"I had never played, nor even seen, one of Andy's instruments.  A friend of mine, who is a well known luthier, mentioned that he had played one of Andy's mandolins and thought his workmanship was excellent.  At the time I was pretty well set in the F5/ F-hole mando area but still in search of the perfect oval hole so I figured I'd give him a whirl. In my mind the finest oval-hole mando in the world is the F4 Gilchrist owned by Mike Compton. I have had a couple of opportunities to play it and it's everything I want.....except available.

So.......I gave Andy a call and asked if he might be up for a little experiment.   I told him what I wanted and we discussed what he had been building as far as oval hole design.  His designs were a bit more modern than the traditional F4 design (x-braced/ long-neck vs. transverse braced/shortneck) on which Compton's was based . The Compton Gil also differs from the old F4s in the use of Sugar Maple for the neck vs. mahogany on the originals. Suffice it to say, I had definate ideas about what I wanted and (if it's not apparent already) I'm VERY picky and opinionated.

Andy listened (patiently) to my details and requests and went far, far, out of his way to fulfill them. He studied old F4 aesthetics though the Mandolin Archive Website and even sent me links to particular mandolins for such things as opinions on stain and even the direction of the rosette inlay. He took Hacklinger measurements of an original 20's F4. I sent him an extremely fine sounding 1924 Gibson Ajr. snakehead that I owned  to compare graduations and make a template of the neck, since I thought that one was the "bee's knees". He hand selected a perfect piece of wood for the back (off- quarter) and emailed me a picture for final approval. I could not have asked for an artist and craftsman more willing to go to extremes to make my vision and expectation a reality.

Oh, and the finished product you may ask....

I've had my Poe for about 6 months now. Workmanship is superb. Sound and playability are exactly what they should be. In other words, it sounds and feels "right". I recently had an opportunity to compare My Poe to Compton's Gilchrist F4. Through a combination of insightful research, skillful exectution, and an intense desire to please the customer, Andy built a mandolin that undoubtedly captured the sound and "vibe" of the instument that inspired it."    

“When I decided I wanted a custom built mandolin, I had a picture in my mind of what it would look, feel and most importantly sound like.  After an extensive internet search,  I came upon Andy’s Driftwood webpage.  The images and testimonials from Driftwood owners convinced me that Andy was the guy for the job.  Together we came up with a plan for my dream mandolin, and six months later my dream arrived on my doorstep!  I couldn’t be happier with my “Poe” mandolin.  She is a real head turner and gets a lot of attention where ever I take her.  The attention to detail is amazing, the tone and volume is outstanding and it is exactly what I was looking for.  Thanks Andy for making a dream come true!”

                   

                 - Darrin Tissandier (Poe #005)

               www.myspace.com/easternskybluegrass

                 www.myspace.com/darrintissandier

“I am the second owner of Poe #2, a black face A 5 model, and am extremely happy with it.  The fit and finish are wonderful and as good as I have ever seen in any mandolin.  The tone is outstanding and the mandolin plays easily.  Andy is a great guy to work with (he is building me a mandola).  His abilities are remarkable, his communication is excellent and he will work with you to make exactly what you want.  I would highly recommend his work”

                                                                                    - Wilson Beckett (Poe #002)

" When I decided to have Andy build me a custom oval hole, I was looking for a mandolin with a different voice than the F-styles I have played, and also a sharp look.  Andy delivered above my expectations in creating a stunning work of art- from the custom inlays and choice of color tones, to the finest details. He was very patient in my requests, and had great suggestions on the design. I was looking for a sweet, ringing tone, and chose Engelmann Spruce for the top. I am very happy with the results of the tone of this mandolin- it has a distinct voice that is resonant, full, clear and also can be gutsy when needed. It has beauty in sound and looks! "  

                                                                               - Teri LaMarco (Poe #008)  

                                                                               Teri Playing #008.mp3

“I believe that Mr. Poe is a truly gifted luthier, and I feel fortunate to own one of his mandolins.

 

I really didn’t know a whole lot about ordering a custom instrument, but I knew I wanted an oval-hole mandolin that could play a wide range of music; from classical and Celtic to bluegrass and jazz. Asking Andy to build me a custom mandolin was the best decision I could have made. He was very helpful in guiding me every step of the way and keeping me up to date as to his progress. It was a lot of fun. When it arrived, I was in heaven.

The intonation is as perfect as it can get.  And it stays in tune. I believe this is because of his attention to detail for which he is becoming well-known. When I’m playing mostly classical or Celtic music I use medium gage strings and it is easy to play pull-offs, slurs and hammer-ons.  When I’m playing bluegrass, I use heavy gage strings, and the tone is just amazing. I love the sound of the low register, resonate, rich and full of harmonics. The middle and upper ranges of the instrument are just as full and clear and ringing. And of course, it looks as beautiful as it sounds, a truly unique instrument. Thanks Andy.” 

