# General Mandolin Topics > eBay, Craig's List, etc. >  This weeks mandolin that won't get a bid or buyer

## MikeEdgerton

*This* looks nice, but at that price it will never see a buyer.

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Ed Goist

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## pefjr

> *This* looks nice, but at that price it will never see a buyer.


hmmm.... I missed that bargain. :Cool:  I narrowed my search down to auction only and eliminated 90 % of the listings. Then most of the ones left never get a bid. EBAY is not an auction anymore, it's a online lookers mall, and their fees are over 10% now,  makes CL look good.

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## Jim Garber

I think it is partly the Antiques Roadshow syndrome. Every attic and every grandmother had a Loar-signed F5 or everyone heads out to the flea market and comes home with a valuable painting. Oh well. Too bad... I love my Maurer which I paid about $300. it is practically the same with the exception of the pick guard.

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## jim simpson

I got a kick out of this guitar being priced at $500 - they usually sell for $150.
Lots of sellers are either ignorant of market prices and become overly optimistic.

http://wheeling.craigslist.org/msg/3832900789.html

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Ed Goist

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## JeffD

Or are counting on the gawkers to not have done their homework.

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## allenhopkins

On the eBay listing: what kinda "buy it now" price is *$2,857.70* ?  Not $2,900, or even $2,850, but $2,857.70 ?

I realize that they took a round number and reduced it by a percentage to make sale more likely (not that it's gonna work), but you'd think they might have rounded off the amount.

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## vegas

> On the eBay listing: what kinda "buy it now" price is *$2,857.70* ?  Not $2,900, or even $2,850, but $2,857.70 ?
> 
> I realize that they took a round number and reduced it by a percentage to make sale more likely (not that it's gonna work), but you'd think they might have rounded off the amount.


Yeah, I thought that was odd as well. If you look at their other items, they are similarly priced with odd amounts of change in those columns. It must be a pricing strategy for marketing reasons somebody came up with.

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## Jim Garber

BTW do not write to this Maurer seller telling them that their starting bid is way off base. I stupidly did that and it pissed them off. The nerve of me!

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Charles E., 

Ed Goist, 

epicentre, 

Happy gnome, 

Jordan Mong, 

Timbofood

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## brunello97

> BTW do not write to this Maurer seller telling them that their starting bid is way off base. I stupidly did that and it pissed them off. The nerve of me!



I think he knocked $687.50 off the price because the tailpiece cover is missing, aka "long gone."

Mick

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## sunburst

"fossilized mammoth (ivXXy)"...
That's fossilized male _Bos taurus_ fecal matter...

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journeybear

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## journeybear

Or, in other words ...  :Wink: 

Allen, what gets me is not only the arrived-at price, with the 18% discount, but also the starting price, from which they discounted 18%. Neither of those are what I would call round figures.  :Confused:

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allenhopkins

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## vegas

> BTW do not write to this Maurer seller telling them that their starting bid is way off base. I stupidly did that and it pissed them off. The nerve of me!


Why would you listen to someone who knew more about something than you? I remember telling an antiques dealer the fly rod she was selling was not cane, it was fiberglass and she just about came unglued that I would dare disagree with "an experienced seller of antiques"? I told her I was an experienced fly fisherman and knew cane from fiberglass. It didn't change her mind and either she died with that in her shop or somebody who knew even less bought it.

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## sunburst

> Or, in other words ...


Nah, not even that. The Larsons did have some of the nicest ivoroid I've seen, though.

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## Bertram Henze

> On the eBay listing: what kinda "buy it now" price is *$2,857.70* ?  Not $2,900, or even $2,850, but $2,857.70 ?


Douglas Adams would have the answer: The probability of someone buying this is 285770 to one against.

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Timbofood

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## JEStanek

I suspect he has a bill for $2857.70 stuck on his fridge by an Inspirational Magnet.  "Price it and they will come...."

I'm tempted to submit an insultingly low offer...

Jamie

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## Gary Hedrick

perhaps this should be a regular Cafe feature?

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## Jim Garber

> I'm tempted to submit an insultingly low offer...


Hah! That would be great. If I did it he would report me to the eBay police.




> perhaps this should be a regular Cafe feature?


I like that! I am sure there are a few more Duane Eddy mandolins out there.

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## Steve Ostrander

> On the eBay listing: what kinda "buy it now" price is $2,857.70 ? Not $2,900, or even $2,850, but $2,857.70 ?


He's only off by a factor of ten. Maybe he put the decimal in the wrong place?

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## vegas

> Hah! That would be great. If I did it he would report me to the eBay police.
> 
> 
> 
> I like that! I am sure there are a few more Duane Eddy mandolins out there.


Ditto!

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## Charles E.

I'll see your Mauer and raise you a Martin tenor.......

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1928-Martin-...2a#ht_44wt_917

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Ed Goist

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## CES

> I'll see your Mauer and raise you a Martin tenor.......
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/1928-Martin-...2a#ht_44wt_917


Ok, you win...even if the entire Kingston Trio Played it, that is effin ridiculous on that tenor!!

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## Jim Garber

Charley... they do offer free shipping!!

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JEStanek

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## Jim Garber

I am not sure if this falls into this same category...

*Loar era bridge* for $2k.

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Ed Goist

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## houseworker

Ah, that 'Loar' bridge, eBay's longest-running listing perhaps.  I know the seller received at least one offer.

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Bertram Henze, 

Jordan Mong, 

journeybear, 

Michael Weaver, 

Sherry Cadenhead

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## Pasha Alden

To Jim Garber: let's be glad that if he must report you that it is only e-bay police and not the thought police.  As people seem to have rather fixed ideas on whatever it is that they are trying to sell?  Even at such odd prices.  Maybe as someone looking for a second mandolin I could dare to put in that bid.  I mean what am I?  A newby mando player from darkest Africa?  what would I possibly know about mandolins?  <big grin> 
 You see then I cannot be reported to the e-bay police?  <even bigger grin>

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## journeybear

The seller is missing out on some easy money there. Fight the good fight, houseworker! Try $10, see what happens.  :Wink:  Or better yet, offer whatever the price is for a new one - undiscounted - plus $1. If he doesn't take that, he really is a fool.

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## houseworker

> Try $10


Not with $49 shipping on top, no way!  Actually the seller stopped inviting offers right after he got mine.  Can't think why....

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## journeybear

$49 for shipping??? That must be one HEAVY bridge.  :Disbelief:

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## houseworker

Only $25 in the USA.  USPS must have put up their prices recently.

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## Pasha Alden

JB Definitely disbelief in SA rands R490 for shipping for a bridge?  Definitely disbelief.

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## shortymack

Good thing Duane Eddy doesnt own it.

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Charles E., 

houseworker, 

jim simpson

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## dustyamps

Another ebay gem.

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## Bertram Henze

> Another ebay gem.


Now, those thumbwheels are turned down low...

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## Jim Garber

Wow a custom bridge for a mandolin with custom string spacing and height adjustment. Let me guess: $700 for the bridge or does it come with a mandolin?

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## houseworker

Any involvement from Duane Eddy with this one?

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## dustyamps

This is on a busted up KM-11 listed as a Kalamazoo guitar

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## Mike Romkey

I'm a habitual shopper of the classifieds here, and every couple of weeks check out what's what at the main dealer websites. Just because, right? It's been a while since I looked at eBay, but I cruised through yesterday and was surprised at all the excessively optimistic "buy it now" prices and opening bids. For whatever reason, eBay as a marketplace for used mandolins appears to be about over. Instead of finding some good deals, everybody thinks their 1960 A is worth $2,800.

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## allenhopkins

> ...everybody thinks their 1960 A is worth $2,800.


A Gibson "A" from 1960 would be worth that, since they stopped making that model in 1933…

However, I guess Mike's referring to an A-40 or A-50, which were still made in 1960, and might possibly bring half that price.

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## Jim Garber

> This is on a busted up KM-11 listed as a Kalamazoo guitar


Phew that *KM-11* is a poor baby however it really doesn't belong on this thread since it already has 9 bids and no reserve, so it will sell. 

We need the illusion-driven sellers who think they have the ultimate treasure.

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## Mike Romkey

Yes, that is the A to which I was referring.

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## Jim Garber

Well, not a mandolin but a *sweetheart of a pick* for $100. 1806?

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## jaycat

> Phew that *KM-11* is a poor baby however it really doesn't belong on this thread since it already has 9 bids and no reserve, so it will sell. 
> 
> We need the illusion-driven sellers who think they have the ultimate treasure.


Looks like someone paid $141 for it. Too bad, I didn't get a chance to ask my ant question.

"have ant questions feel free to ask"

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## Scott Tichenor

1913 Gibson F-2 with broken head scroll, $5,000 opening bid and the lucky winner gets to own one of those awful early leather cases. Better yet is the description which reads in part: 

"What a Great Mandolin!  This one is all ready for festivals.  It's beautiful tone rings like a bell.  At least that's what I'm told everywhere I play it."

"Only flaw is that the one top curl is missing, broke off.  Not sure of which decade it could have happened, but not on my time.  Will hate to see it go."

"Shipping cost will be actual & fast as possible."

 :Laughing:

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## Jim Garber

> 1913 Gibson F-2 with broken head scroll, $5,000 opening bid and the lucky winner gets to own one of those awful early leather cases.


Just like Bill's... sort of... I also like "one owner" except he is owner #2.

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## mrmando

Here's one precious Gibson tenor guitar:

http://shoals.craigslist.org/msg/3958912047.html

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## allenhopkins

> Here's one precious Gibson tenor guitar:...


Asking $10K, "serious offers only."  (Oh, and "restored by family member," no doubt a thoroughly professional instrument technician…!)

What's a "serious offer" responding to a ridiculous asking price?

Hey, Mac, I'll get serious when _you_ do...

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## mrmando

Well, the seller tells me he already sold it for $9,600. 

Which makes me wonder what he really had.

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## MikeEdgerton

Perhaps he found one of those things that Barnum said was born every minute or he didn't have what he thought he had.

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## jim simpson

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/msg/3919109602.html

This one is about an hour away from me. It's not in my budget and has been on CL for quite a while. Mentions a case (original?) but no picture. Thoughts?

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## pheffernan

> This one is about an hour away from me. It's not in my budget and has been on CL for quite a while. Mentions a case (original?) but no picture. Thoughts?


Already being discussed here: http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...son-A-Question

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## jim simpson

Thanks for the thread link. It seems that the consensus is that this one is okay, not a bargain, at the asking price. I don't think it was mentioned whether there was an original case or not.

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## Jstring

> Thanks for the thread link. It seems that the consensus is that this one is okay, not a bargain, at the asking price. I don't think it was mentioned whether there was an original case or not.


Hi Jim, 
  I'm the OP from the other thread about this Gibson. No, there was not an original case, although it did include a modern hard shell case. 

If you could get the owner to part with it for $1000, I would definitely jump on it. It's in beautiful condition. 

How does it sound? It was fine, but with old strings and no recent play time, who really knows? Could be great; if not, it definitely has the nice old classic Gibson sound like any other.

If you buy it, I'd love to know how much it "opens up"....

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jim simpson

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## mrmando

New candidate: 
http://williamsport.craigslist.org/msg/3982819013.html

The custom tailpiece cover doubles as a salad plate.

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## lenf12

> New candidate: 
> http://williamsport.craigslist.org/msg/3982819013.html
> 
> The custom tailpiece cover doubles as a salad plate.


Only $28K for a '53 Gibson F-5...............dream, til the day is through............dream, the whole night too. I'd love to hear the story on that tailpiece.....

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

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## goaty76

I wonder how they came up with those prices.  They are about 4 times the price of what these instruments might sell for.  I guess you could chalk it up to "it doesn't hurt to ask".

Phil

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## jim simpson

The mandolin is worth the price alone for the tailpiece!

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## Scott Tichenor

Ambitious. Mid/late 70s Gibson for $6,500. 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1977-GIBSON-...item232e16c863

My first mandolin in the late 70s was a loaner almost exactly like this. I was thinking, gee, mandolins are kind of cool but they have no sound, no projection, can't be heard. Problem was that particular model. Once I got ahold of a decent instrument I understood. Not Gibson's finest period.

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## AlanN

Whoa, that price on the '53 F-5...it does have the cooleo brown/pink case, though.

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## mrmando

Here ya go ... $2,150 for a Fender FM52E:

http://medford.craigslist.org/msg/4052858914.html

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## euph_22

> Here ya go ... $2,150 for a Fender FM52E:
> 
> http://medford.craigslist.org/msg/4052858914.html


Damn, I just got hosed. I just sold my for $75.  :Frown:

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## barney 59

Sometimes when people don't know stuff they really don't know. This guy probably saw a '57 Mandocaster for 2g's + and thought he hit the jackpot -I mean,it is a Fender electric mandolin--aren't they all the same?

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## mrmando

Beat-up A-40N for $5K

http://asheville.craigslist.org/msg/4059486547.html

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## bratsche

For the person who has everything:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/251330233893

bratsche

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## barney 59

> Beat-up A-40N for $5K
> 
> http://asheville.craigslist.org/msg/4059486547.html


Yes but your paying for the original "alligator skin" case ----and from the original alligator probably at that price!

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## Bertram Henze

> For the person who has everything:
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/251330233893
> 
> bratsche


Kafka strikes again.

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Ben Cooper

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## Peter Kurtze

> For the person who has everything:
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/251330233893
> 
> bratsche


  Those show up on eBay about every 17 years or so.

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bratsche

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## Jim Garber

Hey that cicada is playing an Embergher!

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## bratsche

Ah, yes, it's the rare 18 karat, 4-string mandolin with a half-inch scale, made by elusive Embergher elves!  No wonder it's so costly!   :Wink: 

bratsche

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## Ben Milne

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/VINTAGE-A...-/141063383205

BIN price not all that high, but sheesh it's a horror show

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## Bertram Henze

> sheesh it's a horror show


"Mostly original" - just look at the tuners. This must have been repaired a hundred times since it was transported to Van Diemen's Land for offending ugliness...

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## Ben Milne

Location is Indiana US.
 If its going to be shipped down under to Van Diemen's land I ain't gunna be the one to facilitate it.

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## Jim Garber

However it is a prime example of a rare faked grain finish...

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## euph_22

> http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/VINTAGE-A...-/141063383205
> 
> BIN price not all that high, but sheesh it's a horror show


Did they find that thing 5 feet under the foundation of their house? It's either that, or they dug it out of a fire.

I live this part: "TO A GOOD LUTHIER, THIS IS RESTORABLE." I'd beg to differ. The top is wrecked, the back is wreck, I assume the neck is trash, the tuners, fretboard, frets, tailpiece, bridge, braces are all garbage. Restoring this would require replacing the entire thing piece by piece and at that point you really aren't restoring it, you're building a new one.

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## jmp

> BIN price not all that high, but sheesh it's a horror show


Normally I'd say it would be a better wall decoration than anything else, but in this case not even.

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## MikeEdgerton

OK, I want to know who the 1 person watching this auction is....

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## mrmando

> I live this part: "TO A GOOD LUTHIER, THIS IS RESTORABLE."


Good luthiers probably have projects on their bench that represent a better ROI. This is a basket case, and will never yield a return of the time & money required to restore it. It's a project for a beginning luthier, a hobby luthier, or a desperate luthier, but not a good one.

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## Jim Garber

I think this guy goes to a lot of flea markets and buys lots of stuff cheap. He also has a no name banjo uke starting at $125 and a Bohmann bowlback with some multiple topcracks (for $280BIN): "THE CRACKS DO NOT SEEM TO DETER THE TONE, WITH THREE STRINGS PUT IN TUNE, IT STILL RESONATES WELL."

Some of his stuff might be OK. I bet he would take less for the grain-infested mandolin but would he pay us to take it off his hands. Hey, at least on side of the tuners looks decent.

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## Shuping

> OK, I want to know who the 1 person watching this auction is....


I'm guessing the original owner...probably still has nightmares of this THING coming back to haunt him! I'll be sure to lock my doors and log off of ebay tonight after seeing this horror show!

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MikeEdgerton

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## jim simpson

Not a mando but a 72 Sigma guitar for only $1250.00 buy-it-now! It's new old stock but $1250.00? geez!!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VTG-NOS-1972...#ht_2206wt_919

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## pefjr

> Not a mando but a 72 Sigma guitar for only $1250.00 buy-it-now! It's new old stock but $1250.00? geez!!
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/VTG-NOS-1972...#ht_2206wt_919


Hmm..., didn't know they made them that early. I had one of the first Sigma's, about a 76 DR-28. It was every bit as good as a Martin D-28. My son grew up with it, and babied it until he left home. He was offered every kind of trade deal for it one can imagine, turned them all down. Gave it back to me when he moved on and I sold it. I see many entertainers using these old Sigmas from the first few years. Some of the early ones are better than the Martins. I have never seen one this color or that model #.

