# General Mandolin Topics > eBay, Craig's List, etc. >  Broken Gibson headstock

## MikeEdgerton

This should be interesting to watch.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Early-The-Gi...kAAOSwCU1YzbQO

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Mark Wilson

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## pops1

Hmmm, wonder how high this will go? Too bad someone didn't fix it years ago.

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## mrmando

Just needs an accompanying story saying it was smashed by Ira Louvin backstage at the Grand Ole Opry or something.

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dchernack, 

Mark Wilson

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## Jim Garber

Strange seller's notes:



> 100 YEAR PLUS OLD piece here. this listing is for the case ONLY. the headstock ONLYTHE CASE shown is listed in a separate sale, and was the case this mandolin came in. the case is only shown for reference. sold AS IS this listing os for the headstock ONLY


Actually I did find the case in funky condition but figured the seller parted out the rest of this mandolin but I don't see any more parts.

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## Mandolin Cafe

> Strange seller's notes....


Nope.

Better look again. See kids, let this be a lesson. This is what happens when you drink and eBay.

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Timbofood

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## pops1

Yup, a listing for each. The case is up to $1.00

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## jim simpson

I got this headstock as part of a project years ago and didn't have a need for it. I sold it and I suspect the buyer could have reused the inlay if carefully removed.

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## Mark Wilson

> This should be interesting to watch.
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Early-The-Gi...kAAOSwCU1YzbQO


I'll forget to check later but am interested to see what it brings

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Timbofood

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## F-2 Dave

Umm, bad scroll repair. I'm out.

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## Jeff Mando

Would make a really cool paperweight to go with my old roll top desk....................but at $153.50 with 5 days to go, it will go for more than the desk is worth!  :Mandosmiley:

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## fscotte

Probably need to replace the truss rod.

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## F-2 Dave

What are the tuners worth?

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## MikeEdgerton

> What are the tuners worth?


You know, I'm really not sure. They certainly do have value but it isn't the same as the arrowhead ended tuners. If this was an F5 headstock the value would be 7 or 8 times what it is now. If they were Handel tuners the price would be up there as well. I don't recall seeing a plain set of F2/4 tuners tuners for sale. I'm sure they have been. That's pretty much what the bidding has to be for.

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## pops1

I don't know it might make a nice lamp.

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## HoGo

I wonder how much would it cost to have the rest built up by someone like Gilchrist.

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JimY, 

Mark Wilson, 

MikeEdgerton, 

Timbofood

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## MikeEdgerton

> I wonder how much would it cost to have the rest built up by someone like Gilchrist.


Jurassic Mandolin?

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## Gary Hedrick

> You know, I'm really not sure. They certainly do have value but it isn't the same as the arrowhead ended tuners. If this was an F5 headstock the value would be 7 or 8 times what it is now. If they were Handel tuners the price would be up there as well. I don't recall seeing a plain set of F2/4 tuners tuners for sale. I'm sure they have been. That's pretty much what the bidding has to be for.


Mike, the classifieds have a set for sale     http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/102992#102992

and as Charles notes...these are more rare than the Handels....mid 1918 to somewhere mid 1923....

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## MikeEdgerton

I can't remember seeing a lot of them for sale so they must be rare. Thanks.

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Gary Hedrick

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## Spruce

> I got this headstock as part of a project years ago and didn't have a need for it. I sold it and I suspect the buyer could have reused the inlay if carefully removed.


I've got _plenty_ of "The Gibson" inlays if anyone really needs one...  
(Poorly cut to match the originals...)    :Wink: 

...but, what this thread _really_ points out is that mahogany is a lousy wood for a Gibson-style neck--guitar or mandolin...
All those 'Burst breaks ($125K--gone!) and these examples really show that Leo and the Loars had it right--maple is the way to go....

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Gary Hedrick

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## Jeff Mando

> I wonder how much would it cost to have the rest built up by someone like Gilchrist.


Probably about $35K....................... :Laughing: 

Question is, would it be a restored Gibson or a Gil with a Gibson peghead grafted on?

It would, however, take the concept of distressed/relic-ed  instruments to another level -- I don't think I've seen a relic with an "intentional" headstock repair. That would lend credibility from the point of view of "who in their right mind would do such a thing?!!" -- therefore, it must be real.

To take it one step further, kind of like "how much of a torn $20 bill is still legal tender?" Certainly, you can't spend both halves and get $40 worth of goods for the same $20!  But, this is slightly different.  Let's say you had the entire mandolin.  You break it, and restore both halves and suddenly you have two vintage mandolins, right?  The only question is the cost of doing so and how well it turns out.  And, of course, integrity which may or may not figure into the situation.....

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## HoGo

> To take it one step further, kind of like "how much of a torn $20 bill is still legal tender?" Certainly, you can't spend both halves and get $40 worth of goods for the same $20!  But, this is slightly different.  Let's say you had the entire mandolin.  You break it, and restore both halves and suddenly you have two vintage mandolins, right?  The only question is the cost of doing so and how well it turns out.  And, of course, integrity which may or may not figure into the situation.....


I believe these things happened in top violin market when someone parted original Stradivari violin into two and mede the missing parts... I think someonbe later discovered them both and put the violin back together. There are still few "composite" Strads that only have some parts original and some parts of other old makers.
Reminds me of the great-grandfathers favorite axe...

