The Mandolins: Standard • Neoclassical • Jazz • Bluegrass • Special Order Mandolins

About: Rolfe Gerhardt • Construction Features • Shop • Dealers/Links • Special Mandolins • Feedback • Care and Feeding

 
Mandolins for connoisseurs of handcrafted instruments, and for musicians who want outstanding tone, volume, and playability.

Rolfe Gerhardt, builder of the legendary Unicorn mandolins in the 70's, has spent the last forty years applying new musical instrument technologies to the 8-string American mandolin. Using the finest tonewoods and four decades of luthier experience, he crafts the musicians' dream mandolins: a highly-refined standard model for all styles of playing with medium-light or medium strings; a unique extra-light string model for classical, folk, and Celtic music; a model designed for the jazz enthusiast incorporating dual pickups; and a model engineered and set up for the Bluegrass sound. Other models are available by special order and one-of-a-kind artistic mandolins are occasionally on hand.

New for 2008:
The Neoclassical Europa II is now being built in a limited series of 12. The first of the series went to Lou Martin for his winning bid to support the medical expenses of Butch Baldassari. More information here.
A Unicorn Commemorative model is also under construction using top wood from the same planks used in the original Unicorn mandolins twenty-five years ago. More information here.

We are very pleased to welcome Big Joe's Guitarworks to our dealer network. Joe has been a very positive influence in the mandolin world for many years, and he will run an excellent store and repair facility.

For some hot swing featuring a Phoenix mandolin, check out www.gendarmesduswing.com.

 
View a Slideshow of Phoenix Photos
by photographer Liz Grandmaison
 

The Mandolins: Standard • Neoclassical • Jazz • Bluegrass • Special Order Mandolins
About: Rolfe Gerhardt • Construction Features • Shop • Dealers/Links • Special Mandolins • Feedback • Care and Feeding