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    • #5617
      weird1963
      Participant

        Shown below are several SCGC guitars that Mandolin Brothers featured in The Vintage News back in Feb. 1992, including two limited edition models.

        (Hint: see listing 00-7816.)

        Vintage News - Feb. 1992

      • #5620
        tadol
        Senior Moderator

          Well I was kinda intrigued by oo-7771 –  OM 190 – After reading that I pulled it out, and yup – thats my koa OM, built 12/91 – it is a really sweet guitar!

        • #5622
          wbb90TR
          Participant

            Whoa Tad, that is too cool.

            I remember well that series of Tony Rice Anniversary models as well as the 12 fret N. Blake model, also the Doc VA one. I drove from SE Pa up to Staten Is. in the fall of 1990 to try out and purchase my ’90 Tony Rice from Mandolin Bros. I remember the experience like it was yesterday. I dealt with Larry Wexer. There were pre-war Martins on the wall that were available to play. Amazing times!  I still have some copies of Stan Jay’s Vintage News. His descriptions of the instruments were classic!

            He would “wax rhapsodically” about guitars “made with cortisone Brazilian, with an ebony fangabow” and one could pay with “samolians”.

            Ah, the memories, along with the joy of playing a 30+ year old SC. We are a fortunate group of pickers.

            I really identified with James Nash in the latest podcast as he described the feelings he has every time he picks up his ‘Cruz, examines it and then plays it. Such a pleasure.

            Walter

          • #5626
            Old 97
            Participant

              My Dread Cutaway was about $1,900 new. The Brazilian,  Cutaway, and Brazilian binding added to the base price. Today it would cost me $19,000 to replace

            • #5628
              Hank
              Participant

                Very cool Tad….Thanks.

              • #5630
                weird1963
                Participant

                  Tad, what are the odds that two people on this thread own guitars on that same list from about 30 years ago? Mine (the VA) was also built 12/91. I guess that they were writing the month and year on the label at the time.

                  Walter, in the mid-1990’s I finally got a chance to visit Mandolin Brothers — I think twice on the same trip. Larry showed me the 12-fret mahogany slot-head model. I was like this thing is so sick.

                  If I could change careers and go back in time, I would probably become Larry’s assistant. lol.

                  Correct answer is The Tree.

                   

                   

                  • This reply was modified 3 years ago by weird1963.
                • #5634
                  Hank
                  Participant

                    I’m now a bit confused.

                    The listing for 000-7816 says it is the first guitar of 10 that will be built from “special quilted Hog”.

                    Is that 10 VAs ? as a limited edition or 10 guitars total ?

                    When I bought my 2015 OM made from “The Tree”/Euro, I was told it was only the 4th guitar from “The Tree” that Santa Cruz had built. It was signed by Richard and the Serial # is 5010.

                     

                    It  (5010)was confirmed by the seller to be as described and confirmed by SCGC .

                    I adore the OM and its’ sound is very,very special and I would not sell it….. but now I’m curious ……any input from you SCGC historians ?

                    23 years between the Advertisement and the building of  “only ” the 4th guitar built using that wood seems out of kilter……or am I missing something.

                     

                  • #5632
                    weird1963
                    Participant

                      The lowest offering price that I have seen for a new VA made from The Tree was $2,813 (cash). It was described as a “bargain.”

                      The listing shown below is from August 1996.

                      The Vintage News - August 1996

                    • #5633
                      wbb90TR
                      Participant

                        That is too weird,..Weird!

                        Awesome though. The Tree. Another SCGC treasure. Now we need to hear from the owner of D-722, the Norman Blake model. They rarely show up in the used market.  Only seen a couple in all these years.

                        Walter

                      • #5637
                        weird1963
                        Participant

                          Hank, they may be referring to a count that is model specific, meaning yours was the fourth OM made from The Tree. That would be my guess. Not sure it matters all that much as it does not change the history of the wood, which is the real story.

                          Dream Guitars recently sold a 1992 VA (VA-746) that was part of the limited edition series. The page is still up. Lots of good pictures there. Not sure what number this guitar was in the series as they did not list it.

                          One question I am trying to get answered is the reference to the 100-year old Sitka Spruce top in the Dream Guitars ad. Mandolin Brothers did not publish this detail in the listing for either #1 or #6. Was the wood harvested in 1891? That is why I posted the question a while back.

                          The mahogany grain exhibits a three-dimensional aspect as the viewing angle is changed. Sort of like those hologram stickers.

                          What is weird is that while I was searching for info about the LE series, I found several differences between VA-724 (#1) and some of the other guitars. VA-724 carries the dot-less ebony fretboard that was that was part of the original VA design. It doesn’t have pearl dots inlaid on the fretboard. VA-746 and later have pearl dots.

                          The tuners on #1 are gold-plated. The others have nickel-plated tuners.

                          The pickguard on #1 is similar to the 1934 D series. (Is this Dalmation style?) The others have the traditional solid tortoise pickguard.

                          Anyway, I have no idea why these elements were changed in middle of the series. lol. Maybe Richard can answer these questions. Go figure.