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## barney 59

Were the early Sigma Guitars laminate or solid? If it's solid that price is not out of line in today's market.

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## Denny Gies

Love the Kafka reference, one of the cleverist yet.  Thanks.

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## Bernie Daniel

> Did they find that thing 5 feet under the foundation of their house? It's either that, or they dug it out of a fire.
> 
> I live this part: "TO A GOOD LUTHIER, THIS IS RESTORABLE." I'd beg to differ. The top is wrecked, the back is wreck, I assume the neck is trash, the tuners, fretboard, frets, tailpiece, bridge, braces are all garbage. Restoring this would require replacing the entire thing piece by piece and at that point you really aren't restoring it, you're building a new one.


The tuners, tail piece, and pick guard are not necessarily trash but every thing else is.

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## Charles E.

Not a mandolin but a 1931 Epi tenor guitar. The front has been stipped of finish but the seller thinks it is worth $8500.oo!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1931-Epiphon...fb#ht_63wt_917

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## houseworker

_Payment via Cashiers Check ONLY._

That's ok then.

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## Ben Cooper

> For the person who has everything:
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/251330233893
> 
> bratsche


You mean you don't already have one of these?  Geez, I have 5 or 6!  LMAO!!

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## Ben Milne

This listing seems a little ambitious

Besides the tuner issue, is most of the tailpiece missing?

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## Bertram Henze

> This listing seems a little ambitious
> 
> Besides the tuner issue, is most of the tailpiece missing?


Just the cover (poor man's armrest) is missing, most of the tailpiece is down where the endpin is.
But that is not why it's ambitious - this one looks very much like my very first mandolin, which I bought new for the value of approx. $50 back in '83.
And it's not Framus. It's some East German cheapo.

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## houseworker

I'm going to go out on a limb and predict no takers on this.  Only thing obviously wrong is the starting price.

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## mrmando

I dunno, considering what some of Kinnard's guitars go for, $3.2K for a mandocello ain't too far out of line. 

http://www.johnkinnard.com/

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## houseworker

I'd have had no issue if it had been a BIN price, I'd just have thought he might need to be patient.  You might pay a bit more to buy one from John Kinnard, but at least you'd be certain that you were getting an original.  There's no provenance and the seller doesn't exactly have history with musical instruments.

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## AlanN

> I'm going to go out on a limb and predict no takers on this.  Only thing obviously wrong is the starting price.


Maybe it's the photo angle, but the bass strings seem too far over from the fingerboard edge, and the treble strings too close to the other edge.

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## Jim Garber

I am pretty sure that it is the angle of the photo, Alan. It does not look off to me but you could ask for better photos from more angles.

I have a friend who played one of these as his main MC for many years. They are very nice instruments and IMHO that asking price is reasonable. I don't know what houseworker means by provenance -- the seller is prob the original owner -- and I doubt that this is a Kinnaird mandocello copy. The only problem here is the market for decent mandocellos -- pretty slim in general. Yes, it might not sell for this price but I think the price is fair.

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## jim simpson

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-Anti...item3386c91a7f

Not a mando but a case, make that a basket case!

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## Bertram Henze

> http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-Anti...item3386c91a7f
> 
> Not a mando but a case, make that a basket case!


_"The item may have some signs of cosmetic wear, but is fully operational and functions as intended. "_  :Laughing:

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## mrmando

Heh! I have one of those cases. The hinges are busted and you have to put a rubber band on it to keep it shut ... but at least the top and bottom are still attached! What do you figure it's worth?

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## pfox14

Top was obviously stripped with numerous top cracks. No way this one sells.

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## peterk

This one is a "steal" at $850, the seller says:
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Vintage-1800-...item3cd592a01d.

Some real moving prose in that ad, and , naturally, the precious instrument was found in their grandpa's attic.
The mandolin is cautiously dated as being made in the period 1800-1930, give it a year or two here and there. :Grin:

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## Jim Garber

Well, it is not a mandolin but *this seller* is very entertaining. He/she tried to sell this backless L-00 guitar for starting bid of $3700. It did not sell (surprisingly) so he raised the price to $3995. That should do it, right?

These are great little guitars but they usually have backs for that asking price which is very close to actual retail and big name dealers.

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## sunburst

> These are great little guitars but they usually have backs for that asking price which is very close to actual retail and big name dealers.


Right you are, those can be fabulous little guitars. I'd like to have that one, I have plenty of wood to make a new back for it. Heck, I'd probably even pay over $100 for it! (Of coarse, I already have an LG2 in need of a new back, so I'd better leave that one to a luthier with deeper pockets.)

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## Jim Garber

I have a wonderful one from 1939 -- I was just playing it the other day. Those L-00s were built so light. I was playing in a jam with about 6 or 7 fiddlers and some banjos and the L-00 filled the room with sound. I don't think that one will do that with the back gone.

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## acousticphd

$1000 Stradolin needing repairs:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-8-st...item27da5ccef9

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## jim simpson

I guess "needing repairs" makes it more valuable than the pristine examples, lol!

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## peterk

(duplicate post)

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## peterk

This mandolin falls into a general eBay category where the asked price is hyperinflated to 10x (or more) the real instrument value: 
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/The-Crescent-...item19ddde0a60

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## mrmando

Somebody's parting out a 1920 F2 on eBay. All the prices are ambitious. $100 for an endpin made me chuckle. 
http://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_odkw...ibson&_sacat=0

If the hardware and accessories in aggregate are worth $2400, I wonder what he thinks the mandolin was worth?

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houseworker

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## mrmando

Oh good grief: 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1920-Gibson-...item5d45d69bf9

Having completely stripped the F2, the jerk is offering it as a project on eBay for a low starting bid, because it has a seam separation and possibly some back shrinkage.

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houseworker

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## MikeEdgerton

They're bidding on the carcass but not the parts. Methinks he would have done better leaving it all there.

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## Bill Snyder

Well the name of this thread is _This weeks mandolin that won't get a bid or a buyer_ and as I type this the stripped F-2 has 7 bids.

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## peterk

One can not say this seller is lacking enthusiasm when it comes to the description of their mandolin: *"stunning"* indeed. :Grin: 
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/STUNNING-Anti...item2a33eb912f

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## Jim Garber

> One can not say this seller is lacking enthusiasm when it comes to the description of their mandolin: *"stunning"* indeed.


Nice vintage dust... stunning indeed!

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## pfox14

That F-2 project mando went for over $2000.

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## MikeEdgerton

> That F-2 project mando went for over $2000.


It is amazing what people pay for old Gibson projects no matter what the condition.

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## Jim Garber

It will prob cost the new owner another $2000 to get original parts. Yikes!

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## Vernon Hughes

I emailed the F-2 seller as soon as he started listing the parts and inquired about what happened to the mandolin. He said he'd be listing it later in the evening. Told him it would bring more with all the parts intact but never responded. Still think it would have brought more as a whole mandolin.

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## Jim Garber

*1983 Luke Thompson F5*: starting bid $18,000. 
The Parlor in Knoxville has a *2001 Luke Thompson F5* listed for $3300.

From the eBay listing:




> 1983 Luke Thompson F Style Mandolin Red Varnish
> 
> You don't see many of these, if any, any more. Luke Thompson was a master mandolin builder, and craftsman for Gibson Inc. He built many great mandolins for Gibson, and then went to work on his own, creating a unique sounding mandolin. This mandolin has all the power you could ever want, crystal clear highs, and a mean hard bellowing chop. If you want to own a piece of history this is it. Inside the mandolin it says Luke Thompson 1983, Baton Rouge, LA. This is an authentic handmade mandolin by Luke himself. I have played this mandolin on countless albums, and live shows. I just would like to sell it and play something that's not so valuable, I am tired of watching it so closely everywhere I go.




Some info on Luke Thompson *here*. I don't see him in a search of the builder's database. From the article: 



> Thompson's brand name mandolins sell from a low of $5,000 to a high of $10,000 for his top of the line instrument. On his website, he list three grades of mandolins, Master F model, Master A, and F Hole model.
> 
> He has built between 50 and 60 mandolins in his career as a Luthier. Thompson now lives in Zachary, Louisiana which was named after Zachary Taylor, the only United States President from Louisiana.


Here is his *web site*. He would be 85 years old if, as the article says, he was born in 1928. The web site has the last date as 2002. Does anyone know if he is still around and building?

----------


## pfox14

The Luke Thompson F-5 is not in very good condition either. Lots of play wear. No pickguard. Finish doesn't look very good at all. A steal at $17,500

----------


## Jim Garber

I think a friend of mine has one of his mandolins which he has played for years. I recall it is quite funky looking but sounds pretty decent.

----------


## Bernie Daniel

> I think a friend of mine has one of his mandolins which he has played for years. I recall it is quite funky looking but sounds pretty decent.


Buck White has played a Thompson mandolin for a long time -- I saw it on an rebroadcast of an old (early2000's -Skeeter Davis was still alive) County Family Reunion show on RFD-TV just a few weeks ago.   But even Buck's mandolin would probably not sell for that silly price.  What a dreamer!

----------


## Charles E.

> I think a friend of mine has one of his mandolins which he has played for years. I recall it is quite funky looking but sounds pretty decent.


The binding on the scroll work is some of the worst I have ever seen. When I saw this today the BIN was 19K.
Good luck with that.

----------


## peterk

How's this for pricing a bowlback mandolin enthusiastically: $3,500 ? :Wink: 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Mart...item3a88cd55f5

----------


## mrmando

Well, the Luke Thompson F5 is down to $2K:
https://webmail.atl.earthlink.net/wa...p&x=1605071847

----------


## Jerry Byers

> Well, the Luke Thompson F5 is down to $2K:
> https://webmail.atl.earthlink.net/wa...p&x=1605071847


And it continues to fall...$1250 now.

----------


## Ben Cooper

> How's this for pricing a bowlback mandolin enthusiastically: $3,500 ?
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Mart...item3a88cd55f5


Gee, I have one nearly identical, just not as fancy under the oval hole.  Wonder if I can get that kind of money.  LOL!!!

----------


## Jim Garber

> Well, the Luke Thompson F5 is down to $2K:
> https://webmail.atl.earthlink.net/wa...p&x=1605071847


Huh? What is that link? I keep getting a login for earthlink web mail. Where is the Thompson listed now? I see nothing on eBay.

----------


## Jerry Byers

> Huh? What is that link? I keep getting a login for earthlink web mail. Where is the Thompson listed now? I see nothing on eBay.


The Thompson is now down to $1150.

----------


## Jim Garber

> The Thompson is now down to $1150.


Truly amazing... price down from $18,000!! The seller linked a sound clip and it sounds all right. Funky scroll and binding tho, but we knew that.

----------


## PiccoloPrincipe

Something I would do.

They own several and tell their significant other they are going to sell other to justify recent purchase, but really don't want to sell ANYTHING.




> How's this for pricing a bowlback mandolin enthusiastically: $3,500 ?
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Mart...item3a88cd55f5

----------


## houseworker

That Luke Thompson is "no longer available".

----------


## Ron Cox

Hope I did this right
http:// http://www.ebay.com/itm/KENTUCKY-MANDOLIN-A-STYLE-KMIOOS-SAGA-MUSICAL-INSTRUMENT-HANDCRAFTED-CASE-/171124002985?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27d7c9  10a9

Now I got one of those new when they came out, and they don't make it any more, but they aren't worth that much, are they?  Maybe it's the handcrafted case.  Mine's only a chipboard.

----------


## houseworker

Just think what it would have been worth with the original tailpiece cover!

----------


## Ron Cox

I know where you can get one just like that WITH tailpiece cover and strap!  For only an little more!  He he.  

I love my Saga, though it's not a Gibson, Martin or the like.  It's my first and has been with me for +20 years.  Would I spend a grand for another?  Not likely.  Nice though it is, for that money there is better out there.

----------


## Jim Garber

*Cute little flattop* by an old luthier with a replaced top. The price is unreasonable and the top has been replaced, so whatever vintage value is gone.

----------


## pfox14

Looking at the grain on the headstock, it looks like it has an oak neck. I don't know where people come up with these prices.

----------


## Dan Margolis

Amazing and delusional.

----------


## Jim Garber

Not a ridiculous price but... can't *this person* tell that the photo is useless. Obviously, he/she can take a clear photo of the case.

----------


## Bernie Daniel

> Not a ridiculous price but... can't *this person* tell that the photo is useless. Obviously, he/she can take a clear photo of the case.


Well that's hillbillyengineering for you!!  :Smile:

----------


## Bertram Henze

> Not a ridiculous price but... can't *this person* tell that the photo is useless. Obviously, he/she can take a clear photo of the case.


That's what you get when you shoot a picture with a machine gun.

----------


## peterk

Is this art in the eye of the beholder too ? :Confused:  BIN price is $999.99, accepting offers too.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Vint...item2ecee2a0d1

----------


## PaulaJ

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-Anti...item338a752789

----------


## Eddie Sheehy

A magician's mandolin case - look, it's really empty... no smoke, no mirrors...

----------


## JeffD

> http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-Anti...item338a752789



Oh my.

----------


## JeffD

> http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-Anti...item338a752789



Oh my.

----------


## Jim Garber

For hysterical porpoises. As we used to say in the wilds of Brooklyn, "a real bargain at half the price."

----------


## mrmando

Here's an intact version of more or less the same case for a starting bid of $6.99: http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-ANTI...item51b98ac563

I have a similar one that's also falling apart, but not as badly as the one Jim posted. 

Anyhow, here's a Washburn Jethro Burns F5 that evidently was actually built by George Washburn and traded in to a store by Jethro himself! Because if Jethro wanted to get rid of it, then it MUST be worth $3.5K... http://bgky.craigslist.org/msg/4343691442.html

----------


## mrmando

Ooh! A refinished/restored Gibson A4! Too bad all that restoration effort wasn't applied to the case instead of the mandolin. 

If the instrument were in mint condition but had a crummy case like this, I'd think it worth $1750 max. A nice refinish like this one should knock that price down by 500 or 600 bucks. This seller is challenging that notion, and seems to think the refin has doubled the value rather than reducing it. 

http://nh.craigslist.org/msg/4349634167.html

----------


## Bernie Daniel

> Ooh! A refinished/restored Gibson A4! Too bad all that restoration effort wasn't applied to the case instead of the mandolin. 
> 
> If the instrument were in mint condition but had a crummy case like this, I'd think it worth $1750 max. A nice refinish like this one should knock that price down by 500 or 600 bucks. This seller is challenging that notion, and seems to think the refin has doubled the value rather than reducing it. 
> 
> http://nh.craigslist.org/msg/4349634167.html


Kind of interesting.  The pictures are not that diagnostic but it looks a grand refinishing?  Who did that sunburst for example?  

Suppose you did not know any better and bought it -- you'd have a wonderful looking mandolin! 

Now whatever happened to the A-4 project done up by the Mandolin Cafe luthiers a few years back!   :Smile:

----------


## Bill Snyder

It sold for over $5000.00 and I think was resold again after that.

----------


## Bernie Daniel

> It sold for over $5000.00 and I think was resold again after that.


Thanks for the information Bill -- I do recall it was auctioned right?  Well it was a one of a kind for suire.

I suppose that this Craig's list A-4 is kind of the same idea -- obviously not the same level of work (I assume).

But still I think the right person who is interested in a player and also likes *non-distressed* would find it a nice catch -- albeit not cheap.

----------


## mrmando

The refinished A4 looks like a desirable mandolin for sure, it's just that the pricing is out of line.

----------


## Darryl Wolfe

i saw this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Vint...#ht_361wt_1321

But JGarber already posted I see.   But...it's still there "this week"

----------


## Mrquincy

> i saw this
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Vint...#ht_361wt_1321
> 
> But JGarber already posted I see.   But...it's still there "this week"


I am a total newbie, but I imagine you can buy a pretty damn good new mandolin for $2000, no?

----------


## Bernie Daniel

> i saw this
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Vint...#ht_361wt_1321
> 
> But JGarber already posted I see.   But...it's still there "this week"


So how does one get a mandolin into a fiddle case anyway?  :Smile:

----------


## mrmando

> I am a total newbie, but I imagine you can buy a pretty damn good new mandolin for $2000, no?