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## John Soper

I thought that this represented an extreme case of "parting out" an old mandolin.  I'd hate to see the pick guard or tailpiece offering!

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## Andrew B. Carlson

I watched this for awhile. I'd absolutely love a broken Gibson headstock. Even just the faceplate with inlay. This was went too high for my pocketbook right now.

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## Jim Garber

Someone must have made him an offer for that and the case. They were both withdrawn.

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## jim simpson

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1922-Gibson-...8AAOSwol5Y1Zdg

New listing: buy-it-now for $999.99 case, headstock and tuners

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## Timbofood

Seems a bit dear to me!

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## Gary Hedrick

It is now relisted again .....with another listing of the case......this has become a "goat rodeo"......an exercise in silliness 

How about another relisting....take off the tuners....one plate at a time....the headstock separate....and put a price of $1000 on each....

Really???

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## Jeff Mando

Probably a situation where the seller was surprised and shocked at how much initial bidding occurred and realizing the stuff had more value than he thought.  Then panicked, not wanting to sell the stuff too cheap, and relisted.  A fairly common overreaction with general "flea market" type sellers on eBay.  Or he was using his first ad to test the waters, so to speak. Sounds like he got 'educated" in a hurry.  He now uses 1922 Gibson F-4 in his description, where earlier he just described as a broken Gibson mandolin peghead and guessed it was over 100 years old, which was pretty close.  He may be reading this forum, I'm guessing.

The stuff does have value -- much more than I would have guessed.  Questions:  What does a really sharp vintage Gibson F-4 case bring?  What percentage of that should a beat-up case bring?  In my mind, you lose a lot of bidders, due to the condition, but apparently not.

The peghead -- what percentage of a mandolin does the peghead and tuners represent?  8 percent?  10 percent?  20 percent?  I don't know, but it is a very import part of the whole package, BUT it's not like it is a bolt-on part.  The only people who can possibly use this are builders, luthiers, repairman, etc........and for what purpose?  And again, at what price?  I think a lot of people would like to own a nice clean F-4, but this is just the peghead.  Like I said in an earlier post, to me it is a paperweight, a very cool paperweight!

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## Jim Garber

The latest links!

*1920'S Gibson F-4 Mandolin headstock + Tuners / Offer*

*1922 Era Gibson F-4 Mandolin CASE / OFFER*

The headstock by itself IMHO is a souvenir of a long lost era and would look lovely framed on a workshop wall. The most valuable part of it would be the tuners, of course. He is taking offers so you never know. He does mention the tuners so he must know what they are worth or at least guesses. It looks like the screws might be rusted but I assume that that can be dealt with. I doubt he will get $599 for that but you never know.

The case is pretty beat and IMHO is not worth $599 tho once again he might get an offer. I would think that for someone desperate for an original case maybe $150-200 would be more than reasonable. 

I would guess tho that he paid near to nothing for these two items—no other parts from this mandolin have appeared — I wonder where they went?

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## j. condino

Pretty lame that I and a number of other folks made honest bids on these items the first time around. If he cancelled the auction because someone else made a nice offer, fine, but to do it just to relist and try for more money just lost any credibility. No more bids from me just on principle alone.

* As a follow up,when I contacted the seller about this, he gave an aggressive reply and told me to take my business elsewhere! Good  luck with that sales approach.....

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Gary Hedrick, 

MikeEdgerton

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## allenhopkins

Next: actual dust balls from inside the 1920's case -- vintage lint...

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brunello97, 

Gary Hedrick

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## Gary Hedrick

> Pretty lame that I and a number of other folks made honest bids on these items the first time around. If he cancelled the auction because someone else made a nice offer, fine, but to do it just to relist and try for more money just lost any credibility. No more bids from me just on principle alone.
> 
> * As a follow up,when I contacted the seller about this, he gave an aggressive reply and told me to take my business elsewhere! Good  luck with that sales approach.....


I too made honest bids on the peghead but with all of this nonsense ......."Eh go (*&%^(*&^  and I will spend my money elsewhere"

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j. condino, 

MikeEdgerton

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## Jeff Mando

As we know, most of eBay bidding occurs in the last few minutes -- at least the bids that matter -- he might have been better off to just let the auctions play out, he might have gotten close to what he "thinks" they are worth!

I, too, dislike a "squirrel-ly" seller  because anything can happen.  A lot of these sellers will not award a winning bid, if they think they can do better elsewhere, even after an auction closes.  Not trustworthy.

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## Timbofood

The seller obviously has some strange concept of fair play as well as, from what I see here, common courtesy. I hope he sells them and a dog leaves and "offer" on his front porch. Jerk sellers are everywhere, jerk buyers are too, to be honest.

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Gary Hedrick

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## brunello97

> Next: actual dust balls from inside the 1920's case -- vintage lint...


Ace.

Mick

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allenhopkins

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## Jeff Mando

It appears the headstock has sold for Best Offer on eBay.  No way to know the actual selling price, in this case. (unless someone here would like to speak up!  :Wink: )  I would doubt the "extra profit" made would offset the public ridicule, but...........

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Gary Hedrick, 

jim simpson

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