they are so alike it's ridiculous. The Summit is beautifully made, sounds great & considering that the one in stock at TAMCO in Brighton UK,is just over 1/2 the current price of a Weber Fern - it's a good buy for someone,
Saska

It was a good buy and the buyer was me!

[Greg Sybrant]

I play a f-100-s that is x- braced. I got it third or fourth handed from a great player and it sounds great. It really opened up after being played. Many compliments.

[Nolan]

A friend of mine owned a Summit A style for a while... it was a really nice sounding mandolin. It had a very distinct sound, very bluegrassy and modern sounding.

[55bar]

That's two summit owners from Lincolnshire now


I bought mine from TAMCO too, I had the money to buy the Triggs F5 but the Summit artist just had "that" sound I was looking for.

[eadg145]

The mandolin in my Avatar is a Summit A. (It might even be the one mcH played at Gryphon.). When I pulled it off the wall and played it, several people stopped and turned around to see what mandolin was sounding like that. My wife and I are both tone freaks, and she looked at me and said something like, "Oh, yeah!". It's my go-to mandolin now. This is the one that travels with me, gigs, and jams. Great in all genres so far. Beautiful tone and LOUD. And -- a point of pride -- I once had a banjo player tell me it was too loud! Nicest thing a banjo player has ever said to me.
I have since acquired a higher end mandolin with all the trappings (scroll, radiused fingerboard, etc), but I keep coming back to the Summit. It would be *perfect* for me with a radiused fingerboard, but the tone and the way it's opened up over the years is enough to have it singing that siren song to have me take it out of the case and play it.
Based on my experience, I'd say the Summit is a beautiful mandolin, and I'd recommend it to anybody. Go try one! (NFI)

[Johnny60]

A guy at our bluegrass picking sessions plays a Summit 1000. I've played on it a number of times. Very nice mando, nice sound and SIGNIFICANTLY louder than my Eastman 505.

[Eric Michael Pfeiffer]

The last mandolin I owned ( and subsequently the longest ) was a Summit F-100...I liked it except for the fact that it was X braced. I have since concluded that I prefer the sound of traditional parallel tone bar bracing...however they are fine sounding mandolins and well made.