It's possible, of course, that a retopped 1922 mandolin by James Winning of Halifax possesses a tone that would cause grown men to weep, camels to sprout wings and fly, and the Queen of England to climb a persimmon tree and bay at the moon. 

Possible, but not likely.

----------

Jim

----------


## Mrquincy

> It's possible, of course, that a retopped 1922 mandolin by James Winning of Halifax possesses a tone that would cause grown men to weep, camels to sprout wings and fly, and the Queen of England to climb a persimmon tree and bay at the moon. 
> 
> Possible, but not likely.



 :Laughing:   giggety giggety goo  :Laughing:

----------


## mrmando

Speaking of A4s, did we mention this one? 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1919-GIBSON-...item2eceeb3144

BIN of $5,700. Didn't Aerosmith write a song about that?

----------


## Bernie Daniel

The links to photos in the eBay add are all fouled up but yeah, that price -- Uff-ta!

----------


## Jim Garber

> It's possible, of course, that a retopped 1922 mandolin by James Winning of Halifax possesses a tone that would cause grown men to weep, camels to sprout wings and fly, and the Queen of England to climb a persimmon tree and bay at the moon. 
> 
> Possible, but not likely.


Martin!!!! It is a _Winning_ mandolin!

----------


## Bernie Daniel

> Martin!!!! It is a _Winning_ mandolin!


Sarcasm detector on red alert!

----------

Jim Garber

----------


## peterk

When it comes to his merchandise presentation, this seller's style oozes self confidence. :Grin: 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Stridenti-...item27dfa9e475

----------


## Jim Garber

> When it comes to his merchandise presentation, this seller's style oozes self confidence.
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Stridenti-...item27dfa9e475


Peter: This one really doesn't apply in this thread. it already has 7 bids. I have seen a lot worse. At least it has a top on it.

----------


## peterk

Jim, yes, the seller has added two more pictures since I posted that link, showing the mandolin top. That way, my post has really lost its pont. :Grin:

----------


## houseworker

> Jim, yes, the seller has added two more pictures since I posted that link, showing the mandolin top. That way, my post has really lost its pont.


With a starting price of £0.01 I doubt even the lack of a top would have deterred bidders in search of that elusive bargain.

----------


## Darryl Wolfe

I missed this model in the lineup
http://www.ebay.com/itm/GIBSON-MANDO...9#ht_25wt_1313

----------


## Jim Garber

> I missed this model in the lineup
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/GIBSON-MANDO...9#ht_25wt_1313


Excellent. That is exceedingly rare in the matte black finish... I have only seen the sunburst model.  :Smile:   Be sure to wear your goggles and protective headgear when playing that one.




> GIBSON MANDOLIN  MODEL  PRO-01X.  INCLUDES CASE.  PURCHASED FROM A GIBSON COMPANY EMPLOYEE IN 2003, JUST AFTER THE MANDOLIN WAS REFURBISHED.

----------


## houseworker

> Excellent. That is exceedingly rare in the matte black finish... I have only seen the sunburst model.


And it still has the OHSC.  That's a collector's item in its own right.

----------


## JH Murray

Here's something I saw the other day at the local pawn shop: a 1916 Gibson A mandolin, asking $1200. The headstock had 1/3 of it broken off and has been reglued. The one set of tuners was broken off in that mishap. The back has come off and has been crudely reglued. Not the original tailpiece. He says original bridge, but I am doubtful on that. The pick guard is missing, and someone has put one of those glue-on transparent plastic pick guards. The pawnshop owner says that with a bit of effort it can be easily returned to mint condition. http://ottawa.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-se...AdIdZ561443482

----------


## Jim Garber

*Overpriced smurf mandolin*: only $525. Hurry up before some one grabs it in the Buy It Now!!

----------


## acousticphd

"Vintage Antique Gibson" A-style
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-anti...item417dc1feaf

Lots to pick on fairly here ("Antique?"  From Gibsons lauded 1960s era?   A store could ask $3000??).

----------


## mrmando

First off, it's been poorly refinished, so it ain't even worth the $989.99 they're starting with.

----------


## houseworker

It would be a shame to part a professional musician from such a prized instrument at any price.

Slightly strange though that a third generation professional player should have only just parted with the instruction book he learnt from.




> OUR 7 DAY GUARANTEE: 
> 
> We understand that finding the right instrument for you can be difficult. Sometimes the perfect instrument for one person isn't the best for another, and for this reason we have a special return policy. 
> 
> If you decide you don't like the way your instrument plays or it just isn't the right one for you, you can return it (within 7 days of package receipt). You will received a refund of the total price minus shipping and a $29.99 restocking fee*.
> 
> *This mandolin is a delicate instrument and should be treated as such. If damages occur for any reason AFTER you have received the mandolin you will still be able to return it but will be charged the full cost of repairs (a minimum of $39.99 in addition to the fees listed above).


You couldn't make it up.

----------


## PaulaJ

> "Vintage Antique Gibson" A-style
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-anti...item417dc1feaf
> 
> Lots to pick on fairly here ("Antique?"  From Gibsons lauded 1960s era?   A store could ask $3000??).


I almost posted this one!!!  That description, LOL!  Even I know (from here on the Cafe) that the 60's weren't Gibson's finest years ...

----------


## Jim Garber

In the seller's defense: at least he is honest about the history of the mandolin. The grandfather damaged it on stage and had it fixed. The father refinished it himself to surprise Grandpa -- I can imagine what he said after that. Then is was repaired and refinished yet again. Hey, it might be worth it just for the stories. It has certainly been thru the mill and may not sell at that price but the seller is trying. We shall see. 

For historical purposes:




> Beautiful antique Gibson a model mandolin serial number 31991 (from my research this would put it between a 61 and a 69 model). 
> 
> SOUND: 
> 	This mandolin has an incredible sound and an incredible history. I have been playing mandolins my entire life and I have never played a nicer mandolin than this. It has that loud crisp clear Gibson bark that everyone loves, and would be a perfect professional level mandolin for any player. I am confident you will not find a better sounding mandolin anywhere, and certainly not for a better price.
> 
> 	This is your chance to get a piece of bluegrass history for an incredible deal. This mandolin might sell for $3,000 at a music shop, but I'm starting the bid at under $1,000! The mandolin comes with what I believe is the original case (the case does need repair) and has been strung with brand new high quality strings. 
> 
> HISTORY: 
> 	This mandolin represents three generations of bluegrass musical history. It has been played professionally by my grandfather, my father, and myself. It is not a mandolin that simply decorated a shelf or sat unplayed in a closet. This mandolin has been played regularly since it was new. I don't think it would be a stretch to say it has been played every day since the 60s (minus the times it was repaired). 
> ...

----------


## PaulaJ

It is interesting, I don't think I could part with my grandfather's mandolin with that much history.  What would it actually be worth?

----------


## houseworker

> In the seller's defense: at least he is honest about the history of the mandolin.


Maybe he is, maybe he isn't.  I'm not convinced by that played professionally every day line at all.  I'd have expected him to learn mandolin from his father, not that book, if what he says has even a semblance of truth.




> I have been playing mandolins my entire life


is rather at odds with




> Bluegrass mandolin book. This is how I learned to play and it served me well! I'm now an excellent mandolin player!


Teach Yourself Bluegrass Mandolin was first published in 1999 (and remains in print).

He's got another "vintage" mandolin up for grabs too: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-vint...-/281281661368

He did manage to sell a uke (after 2 price drops), no feedback's been left on the transaction yet.




> Ukelele brought back from Hawaii. Has a very nice leather case with plush interior. I believe it is a soprano but may be a concert. The action could stand to be lowered, but it plays great as is and has an amazing sound. I have used this instrument on several professional recordings and it sounds great!

----------


## Jim Garber

I should have been a little clearer. To me he was honest about the history of the mandolin, at least in terms of its condition. I wasn't referring to his history relating to mandolin. If I was actually interested in buying this jewel of an instrument (I am not) I think it sounds like he is representing its condition plausibly. I don't really cared how he learned to play and that would not really affect the condition of the mandolin anyway.

----------


## houseworker

> I should have been a little clearer. To me he was honest about the history of the mandolin, at least in terms of its condition.


I knew what you meant Jim.  The point I was trying to make is that this listing contains lots of red flags for anyone considering bidding.

Late last year the same seller listed that mandolin on the Birmingham Shoppok.  No indication then that it had been in the family for three generations, rather the opposite.  Simply described as "restored" but "has what I believe to be the original case".  He wasn't an impoverished medical student then since the listing ended, "Trades welcome".

Which brings us back to that "7 day guarantee".  It's the same sort of scam journeybear failed to spot halfway down this thread and frankly I wouldn't believe a single word the seller says.

----------


## acousticphd

> I should have been a little clearer. To me he was honest about the history of the mandolin, at least in terms of its condition. I wasn't referring to his history relating to mandolin. If I was actually interested in buying this jewel of an instrument (I am not) I think it sounds like he is representing its condition plausibly. I don't really cared how he learned to play and that would not really affect the condition of the mandolin anyway.



I think to me the history about this instrument (almost any instrument, really) is immaterial.  Why should it matter to me/us?  It's not our history.  Or fiction.  
This belief-straining description is the best (remind yourself he's talking about a 60's A-50).  

SOUND: 
 This mandolin has an incredible sound and an incredible history. I have been playing mandolins my entire life and I have never played a nicer mandolin than this. It has that loud crisp clear Gibson bark that everyone loves, and would be a perfect professional level mandolin for any player. I am confident you will not find a better sounding mandolin anywhere, and certainly not for a better price.

 This is your chance to get a piece of bluegrass history for an incredible deal. This mandolin might sell for $3,000 at a music shop, but I'm starting the bid at under $1,000! The mandolin comes with what I believe is the original case (the case does need repair) and has been strung with brand new high quality strings. 


One thing I think we know without asking:  The neck is straight and the action is perfect.

----------


## MikeEdgerton

This one looks familiar. It's possible we've seen it before:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/vintage-mand...item1e8874e617

----------


## Jim Garber

> This one looks familiar. It's possible we've seen it before:
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/vintage-mand...item1e8874e617


Third (or 34th) time it the charm, right?

----------


## houseworker

> This one looks familiar. It's possible we've seen it before:
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/vintage-mand...item1e8874e617


Last seen on craigslist and discussed here.

----------


## Canoedad

> Third (or 34th) time it the charm, right?


Ring around the rosey, ebay full of Posey

----------


## PiccoloPrincipe

This is a funny thread..

And it seems there is nowhere to go but down. I think we have a winner. 
Nothing can beat that one.

I think we should create some award image to send anonymously via email to these people with a big ribbon on it stating they have been awarded the "no way,no how" award...or something to that effect.

Just a thought.

----------


## Russ Donahue

> This is a funny thread..
> 
> And it seems there is nowhere to go but down. I think we have a winner. 
> Nothing can beat that one.
> 
> I think we should create some award image to send anonymously via email to these people with a big ribbon on it stating they have been awarded the "no way,no how" award...or something to that effect.
> 
> Just a thought.


Cruel to be kind?

----------


## Jim Garber

Honestly, nothing could beat the massive auction of hyper-priced instruments at Guernsey's discussed on *this thread*.

----------


## peterk

> Honestly, nothing could beat the massive auction of hyper-priced instruments at Guernsey's discussed on *this thread*.


True enough, that auction comes across as a bizarre anti-selling exercise in futility, where everything is valued one order of magnitude higher than the price point where one would expect *some* sales to take place.

Here is another jewel: We have no clue who made this mandola (?), when and where, but we are sure it is very rare, and we are pricing it accordingly at $2,999 BIN. (However, I must say I agree with the seller insofar the pickguard design is concerned: quite rare indeed. :Grin: )
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Very-rare-it...item5d4a8d3d08

----------

Ben Cooper

----------


## Givson

Here's a homemade mandola with a unique multi-piece side construction.  Appears to be constructed from scrap wood or a shipping pallet.  BIN $329

http://www.ebay.com/itm/60s-Electric...item33687c0586

----------


## Jim Garber

> Here's a homemade mandola with a unique multi-piece side construction.  Appears to be constructed from scrap wood or a shipping pallet.  BIN $329
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/60s-Electric...item33687c0586


That one looks familiar. I think it has been on eBay one or two times before.

----------


## peterk

This mandolin sale listing on eBay USA leaves me speechless. :Grin: 
This is the only picture of the mandolin in that listing. The starting auction price is $170. They do not say anything about the instrument either, but they do emphasize that " _The shipping is going to be steep in order to get it sent out_." :Whistling: 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Mand...item3cded00b4d

----------


## Jim Garber

Help!! My eyesight!




> We know nothing about these but it has been said to be really old. We are going to provide more pictures tomorrow. The shipping is going to be steep in order to get it sent out.


I can't wait to see the new blurry pictures. Maybe by "steep" they mean that they have to climb a step ladder to get it off the wall.

----------


## peterk

> Maybe by "steep" they mean that they have to climb a step ladder to get it off the wall.


 :Laughing: 
The Italian in me had a mental image of _prosciutto_ hams hanging (curing) from the roof rafters in a smoke shed. :Grin:

----------


## Charlieshafer

[QUOTE=peterk;1273034] :Laughing: 
The Italian in me had a mental image of _prosciutto_ hams hanging (curing) from the roof rafters in a smoke shed. :Grin: 
 A few months back we were working on an old 1700's house in Connecticut and opened up a wall upstairs next to the center chimney stack. It's not unusual to find a door to a smoker oven, and indeed we did. What I didn't expect to find was a 250 year old slab of bacon curing. I should have stuck a neck on it, glued a pickup on, and put it up on ebay. Vintage, baby.

----------


## peterk

[QUOTE=Charlieshafer;1273043]


> The Italian in me had a mental image of _prosciutto_ hams hanging (curing) from the roof rafters in a smoke shed.
>  A few months back we were working on an old 1700's house in Connecticut and opened up a wall upstairs next to the center chimney stack. It's not unusual to find a door to a smoker oven, and indeed we did. What I didn't expect to find was a 250 year old slab of bacon curing. I should have stuck a neck on it, glued a pickup on, and put it up on ebay. Vintage, baby.


He he, that must have been a pretty amazing find. We can see that our forefathers could make very fine articles with their hands, using very rudimentary technology, if we can call it that, be they mandolins or cured hams/bacon. Today we know how to text and tweet. :Grin:

----------

Charlieshafer

----------


## brunello97

[QUOTE=Charlieshafer;1273043]


> ... What I didn't expect to find was a 250 year old slab of bacon curing. I should have stuck a neck on it, glued a pickup on, and put it up on ebay. Vintage, baby.


So did you fry some up?

Mick

----------

Charlieshafer

----------


## Jim Garber

Mandolins, like salami

----------

Ben Cooper, 

Charlieshafer

----------


## brunello97

> Mandolins, like salami


Great read....  Sheri is a gem.

Mick

----------


## Jim Garber

I always thing of that punctuation book, _Eats Shoots and Leaves_, when reading that title. My mandolin is a vegetarian!!

----------

Ben Cooper

----------


## Nevin

I wish my mandolin playing was as good as my bacon smoking.

----------

Ben Cooper

----------


## brunello97

> I always thing of that punctuation book, _Eats Shoots and Leaves_, when reading that title. My mandolin is a vegetarian!!


Soylami!

Mick

----------

Ben Cooper

----------


## Jim Garber

Mandolins, like Eggplant!

----------

Ben Cooper, 

Charlieshafer

----------


## peterk

The seller of this Washburn (wow, a super precious Wasburn :Disbelief: ) mandolin says "what a wonderful instrument to listen to and play". I wonder, how do they know that, based on the instrument from the pictures they've posted ? :Confused: 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Wash...item2a3a3d32e2
Either way, I guess the starting bid of $275 reflects a solid investment value of the said mandolin. :Grin:

----------


## Jim Garber

Hey! You have three strings and no bridge! What do you want?? Sheesh! That is a very strange Washburn. I don't recall seeing a Washburn bowlback with a side pickguard like that one. It looks like it belongs on a Martin flatback.

----------


## brunello97

Maybe a re-top on the Washburn?  The fretboard ends in a strange location relative to the soundhole.  Also looks like some infill / patching around the top of the SH?  No binding trim around the top?  Sketchioso.

Mick

----------


## peterk

> Hey! You have three strings and no bridge! What do you want?? Sheesh! .


Not a problem at all.......eBay has it all: here's a nice hand carved bridge dirt cheap :Mandosmiley: :
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/mandolin-b...item19ead8c7a9

----------


## Bertram Henze

> here's a nice hand carved bridge dirt cheap


Final proof that Fred Flintstone played the mandolin. Now I'd like to see the flint pick that goes with it...

