Mandolin News.
Due to zero service from Furch mandolins we will not be replacing existing stock, all instruments in stock and those already sold will have their warranties covered by TAMCO. In a few moths we should have J. Bovier mandolins in the same price range. I haven’t played one yet but reports are that they have truly amazing build quality and tone for the money. I am also working on a couple of other arrangements with small makers… watch this space..
Our first blonde is here, my perennial favourite Rosta Capek’s A4 basic, and it’s a beauty. Rosta’s octave mandolin is due at the end of the month. Blonde Collings MT due in the next few weeks. Weber’s very customized maple/cedar Gallatin is a thing of beauty and has that great cedar tone, warm, with great thunk from the bass but without loss of cut, clarity and separation, a bluegrass cannon.
Another large batch of used mandolins (nine!). Having never played a Givens until a few months ago we now have three! The ’79 f5 is as loud as the A5 but with even more separation and definition, the clarity of each note is unbelievable. This is the one for bringing the walls down (onto those ban*oes). We haven’t had a cylinderback for a while, this one is the first I’ve seen with an original sunburst and the first we’ve had with maple back and sides. If you like you basses to really thud and then roll around for a while (I do) this might be the one for you.
Last month we had the stunning blue Rigel CT-110 come in, this time its the Black Warrior, its in great condition, has the signature CT sound and is at an amazing price, I got it from somebody who doesn’t like Rigels (?!?) at a great price, so its yours for just £1695! An as new Lebeda J4 std, with p.u. and case. A couple of great budget mandos, the Kelly F4 and black Washburn, both all solid woods and great tone. There’s also a used Oakwood Octave mandolin and a mandoblaster solid-body electric for mando-rockers. And just in the cheapest Gibson we’ve ever had, the top is in a bit of a state but its all sound and plays very well, a lot of Gibbo for £499.
| Capek A4 basic blonde | Mandolin | £1395 |
| Weber Gallatin Maple/Cedar Custom ++ | Mandolin | £1995 |
| Givens F5 1979 | Vintage Mandolin | £4995 |
| Vega cylinderback 1920s sunburst/maple | Vintage Mandolin | £1395 |
| Rigel CT-110 Black Warrior | Vintage Mandolin | £1695 |
| Washburn M-3SWSB | Vintage Mandolin | £295 |
| Oakwood Octave Mandolin | Vintage Mandolin | £529 |
| Michael Kelly Legacy O | Vintage Mandolin | £450 |
| Mandoblaster USED | Vintage Mandolin | £350 |
| Lebeda J4 premium | Vintage Mandolin | £995 |
| Gibson A50 1949 | Vintage Mandolin | £495 |
Guitar News.
| Eastman AR905CE | Guitar | £1739 |
| Santa Cruz OOO | Vintage Guitar | £2150 |
| Martin OM35 | Vintage Guitar | £1350 |
We’ve actually got two Eastman guitars in at the same time!! The AR905CE is a thing of beauty with maple bindings as well as AAA woods all round, floating pickup and cello style case. A lot of guitar for the money and sounds up to or above many with a MUCH higher price tag. Used we have a used but not abused OOO from Mr Hoover in Santa Cruz is a great 12 freter in rosewood and spruce at about £650 off the price of a new one. In as new condition we’ve just gotten a Martin OM35 with original case, also a great deal.
We have Dana Bourgeois’ exciting new model the Short Scale Slope D on order for delivery in May/June as well as Advanced Slope D, Vintage OM and Sitka/Mahogany for April/May. They are still our best selling range and wee keep more in stock than most US dealers. If you’ve heard all about them but not tried one get on the train… its worth the trip.
We have been so impressed with David Webber’s guitars that I have ordered five more. Two OMs in rosewood and mahogany, due in May and Jumbo in mahogany, Roundbody in rosewood, Parlour in rosewood, due in June. I don’t know of a better guitar for the money. David does all that gets no benefit from had-work by CNC and all the rest himself, that plus the struggling Canadian dollar add up to a great deal.
Four Brooks are due in any day, Clyst Rosewood/Spruce, Teign Rosewood/Spruce, Torridge Rosewood/Spruce and Torridge Mahogany/Spruce. They don’t normally stay around long so if you’ve had your eye on one of these don’t hang about. A deposit will secure, these will be the last at £1695, in future they will be £1775. Two of the amazing American legends for James Goodall are back in stock, Aloha Grand Concert (OM) in Koa and a standard (James’s curvaceous variation on the dreadnought) in rosewood. They are different to Bourgeois, there is something going on, an extra complexity, that is James’s signature sound. Obviously it varies from model to model but there is distinctive Goodall tone in each one, come and see for yourself, eight now in stock.
Happy pickin’
Trevor