Rigel & Pete Langdell are alive and well!

[Ryk Loske]

I could have put this in the other thread discussing the three year anniversary of the passing of Rigel. But it's too good a bit of news to let it get lost in that other thread.

After three years and alot of headache and heartache for Pete Langdell, Rigel and Pete are alive and on the verge of doing well.

Pete has liscensed Rigel to Gold Tone for standard models of Rigel. Anything and everything that varies from that will be done by Pete under the Rigel name. It's been a long hard slog for a very talented luthier/designer ... but he's pulled through and is excited about the future.

Sorry to cut the wake short ... but let's start celebrating!

More info at Rigel's website.

No financial interest on my part ... but as the ecstatic owner of an A+ Deluxe and a phenomenal I-110 ... and living fairly close to Pete's shop ... i am one very happy picker.

Ryk

[Hans]

Pete Langdell is a great guy and a profound builder! Glad to hear he's doing well...
Say howdy!

[Bill Snyder]

It has been mentioned in several threads during the last three years that Mr. Langdell was still doing custom building, but it appears as Ryk states they are geared up for production building.
This is the quote from the Rigel website.:
"July 30, 2009 After a hiatus, Pete Langdell, the owner and originator of Rigel Mandolins announces exciting news: Rigel's long collaboration with Gold Tone has been taken to a new step! Gold Tone is now the sole distributor of the standard Rigel mandolin line!

These mandolins are still made in the USA using the finest American materials by the original Rigel Vermont craftsmen, insuring that the sound, quality and playability are what Rigel devotees have come to expect!"

The bolding of some of the text was mine. I thought some might be glad to see these will be built in Vermont like they were originally.

[Jim MacDaniel]

Good news indeed -- and I guess that explains the Rigel-branded mandolins in pics of the Gold Tone booth from this year's NAMM show.

[Bob DeVellis]

I'm very pleased that they'll continue to be built by the folks in Vermont. It would be terrible if the name went on an inferior line of "look alike" instruments. It sounds like these will be the real deal with Gold Tone merely handling the distribution. Great news!

[jim_n_virginia]

I could have put this in the other thread discussing the three year anniversary of the passing of Rigel. But it's too good a bit of news to let it get lost in that other thread.

After three years and alot of headache and heartache for Pete Langdell, Rigel and Pete are alive
Ryk

I always wanted Rigel! Maybe now I can get one!

[Eric Foulke]

This is good news for the mando-world!
Glad to see that the Vermont crew is back in the saddle. I can't wait to see what sort of innovative stuff Pete will come up with next.

Cheers.

[mzuch]

I wonder how the investors in the old Rigel, who apparently owned the name and patents, feel about this?

[mando.player]

Since Rigel was a privately owned company, I suppose that's none of our business. I don't want to sound snide, but it's comments like that one that lead to nasty threads on Cafe.

Let's just assume that Rigel and Langdell have their ducks in a row from a business standpoint.

[Ryk Loske]

Before becoming a happy Rigel owner, Pete had worked on my vintage archtop guitars. It was during those times we got to "talk sawdust" as i had had a custom wookworking shop in Boston. We approach woodworking much the same way ... though Pete has a more technical approach than mine due to his training as a machinist. Anytime i'm passing the end of the road to his home & shop i try to stop in with either of the Rigel mandolins or a Gibson archtop ... or just an empty coffee cup. And we spend time catching up and talking shop. So i can say this: For the record ...... the Rigel name ... and all patents ... are owned by Pete ... have always been owned by Pete ... and having talked shop with Pete ... will probably always be owned by Pete.

I appreciate mando.player's comment relative to the possible turn of good news to snide commentary. Thank you. Those of us who appreciate the instruments designed and built by Pete Langdell have had little to smile about for a while. That Pete is the kind of guy who goes out of his way to put as perfect as possible a new instrument in the hands of a player .... or a renewed vintage instrument back in the hands of a player makes the comment that much more offensive.

Ryk

[Jim MacDaniel]

Again Good news: the world needs more blue mandolins (these from a NAMM thread a few years back)...

[steve V. johnson]

mando.player well said, thanks.

This is really exciting. Some of the most original and creative folks we know of back at it, excellent. They've made great contributions to both the aesthetics and the technologies of mandolins and luthierie.

Very good news, thanks!

stv

[Pete Braccio]

I love how Rigels sound, look, and feel. (They are the only mandos I've played that don't dig into my right forearm.) I've owned three (and constantly kick my self for letting two of them go). They all had a very sweat tone but could also be coaxed to deliver some bite.

I'm glad that the company is raising from the ashes.

Pete

[H.P.]

Will the Gold Tone "Rigels" made under license continue to be made, or will those be discontinued under the new arrangement?