Joe Stuart and the Thompson Mandolin

[Gary Hedrick]

http://cgi.ebay.com/1957-Thompson-F5...item336836030a

Saw this on Ebay and it reminded me of what a nice fellow he was. As a young fellow hanging around Bean Blossom he always treated me nicely and always seemed like a happy man. He was a real jouneyman picker.....could play it all....not the best but was good at all the instruments.

He was the source of my most shocking statement heard by one of Bill's guys. It occurred one day between shows.
"Bessie the heffer, queen of all the cows" and you can guess who that was about.
Sheesh that really set me back at 12 years old or so....

[f5loar]

This is really sad to see a family let go of an heirloom like this. But sometimes the family thinks they have more than what they have and place more of sentimental value on it than it's actual market value. The daughter of the family who owns this may be reading this post so I will be kind.
First off no doubt old Luke goes way back in the history of bluegrass music. Why heck when Monroe would come through LA the whole band would stay at Luke's house staying up all night pickin' and he would fix them a big hardy country ham and red eye gravy with homemade buttermilk biscuits topped with sawmill milk gravy breakfast before they would get back on the bus again. But I'm pretty sure in saying Luke was not making F5 copies in 1957. The label clearly says it is No. 57 and I would guess Luke was up to No. 57 by the late 70's. Now it's true Joe was an official Bluegrass Boy shortly before 1957 and there in may be the confusion. Joe was not the only mulit instrumentalist that went through the ranks of bluegrass boys. And no arguement Joe was a pivital sideman in Monroe's recording and live career for a long time but in the end when all is said and done Joe was nothing more than another one that wore the hat. Luke is still living I think and could better verify the actual date of the mandolin. Now add to that it's just a standard Thompson F5 style made special for Joe does not warrent double the asking price. Had it been made for Bill Monroe or Dave Apollon maybe but Joe was not known as a famous mandolin picker. He was more a fiddle, guitar and banjo player. Joe had some pretty nice vintage Gibson banjos and Martin guitars and the family should consider letting those go to auction to raise the big bucks. And the family that has the mandolin mentions 100's of vintage instruments it may be time to let them all come to auction. I just don't see any of the Luke's mandolins as great as they may have been bringing the price of a newer Gibson MasterModel F5.

[Big Joe]

Luke is a great guy and a good friend. He certainly has a rich history in Bluegrass music, and was certainly a close friend of Bill Monroe's. It does not take very long to see Luke's admiration for Bill if you get a chance to spend a few minutes with him. Luke has been building a long time, but I don't believe he was doing that in 1957. He was busy playing music in those days. He has had his instruments in the hands of some very top level players. Buck White has one, as did Bobby Clark, and David Harvey. The best source for information on Luke's mandolins would be Luke himself. Be prepared for some good stories and to spend more than a couple minutes on the phone. It could certainly be an enjoyable time.

[AlanN]

Mark O'Connor had/has one too. Thompson mandolins were prizes at some of the 1980's mandolin contests. Buck White had pennies welded on as his tuner buttons.

[f5loar]

Big Joe is right why not ask Luke what year he made it for Joe instead of just going with 1957? But be it a '57 (NOT!) or a '77 it's not going to change the fact it's a Thompson. Didn't Luke pretty much make all his mandolins custom? Putting Joe's name in pearl won't add a $1 to the value. The market dictates what these independant makers masterpieces will bring and I've not seen a Thompson in the 10K range used or new. I thought this family had asked here what the value might be for such a historical bluegrass relic. Did we say here it would be in the 12K range? Can someone post a link to that thread about it? It was about a month ago I recall.

[mrmando]

'Tis in the Classifieds now.

Of course, Paul Glasse's old Thompson is on the Austin Craig's List for $2,950, so that tends to make the price on the Stuart Thompson look a tad steep.

[f5loar]

At least they are sticking with the story it was made in 1957. NOT!

[KimRoulias]

Thanks to all you smarty pants out there. I did speak with Luke Thompson personally in 2009 at SPBGMA, and I quoted word for word everything he said to me about the mandolin, which I showed him personally at that time. My family is not hard up for cash. I don't care if you want to buy the Joe Stuart mandolin or not. I am going on my mother's instructions to sell it. If it were up to me, I'd keep it, but it is technically her mandolin. And she can ask whatever she wants to ask for it, just like you can ask whatever you want to ask for any instrument of yours, right? She will look at reasonable offers. Thanks. And you can make whatever smart comments you want about what you think the value is, but if you want an instrument that sounds great, this mandolin sounds better than my main mandolin that I typically play, which is a 2007 Gibson F-5 Gold Rush.