                                                                            - Louis Hackett (Poe #006)

                                                                            Louis Playing #006.mp3

"My wife and I have been friends of the Poe Family for over 30 years. In fact, my wife, Danna, attended Andy's birth and gave him his first bath! Several years ago we heard that he began making mandolins and were excited that he was devoting himself to it. We had no idea that he would end up building such beautiful and musically superior instruments.

A year and a half ago, my wife ordered Poe #10. (Good Wife!) It was to be a surprise at Christmas so Andy worked with her in making the decisions in order to build it from the ground up. I was, indeed, thrilled to open that case on Christmas morning and find such a beautiful instrument with great tonal quality. The Grand F5 plays easily and with such rich tone.

It is evident that Andy has a unique gift and talent to craft such fine instruments at such a young age. With his passion and attention to detail he is rapidly becoming one of the premier luthiers in the country. I consider myself truly blessed to have #10."

"I love to open the case and lift out the most beautiful instrument that I have ever owned. Your attention to detail more than surpassed my expectations. The instrument is really opening up with a beautiful envelope of sound. Thank your for taking the time to listen carefully to what I wanted in a lifetime mandolin. The selection of wood and your careful hand shaping of each and every piece is testimony to your passion as a master craftsman."

"I had the good fortune of having Andy Poe build a custom mandolin for me.  I've had several guitars built over the years by some of the best builders currently working.  My experience with Andy was most similar to ordering a guitar from James Goodall when that great builder was working as a one-man shop in Fort Bragg, California. Like Goodall, Andy Poe seems obsessed in trying to achieve perfection in his instruments and remarkably, comes very close to achieving that goal. My Poe Elite F-5 not only has excellent volume but it possesses a truly sweet tone. Of course, like all of Andy's mandolins, it is beautiful but its sound is what has made me a Poe convert.  Indeed, Will Kimble recently told me that Andy builds some of the best oval-hole mandolins he's ever heard. So, I've got an F-4 style mandolin on order from Andy."

“My Grand F-5 arrived just when it was promised and has exceeded all of my expectations in every sense. I've been playing it just over a week and the sound is already incredible with strong, punching mids and ringing highs. This was exactly what I wanted in a mandolin and exactly what Andy Poe did. When I imagined what this mandolin would sound like, I didn't think it could be this good. Andy was excellent to work with, answered all of my questions and kept me updated as he went along. This mandolin's fit and finish are beyond excellent, which are a testament to his skill when you consider that this mandolin was made entirely by hand, no CNC, and even the finish was applied by hand. I couldn't be happier--this mandolin is a keeper.”

                   

                                                                                                Steve C. (Poe #014)

                                                                                                steveinsouthcarolina.blogspot.com

"I ordered an A5 model mandolin from Andy Poe in January of this year after much research on Mandolin Café and correspondence with other Poe owners and Andy. I must say that I made the decision with some trepidation, since I had never played a Poe, and had only seen photos of his instruments – and believed in the wisdom of “try before you buy.” Of course, when you commission a luthier to build a custom instrument, there is always some risk, since you never know exactly how the final product will look, sound, and play. Despite any misgivings, I was so taken by the fit, finish, and aesthetic of Poe mandolins, that I was inexorably drawn to them. The look of the mandolin and the wood grain was very important to me, but equally important were tone and playability. I wanted a superior instrument that I could enjoy for a lifetime and keep as a family heirloom. The aesthetics were obvious from Andy’s exquisite photos of his creations, and every Poe owner that I contacted was very pleased with the tone and playability of their mandolin.

Andy delivered beyond my expectations and created the mandolin of my

dreams.  I had some idea of the look I was after, but needed his artistic eye

and creativity to design the concepts for my consideration. It was this journey

through the creative process that made the experience joyful, and the wait

worthwhile. Andy seemed to read my mind and come up with ideas that

captured my fancy every time. Originally, I had chosen a two piece flame

maple back. When Andy offered a one piece birds eyemaple option and sent

photos of the tonewood, I was immediately smitten. Andy walked me through

a myriad of other choices – scale length, nut width, radiused or flat fretboard,

fret size, inlays, bindings, pick guards, staining, etc.  Everything about this

instrument was custom built to my tastes. The final product speaks for itself,

as does the long list of superlatives from viewers on the Mandolin Café.  This

mandolin sounded great right out of the box, and its tone has already grown

more rich and complex in the two weeks I have owned it.  My instructor,

accomplished mandolinist Don Julin, remarked that it plays and sounds

“like butter.”

Andy Poe has created another great work of musical art. Keep your eye on this guy as an up and coming elite mandolin luthier, and if you are thinking of a custom instrument like me, you may want to commission him before he gets too famous."