----------

Dobe

----------


## mrmando

Here's an ad offering a "Gibson 1922 Lloyd Loar mandolin" for $10K:
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst...405702253.html

No photos or other info in the ad. Turns out it's an F4.

----------


## peterk

Not a mandolin, but just a tuning machines cover plate which IMO may be nicely engraved, but it's a loooong way from becoming anything useful. The BIN price is $444,  and no lower offers accepted. :Whistling: 

http://http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antiq...item1e89ba72eb

----------


## mrmando

Put a slide on the back of that and it could be a nice bolo tie.

----------


## peterk

> Put a slide on the back of that and it could be a nice bolo tie.


A good idea, however, I'd rather turn it into a western belt buckle. :Cool:

----------


## mrmando

> A good idea, however, I'd rather turn it into a western belt buckle.


Get a pair of 'em and make a matching set.

----------


## Jim Garber

> Not a mandolin, but just a tuning machines cover plate which IMO may be nicely engraved, but it's a loooong way from becoming anything useful. The BIN price is $444,  and no lower offers accepted.
> 
> http://http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-ornate-Mandoling-headstock-plate-tuner-cover-Unknown-manufacturer-/131159716587?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e89ba  72eb


Same seller has these pickguards for (surprise!) the *same price*.

BTW I corrected your link above, Peter.

----------

peterk

----------


## Petrus

> I have inherited these items from my Father who inherited them from his father.  they have been sitting in a box since 1980 and likely my grandfather had been sitting on them for many years before that.


Gross.  :Laughing:

----------


## mrmando

I dunno, some sucker might bid on this, but they really shouldn't: 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Mand...item3cdf83e13d

Seller's looking at the FON, which dates to 1914, but thinks it is the SN. Birch back but the seller thinks it's maple. Seller acknowledges a neck repair (replacement), but judging from how shiny it is and the way the finish has cracked around the soundhole, it looks as though someone's put a coat of lacquer over the original pumpkin.

Fleur-de-lis inlay is a bit of a puzzler: an A1 shouldn't have it. It's possible that somebody put an A4 neck on an A1 body. (The Gibson fleur-de-lis changed shape several times; the closest match for this one I can find in a quick search is the one on the 1923 Loar A5.)

----------


## peterk

A large number of eBay sellers seem to be semioticians  or diverse linguists when it comes to defining a simple *wood crack* in the mandolins they are auctioning .
Some deny the very existence of "cracks" based on certain philosophical considerations, or perhaps they see it as a "grain dilatation", "fissure", "separation" etc., but NOT a "crack".  

Here we have a mandolin by Poppi which according to the seller "non presenta nessuna crepa è perfettamente sano." (No cracks and perfectly sound). Well, while the BIN price of Euro 1,000 is "sound" for sure, I seem to detect some kind of a crack which is shown on the picture below. Am I imagining things ? You be the judge. :Grin: 
http://www.ebay.it/itm/mandolino-man...item3a8ea24878

----------


## Charles E.

And then we have this.......

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-HYDE...item258ce1c83e

It could be a nice sounding instrument but the price is laughable.

----------

Dobe

----------


## Jim Garber

> And then we have this.......
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-HYDE...item258ce1c83e
> 
> It could be a nice sounding instrument but the price is laughable.


That is Mr. Hyde who makes and sells some interesting instruments. One Cafe denizen bought one of his resonator mandolins for less than the Nationals and says that it was a great instrument and beat out the National. Maybe it is Dr. Jeckyl who sells the *other instruments* for a reasonable price. 

My guess is that he but that for himself and uses this listing to call attention to himself and promote his biz. I think he is one shrewd cookie in that sense.

----------

Charles E.

----------


## Petrus

> A large number of eBay sellers seem to be semioticians  or diverse linguists when it comes to defining a simple *wood crack* in the mandolins they are auctioning . Some deny the very existence of "cracks" based on certain philosophical considerations, or perhaps they see it as a "grain dilatation", "fissure", "separation" etc., but NOT a "crack".


Organic structural sound augmentation phenomenon.   :Grin:

----------


## Petrus

> My guess is that he but that for himself and uses this listing to call attention to himself and promote his biz. I think he is one shrewd cookie in that sense.


I'm going to use the "Make Offer" button and offer $50, just to be a d*ck.  :Cool:

----------


## EdHanrahan

> My guess is that he but that for himself ...


At first, I figured that the Chevrolet "bow tie" logo on the tailpiece was just an "accidental" design artifact.  THEN I saw my dad's '49 Chevy fastback on the headstock - _VERY_ nicely done.  But for 32K I'd more likely buy the car!

----------


## houseworker

That's one gorgeous mandolin, a lot of skilled work involved there.  I'd have liked a close up picture of the tuners with their ornate shafts.

----------


## Jim Garber

> And then we have this.......
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-HYDE...item258ce1c83e
> 
> It could be a nice sounding instrument but the price is laughable.


Actually I forgot to mention that he has been listing this one for a year or two. I think he has gotten some folks interested in his work. You can take a look on *his site*. You will note that he does not have that overpriced mandolin listed for sale. he does not want to sell it. I actually like the look of his resonators.

----------


## tkdboyd

Off topic, but really cool for those who bike!

----------

Charles E.

----------


## Charles E.

Looking at his web site, he appears to be a very busy fellow. Kudos to him.   :Smile:

----------


## Petrus

> Not a mandolin, but just a tuning machines cover plate which IMO may be nicely engraved, but it's a loooong way from becoming anything useful. The BIN price is $444,  and no lower offers accepted.
> 
> http://http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antiq...item1e89ba72eb


It doesn't indicate the material (afaik.)  If it is silver plate or silver, the price would be understandable. Otherwise not. Maybe $100.

----------


## Petrus

Well, the $32K Mando guy turned down my $50 offer as expected (but without any invective, thankfully.)  I guess he hasn't figured out the option on eBay where you can have the system automatically decline bids below a set amount and/or automatically accept bids above a set amount.

----------


## mrmando

Ooh! A Fratelli Vinaccia with fluted ribs for $400? Don't mind if I do, I said ... until I saw the back of the headstock. Contrary to what the seller says, this sure looks to me like it's been busted up and glued back together. 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Antique...item20e46f00e4

----------


## Jim Garber

> Ooh! A Fratelli Vinaccia with fluted ribs for $400? Don't mind if I do, I said ... until I saw the back of the headstock. Contrary to what the seller says, this sure looks to me like it's been busted up and glued back together. 
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Antique...item20e46f00e4


These necks are constructed with veneer to cover the neck joint. Very often it does look like the neck was snapped and repaired and there is that possibility. OTOH it could possibly be the veneer only that is cracked. It is possible that the veneer on the back of the headstock is also peeling off tho, once again, there is a possibility of some structural damage to the headstock as well.

Nevertheless, I do not think that this one will go for $400, but considerably more.

----------


## brunello97

> .....Nevertheless, I do not think that this one will go for $400, but considerably more.



Oh, I am absolutely sure that the neck is busted.  Irreparably. I think anyone bidding on this (besides me) would be making a reckless error.

Mick

----------


## mrmando

> Oh, I am absolutely sure that the neck is busted.  Irreparably. I think anyone bidding on this (besides me) would be making a reckless error.


Ah, but are you just saying that so I won't bid? Hm...

----------


## Petrus

> Ah, but are you just saying that so I won't bid? Hm...


I got that vibe too.  :Cool:

----------


## multidon

http://www.ebay.com/itm/KENTUCKY-MAN...item27d7c910a9

Can't understand why someone hasn't jumped on this at the buy it now price! Our local music store has one just like it for $79. I think I'll buy it and go for that 1000+percent profit!  :Laughing:

----------


## Bertram Henze

...that "handcrafted case" deserves to be buried at Arlington.

----------


## Ron Cox

I've posted that before.  Seller has relisted it thre times before and the last time had it at just under 600.

I contacted them once to ask if maybe they had made a mistake in their price.  They claim they have seen lots of mandolins go for much more than that, bit they werent missing the tailpiece cover.

----------


## multidon

> I contacted them once to ask if maybe they had made a mistake in their price. They claim they have seen lots of mandolins go for much more than that, bit they werent missing the tailpiece cover.


 :Laughing:  :Laughing:  :Laughing: 

Wow! It's a mandolin! It MUST be worth a lot of money! I bet we coulda got $2000 if it wasn't missing that dad gum tailpiece cover!

BTW Ron, former resident from your neck of the woods here. I retired from teaching in the Spotsylvania County schools several years ago. I haven't been back to the area much since but I do miss many things, including of course Picker's Supply.

----------


## Ron Cox

Don,
Pickers hasnt changed much, still friendly and great vintage stuff.

I've got a Kentucky just like that one, but with the original tailpiece.   2k, any takers?  Tell ya what, 1999 and I'll throw in a custom made cleaning cloth.

Seriously, 2k would be about what it would take to part with mine.  Too many memories with it.

----------


## brunello97

> Ah, but are you just saying that so I won't bid? Hm...


\

The Vinaccia is up over $1.5K with about 45 minutes left.  Clearly, people ignored my advice.   :Wink: 

Update:  the Vinaccia sold for $2650.

Mick

----------

houseworker

----------


## tkdboyd

Looks like a Lloyd Loar
:-)

----------


## mrmando

...on shrooms!

----------


## Petrus

Wow.

Mandolin 8 String Parts Electric Hand Made Wood




http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mandolin-8-S...-/161304331931

----------


## Jeff Mando

> I'm going to use the "Make Offer" button and offer $50, just to be a d*ck.


As a person who has been selling on eBay for 15 years, I can't tell you how much I "love" when people try to be cute and do that!  I'm trying to feed my family and somebody has nothing better to do than play games, at my expense.  I get up every morning, check my emails and hope for some nice offers, and most people who really want something will offer a fair price or maybe ask for free shipping and I'm happy to bend a little on price, that is why I include the Make Offer.  When I get a mean spirited offer, my normal reaction, like most people, would be to respond with something that would get me thrown off eBay.  I resist, instead I politely respond saying, (using this example, for example) "Thanks for your offer, I couldn't take $50 for it, but I would be glad to split the difference with you, and accept $15,975 for the mandolin.  It is a beautiful instrument and I think you would enjoy it."  Of course, I never heard back from them.

Also, it seems strange to me that someone would criticize such a beautiful handmade instrument.  Made without electric power tools--who does that?  True old time craftsmanship. (Reminds me of being a kid and thinking Martin guitars were "truly" handmade in this manner)

In addition to selling on eBay, I have been buying, trading, and selling for over 30 years--guitar shows, Vintage Guitar magazine, etc.  One truth in business, as hard as it may seem, is eventually everything sells and at the price you want for it.  I have had things listed on eBay for over 5 years, (why not, it only costs 20 cents a month to run the ad!) and one morning the item is sold.  The instrument has "found" the person who appreciates it.  It makes sense, the person looking for it, doesn't check eBay daily or even weekly.  Sometimes I find something at a music store or antique shop that I have been wanting for years.  And yes, the reason it was still there, was that it was "overpriced" my most people's perspective.  If it had been cheap this first person who noticed it would have bought it! I make an offer, buy it, and everyone is happy.  Fair is fair.  Actually, I'm grateful they sold it to me!  Buyers take note:  it is OK to be grateful when someone sells you an instrument that you love!  How often have you seen a Martin D-28 in a pawn shop with a ridiculous price on it and say, "that's more than they sell for!"?  But the pawn owner knows that it will sell in time for his price to someone who is happy to get it.

I went too long with this, but wanted to throw in a different slant on things.  Thanks

----------


## Petrus

Are you talking about the one I just posted (starting bid $19.95) or the one that cost as much as my house a while back?

Anyway, there is a little box you can tick when setting up a "Best Offer" option that reads "automatically accept/reject offers above/below $X" thus saving one the trouble of responding to trolls and erroneous inputs.

----------


## Petrus

This is for the benefit of other readers of the thread who may not be as familiar with selling on eBay.  This is part of the editing screen that comes up when you are prepping an item to sell.  It'll save you the one-and-three-quarter seconds that it would otherwise take to click "reject offer" if someone lowballs ya.  I use it myself.

----------


## Jeff Mando

My point is not how to guard against "joke" bids, but that we shouldn't be making them in the first place.  If a luthier has a hand-made mandolin that he values at $32,000, it is insulting to offer $50 just to be a d**k, regardless of what the market is.  If I am selling a $500 item and I am offered $250, this is rude, $125 is insane, and $50 is someone trying to pick a fight--and who has time for that?

----------


## sunburst

Seems to me the consensus is that it is rude to ask $32,000 for a $250 mandolin.

----------

Timbofood

----------


## Bill Snyder

Only $250? Wow. His current builds appear to be in the $2k range

----------


## sunburst

I was just being hypothetical, I don't know what builder you mean.

----------


## Petrus

I was just interested today in that $20 homemade mandolin-shaped object pictured in post #239 above which I think is a little hilarious. That other one was weeks ago and long forgotten (by me anyway.)  I don't want to get into an analysis of how you base a business model on moving five-figure instruments ... how many of those can you sell in a year?  I'd starve while the thing was gathering dust.  It can take a month or more to sell a $300 instrument on eBay or CL.

----------


## Petrus

> My point is not how to guard against "joke" bids, but that we shouldn't be making them in the first place.  If a luthier has a hand-made mandolin that he values at $32,000, it is insulting to offer $50 just to be a d**k, regardless of what the market is.  If I am selling a $500 item and I am offered $250, this is rude, $125 is insane, and $50 is someone trying to pick a fight--and who has time for that?


On the other side of the table though, you've got the joke sellers (?) asking $1000 for an item like this that I saw on eBay a few months back:



But yeah, it's a waste of time in either case.  I don't recall if I actually made that bid or just joked about doing it. I might've been high at the time.

----------


## Jeff Mando

> I was just interested today in that $20 homemade mandolin-shaped object pictured in post #239 above which I think is a little hilarious. That other one was weeks ago and long forgotten (by me anyway.)  I don't want to get into an analysis of how you base a business model on moving five-figure instruments ... how many of those can you sell in a year?  I'd starve while the thing was gathering dust.  It can take a month or more to sell a $300 instrument on eBay or CL.


The business model for eBay is the same as anywhere else, if you can afford to wait, you will get your price.  After all, you just need ONE PERSON in the whole world who wants it!  Sure, this eliminates poor people, people with common sense, people who are investing to resell, but you just need ONE BUYER.  On the other hand, you are correct, to sell an instrument quickly (within a week on eBay) you have to either have a really rare item that everyone wants or you have priced yours cheaper than everybody else.  I do this all the time to pay bills.  Take a $600 instrument, it'll take a year to sell on eBay if that is what they go for.  Price it at $475 it'll sell in a month, price it at $300 it'll sell usually overnight.  Hopefully, you have less than that in it, but if not, you take a loss to facilitate a quick sale.  It's a really poor business model, but one that turns dead inventory into cash, which can be spent anywhere.  You can't eat guitars, as they say.

----------


## Jeff Mando

I should add to the above, this is because our economy has sucked since 2008.  eBay once was an amazing resource for buying and selling quickly.  I would take $1000 and buy three guitars.  In a week they would be sold for a profit and I would buy three more...the same $1000 would turn over 3 or 4 times in a MONTH.  If you had a small amount of knowledge and a pocket calculator, you could do no wrong.  I used to think, what's so tough about business?  And then, well, you know.

----------


## Petrus

> I do this all the time to pay bills.  Take a $600 instrument, it'll take a year to sell on eBay if that is what they go for.  Price it at $475 it'll sell in a month, price it at $300 it'll sell usually overnight.  Hopefully, you have less than that in it, but if not, you take a loss to facilitate a quick sale.  It's a really poor business model, but one that turns dead inventory into cash, which can be spent anywhere.


Well yeah, you can always undersell, but we know that doesn't work. I've done it in the short term on really low-priced items, just to build up a good rep rating as a new seller (in which case I'm getting "paid" in reputation which will hopefully will pay off down the road, as buyers will feel more comfortable buying from me.)  My current model (such as it is) is to look for really cheap folk instruments ($50-100 max) that I can add some sort of value to and sell for slightly higher (maybe 2x, if I'm lucky.)  I bought a gusle (a one-stringed Serbian folk fiddle) not too long ago locally off CL for $20; I can dress it up a bit, paint it or put an inlay in it, then try to get $50 on eBay.  That works.  Also buying small accessories in bulk from China (picks, bridges, pegs) to resell in smaller lots, maybe with a little value added.