[KimRoulias]

Also, I'm not here to make up any stories, to stick with them or whatever other insinuations or accusations you guys want to asssert. Luke told me he made it in 1957. I am not a mandolin expert, nor do I anywhere claim to be. If anybody has any better information that is more true than what Luke said, I would enjoy knowing what it is.

[Bernie Daniel]

Also, I'm not here to make up any stories, to stick with them or whatever other insinuations or accusations you guys want to asssert. Luke told me he made it in 1957. I am not a mandolin expert, nor do I anywhere claim to be. If anybody has any better information that is more true than what Luke said, I would enjoy knowing what it is.

Kim, You may have noticed it - - but just in case you did not -- those comments you replied to were posted about 45 months ago -- i.e., in June 2011. That has happened to me also!

Did the mandolin sell or do you have it up for sale now? Just wondering. Sounds like a nice mandolin!

[mandolirius]

http://cgi.ebay.com/1957-Thompson-F5...item336836030a

Saw this on Ebay and it reminded me of what a nice fellow he was. As a young fellow hanging around Bean Blossom he always treated me nicely and always seemed like a happy man. He was a real jouneyman picker.....could play it all....not the best but was good at all the instruments.

He was the source of my most shocking statement heard by one of Bill's guys. It occurred one day between shows.
"Bessie the heffer, queen of all the cows" and you can guess who that was about.
Sheesh that really set me back at 12 years old or so....

I was recently listening to an live show by Monroe. Unknown date and location but the band was Monroe Fields on bass, Jack Hicks on banjo, Kenny Baker and Joe Stuart. I've always known he was a great bluegrass man but holy cow, could that guy play bluegrass rhythm guitar! Some of the best I've ever heard.

[mrmando]

Well, I bought the Monroe/BGB Live at Mechanics Hall disc, on which Stuart played fiddle. I think I'd rather hear him play rhythm guitar.

[KimRoulias]

Hi, Bernie. I haven't been active on here in awhile, so I'm just now getting caught up. It didn't sell, no. I'm going to put another ad up soon, at a much lower price. It is a very nice instrument.

Take care -- Kim

[Bernie Daniel]

Hi, Bernie. I haven't been active on here in awhile, so I'm just now getting caught up. It didn't sell, no. I'm going to put another ad up soon, at a much lower price. It is a very nice instrument.

Take care -- Kim

Thanks for the info. on the mandolin. Hey here is the small world syndrome for you -- earlier this morning I chanced across your group's video on the Ballad to Dirk Nowitzki!

[Jim Garber]

Looks like there are two Luke Thompson mandolins in the classifieds right now, one for $3500 and one for $5000.

[Ginny Stuart]

Hello there! I know it has been a while since anyone posted here, but thought I would put my 2cents in. Joe Stuart was my father. I asked my mother if she remembered him having a mandolin made by Mr. Thompson and she cannot recall when he had this. They married in 1960 and she is certain he didn't have it when they married. We seem think it may have been given to him in the mid-late 1970's, as he lived for a time in Louisiana and worked many (all?) of the great festivals there. We do remember Mr. Luke and know he was a fine man and made fine instruments.
Many thanks to those of you who remember my Dad. He was a pretty special fellow, taken too soon.

[Timbofood]

I only saw Mr. Stuart once, what a show! I always appreciate family members offering memories, it helps the rest of us remember those "innovators" from the early days.
Thanks for sharing.

[Clinton Johnson]

I've had the pleasure of seeing him perform with little Roy Lewis in Louisiana and got to play with him in Nashville at a church singing with Jerry and Tammy Sullivan. That was in 86'-87' just before he passed. After the singing I asked him to play my mando and told him I was thinking of upgrading to something better. He took it and played the fire out of it and said "there ain't a thing in the world wrong with it"....lol I was 17yr old and hadn't been playing mandolin long and mostly just chopped chords with them. I thought he was one of the most coolest musicians I have ever met and gosh he made them hair crawl on the back of my neck when he sang in that deep voice "I will meet you just inside the Eastern Gates"!....Great man, great musician

[KimRoulias]

Hi Ginny! I'm just now seeing this. Your Dad and my Dad were friends, and traded for this lovely instrument. I'm sure you and I have met, but it was years ago when we were kids. Again, thanks for everybody's nice posts regarding the mandolin (which we still have).