# General Mandolin Topics > eBay, Craig's List, etc. >  Scary refinish of Gibson A3

## Jim Garber

Oh well... Here is how to make a vintage Gibson look like a cheap pacrim mandolin. Gibson A3... "professionally refinished"

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## journeybear

Just change the condition from "used" to "abused," and the description from "refinished" to "finished," and that's closer to what happened here. Love the pickguard, by the way.  :Disbelief: 

If the color scheme is to your liking of course, why quibble? Maybe these were the colors of the owner's national flag. Let's see, red, black, and white ... hmmm, Trinidad and Tobago or Yemen. Well, Yemeni music probably calls for the oud, but calypso sounds nice on mandolin. This would be _perfect_ for that!  :Mandosmiley:

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## MandoNicity

Oh gosh!

JR

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## barney 59

It's people like that that makes it possible for the poor folk to get their hands on a vintage Gibson. If a refinish lowers the value by 1/2 this refinish should bring it down to about 1/4.

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## journeybear

You know, if this originally had a white finish as the seller says (which would explain the pickguard color), this can hardly be said to be that much worse.  :Disbelief:  But that's just my taste, of course.

Barney has a point. But with over nine days to go, there is _plenty_ of time for the bidding to get up to a typical silly level.

Sticking with the national flag theory of color scheme, there is a third possibility: Sealand.  :Grin:

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## jim simpson

Too bad it wasn't restored to the original finish (or left alone!) or at least a solid stain/paint. I see that the black binding was left on the hole rim.

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## F-2 Dave

Wow. I've looked at that auction three times now and it doesn't get any better. Can't believe someone thought that was a good idea. Probably sounds awesome.

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## JeffD

> If the color scheme is to your liking of course, why quibble? Maybe these were the colors of the owner's national flag. Let's see, red, black, and white ... hmmm, Trinidad and Tobago or Yemen. Well, Yemeni music probably calls for the oud, but calypso sounds nice on mandolin. This would be _perfect_ for that!




 :Laughing:   :Laughing:   :Crying:

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## bratsche

> You know, if this originally had a white finish as the seller says (which would explain the pickguard color), this can hardly be said to be that much worse.  But that's just my taste, of course.


It's not just you.  I was thinking the same thing.  White finishes look yucky to me.  :Whistling: 

bratsche

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## allenhopkins

Apparently A-3's were finished in "ivory" from 1918 to when they were discontinued in 1922.  *Here's* a pic from Cafe archives.  I think it's an interesting finish color, but the couple of ivory A-3's I've seen have had a good deal of discoloration from wear.

I really like the headstock inlay; there's a replica on my 1987 Carlson-signed "Army/Navy Custom" pancake.

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## Spruce

Wow....

You can see why it got the white paint treatment originally....

What is that--3 grains per inch??

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## Jim Garber

My very first Gibson was a 1919 whiteface A3 in great shape. I was not exactly thrilled with the color, but, like many of my instruments, the tone won out over the looks. It also beat out all the other A models at Mandolin Brothers circa 1978. It was a great one and an excellent band instrument despite the refrigerator look.

 In any case, I would take that look over the current eBay one.

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## journeybear

Actually, so would I. Because then I could have a scene of palm trees on the beach with sunset painted on it.

Or not.  :Smile: 

Actually, the only time I've ever seen a white finish instrument was over twenty years ago, a bass it was, that we picked up for my first band down here. Pawn shop purchase, pretty cheap, though it was a Kay. And we did have one of the local T-shirt painters airbrush such a scene on it, and then just stood it on stage for atmosphere.

There is one of these A3s at the archives, #53959 - with just that one digit difference I thought it might actually _be_ the one up for bid.

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## Skip Kelley

As my father used to say, "where's my belt?"  :Smile:

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## barney 59

A white face is really cool if you dress right like if you play weddings. ..matches the tux!

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## man dough nollij

> Sticking with the national flag theory of color scheme, there is a third possibility: Sealand.


When I was growing up in Alaska, we used to see these all the time. I imagine there are a few kicking around in Key West, too.




Mando content: I think you guys are way off in your criticism of the EBay wonder. I think this is a prototype for all the fake Gibsons we see so much, and as such is a trendsetter. Now, people get $99 Johnsons and put fake Gibson logos on them. To make this one, the alleged luthier in question scraped all the refrigerator white off of a nice old A3, painted it to look EXACTLY like a cheap Johnson, and left the authentic Gibson inlay and tailpiece on it.  Brilliant!

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## journeybear

Duuude!!! I think you are onto something there. Or _maybe_ ... this is a theft deterrent - make it look like a cheapo cheapo with a fake Gibson logo on it so it won't get stolen!  :Laughing: 

Somebody is going to end up with a pretty good deal on this one ...

Oh, and about Sealand - follow that link. What a hilarious story. I think that is my next move ...  :Wink:

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## barney 59

We could have our mandolins painted like that and become the "Sealand National Mandolin Orchestra"! They have sports teams but don't seem to be too big on the arts.

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## journeybear

Auction is ending soon. Hard to believe this is going to go for as little as it seems. Looks ain't everything, you know, especially when it comes to musical instruments, where sound is much more important. Wish I had the money and interest ... but I already have a nice old pumpkin, with original finish ...

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## Jim Garber

Actually that ending price -- $1225 -- is probably about right, like 50% devalued for the refinish.

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## journeybear

I guess that's par for the course - ending bid double the price at the start of the day. Regardless of the refinish, someone got a good-sounding mandolin at a reasonable price - even if it does look a little ... different.  :Wink:

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## MikeEdgerton

It always amazes me what people are willing to pay on eBay.

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## Spruce

> It always amazes me what people are willing to pay on eBay.


Hey, I'm seeing a potentially _incredible_ A3 in those pictures...
The figured maple back is rare and super-sweet, and looks untouched...
Neck looks good, etc...

If I needed another project right now (and I don't), I'd _love_ have a crack at refinishing that instrument with an original-like ivory white finish, reliced to match the rest of the instrument....

Wouldn't be all that hard, and it would be very satisfying to dump that sunburst and get that puppy back to it's original look....

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## journeybear

I agree. Granted, this instrument has lost a good amount of its collector's value, but is probably a fine playing instrument. There is a slight crack under the strap button - despite what the seller had said - but otherwise ... I mean, I paid about $350 less for a plain A, but I'd have been happy to have this instead. Even with the color scheme, which clashes with most of my wardrobe (except the black T-shirts).

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