Mainly I sell used and rare books, which are less hassle to deal with (what you see is what you get, you don't get a million questions!), but sometimes it can be a disappointment to end up selling a book for $10 and by the time eBay takes its cut and I pay postage and the envelope I end up with $5 profit ... not a good model; I'd need to sell hundreds of items a month which just isn't feasible.

I don't know how much can be blamed on the economy overall, or just saturation in this particular niche, or people migrating away from eBay to other platforms like Etsy, or what.




> You can't eat guitars, as they say.


You can if they're made out of bacon!  :Grin:

----------


## Bill Snyder

> On the other side of the table though, you've got the joke sellers (?) asking $1000 for an item like this that I saw on eBay a few months back:
> 
> 
> 
> But yeah, it's a waste of time in either case.  I don't recall if I actually made that bid or just joked about doing it. *I might've been high at the time*.


That explains a lot.

----------

brunello97

----------


## Petrus

> That explains a lot.


It's that or eat a .22.   :Frown:

----------


## Timbofood

The bacon guitar looks pretty smokin' so to speak!

----------


## kkmm

> it is OK to be grateful when someone sells you an instrument that you love!


This is absolutely true in my case. I bought an autoharp on eBay for 15$+25$ shipping (total 40$) and this one sounds really good as it has solid top, compared to the 4 other ones I bought at higher prices. I sent a "thank you" email to the seller who said he is happy that I am happy with it. This is still the only one I keep to play, sold the other ones after restoring them in good playing condition.

----------


## Petrus

This is a sad case. Also, with 11 strings I suppose it's more of a cittern. Note the friction tuners (and how two of them are inserted in the same direction adjacently.)  Starting bid $300? I don't think so!




http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Vint...-/131209689694

----------


## Charles E.

Wow, what a piece of junk!

----------


## Petrus

And they're actually _starting_ the auction at $300. Ridiculous.

----------


## Stok

> http://www.ebay.com/itm/KENTUCKY-MAN...item27d7c910a9
> 
> Can't understand why someone hasn't jumped on this at the buy it now price! Our local music store has one just like it for $79. I think I'll buy it and go for that 1000+percent profit!


Has anyone ever played one of these? Are they any good? All solid wood? It looks cool and I happen to be wanting a pancake model for a vacation and travel mandolin.

----------


## Ron Cox

> Has anyone ever played one of these? Are they any good? All solid wood? It looks cool and I happen to be wanting a pancake model for a vacation and travel mandolin.


I actually own and have played that exact model for 25 years, albeit, I don't play well.  It has gone camping with me almost every weekend for the first ten years of it's life.  I love mine, and would never part with it.  However, mine new with extra strings, a Bert Casey book and case only cost me $295.  They were made by SAGA music and some of these were plywood tops.  The last one I saw on Ebay went for around $170.  I would have bid that but I was buying an Eastman at the time.

No truss rod, satin finish, flat top, stamped tailpiece, cheaper tuners, non-adjustable bridge.  Tone is bright and mine likes Irish and Old American Folk music.  It is not a $1k mandolin.  For that money go to StewMac and by 5 campfire mandolins, or 4 and some good tuners for each of them.  The KM-100 is well made though, and if you find it somewhere sub $200 I think you'd be very pleased with it.

----------


## multidon

They were available 2 ways. Km 100 is all ply and km 100s had the solid top. The all ply one at my local music store sounds just horrible. It is only 79 dollars but I wouldn't take it for 79 cents. Never played the solid top but based on what Ron says it must be quite an improvement. Anyone in the market for a pancake travel vacation mandolin I recommend watching the classifieds for a used Redline Traveller or Crystal Forest pancake. A Mid Missouri Mini Mo could also be good. You can build a Stew Mac Campfire for about 200 including the hardware but search the forum for build threads first there are pitfalls to watch out for.

----------


## Petrus

What do you think about the Pilgrim Redwood pancake?  It's about $300 and I've been seeing it on eBay a lot lately.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PILGRIM-REDW...-/271443731289

----------


## mrmando

Here we go... Morgan Monroe F style for $800; seller alleges that it appraises for more than $1700. 
http://richmond.craigslist.org/msg/4516272888.html

It's not the first time I've seen someone trying to pretend that Morgan Monroes are priceless collectibles. If they are, I'd like to know just who the heck collects them.

----------


## Petrus

Here's another home-made masterpiece, only $98.




http://www.ebay.com/itm/OLD-MANDOLIN...-/251558917475

----------


## mrmando

$3600 is a bit much for a Style B without the original case, methinks. Heck, it would be too much for one WITH an original case: 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1919-Lyon-an...item1c42103148

----------


## tkdboyd

http://mandoweb.com/Builders/Lyon++Healy considering these are available for not much more and from a known entity.

----------


## mrmando

Those are Style A's. The Style B on eBay is priced in the Style A range and shouldn't be; I'm not sure the seller is aware of the difference. I don't think there's any reason to pay more than $2800 for it.

----------


## Jim Garber

> This is a sad case. Also, with 11 strings I suppose it's more of a cittern. Note the friction tuners (and how two of them are inserted in the same direction adjacently.)  Starting bid $300? I don't think so!


Ah, you beat me to it. Lovely, eh? Ten string something or other.

----------


## PaulBills

> Here's another home-made masterpiece, only $98.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/OLD-MANDOLIN...-/251558917475


things you can do with an old shoe shine box #29

----------


## Jeff Mando

Hey, they've lowered the price to $20.98!  Appears to be oak.  You could use it for Civil War reinactments.....

----------


## Ron Cox

Oh yeah, I'd look really good out there carrying that.

Can you just imagine falling on that after getting "shot"?

Just saying, I'd rather carry my FARB Army/Navy.

----------


## MikeEdgerton

http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/77947

----------


## F-2 Dave

> http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/77947


Cool! You could put a pick up in it and play through an amp with no speaker.

----------

Ed Goist

----------


## EdSherry

Hard to believe that "fake-resonator" Harmony is worth $700-900, as the seller claims.  Why would anyone want a fake-hubcap instead of the real thing?  But YMMV.

----------


## mrmando

Yeah, I'd say $300 tops. If I had one of those and knew a dealer who thought he could get $900 for it, I'd consign it to him and let him try. I'd get $720 after he takes his 20 percent.

----------


## mrmando

Say, folks, what about this one?
http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/77825

----------


## Michael Weaver

Ummm....how freaking weird.

----------


## Jstring

I was about to email him and make him an offer, since I've heard great things about the luthier who made the mandolin... But when I looked at the ad again, he had carved the name out. Ouch.
  Sounds like he was very disappointed in how it turned out, after using his own wood and probably waiting a long time with much anticipation. I doubt the builder is happy either...
   Maybe we should not have a big discussion about this one for the sake of those involved...

----------


## mrmando

Um ... if it's in the Classifieds it's fair game for discussion, I should think ... although I haven't got enough information to say anything other than it's a downright shame.

----------


## Petrus

> Make me an offer, any offer.


I can send a check with my name and all account information removed. Very high quality paper though.  :Cool:

----------

houseworker

----------


## bart mcneil

deleted by author

----------


## Jeff Mando

> I was about to email him and make him an offer, since I've heard great things about the luthier who made the mandolin... But when I looked at the ad again, he had carved the name out. Ouch.
>   Sounds like he was very disappointed in how it turned out, after using his own wood and probably waiting a long time with much anticipation. I doubt the builder is happy either...
>    Maybe we should not have a big discussion about this one for the sake of those involved...


It wasn't Gilchrist, was it?  .....couldn't resist!

----------


## jim simpson

It might have been the anti-gilchrist, lol!

----------

Jeff Mando

----------


## Jstring

It is a Stanley, which he clearly indicated at first. Then, he carved the name out and changed the ad. It's probably a great-sounding instrument, regardless of the cosmetic issues....

Perhaps if people know the luthier behind the mando, it will find a home...

----------


## mrmando

I thought it could be a Stanley although the fretboard looks different than other Stanley A5's. Not too many luthiers within driving distance of Wisconsin who are getting $,3800 for an A-style mando. 

One could buy it and have the headplate replaced, but one would be in the position of putting a price tag on the defacing ...

----------


## mrmando

Heh, now there's a new ad, and it's back to being a Stanley with no mention of the headstock being defaced. The plot thickens!

----------


## StevieBGoode

Perhaps it was a merely a conceptual defacing......

To quote King Arthur (Graham Chapman) in 'Month Python and the Holy Grail':  "Run away, run away!"
 :Grin: 

-- Steve

----------


## Jstring

> Heh, now there's a new ad, and it's back to being a Stanley with no mention of the headstock being defaced. The plot thickens!


Yeah.... I guess he was making a point that cosmetic issues DO matter? (after some people responded to the ad and told him that he should only care about the sound.) 

I think I agree with StevieBGoode....

----------


## Charles E.

I had to do a double take on this one.....

http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/78179

The LM600 can be had for under $600.00, is his work really worth over 1K, and you still end up with a LM600?

----------


## Clef

> I had to do a double take on this one.....
> 
> http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/78179
> 
> The LM600 can be had for under $600.00, is his work really worth over 1K, and you still end up with a LM600?


I'm guessing this one is a project gone wrong.

----------


## mrmando

Time for a new batch of Kool-Aid, the old one's making people see things.

----------


## darrylicshon

Here's one only $200.00
http://m.ebay.com/itm/161404363183?nav=SEARCH

----------


## jim simpson

I wasn't interested until I saw that it was an antique!

----------

BridalWreath, 

pfox14

----------


## Petrus

> Here's one only $200.00
> http://m.ebay.com/itm/161404363183?nav=SEARCH


Yep, that's what you call a "project" all right.

Sort of like this unfinished mandolin kit, axe included:



 :Grin:

----------


## Jim Garber

Here's a *real beaut* on eBay... only $300 for a starting bid.



Then there is *this one* on CL -- hey, maybe of the same maker ?? only $60... might even sell for that. This was posted on another thread but bears repetition here.

----------


## Petrus

> Here's a *real beaut* on eBay... only $300 for a starting bid.


Yeah, that same one was being offered in June (see post #256 _supra_.)  Looks like he's using the same photos.  Persistence is a given for selling this kind of stuff on eBay (been there, doing that) but he doesn't seem to be putting much effort into it. A paint job and a new set of strings (any type!) would do wonders for its appearance.  

And it's still got two of the pegs on the same side of the pegbox.  I'm pretty sure pegs are supposed to alternate, regardless of the instrument.

And $300 is a ridiculous starting bid.

Still, with a title like "*Antique Vintage Handmade Wood Mandolin Dulcimer Guitar Instrument AWESOME RARE*" you can't go wrong.  :Grin: 

The other one (on CL) actually looks better.  At least it's got real tuners.

----------


## Jim Garber

> Yeah, that same one was being offered in June (see post #256 _supra_.)


Whoops! It's _déjà vu_ all over again...  :Smile:

----------


## Bertram Henze

> Then there is *this one* on CL -- hey, maybe of the same maker ?? only $60... might even sell for that. This was posted on another thread but bears repetition here.


Wild guess: Leonardo di Caprio lost it and Robert Ballard found it?  :Confused:

----------


## Charles E.

Clearly some people are out of touch with reality.......


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gibson-tenor...item2c8e04c72f

It might be a nice tenor but 3-K?

----------


## Jeff Mando

Appears to be a nice tenor, other than the price.  Seller appears to be an antique store or dealer, rather than someone specializing in instruments, so....

I remember years ago, before the vintage instrument thing took off, an old pawn shop owner told me, "if you ever see one that says "THE" Gibson, then you really have something!"  Sounds like this seller heard the same thing.

----------


## Jim Garber

Maybe the seller did a search and found *Umanov's listing* of this TG-0 for $2495. Perhaps he/she is just testing the waters to see what happens. If you go by his prices then it is not that far off. Of course, if they really want to sell it...

----------


## mrmando

Banana has a 1932 TG-0 for $1895.

----------


## kkmm

I doubt this one will ever get a buyer. I can get this for 150$ or less. The seller here asks for 337$ !!! For that one can get a very decent Kentucky (KM-380 or even an used KM-505).

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fender-FM-52...3D321477238300

----------


## mrmando

Here's a perfectly ordinary Asian factory piece of junk for which the seller is asking $1600 and blaming the Cafe: 
http://tulsa.craigslist.org/msg/4732544554.html

----------

Ben Cooper

----------


## Larry S Sherman

> Here's a perfectly ordinary Asian factory piece of junk for which the seller is asking $1600 and blaming the Cafe: 
> http://tulsa.craigslist.org/msg/4732544554.html


Hilarious!

"_I ran this by the guys and gals at the Mandolincafe.com and of those that responded not one had ever seen one like this. It's apparently a rare version of one of the most sought after Gibson models ever._"

----------

Ben Cooper, 

Dobe

----------


## mrmando

Funny, I can't find the thread pertaining to that mandolin. Let me know if you discover it.

----------


## Petrus

Wow, a genuine Dixon with roped purfling and open back tuners! And an adjustable bridge, no less! That's a keeper.  It even seems to have its original pick guard.  :Laughing:

----------

Ben Cooper

----------


## mrmando

Gotta love this one...

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/scz/msg/4734347825.html

----------


## darrylicshon

Wow a four pointer

----------


## mrmando

Looks like the previous owner got hungry...

----------


## Bill Snyder

If two points are good four points is bound to be twice as good.

----------


## Bertram Henze

That's what I call a bridge compensation.

----------


## mrmando

> Wow, a genuine Dixon with roped purfling and open back tuners!


What's really hilarious is that the price keeps going up. When I first spotted that ad, it was $1300. By the time I posted it here, it was $1600. Now it's $1800.

----------


## mrmando

1913 A1 on eBay: 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gibson-Mando...torefresh=true

It does look nice, but come on. $2450? I wonder about the identity of the "appraiser" who has raised this poor seller's hopes to an unrealistic level.

----------


## jim simpson

> 1913 A1 on eBay: 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gibson-Mando...torefresh=true
> 
> It does look nice, but come on. $2450? I wonder about the identity of the "appraiser" who has raised this poor seller's hopes to an unrealistic level.


But hey, it's an antique! lol!!

----------


## Jeff Mando

We've discussed this before, but IMHO, ideally eBay is a worldwide marketplace for vintage instruments (and other stuff), but in reality it is a wholesale or high-wholesale marketplace, filling a space somewhere between a yard sale/flea market and a vintage instrument shop.  I have no doubt the well-known vintage dealers, such as Elderly and Mandolin might ask $2450 for a clean one with the hope of taking an offer.  The question always is, how long do you have to wait to find your customer at that price?  But, if you check eBay completed sales, you can see what the stuff actually sells for in today's money, in the real world.  Usually, a lot less than we would think.  Price is the motivator for a quick sale.  Otherwise, you have to wait it out.....

----------


## mrmando

Of course there are always a few sellers who don't understand what Jeff says about "high wholesale" and try to get away with stuff like this: 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Shutt-Beauti...item541477e4a8

One might pay that much for a real Shutt, if it were in better condition, but this is one of the Harmony Shutt-copies and not worth anything near it.

P.S. The seller responded to my inquiry by taking "Shutt" out of the description ... but the price is still $950!

----------


## pfox14

> Gotta love this one...
> 
> http://sfbay.craigslist.org/scz/msg/4734347825.html


This mandolin (and I use the term loosely) scares me.

----------


## MikeEdgerton

Wishing they were worth this much will not make it so.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/30s-Kay-Kraf...item4ae11a84bf

----------


## darrylicshon

> Wishing they were worth this much will not make it so.
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/30s-Kay-Kraf...item4ae11a84bf


That's a nice pair but your right not worth that much, atleast not to me

----------


## Timbofood

Very cool but, $6000.00!? Not in this life.
I wonder if they missed a decimal point?

----------


## Jeff Mando

A few years ago, I sold a Kay Kraft guitar that was close to mint condition on eBay for $975 and I almost felt guilty for taking the money--I said almost.....

I had a matching mandolin, also, but it was a difficult sale--I had a hard time getting $250, and it was NICE, too.  So, yeah, he's a little high, IMHO.

About 10 years ago on eBay, a guy had a really nice 50's Gretsch Duo-Jet electric guitar and matching amp, it was a one owner, it had the original bill of sale, original case, mint condition, it was just a perfect collector piece, BUT he wanted $25K for the set, when the guitar was probably worth $4K and the amp about $1K, well, he ran that ad for years hoping to find the one guy....I don't know if he ever sold it or what, but the ad is no longer on eBay.....

