Mark Stanley - luthier

[J]

I just ran into a steel string guitar made by Mark Stanley. Can
anyone fill me in on him? From what I understand, he doesn't build
any more and his focus was classical guitars, but he did make a number
of steel string instruments as well.

This one has more depth than a typical small bodied guitar, an
oversized sound how and a small upper bout. It's a bit like a Nick
Lucas variation. Bracing is pretty unique too, with some elements of
classical design gently added on to a more standard steel string
bracing.

Years when he built? Typical pricing from him at that time? Guesses
on current market range?

Wade? Anyone else?

[W***@aol.com]

Actually, you happen to ask the one regular on RMMGA who's definitely
owned a Mark Stanley guitar - I had Mark's own personal archtop guitar
for a few years before I traded it off to Roy McAlister (who's since
passed it along to his jazz guitarist nephew, I think...)

Mark was an active builder for maybe 16 years or so, from 1982 until
the late 1990's. The last I heard he had sold his farm outside Orting,
Washington and moved down to the Washington/Oregon state line in order
to be closer to this J.Z. Knight organization, Ms. Knight being the
woman who "channels" this supposedly ancient warrior spirit of
"Ramtha."

If you hear Ms. Knight doing her Ramtha voice, it takes on this vaguely
Teutonic accent, and sounds amazingly like Swedish actor Max Van Sydow
after he's had a few aquavits and is waxing philosophical.....

ANYway, Mark gradually got less interested in guitarbuilding and more
interested in Ramtha's life guidance, which is definitely a loss for
the handmade guitar market. He did very nice work. (Mark did, that
is. I can't speak to Ramtha's guitar-building abilities...)

In addition to the classical guitars, Mark also built quite a number of
acoustic bass guitars, and made some of the nicest ones I've ever
heard.

His own personal sense of aesthetics was fairly spartan but elegant,
and this tends to be reflected in the instruments he built. There
isn't much in the way of inlay or flash, but the craftsmanship is
superb.

Mark's prices were in line for a regionally known luthier at that time,
which is to say that - from what I can tell - his steel string guitars
were going for $2500 and up back then.

I'm guessing, but it's an educated guess. I have one more person I can
ask if you need me to confirm that.

What are they asking for the instrument?


Wade Hampton Miller
Chugiak, Alaska

[J]

Thanks. That confirms a lot of what I discovered this past day or two
and added several helpful details. I bought the guitar and have been
playing it all day today.

[e***@gmail.com]

This thread is ancient, but I still have my 1994 Mark Stanley classical spruce top guitar. It's got a little wear on the top, but since I performmed with it regularly for many years, it sounds incredible. I paid $2,800 for it and I'm the original owner.

Post by J
I just ran into a steel string guitar made by Mark Stanley. Can
anyone fill me in on him? From what I understand, he doesn't build
any more and his focus was classical guitars, but he did make a number
of steel string instruments as well.
This one has more depth than a typical small bodied guitar, an
oversized sound how and a small upper bout. It's a bit like a Nick
Lucas variation. Bracing is pretty unique too, with some elements of
classical design gently added on to a more standard steel string
bracing.
Years when he built? Typical pricing from him at that time? Guesses
on current market range?
Wade? Anyone else?