was checking out a mandolin for a friend, and this happens........
 

let me start by saying,
1)the Bend boyz got it going on
2)i pledge i will not look at TMS website for the next 2 years
3)checks all the boxes, and then some
4)i was not expecting to do something like this..............


2 lbs, sugar maple back/sides, sitka top, walnut binding with black/white purfling, gold evo frets, 1 1/8" bone nut, dovetail neck joint, love the bottom point-balances perfect for playing seated, sounds exceptional and plays extremely easy with very low buzz free action

Man, that's gorgeous, Daryl. One of my mandolins has the blond natural finish on it, as well, and as much as I appreciate sunbursts, that natural look is very elegant.


whm

mmmmmmm . . . nice!

You have to expand your mandolin store website cruising hiatus to Carter's, Gruhn, Mandomutt, Mandolin World Headquarters, Ellis, Sorensen, The Music Emporiun, Apitius, Gilchrist, Schoenberg, and many others.

Very nice!! Congrats!

That is beautiful. I love maple instruments.

That clear finish means all the detail work has to be flawless. I built a F style and decided to go clear, but it was because I wanted to remember the process. I really did a good job fixing my screw ups and did not want to hide them. I decided early in the build not to go and redo flaws.

But it gave me a real appreciation for quality workmanship.

Very pretty! I hooked out to the Weber site and got the price so now I understand your thread title!


Bob

Congrats. The guy who does the finish work at Weber is as good as it gets. I saw a gloss burst on a new Yellowstone last year that was incredible. I’ve never seen the three dimensional property of flamed maple brought out to the extent that was present on that instrument. Amazing.

Dollar for dollar, I don’t think any other instruments come close to a gloss Weber appearance wise.

Seriously nice. I’ve had several Webers and still have one. Outstanding mandos.

this was one of the winter Namm 2020 models, I saw it in this video and immediately liked the looks, Ryan couldn't play it standing and trying to hold and fret at the same time, but I just had that feeling it would sound very nice. I didn't think about it any longer because I didn't think I would ever see it again, or be able to afford it even if it was available.

about 3 weeks ago I noticed a picture of the front top only on a vendors site that I have purchased a couple mandolins from thru the years. the cost was still prohibitive, but I wondered if it was the one in the video. I had a friend looking at a Northfield on TheMandolinStore website and asked me what I thought. Dennis Vance who runs TMS is a great person, always found the guy as honest as the day is long. I gave my thoughts to my friend, then casually clicked over to see if the Pronghorn was still around-figuring it was long gone. To my amazement, Dennis had just dropped the price, I emailed him immediately and we made the deal.

when it arrived, remember, I had not saw anything other than the front, not even full front. I looked it over and emailed him and inquired, "was this the 2020 Namm model". he replied, "yes, only one made". I love it. Not for the Namm title thing, that's neat to know, but man this thing just plays so good and sounds so neat. Always wanted a 2 point but they were typically out of my realm $wise. And thru many trial and error buys/trades, I've learned Weber necks just fit me perfect, and I like the tone extremely well on a good one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDTu6FVVhmE

I've been a fan of Webers shortly after getting a Collings mando and getting to try out an assortment of mandolins at Fiddlers Green in Austin.

The Collings is now gone, but that weber makes me think about trying to be bad at multiple instruments again. Congrats on the acquisition!

Being bad at multiple instruments is a lot of fun.

Exactly. Gibson used to charge extra for natural finish archtop guitars, and that’s part of the reason. The other part that added the expense was that they used their most cosmetically attractive wood, their best figured maple and flawless spruce tops.

Normally Gibson covered up the wood with those dark and often opaque sunbursts, so it didn’t matter is there were any knots or odd grain anomalies because the pigmentation would cover it. But the wood had to look wonderful if it was going to be used on a natural finish instrument.


whm

Not usually a fan of double point mandos, but the beauty of the wood and the workmanship is a delight, Play it in joy and good health.