----------


## mrmando

Gibson EM200 for $7500! 
http://nashville.craigslist.org/msg/4797536585.html
You can play Aerosmith songs on this! Well, one particular Aerosmith song anyway...

----------


## Jim Garber

> Gibson EM200 for $7500! 
> http://nashville.craigslist.org/msg/4797536585.html
> You can play Aerosmith songs on this! Well, one particular Aerosmith song anyway...


A true bargain at i/4 the price. Hey I have one just like that one. I would sell it for less...

Even better:



> Upon purchase I will personally deliver it to you. Cash upon delivery only. There are not many of these out there.

----------


## mrmando

Here's a crazy one. Two bad photos of a Collings MT, which seller insists is an antique Gibson: 
http://reno.craigslist.org/atq/4807373326.html

----------


## Pjones3

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271701311270...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

----------


## jim simpson

but it's signed by "Eric Lange"!

----------


## JeffD

What am I missing? That looks pretty sweet. I don't want the case, but the instrument looks like a player, at least at a glance. Not for that BIN price, but for several hundred it might be worth it. No?

----------


## Jim Garber

> Here's a crazy one. Two bad photos of a Collings MT, which seller insists is an antique Gibson: 
> http://reno.craigslist.org/atq/4807373326.html


The seller must have made a mistake with the photos. Now there is an old Gibson on that posting.

----------


## mrmando

> The seller must have made a mistake with the photos. Now there is an old Gibson on that posting.


Yes, well, I exchanged several emails with the seller, pointing out that she had posted Collings photos. Eventually she decided to take me at my word and replaced the photos with the correct ones. What she has is a very plain-Jane teens Gibson A, missing its pickguard, possibly with an after-market bridge (photos are too blurry to tell). Certainly not anything I would pay $1850 for, but at least she now has images that match her text.

----------


## Petrus

Underwhelming.  (Also apparently 6-string.)



VINTAGE METAL BODY MANDOLIN
http://www.ebay.com/itm/331420108873

I like how the laptop and the Windex in the background are the same color blue!

----------


## barney 59

> What am I missing? That looks pretty sweet. I don't want the case, but the instrument looks like a player, at least at a glance. Not for that BIN price, but for several hundred it might be worth it. No?


Yes, take it down about a G and I actually like the case!

----------


## Petrus

> but it's signed by "Eric Lange"!


If it were Eddie Lang, it'd be something.  (Actually it'd _really_ be something since Lang died in '33 and the mando was made in '81!)

Also, that case lining is not complimentary at all.  Replace it with black velour and the mando would really "pop."  Has nothing to do with the quality of the mando obviously, but from a salesmanship p.o.v. it would make for a more compelling photograph and might even inspire people subconsciously to bid higher.

----------


## mrmando

Eric Lange was Flatiron's banjo setup guy at the time, or so the story goes. 

This seller started this mandolin at $2,950, several eBay listings ago. If he ever finds the right price, it won't be until he has paid much more in listing fees than he really needed to.

----------


## Ray(T)

http://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/au...6-a40600fbf995

Oh dear!

----------


## Jim Garber

> http://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/au...6-a40600fbf995
> 
> Oh dear!


Oh yeah!   I hope they include the fiberboard and the picture of the microwave.

----------


## allenhopkins

Yeah, looks like _"Let's clean out all the dreck that accumulated behind the workbench, and see if anyone's fool enough to buy it"_ day.

----------

Dobe

----------


## Petrus

A very hand made F style.




Mandolin, Hand Made Folk Art (F5 style) 8 Strings
http://www.ebay.com/itm/191455910901

----------

Dobe

----------


## Bertram Henze

> Yeah, looks like _"Let's clean out all the dreck that accumulated behind the workbench, and see if anyone's fool enough to buy it"_ day.


The seller clearly forgot to mention that those banjos were salvaged from the _Titanic_ by Robert Ballard.

----------


## Dobe

[QUOTE=Petrus;1354872]A very hand made F style.

Woa, there's some great info in the description:

 “Hand gemacht” is what my German Grandmother might call something that is handmade. Handmade means flaws and something hand made was to her far more desirable that a factory made instrument.

That's true.

This is a *“Parlor” Mandolin. It has a slightly wider neck and 18 frets.

??

..... Poplar for the top and back. The sides are made from flexible plywood.  

Nice

.... body is approximately 2 1/4 inches deep, creating a greater volume of air in the sound chamber, which might mean more volume and a mellower tone.

might


I own several expensive Asian made Mandolins, which have about the same sound quality as my Folk Art mandolin.  Most instruments are made with an expensive spruce top which requires bracing to support the bridge. Because my instrument is made of 3/16 inch poplar there is no bracing. I think that poorly placed or badly crafted bracing mutes the instruments sound.
NOTE: Most musical instruments are now made somewhere in Asia, even very expensive ones.

So it's as nice as any Kentucky or Eastman , so far so good. Some ' The Loar ' have no bracing, that's reasonable. Spruce is pretty expensive.... hmmmm.

*“Parlor” means that the neck has fewer frets (18) where a standard Gibson F5 Mandolin has 29 and the Gibson A model has 22 frets.  Scale length of this instrument is 15 Inches.  Scale length of Gibson F5 is 13.875 and Gibson A is 14.25.

Learned something new here.

I think the instrument is easier to chord than the tighter fretted F5 or A Model Gibson Mandolins.  I am told be several buyers that this is really a marvelous instrument.

Can I BE one of the buyers ?

Comes with a hard shell case and free shipping.

I'm sold, An F-5 with a hand carved scroll for under $400. Hope I don't get outbid.

----------


## mrmando

Eric Lange Flatiron down to $1420 and counting ... still about $1120 too high. 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1981-Custom-.../271713031829?

----------


## Petrus

I wonder if there's a smaller mando inside of it, then a smaller one inside of that one ...  :Grin: 




HAND PAINTED RUSSIAN MANDOLIN 1990'S
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HAND-PAINTED...-/281542885302

----------

Jim Garber

----------


## Charles E.

> A very hand made F style.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mandolin, Hand Made Folk Art (F5 style) 8 Strings
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/191455910901


This needs to be posted in the "worst scroll of the last century" thread.

----------


## Bill Snyder

> A very hand made F style.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mandolin, Hand Made Folk Art (F5 style) 8 Strings
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/191455910901


Or in the thread in the builders section about rat extermination because it looks to me like a rodent or a horse has been cribbing on that scroll.

----------


## mrmando

Nice teens F4, but way overpriced, and another example of a mandolin that has a replacement bridge and no pickguard but is magically somehow still "all original"...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Gibson-M...item43d5362d5d

----------


## Charles E.

This one almost made me spit my beverage on the screen for laughing so hard.....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Stel...item2c94bb4e45

Good luck.

----------


## Jim Garber

> This one almost made me spit my beverage on the screen for laughing so hard.....
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Stel...item2c94bb4e45
> 
> Good luck.


Yikes, that is a bargain at half the price!  :Smile:

----------


## JeffD

> Underwhelming.  (Also apparently 6-string.)
> 
> 
> 
> VINTAGE METAL BODY MANDOLIN
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/331420108873
> 
> I like how the laptop and the Windex in the background are the same color blue!


OK now wait a second. How can the frets be getting farther apart as we go from the nut towards the bridge. This is wall art.

----------


## JeffD

> I wonder if there's a smaller mando inside of it, then a smaller one inside of that one ... 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HAND PAINTED RUSSIAN MANDOLIN 1990'S
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/HAND-PAINTED...-/281542885302


I really love this kind of thing. Very cool IMO.

----------


## PatAMcD

> I really love this kind of thing. Very cool IMO.


Me too.  There's something for everyone out there, I suppose.  A bottom for every seat, as my car friends say.

But I really can't picture anyone thinking "That's just what I've been looking for!" about this one.

----------


## F-2 Dave

> Me too.  There's something for everyone out there, I suppose.  A bottom for every seat, as my car friends say.
> 
> But I really can't picture anyone thinking "That's just what I've been looking for!" about this one.


It's the 'Charlie Brown's Christmas tree' of mandolins.

----------


## Bertram Henze

> I really can't picture anyone thinking "That's just what I've been looking for!" about this one.


That's most definitely a prop from _Sleepy Hollow_.
I wonder what this smells like - or rather not.

----------


## Richard Singleton

bit its a Givson! no bids yet?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/GIVSON-MANDO...item2348f8dbff

----------


## Bill Snyder

Givson is nothing new. Been around for years. I bet it will find a buyer.

----------


## Givson

If it's a Givson, it might be good enough! :Wink:

----------

zedmando

----------


## Colin Lindsay

> This needs to be posted in the "worst scroll of the last century" thread.


Ive seen 5000 year old Egyptian scrolls in better condition  :Smile: 

(But I must admit, thats beyond MY standard of woodworking in any case, so hes beaten me there!)

----------


## Jim Garber

How about $2500 for a *Supertone flattop*? Granted it is a nice one with some nice flamed maple on the back visible thru all the grime... I think we have determined that these were made for Sears by Harmony?

----------

Jim Nollman

----------


## brunello97

> How about $2500 for a *Supertone flattop*? Granted it is a nice one with some nice flamed maple on the back visible thru all the grime... I think we have determined that these were made for Sears by Harmony?


That price is off the "Richter" scale!

Mick

----------

Jim Garber

----------


## James Rankine

Is this made of matchsticks?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-ma...item259d9785f8

----------


## kkmm

It seems to be a regular mandolin stuffed with a layer of matchsticks (or something else) on top and on the head stock.
I have imagined doing something simpler if I had an instrument with very bad looking top (too many dings, scratches, ...). Just sand a lot of it off (to make it thinner), refinish, then cover with a thin layer of epoxy (yes, I know epoxy is forbidden by the purists, but I am willing to experiment with an el cheapo).

----------


## Jim Garber

There is a history of folk instruments made entirely of match sticks. This one does look like a replaced top. Some were made in prisons or by people with lots of time on their hands. Could be an experiment on the tonal qualities of wood glue.  :Smile: 

Check out: http://www.folkartlife.com/articles/...l#.VNtK44Y8L7o

----------


## barney 59

The quality of matches has degraded over the years --kind of like pencils. Do you think these are new or "vintage" matchsticks? Prewar?

----------


## James Rankine

> Some were made in prisons or by people with lots of time on their hands.
> 
> Check out: http://www.folkartlife.com/articles/...l#.VNtK44Y8L7o


Over here lifers usually knock out a fully rigged model of the Cutty Sark made from half a million matchsticks. I suppose they would be better off producing something practical though. I wonder what it sounds like.

----------


## jim simpson

Here are a couple of beauties, yard sale finds that are parquet (not margarine) covered. 
No longer in the stable but photo captured for posterity.

----------


## Petrus

> Over here lifers usually knock out a fully rigged model of the Cutty Sark made from half a million matchsticks. I suppose they would be better off producing something practical though.


Like a file or something?  :Grin:

----------


## mrmando

Beltone pseudo-resonator for $850...
http://lancaster.craigslist.org/msg/4894271214.html

----------


## mrmando

Kent Model 836 e-mando for $625; seller thinks it has something to do with Paul McCartney...
http://augusta.craigslist.org/msg/4887225807.html

----------


## Petrus

> Kent Model 836 e-mando for $625; seller thinks it has something to do with Paul McCartney...
> http://augusta.craigslist.org/msg/4887225807.html






> 1961 KENT VIOLIN SHAPED ELECTRIC MANDOLIN THE STYLE PAUL McCARTNEY PLAYED WITH THE BEATLES, HE CALLED IT A "VIOLIN BASS" HE WAS PICTURED WITH IT WITH HE GROUP THE BEATLES.


1. He played a Hofner violin-shaped bass

2. IIRC, he wasn't the one who came up with the term "violin bass" (Also, Gibson made one before Hofner, iirc)

3. The item offered is clearly not a bass of any kind, thus rendering moot points 1 and 2 above

3. Good to know he was in a group called The Beatles.   :Cool:

----------


## Charles E.

Wow, here is a real doozy........

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Custom-Made-...item339dee4507

The ad copy is pretty funny..."p.s. If any one know's Jack White, forward him this listing."

----------

RayMan7

----------


## Bill Snyder

Charley, that one already has its *own thread*.

----------


## Charles E.

Oops, thanks Bill.

----------


## mrmando

Here's someone who's clearly dreaming... 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gibson-A1-Ma...item3f47bb8ad1

----------


## Eric F.

I don't know, you get a free setup.

----------


## RayMan7

Try this one - http://www.ebay.com/itm/1922-GIBSON-...item43d84f129b
Silly guy, but hey, it still has the key for the case

----------


## Timbofood

Isn't the color listed in the catalog actually "Sheraton" brown? That aside, seems pretty pricey for a key as the add in. As for patent leather?   :Disbelief: 
Oh well, nothing to do but sit and watch.

----------


## darrylicshon

Only $8,000.00 what a deal

----------


## Kevin Stevens

He is just beginning a learning curve or its a scam. And the customer service must be included in that price, "Don't Bother Me". Bet his store does great. Or he consulted Duane Eddy's people about pricing.

----------


## MikeEdgerton

I won't be bothering him.

----------


## barney 59

Somerset Pa. being so prominently part of everyone's travel plans he must get a lot of visitors to his store!

----------


## mrmando

Here's the store: http://blubaughsonline.com/

Perhaps this is the owner's first foray into the vintage market...

If he's tired of delivery services damaging his instruments, perhaps he should pack them better.

----------


## David L

The store website lists it at $5,000 and shows the "never-unrolled" strap attached. I guess the $3,000 reduction is cause he unrolled the strap.

----------


## Whittle

Have a look at the headstock and fret job on this F2. Poor thing.

----------


## Timbofood

How sad.

----------


## MikeEdgerton

> Have a look at the headstock and fret job on this F2. Poor thing.


Ouch. What the heck happened there????

----------


## mrmando

{duplicate}

----------


## mrmando

We discussed that F2 a bit when it showed up last month. My opinion hasn't changed, although I note that the asking price back then was almost twice what it is now:
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...=1#post1363921

----------


## pfox14

> have a look at the headstock and fret job on this f2. Poor thing.


yikes!!

----------


## Terry Sebastian

Wow...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Hand...item4869d1e8c6

----------


## Timbofood

I think that has been here before.
I wouldn't necessarily give it a "wow" but more an "ewww" especially as it has one string broken!

----------

Terry Sebastian

----------


## Tobin

> Wow...
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Hand...item4869d1e8c6


Serious lulz when I look at that thing.  Surely it was a joke, and not intended to be an actual instrument?  The frets aren't even parallel with each other - they look like something from a Tim Burton flick.  The f-holes that look like they were carved out with a pocket knife.  Not to mention the extreme angle of the tuning machines making each string bend around other posts.  The tailpiece isn't even close to being centered.  Knots all over the wood.  I have to believe this was intentionally built as a spoof or a gag.

----------


## Bill Snyder

Don't let Journey Bear see it. I think he has a collection of those.  :Smile:

----------

journeybear, 

Timbofood

----------


## yellowbarber

> Try this one - http://www.ebay.com/itm/1922-GIBSON-...item43d84f129b


I had to come out from lurking on the forum for this one... I had a feeling you guys saw it already.
The ALL CAPS "I WILL NOT SHIP, SO DON'T BOTHER ME IF YOU'RE NOT COMING TO MY SHOP" testimony invites ridicule. 
But hey, it's easy enough to just not bother the poor guy.

----------


## jim simpson

Somerset wouldn't be too far of a drive for me but not at this price. He sounds grumpy, lol!

----------


## mrmando

Strad-O-Lins can be nice mandolins, but... 

http://buffalo.craigslist.org/msg/4949279729.html

----------


## Kevin Stueve

> Strad-O-Lins can be nice mandolins, but... 
> 
> http://buffalo.craigslist.org/msg/4949279729.html


I assume it was the owner that was appraised at 1800,  not the mandolin  :Grin:

----------


## plinkey

BIN price is $6,200, but that eBay seller accepts offers too.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/12-STRING-RA...item4637adda55

One of a kind and rare 12 string mando, the only such thing in Utah.

Would I give them $62 for that thing ? No. I have enough trouble keeping 8 strings in tune.

----------


## mrmando

Terrifying...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ANTIQUE-GIBS...item58c30784c9

----------


## Bertram Henze

> Terrifying...
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/ANTIQUE-GIBS...item58c30784c9


This thing needs more holes...

----------


## Petrus

Wow, is that a rare f-plus-oval hole Gibson?  I hear they only made three of those and two were destroyed (when Lloyd saw them, after firing the workman that made them.)

