# General Mandolin Topics > eBay, Craig's List, etc. >  26 Fern on eBay $100K

## Don Grieser

Lots of nice pictures of real distressing.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1926-GIBSON-MAST...d=p3286.c0.m14

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## sunburst

If you're bidding, don't forget to deduct the price of a re-fret and set up! (The bridge will probably have to stay off center, that's partly the f holes, but it can be turned around the right way.)
Shouldn't the tailpiece be gold to match the tuners on a '26?

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## Steven Stone

GREAT pictures!

Will it sell? I have no idea.... :Confused:

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## clem

The tailpiece IS gold.  But the tailpiece cover isn't!  That's got to be a $5K deduction....right?

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## Fretbear

Look's like a cousin to the Dawg's famous '25 fern.....

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## allenhopkins

$100K seems a bit steep...what do others think?

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## sunburst

> The tailpiece IS gold.  But the tailpiece cover isn't!  That's got to be a $5K deduction....right?


Don't know how much to deduct but it would have to be a substantial amount (just try to find an original tailpiece cover for a '26 F5!). 
Mostly though, it isn't mentioned in the description (so far), but I bet the price doesn't go down after it's brought to the sellers attention, as I'm sure it will be (or already has).

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## danb

Looks good to me so far, though haven't gone over in detail. That serial number is not in the F5j or archive (yet!)

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## evanreilly

That defines "playing wear".

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## Links

Looks like Gibson used that as a model for their DMM's!

In today's financial climate, I think they are dreaming just a little!  Maybe not  -  but they won't get it on Ebay!

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## danb

> Don't know how much to deduct but it would have to be a substantial amount (just try to find an original tailpiece cover for a '26 F5!). 
> Mostly though, it isn't mentioned in the description (so far), but I bet the price doesn't go down after it's brought to the sellers attention, as I'm sure it will be (or already has).


Looking at it in the pictures, there's an argument to make each way that it's original but worn or a replacement cover

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## TomTyrrell

The tailpiece cover doesn't bother me nearly as much as the poorly redone fretboard binding, removed neck finish (better if it had just worn off rather than being helped), missing finger rest and non-original case. Those replacement screws on the tuners are kind of ugly too.

Probably be a good player but not the investment potential the seller touts. In the current market I would be surprised to see it go for the opening bid.

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## Carleton Page

Is there  any chance this tailpiece was once gold and the plating has worn off?  If you  look at the last picture it looks like the underside is gold.

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## danb

> Is there  any chance this tailpiece was once gold and the plating has worn off?  If you  look at the last picture it looks like the underside is gold.



the base looks just right, the cover shows signs pointing either to a later replacement or one with the plating worn off. 

I'm bothered that the base is not worn by the endpin to match the cover, but I think I can see some signs of plating in the trenches of the etching

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## Carleton Page

I thought it was the last pic but it isn't even close.  It is the one from the side.

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## Jim Garber

Oh, man... I was all excited about this one, but you guys talked me out of it.  :Laughing:

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## man dough nollij

Is this in the category of an un-signed Loar? I tried to search my couch cushions for the $, but I remembered I don't have a couch. Bummer.

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## sbarnes

anybody else notice the $525 shipping fee......!!!

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## Carleton Page

> the base looks just right, the cover shows signs pointing either to a later replacement or one with the plating worn off. 
> 
> I'm bothered that the base is not worn by the endpin to match the cover, but I think I can see some signs of plating in the trenches of the etching


Thanks I forgot it was the tailpiece cover not the tailpiece that was being talked about.

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## Jeff Chu

paying 24k for a distressed mm, makes more sense now....haha. wow, how much do you think it will cost to fix this thing up? i think its really risky to buy an instrument off ebay. i would like some kind of trial time an instrument that expensive... i guess its more for a collector.

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## f5loar

I doubt it will get a hit at $100K on ebay but it will get the word out there it is for sale at a price at some little town in TN.  I would suspect a serious party will contact the seller in person and pick it up in person saving those heafty ebay fees as a discount on the price and waving that $525 shipping fee.  No doubt this one has some room to move on the price. 
I noticed a rather bad split in the bridge bottom.  No pickguard, no original case, non original tailpiece cover and heaven forbid those two missing tuner screws, and the rather VG--- condition should account to some discount since one really fine one just sold off the cafe for $90K.

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## Rob Powell

> I doubt it will get a hit at $100K on ebay but it will get the word out there it is for sale at a price at some little town in TN.  I would suspect a serious party will contact the seller in person and pick it up in person saving those heafty ebay fees as a discount on the price and waving that $525 shipping fee.  No doubt this one has some room to move on the price. 
> I noticed a rather bad split in the bridge bottom.  No pickguard, no original case, non original tailpiece cover and heaven forbid those two missing tuner screws, and the rather VG--- condition should account to some discount since one really fine one just sold off the cafe for $90K.


I think that's the point...I don't think the seller ever expected to actually sell it on ebay but putting it there was a marketing tool.  It got the word out to the masses.

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## Jonathan Peck

Looks like the saddle is setting all the way down with no further adjustment and the action is 'manly' high. Could there be a neck problem on this one?

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## Mike Bromley

Yes, that saddle is mighty low!  Eek...!

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## Mark Seale

> Yes, that saddle is mighty low!  Eek...!


And backwards.

And is it me or is the binding strikingly white?  Is it a different material than those we see that seem to be dark ivory in color or is it a different finish?

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## Darryl Wolfe

> And backwards.
> 
> And is it me or is the binding strikingly white?  Is it a different material than those we see that seem to be dark ivory in color or is it a different finish?


Yes it is white.  This is typical of the Fern era.  The finish is also different.  The color and texture is actually more like those normally found in the 86xxx 87xxx era instaed of the 82xxx.  I would suggest this is another one of those holdover mandolins.  The finish, the dot at the third fret and the tuner grommets are simply not what one would expect from an 82xxx serial number (nor is the tailpiece cover, that I believe is original but simply has the gold worn off)

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