                           

                           

                           

                           

                           

                        • #5638
                          weird1963
                          Participant

                            Here are serial numbers for four of the guitars in the Vintage Artist Limited Edition series:

                            #1 VA-724 1291 (originally listed in The Vintage News)

                            #? VA-746 (most recently listed at Dream Guitars – still visible and also on youtube)

                            #5 VA-778 (most recently listed on Reverb for Fellowship of Acoustics – still visible)

                            #6 VA-784 (originally listed in The Vintage News)

                            I remember seeing a listing for either #3 or #7 on ebay about 10 years ago. Price was in the $3K range if my memory is any good.

                             

                          • #5639
                            weird1963
                            Participant

                              Here are serial numbers for four of the guitars in the Vintage Artist Limited Edition series:

                              #1 VA-724 1291 (originally listed in The Vintage News in Feb. 1992)

                              #? VA-746 (most recently listed at Dream Guitars – still visible and also on youtube)

                              #5 VA-778 (most recently listed on Reverb for Fellowship of Acoustics – still visible)

                              #6 VA-784 (originally listed in The Vintage News in Feb. 1996 or possibly earlier)

                              I remember seeing a listing for either #3 or #7 on ebay about 10 years ago. Price was in the $3K range if my memory is any good.

                               

                            • #5640
                              weird1963
                              Participant

                                Pardon the double post. I was trying to add some dates to the listings.

                              • #5641
                                Hank
                                Participant

                                  Weird1963…. you may be correct about mine being the 4th OM.

                                  Also I went to the Dream Guitars Website and I think I heard the presenter of the VA 746 say that it is the 2nd in the series…..wonderful sounding instrument.

                                  I have a Martin Custom HD-28 built in 1993 and was a gift from my wife.

                                  28 years of playing and ageing has it sounding much like the VA.

                                • #5644
                                  wbb90TR
                                  Participant

                                    #1 in the series may have been made to show at NAAM.  Those are always specially appointed. Just a thought. Richard may reveal the answer in due time.

                                    Walter

                                  • #5646
                                    weird1963
                                    Participant

                                      Hank, how do you get a wife to give you a top notch axe? And what is your consulting rate? 🙂

                                      Walter, that makes sense. I am guessing it was shown at NAMM given the comments made by Mandolin Brothers.

                                      Hard to believe how much Brazilian Rosewood has gone up in cost per Old 97’s comments. That is insane.

                                      So what would the most expensive possible build consist of these days? Old Brazilian? 10,000-year old Sitka? lol.

                                      In the 1995 Mandolin Brothers catalog, there is a listing for a CF Martin “The Gene Autry Commemorative D-45” with a list price of $22,000. That was in 1995 dollars.

                                    • #5647
                                      tadol
                                      Senior Moderator

                                        You know, when I was talking with James Patterson some years ago, he told me that he built most of his guitars out of east indian rw because it was something like $12/set cheaper than brazilian –

                                        In my 1980 price list, the upcharge from SCGC for brazilian was $125 – koa was standard –

                                        Just sayin’ –

                                      • #6681
                                        weird1963
                                        Participant

                                          VA 724 turned 30 this month. Time flies. I did finally figure out why Mandolin Bros. used #10710 as the serial number in the ad. They flipped the “f” around in the “#1 of 10” that’s on the label. lol. They read it as #10710. VA 724 1291 #1 OF 10

                                        • #6684
                                          wbb90TR
                                          Participant

                                            Weird1963,

                                            That catch is too funny. Very strange to wonder how they used that # and not VA 724. Not normal for Stan Jay!

                                            Still lovin’ my ’90 TR

                                            Walter

                                          • #6690
                                            Matt Hayden
                                            Participant

                                              My OM’s #171, and turns 30 in July,

                                              I still have the ad from Steve Swan where I found it.

                                            • #6695
                                              weird1963
                                              Participant

                                                Walter and Matt,

                                                The sound board on mine has improved with age and seemingly rings forever. No structural issues with the body, like cracks or separations, anywhere. Mainly just wear on the frets near the nut in the usual places for typical bluegrass chords. Intonation is still pretty good.

                                                If you were going to have your SC re-fretted and maybe PLEK’ed, where would you send it? Back to the factory?

                                                • #6701
                                                  Hank
                                                  Participant

                                                    Weird1963

                                                    My first intro to SCGC was a 08 DA-1 Braz/ Sitka that I found in a Guitar Center in Ft. Myers, Fl.

                                                    It had been rode hard and put away wet and had lots of problems.

                                                    I called Carolyn and described the various problems. She looked up the records and told me the history.

                                                    She quoted me a price on repair and PLEKing. I sent it to them and they made it play like right out of the shop and cleaned up the cosmetics to a great degree.

                                                    I sold the guitar to help pay for the 1934 Zorro……made a bit of profit on it, but it was the improvement in the setup and playability that SC did that turned me into a SCGC fanatic.

                                                    Send it to “The Mothership” !!

                                                     

                                                     

                                                  • #6725
                                                    weird1963
                                                    Participant

                                                      Interesting. Thanks, Hank. I’m a bit leery about shipping it. Maybe when this pandemic thing dies down, I will drive it out there. It’s time for a first visit to northern Cal, anyway.

                                                  • #6703
                                                    wbb90TR
                                                    Participant

                                                      Weird1963,

                                                      I do my own maintenance and fretwork falls within my capabilities, however PLEKing is another story. If you want that service performed, then back to SCGC she goes. The VA is worth the TLC. I agree with Hank.

                                                      Walter

                                                      • #6726
                                                        weird1963
                                                        Participant

                                                          Thank you, Walter.

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