----------

Reywas

----------


## Bertram Henze

It's  the legendary A 4 1/2

----------


## David L

But it's got a nice case, which fits both the oval and F holes!

----------


## JeffD

Trying to understand what the person was thinking who carved the f holes in that otherwise good instrument. Was it an aesthetic consideration? Or a misguided attempt to improve the sound or tone? Its a lot of work, even to do poorly.

----------


## Petrus

Re: the oval/f-hole Gibson: No longer available according to eBay. Maybe he sold it offline.

----------


## Petrus

> Trying to understand what the person was thinking who carved the f holes in that otherwise good instrument. Was it an aesthetic consideration? Or a misguided attempt to improve the sound or tone? Its a lot of work, even to do poorly.


I could almost believe it was an experiment from Gibson itself.  Loar did create several innovations that were not always successful, like the Vivi-Tone with the sound holes in the back.  I'm not saying this was his design and it probably post-dates his time at Gibson, but it wouldn't surprise me if they did try something like that as an experiment.  IIRC, I've seen the oval/f-hole combination on several no-name and European instruments.

----------


## jim simpson

There's this one from Gibson. Saw Grisman playing one shortly after he recently bought it.

----------


## Tobin

> I could almost believe it was an experiment from Gibson itself.


The quality of the f-holes looks like it was done by a third-grader with a dull pocket knife.  There's no way Gibson had anything to do with those added f-holes.

----------


## Jeff Mando

> Trying to understand what the person was thinking who carved the f holes in that otherwise good instrument. Was it an aesthetic consideration? Or a misguided attempt to improve the sound or tone? Its a lot of work, even to do poorly.


I blame drugs and not particularly good ones.  I think an intervention is needed.

On a related note, about 25-30 years ago, there was a vintage late 50's Fender tele that showed up at the vintage guitar shows.  Everybody loves a tele, but on this one the previous owner carved intricate designs and wording into the body, most notably the words LSD.  It was amazing, not that it was very well done, but that somebody did it (and it would have taken months, maybe years) and nobody tried to stop them.  I'm thinking prison folk art, but I don't think prisoners are allowed knives..... It became known on the vintage guitar circuit as the LSD tele.  I'm sure if you ask some old timers who went to guitar shows back then, they will remember the LSD tele....

----------


## JeffD

> I blame drugs and not particularly good ones.....


Hadn't thought of that, but you are right on. I have seen more than a few nice guitars "decorated" by their drug influenced owners, and there is a similarity that I did not at first recognize.

----------


## pianoman89

> I blame drugs and not particularly good ones.  I think an intervention is needed.


That is exactly what my friend said about my recently purchased project...



And I bought the snakehead being discussed as well. Should get here tomorrow...

I guess you could say I like a challenge... ha

----------


## pianoman89

Got the snakehead in today. Will be a pretty straight forward wood graft to fix her up. Killer sound already! Real loud but a bit harsh with the f holes, but covering them in masking tape takes away the harshness. Can't wain till she looks as good as she sounds!

----------


## Jim Garber

Amazing, pianoman, I guess you will check this thread for your next purchase after those two.

----------


## pianoman89

> Amazing, pianoman, I guess you will check this thread for your next purchase after those two.


You bet lol. I had to laugh when, _after_ purchasing both mandolins, I saw them being discussed on this thread. I wish folks wouldnt mess with old instruments like this, but when I can find them, I really enjoy bringing them back to life!

----------


## David Lewis

Would it chop? Or have a warm chop? Or a choppy legato?

My brain hurts...

----------


## EdHanrahan

(never mind!)

----------


## Jim Garber

> 


Re: the F2: is the neck (or at least the headstock) a replacement from olden times? Will you make a repro one?

----------


## pianoman89

It appears they cut it down to accept A model tuners. Yes, the neck will be built from scratch. I just started a thread on the rebuild process in the builders and repair forum.

----------


## MikeEdgerton

The first pictures of this model were on the Cafe a few years ago. They are rare but unless someone needs one to finish their collection off this one will never sell at that price. By the way, the G-6 was a guitar as far as I know. Maybe a GM-6? Paul Fox has one of these on his page as well.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CROMWELL-man...item25a544d253

*Early post on one of these.*

----------

T.D.Nydn

----------


## Petrus

> There's this one from Gibson. Saw Grisman playing one shortly after he recently bought it.


That actually doesn't look so bad, if the quality of the upper holes was slightly better.  The basic idea isn't bad. It works for the two-point design ... it wouldn't work so well on an A or F style though.

----------


## MikeEdgerton

This just might be your huckleberry.

Besides being a bit overpriced at $899.00 (in my book, but the shipping is free), having no pictures of the instrument but instead posting the picture below has me shying away from it. The description is:




> 1935-ish Gibson made Recording King "Wards" A style Mandolin Carved Back & Top. This mandolin was an upper line model make for Montgomery & Wards in the 1930s. Solid flamed maple back and sides and a Spruce top. The mandolin is in excellent condition. The case is a period chip board case that does not appear to have been made for fit this mandolin. A former owner has placed form in the case to take up the spare room. The bridge could use some better fitting. The tuners are marked Wavery New York patent pending on the back. They turn freely and keep proper tune.

----------


## Eddie Sheehy

Check out this beauty - for Repair or Parts:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/231607846392...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Only 1 pic and the Seller says "Id rather set this on fire then sell it for $3k.
That's what I get for newer custom shop gibsons." 

Of course he completely misunderstood me.  I only offered him $900 - I said it MIGHT be worth $3K after it was restored/repaired...

----------


## journeybear

> On a related note, about 25-30 years ago, there was a vintage late 50's Fender tele that showed up at the vintage guitar shows.  Everybody loves a tele, but on this one the previous owner carved intricate designs and wording into the body, most notably the words LSD.  It was amazing, not that it was very well done, but that somebody did it (and it would have taken months, maybe years) and nobody tried to stop them.  I'm thinking prison folk art, but I don't think prisoners are allowed knives..... It became known on the vintage guitar circuit as the LSD tele.  I'm sure if you ask some old timers who went to guitar shows back then, they will remember the LSD tele....


This intrigued me, so I did a little googling on "lsd telecaster." I haven't seen something matching this description yet, but I have seen dozens of truly astounding examples of carving and other craftsmanship. This isn't a guitar forum or I would be posting photo after photo of them. Some are garish, some are ghoulish, some are grotesque, but a lot of time and effort and skill and imagination went into most of them. And none of them exhibit the hamfisted approach described above. It's worth a spin if you have a little time. Click on one of the carved ones and then go to "related images."

As differentiated from this:




> Wow...
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Hand...item4869d1e8c6





> Don't let Journey Bear see it. I think he has a collection of those.


Gee, it's nice to be remembered.  :Grin:  I wouldn't really call it a collection, though I do have two. I didn't see this before now, but I was scrolling through here looking for something else, and ... Anyway, it's almost a waste putting something like this in this  thread, as it's overly obvious no one is going to bid on anything from the Gibbs oeuvre. At $175, the opening bid is prohibitive for anyone clued into its worth. I guess I should have said, "worth." These are entirely unplayable, and really beg the definition of "instrument." One of these shows up every now and then. They're good for chuckles and quips but that's it. I remember when this showed up and I said I would pass - that's just too much for a conversation piece. Besides, the combined cost of my two is about what this one is going for. Er, NOT going for!  :Laughing:

----------


## Jim Hilburn

Genuine Gibson F4. Only $5000.

----------


## Jim Hilburn

Well, if you didn't like the last one then how about this Frankenstein? Also only $5000 but does appear to be an actual F4. 
A guess at how this happened would be that it was returned to Gibson in the early 70's for repair and they had the 60's neck laying around (assuming they ever made one that ugly) but had a shipment of the inlayed fingerboards that were on the 70's F-5's.  I think those fingerboards are Japanese imports since so many Japanese F's had them too.
Both of the ones I posted are on Ebay. I need to spend more time looking up Gibson Mandolin. It can be very entertaining.

----------


## Jim Hilburn

The finish is al wrong but looks better than I would have expected a Gibson re-fin to look.

----------


## houseworker

You'd have to be really fond of inlay work to go for this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/271913500883

----------


## Timbofood

I don't know much about old Bowlbacks but, doesn't the pick guard seem rather thick for the age? Something just doesn't quite ring true to me but, I very well may be mistaken.
That said, I think it's kind of cool but. I am not buying anything until you all find me a job!

----------


## mrmando

Nice A3, and it's cool to have the original sales receipt. But it's still priced about twice as high as it should be. 
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/msg/5117398467.html

----------

Vernon Hughes

----------


## Tom C

That is one of the cleanest A3s I've seen

----------

Vernon Hughes

----------


## mrmando

It has some neck wear from being played, and a little rubbing on the top, bass side, near the tailpiece. Case looks great. But would you pay a 100% premium for clean? I wouldn't.

----------


## journeybear

I dunno, man. The nice thing about the white finish is you can paint any design or put any decal on it and it will just pop! That alone makes the extra moolah worth it. Think how nice this would look with some airbrushed palm trees, maybe a hula girl in a grass skirt.  :Whistling:

----------

Barry Wilson, 

k0k0peli, 

Timbofood

----------


## mrmando

Ha! Well, if someone would put a parrot sticker on a Loar, I guess anything's possible.

----------


## journeybear

Well, since I'm not sure how I'm going to manage next month's rent, this baby is safe from me playing out my wicked thoughts. For now.  :Cool: 

Not that I would ever. For real. I think ...  :Whistling: 

 

That's painted, not a sticker, FWIW. But you see, if this were on a _white_ mandolin, it would _really_ pop!  :Grin:

----------


## Eddie Sheehy

Or you could strip that white enamel paint off and apply a thin coat of varnish...

----------


## journeybear

:Confused:   :Disbelief:   :Frown:   :Confused:   :Crying:

----------


## Timbofood

I love those old A-3s! Don't really know why, I just do.

----------


## brunello97

> That is one of the cleanest A3s I've seen


That's what I know.

Mick

----------


## Jeff Mando

> Case looks great. But would you pay a 100% premium for clean? I wouldn't.


Gotta love a case that clean!

No, I wouldn't pay a 100% premium for clean.  If it were a low-mileage used car, maybe 10-20 percent.

----------


## Jim Garber

My first Gibson was a 1919 A3 and despite the white finish it was the best sounding Gibson A on the wall at Mandolin Brothers back in 1977. It was also made in the same year as my father was born.

----------


## ferrousgeek

This one.

http://fayetteville.craigslist.org/msg/5128170216.html

----------


## Jeff Mando

> This one.
> 
> http://fayetteville.craigslist.org/msg/5128170216.html


Nice little Gibson, unfortunately about 5X what they sell for.....

----------


## David L

> This one.
> 
> http://fayetteville.craigslist.org/msg/5128170216.html


"1957 Pre-war"?  Which war, the Gulf war?

----------


## journeybear

Vietnam?  :Confused:

----------


## mrmando

That logo was first used in 1948. As I always say, everything is prewar if you pick the right war.

----------


## mrmando

Fender FM62SCE for a cool thousand. Someone's living the dream! http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fender-Strat...item1a0367f235

----------


## mrmando

Here we go. Would you spend $450 on a falling-apart vintage canvas case "project"? http://www.ebay.com/itm/1909-Mandoli...item33aa232337

----------


## jim simpson

I would expect a higher ship fee, insured at least for such a valuable purchase, lol!

----------


## Jeff Mando

He just "lowered" it to $350 -- I guess he is a MC member......

----------


## mrmando

A project is something that you pick up for next to nothing, and add value to it by restoring it. 

When you can spend $40 and get a padded gig bag that will protect a mandolin better, I don't know if it's possible to add value to this case.

----------


## allenhopkins

And we know it's a "Gibson mandolin case" because...?

----------


## mrmando

Because they're asking $350!

----------

allenhopkins

----------


## Timbofood

Hurry, hurry! Step right up!
I'll wait for the bearded lady, I think.

----------


## Charles E.

This Gibson white face A-3.........

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-BEAU...MMrM-wKqD4hNGw

While in great condition, there is another one that is very close condition wise for less then half the price.

----------


## Jim Garber

> This Gibson white face A-3.........
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-BEAU...MMrM-wKqD4hNGw
> 
> While in great condition, there is another one that is very close condition wise for less then half the price.


I had one from 1919 (my father's birth year) that I played for many years decades ago. Yes, overpriced, plus  $105.50 Expedited Shipping on top of that!

----------


## Mike Stewart

> This Gibson white face A-3.........


Yeah, that one has been around on the Seattle craigslist for a while (the owner is in Langley, WA). He started out months ago at $3200, which was still too high, didn't get a buyer so he *raised* (???) the price. On craigslist he wants $3900, iffin' you're looking to save a few bucks.

But as others have pointed out, he's about 100% more than I'm willing to pay. Seriously, if he cut the price in half I'd be on a ferry to buy it tomorrow. Original receipt is nice and all, but it doesn't make it play any better.

----------


## acousticphd

http://www.ebay.com/itm/30s-Kalamazo...cAAOSw5VFWJBAG

As is, no "whinning".

$300 or so for this one seems about right to me...

----------


## MikeEdgerton

That one is cheap next to *this* one. Basically the same mandolin, different year. Right now there are 4 on eBay, all with prices in Hollywood. I'm guessing none will sell at the prices listed.

----------


## scottcw

I believe this is a return engagement... http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/91961#91961

$25K for a Givens when these usually sell in the $5K range.

----------


## Timbofood

But, it's in Oklahoma! :Wink:

----------


## colorado_al

> I believe this is a return engagement... http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/91961#91961
> 
> $25K for a Givens when these usually sell in the $5K range.


How many times has it been listed at 5x the going rate?

----------


## scottcw

> How many times has it been listed at 5x the going rate?


I think I saw it mentioned in this thread a while back listed at $32K.

----------


## Canoedad

:Confused: I wonder if the BC pick is included.

----------


## George R. Lane

> I believe this is a return engagement... http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/91961#91961
> 
> $25K for a Givens when these usually sell in the $5K range.



He probably told his wife "I can't give this thing away".
So I guess he will just have to keep it. Shrewd fellow.  :Cool:

----------


## 9lbShellhamer

Well...it's says, "OBO". Hahahaha. Could offer _$2500_. If that's the "best offer" think he'll take it?

----------


## MikeEdgerton

This was posted by the eternal optimist. At 10 times the value plus what it should sell for in shipping I'm pretty sure it's not going anywhere.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Circ...QAAOSwkZhWRl4L

----------


## Jim Garber

> This was posted by the eternal optimist. At 10 times the value plus what it should sell for in shipping I'm pretty sure it's not going anywhere.
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Circ...QAAOSwkZhWRl4L


I just walked by that store the other day in NYC/LES. I could have checked it out for you, Mike! Maybe they should forge Brando's signature on it.  :Smile:

----------


## MikeEdgerton

They better forge somebody's signature on it  :Smile: 

There's a Gordon tenor banjo down in Annapolis, MD in an antique shop that I walk by now and then that has been on eBay for years at a super inflated price. I guess once it's up it's up.

----------


## Jeff Mando

> There's a Gordon tenor banjo down in Annapolis, MD in an antique that I walk by now and then that has been on eBay for years at a super inflated price. I guess once it's up it's up.


I have to admit that I am guilty of putting things on eBay under the "good until sold" category, which just keeps relisting it every month.  The fee is microscopic, maybe 20 cents a month -- $2.40 a year is pretty good for worldwide exposure -- the final value fee and Paypal fees only come into play when an item sells. (which they would anyway, even if the item sold in a week).  I also am guilty of having things on eBay for 5+ years, waiting for the "right" buyer -- well, they don't come by as often as they once did, but they still do.  And some things simply do not have a "book" price or can even be found in completed listings, so an educated guess is about all you can do, and I say, "when in doubt, GUESS HIGH!"  Potential buyers will make an offer and I often take it.  OTOH, having something photographed well and described well can kind of give each of us a little bit of that Sothebys type clout and like I say, it is a worldwide marketplace......and I'm just looking for one buyer! (the guy who pays me, not the guy who talks about how overpriced it is.....)

The Stella is a good example of how eBay has changed.  15 years ago on eBay, you could find them selling for $30, $75, $125, $275, and sometimes even $375 or $475 -- and guess what -- they ALL sold -- just to different people, each of whom had a very different idea of the value and what is fair.  Nothing wrong with that, happens all the time.  Same pair of Levi's gets sold anywhere from $28 to over $55 every day, depending on the store and location.  Unfortunately for sellers of musical instruments, more people are looking for Levi's than $500 Stella's!

