Testimonials

Below are comments from customers and others who have played my instruments. Please let me know If you would like to be put in touch with an owner of a Mowry instrument.

"I wanted to drop you a line to let you know that I have got my hands on the mandolin. If anything, it is even better than I expected-- it is absolutely gorgeous and plays really beautifully. It has a fantastic ring and sounds great even high up the neck…I don't think I could ask for a better mandolin, even if I'd paid twice as much!"

-Craig in Scotland

"This is just a spectacular mandolin in every respect. I was drawn to your work by the beautiful aesthetics of your carving, and this A5 is a match for any mandolin I've ever seen, simply as a work of art. The fit and finish are immaculate, the range of precise details…are stunning. The sound is just wonderful, too. Very clear, really evenly balanced, a good bit of punch without being harsh, strong sustain- and is it LOUD! Well suited for jazz and choro- but I know bluegrassers would go for this sound too.

Working with you on this was as much fun as I've had in a long, long time! And now I get to keep the mandolin, too!"

-Brad in North Carolina

"Well, suffice it to say, I won’t be exercising the two-week option to return the instrument. I’m loving it out of the box. The sound is everything I was hoping for and more. It is rich, complex and plays beautifully, fast or slow, quiet or loud.

Thank you for taking the time to understand my vision. Thank you for going above and beyond in all the details as well. I can tell hundreds of hours were put into crafting this beauty. I could not be happier with your work."

-Steve in California

"I'm the caretaker for the blonde in Andrews latest batch… it's beyond fantastic. I spent the whole first week with it purposely looking for something I didn't like about it. Nothing found… I wouldn't sell it for $10,000. It renders me speechless."

-Dave in Missouri

"It's getting increasingly harder not to rave like a lunatic about my new Mowry. We're still getting to know one another and we're getting on just fine. Sometimes I have to just stop playing, as I'm truly amazed at the subtle complexity of her voice. I certainly don't deserve such a fine instrument, so I consider myself very lucky."

-Jonathan in New York

"The mandolin arrived last night, and I'm still at a loss for words… It is truly a work of art in every detail… The treble is beautiful and the bass is already quite substantial…I can say with absolute assurance that barring any disasters, I will keep this mandolin for the rest of my life. I truly can't wait to hear what it will sound like when it has a few years of playing behind it. It is hard to imagine how it could get any better.

I'll stop being so effusive in a moment, but I would also like to add that it has been a pleasure working with you, and the end result is better than I ever could have hoped for."

-James in Washington, D.C.

"I had the pleasure of test driving a brand-spankin' new Mowry two-point mandolin over the past two weeks and this Engelmann spruce-topped mandolin was incredible. I was blown away every time I picked up the Mowry to play…The fit and varnish finish on the Mowry is perfect--I mean perfect. I could not find a single flaw anywhere on this instrument…

I honestly feel you will be hard pressed to find a better mandolin for the buck than with a Mowry. I'd say get in line for this builder, as he is one to watch. In fact, quit watching and get your order in! BTW, I have no financial interest in Mowry mandolins--just lots of respect and support for yet another GREAT builder of our beloved instrument."

-Jim in Kansas

"Just a short note to tell you how pleased I am with my new mandolin. First of all I would like to thank you for getting it right. The fit and finish are top shelf and among the best I have ever seen ---- period. The playability is exactly what I wanted, soft as butter with J75's. The tone is absolutely wonderful to my ears. The notes are clear all the way up the neck with no hint of degradation. The treble is substantial and projects very well ; the bass is resonant and still developing. Chop chords are very authoritative. When I play the mandolin the body resonates in a way that it really feels alive. At MerleFest I received many compliments regarding the tone,finish and playability of the mandolin ---- compliments from popular mandolin luthiers as well as some dynamite pickers."

-Lane in North Carolina

"Excellent workmanship and sound… Very nicely developed tonal response, with plenty of volume and depth... Very crisp construction using high-grade materials and methods."

-Greg Boyd, House of Fine Instruments, Missoula, Montana

"Well, I've had my Mowry mando for a week now, and I'm loving it… On the lower end, D/G strings, there is a good, deep body to the notes. The A/E have a great snap to them…

Fretting is great - (almost) no effort for the first fret to sound out nicely, and everywhere else seems good and responsive… The weight and balance are also great - it sits just right, so my fretting hand can just concentrate on playing…

You make an extraordinarily beautiful instrument, and I consider myself lucky to have an F5 of yours to grow up with as I continue and expand my playing for years to come. Thank you!"

-Dave in Connecticut

"I bought one of Andrew’s F-5 models and could not be happier with it. What I really like about it is that it has a beautiful bell tone on the highs that still “packs a punch” and a great “thump” on the low end. The chop is nice and “woofy” and the action is amazing.

I can’t say enough about the beauty of the instrument. The finish is amazing and the hand carving is awesome".

-Pete in Illinois

"The mandolin plays very easily, and it speaks very quick, with a bright hard sound-- it seems to spit notes out like machine-gun fire, and I mean that in a good way. I find I'm playing everything twice as fast as I'm used to…

One thing you don't want to lose is the incredible evenness from string to string. The same run played in open position and up the neck sounds the same. I've never had an instrument that sounded so clear in the higher positions…

…And it is a thing of great beauty."

-Bruce in British Columbia

"Your mandolin arrived today and it is absolutely beautiful…The detail and carving is flawless and it certainly sounds great… It is a true masterpiece in substance and sound!"

-Patrick in Pennsylvania

"I got my new Andrew Mowry mandolin yesterday… I could not be happier about the way it looks; elegant and understated- –just perfect. Absolutely perfect!! The notes are bell-clear all over the neck and there is a nice growl in the lower registers.

…I could not be happier than I am about my experience working with Andrew. He absorbed my ridiculous questions with interest and grace and faithfully translated my wishes into an impeccable mandolin (with a great new James
tailpiece)."

-Clarke in Maine

"Hooray-- It came yesterday...The octave mandolin is awesome-- what a beautiful instrument! I love the size, the lightness of it and the BOOMING sound. How did you get so much sound out of that little thing?"

-Steve in Utah

"I've got a blonde Mowry F5, and I can't say enough good things about it. Excellent woods, perfect workmanship, great setup, and, most importantly, wonderful tone… I played one other Mowry, before ordering this one, and found it to be just as nice. Andrew was a wonderful luthier to work with; he was very accommodating in his desire to build just what I wanted."

-Charlie in Utah

"When I first picked up your mandolin and started [playing] chords all I could think was "wow”… I am able to do things on your mandolin that I never thought I would be able to do…It is one of the most beautiful sounding mandolins I have ever heard. It is nice and loud and the chop is just right. It makes most of my solos sound ten times better.

...I love the look of the mandolin too. The hand carving you did on the body just looks simply amazing. The stain, the hardware, everything just looks great…I consider myself very lucky to have such a fine instrument."

-Josh in Pennsylvania