I recently had an old 1930's Duncan YoYo that someone had carved a cool design into and these things get marketed on eBay as "folk art" or "tramp art".  An old Duncan YoYo is lucky to bring $10 on eBay, even for a pretty nice one, but I thought the carving gave it a little something extra.  How to price such a thing?  I took the Sothebys attitude and put $450 on it with a Best Offer feature.  My pictures showed the work that someone had put into it.  Well, to be honest, it took about 9 months and then a guy who collected such things offered $300 and I accepted.  Not only that, he went on to say what a nice addition it was to his collection and how he gave it a special display spot in his home.  I could have easily put $20 or 30 bucks on it, but why not give 'er a shot?  Doesn't cost any more to try.

All I'm trying to say is the reason people put insane prices on stuff is because sometimes things will sell for insane prices.  The guy in NYC has a huge overhead compared to a lot of locations.  I know of the exact Stella in an Ohio music store with a price of $250 and it has been there for years, because for Ohio, it is overpriced.  Plus most people know they can usually find one cheaper on eBay.

Another trick I use to instill customer confidence (and justify charging more than my competitor) is to remind the buyer than I have set up the instrument to play well, put new strings on it, and that I know how to properly and safely pack an instrument.  Seems like fluff, but many buyers will pay more for excellent service, even on eBay.   Just my two cents.

----------


## Jim Garber

Yes, there is one seller on eBay who has been re-listing the same overpriced parts for maybe 5 years now. The price has always stayed the same. One is the back plate from some no-name bowlback and the other is the headstock from what he thinks is a Vinaccia mandolin. I suppose there will come a time when some buyer will  want exactly what he has.

This cringe-worthy, bashed-in A-4 will sell -- maybe it should not be mentioned in this thread, but what the hay... *Gibson A4 Mandolin*. So far the Handels are worth more than the current bid. We shall see.

----------


## MikeEdgerton

I don't think I've ever seen those Stella/Harmony mandolins sell high. I owned a few that I tried to get a little more for and always lost on them and I've been on eBay for years. They were doggies when they were selling them new. I was there.

----------


## DavidKOS

> This cringe-worthy, bashed-in A-4 will sell -- maybe it should not be mentioned in this thread, but what the hay... *Gibson A4 Mandolin*. So far the Handels are worth more than the current bid. We shall see.


Am I crazy or is that A-4 just begging to be restored?

----------


## brunello97

> Am I crazy or is that A-4 just begging to be restored?


Ha! "Take me home…."  It's like going with my wife to the pound. DAS.

Mick

----------

DavidKOS

----------


## MikeEdgerton

> Am I crazy or is that A-4 just begging to be restored?


Watch the price on his get stupid towards the end.

----------

DavidKOS

----------


## Jeff Mando

> I don't think I've ever seen those Stella/Harmony mandolins sell high. I owned a few that I tried to get a little more for and always lost on them and I've been on eBay for years. They were doggies when they were selling them new. I was there.


Mike you are right, a Stella should never sell for what a Gibson sells for, no matter how nice it is.  However, you and I are experienced enough to realize that since we started, a new generation or two have started playing and to a young person, let's say, born in 1987 -- a 60's Stella is an old "vintage" instrument.  That, and a coolness factor are things that a retailer can market to.

In my own experience on eBay, I have been able to market similar instruments using basic salesmanship.  I had one old Stella that was nothing special, but it was in mint condition and had extremely nice action.  I mentioned in my ad, "sure these show up every day on eBay for $100, but when is the last time you found one in like new condition that played great?"  I was able to get $399 for an instrument that others having trouble getting $100 for simply because I wrote a better ad.  That and the fact that I don't mind shipping worldwide.  I find a lot of these "old" Harmonys and Stellas go to the UK, France, Belgium, and Germany.

----------


## plinkey

> Am I crazy or is that A-4 just begging to be restored?


David, yes, you are crazy and so am I. :Wink: 
My initial reaction to that mandolin was "Wow, I could get an A4 dirt cheap here and have it fixed nicely, and ....". Then I gave my head a vigorous shake: in order to fix it "nicely", a very skilled luthier would have to spend a good amount of time on it. Their time tends to be rather expensive, and in the end not only that the mandolin will likely be left with some telltale signs of a major repair, it might also end up costing me as much as buying a very well preserved A4 instead.

However, if I had the skill as well as the time needed to do the repairs myself, then perhaps I`d go for it.

----------

DavidKOS

----------


## HonketyHank

This is a fun thread. Can't help but add this one: eBay Deal of the Century.

Note the continuously variable intonation wawa feature (aka 'wobbly neck').

----------


## Bill Snyder

Hank, if that one was about $50 less I would be tempted.

----------


## DavidKOS

> David, yes, you are crazy and so am I.
> ...in order to fix it "nicely", a very skilled luthier would have to spend a good amount of time on it. Their time tends to be rather expensive, and in the end not only that the mandolin will likely be left with some telltale signs of a major repair, it might also end up costing me as much as buying a very well preserved A4 instead.
> 
> However, if I had the skill as well as the time needed to do the repairs myself, then perhaps I`d go for it.


My thoughts exactly. Someone with the skills could restore this, but I most likely am not the person.

----------


## MikeEdgerton

> This is a fun thread. Can't help but add this one: eBay Deal of the Century.
> 
> Note the continuously variable intonation wawa feature (aka 'wobbly neck').


A Kay with a wobbly neck? There's something new (NOT).  :Cool:

----------


## plinkey

Here's one eBay mandolin, to use the term "mandolin" loosely in this instance, offered at $14k:  http://www.ebay.com/itm/Arch-Cittern...kAAOSwKtlWomhB

While to a casual observer that instrument may look like an old and unremarkable piece of country barn junk, the seller talks about its rarity and museum significance...thus the price of $14k. :Whistling:

----------


## Bertram Henze

> Here's one eBay mandolin, to use the term "mandolin" loosely in this instance, offered at $14k:  http://www.ebay.com/itm/Arch-Cittern...kAAOSwKtlWomhB


Where is that "arch"?  :Laughing: 

It vaguely resembles Andreas Kram's theorbo-cisters (and the additional bass string headstock is mentioned in the ad as well, though I can't see the mount-point for it), but even they had an induced arch at best.
The thing that is really suspicious about this ad is the lack of historical details - for a really antique museum piece you normally have a complete list of who took care of it in what time or at least a full appraisal from an expert.

Whatever it is, it's definitely not for playing. Refer to J. Garber's quote made immortal by M. Edgerton  :Wink:

----------


## plinkey

> Where is that "arch"? 
> 
> The thing that is really suspicious about this ad is the lack of historical details - for a really antique museum piece you normally have a complete list of who took care of it in what time or at least a full appraisal from an expert.


Indeed. However, I suppose that listing is aimed at a collector of old musical instruments  who would accept the seller as an authority in the field.

People are sometimes led to believe that primitive features of an instrument are to be expected in the context of the instrument species evolution.  Yet, in this example, we should remember that a whole century before Andreas Kram's time, and probably even long before that,  there had already been some very refined string instrument making taking place in the German speaking countries ( e.g. Jacob Steiner from Absam, Tyrol), with nothing primitive in their work.

----------


## Colin Lindsay

This one actually got quite a few bids, so maybe not as terminal as I thought....http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Antique-It...p2047675.l2557

----------


## Bill Kammerzell

> I am not sure if this falls into this same category...
> 
> *Loar era bridge* for $2k.


I'm not paying that kind of shipping on that. $25.99? Are they crazy?  :Disbelief:

----------


## MikeEdgerton

> This one actually got quite a few bids, so maybe not as terminal as I thought....http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Antique-It...p2047675.l2557


Somebody must have needed the tuners.

----------

jim simpson

----------


## darrylicshon

This person wants way too much for an Ibanez 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ibanez-M522S..._qi=RTM2247625

----------


## jim simpson

The same seller wants $2499.00 for a Washburn M3SWE:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Washburn-M3S...cAAOSwUuFWtnHI

----------


## Hadji36

> The same seller wants $2499.00 for a Washburn M3SWE:
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Washburn-M3S...cAAOSwUuFWtnHI


...but, you get "free expedited shipping!"

----------


## Jeff Mando

Most of their items seem to be listed for sale at several times the "going rate".  Not sure what their strategy is?  Their eBay Seller ID seems to imply they might be some type of religious charity.  Confusing.   :Confused:

----------


## Bertram Henze

> Their eBay Seller ID seems to imply they might be some type of religious charity.


I think their ID translates to _Blessed are the poor in spirit_, aimed at prospective buyers. Or Quentin Tarantino is behind all this.  :Whistling:

----------


## mrmando

$2K for an old mandolin-banjo SIGNED BY STANLEY KUBRICK'S DAD! 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-FOLK...sAAOSwhcJWNP7v

----------


## Bertram Henze

> $2K for an old mandolin-banjo SIGNED BY STANLEY KUBRICK'S DAD! 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-FOLK...sAAOSwhcJWNP7v


They sold toast with religious implications, why not movie-related graffiti?

----------


## Jeff Mando

That mandolin-banjo is really a great period piece and very well done, the folk art, that is, IMHO.  Actually, I've seen a bunch of these done that way, I guess was a common thing to do back then.  What's it worth?  About the same as a plain mandolin-banjo, about $150 or so.  What's Jack Kubrick's signature worth?  I dunno, about the same as Madonna's brother's, I'd say.  I bet Jack's grandkids would love to have it and hang it on the wall -- unless, of course, they are the one's that sold it at the estate sale!

From an era when naming your kid "Adolf" was OK........gotta love it!

----------


## mrmando

Does Madonna have a brother? I've met her brother-_in-law,_ and he's a pretty cool guy.

----------


## Jeff Mando

> Does Madonna have a brother? I've met her brother-_in-law,_ and he's a pretty cool guy.


Being a musician married to Madonna's sister might either be a curse or a great benefit, depending on how you look at it.  I guess Hank, Jr. did pretty well, Monday Night Football & all.................even Elvis' nurse and cook BOTH went on to write books and have them published.................

----------


## Charles E.

9 K for this sunburst?!..........


http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/95393#95393

----------


## David L

> 9 K for this sunburst?!..........
> 
> 
> http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/95393#95393


Wow, that is the worst "sunburst" I've seen. Putting it next to that other mandolin just makes it look worse! Is the inside that white, or are the f-holes painted on?

----------


## Colin Lindsay

> Does Madonna have a brother? I've met her brother-_in-law,_ and he's a pretty cool guy.


I haven't my glasses on, but isn't that Russell Crowe?  :Smile:

----------


## mrmando

There is a passing resemblance, isn't there?

----------


## Barry Wilson

> 9 K for this sunburst?!..........
> 
> 
> http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/95393#95393


Shouldn't that be called an eclipse?

----------


## John McCoy

> 9 K for this sunburst?!..........
> 
> 
> http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/95393#95393


I understand why it's "rare."  And that's a good thing.

----------


## Jim Garber

John Silakowski (indiana maker) seems to be quite respected as a maker of five-string fiddles, some of which are played by prominent fiddlers. I can find almost nothing on him as a mandolin maker nor can i find out any contact info. That sunburst is very odd tho and i would have thought that he would have some sense of how to make one even tho generally fiddles are not finished that way. OTOH the seller considers this as indicated by the price as a high-end mandolin. $9K asking price puts him up there close to Ellis and Collings. I would be curious about how good those mandolins actually play and sound.

----------


## pops1

Looks like the other one has the same name on the headstock, if so a much better sunburst.

----------


## Mark Gunter

Seems pretty obvious to me that someone with no skill has definished the right side mandolin body. (no typo, that's "definished" - not worthy of the r word)

----------


## Tom C

I don't think one should knock an ad put on the Café. or the maker of which we know nothing about. We should just make fun of the mandos/price folks we don't know put up for sale else where. That's OK to do. Isn't it?

----------


## Canoedad

> I don't think one should knock an ad put on the Café. or the maker of which we know nothing about. We should just make fun of the mandos/price folks we don't know put up for sale else where. That's OK to do. Isn't it?


I've wondered about that too.  But then I remember the $30,000+ Stiver ... (and that is certainly not meant as a dig about Stivers).

----------


## mrmando

Some sunbursts just don't look as good in photos as they do in the flesh. Of course the other mandolin in the photo looks fine, so who knows? 

Maybe the bad sunburst was commissioned by somebody who wanted a match to his '30s Kalamazoo guitar. I dunno. I'd hesitate to accuse Silakowski of incompetence.

----------


## Jeff Mando

> I've wondered about that too.  But then I remember the $30,000+ Stiver ...


About a year ago in the Classifieds was a Gilchrist pictured on the seller's toilet seat.......

----------


## jim simpson

> Some sunbursts just don't look as good in photos as they do in the flesh. Of course the other mandolin in the photo looks fine, so who knows? 
> 
> Maybe the bad sunburst was commissioned by somebody who wanted a match to his '30s Kalamazoo guitar. I dunno. I'd hesitate to accuse Silakowski of incompetence.


It could be a great sounding and playing mandolin but the top on this one would be tough for me to get past. I've seen some bad sunburst (as we all have) but they are most often on home made attempts by less experienced folks. I would prefer a plain stain or none at all to this. 
I had some solvent drip on an in progress project once. I immediately try to clean it up and discovered that I was creating a sunburst. It seemed reverse of the steps one normally takes, I was quite amused by my "accident"

----------


## Tom C

The neck alone scares me.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/F-Style-Mand...6#ht_66wt_1102

----------


## MikeEdgerton

> The neck alone scares me.
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/F-Style-Mand...6#ht_66wt_1102


And how about the 9 grand price?

----------


## Jim Garber

> The neck alone scares me.
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/F-Style-Mand...6#ht_66wt_1102


The seller/builder has a *few other items* that are more reasonably(?) priced. It looks like he does know how to make a mandolin just that his prices are way too optimistic. Of course, no guarantee that he knows how to make a good sounding one. 

It is a bit odd that he has that big knot on the neck of the mandola.

----------


## jim simpson

The depth of this mandola looks more like a guitar (depth wise)!

----------


## JH Murray

The composite top on this one looks like counter top laminate.

----------


## LadysSolo

I love the wood on the top of the one pictured in #509, the grain is pretty, but I agree, thhe neck is questionable, and the price is scarier than the neck.

----------


## Tom C

> The seller/builder has a *few other items* that are more reasonably(?) priced. It looks like he does know how to make a mandolin just that his prices are way too optimistic. Of course, no guarantee that he knows how to make a good sounding one. 
> 
> It is a bit odd that he has that big knot on the neck of the mandola.


..And Cedar top and BOTTOM

----------


## Tom Morse

That is cedar deck planking. But I bet it's got a nice aroma.

----------


## acousticphd

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1916-Gibson-...gAAOSwbwlXCaKo

A nicely but I think obviously refinished teens A1.  Does anyone remember this having listed before?   Seller seems to be trying to emulate a Mandolin World ad description ("the oblong orifice is ringed with crème ivoroid").  Asking price is waaay out past the bullpen and beyond ($5K).

----------


## Jim Garber

> A nicely but I think obviously refinished teens A1.  Does anyone remember this having listed before?   Seller seems to be trying to emulate a Mandolin World ad description ("the oblong orifice is ringed with crème ivoroid").  Asking price is waaay out past the bullpen and beyond ($5K).


The seller has only 2 transactions. He/she is fishing and will find out soon enough what his mandolin is worth — like 10% of what he/she is asking?

----------


## plinkey

> Seller seems to be trying to emulate a Mandolin World ad description ("the oblong orifice is ringed with crème ivoroid").  Asking price is waaay out past the bullpen and beyond ($5K).


Their auction would benefit more from a few half-decent mandolin photographs, as opposed to that lengthy and highfalutin prose in the instrument description.
Either way, the instrument is priced irrationally high at $5,000, thus they are just wasting their time.

----------


## Jeff Mando

Good points, guys!  What we now call phishing/fishing was once just called "salesmanship" -- we all are too well-informed, these days.  Ahh, but there was a time, not so long ago, before the internet age, when it was indeed a compliment to say a man "could sell refrigerators to Eskimos........"

nowadays, we have other descriptors........

----------


## mrmando

> A nicely but I think obviously refinished teens A1.  Does anyone remember this having listed before?   Seller seems to be trying to emulate a Mandolin World ad description ("the oblong orifice is ringed with crème ivoroid").  Asking price is waaay out past the bullpen and beyond ($5K).


Yeah, this is at least the 2nd time on eBay for this specimen. Verily, Stan Jay used the phrase "oblong orifice" in a Mandolin Bros. description — in fact, according to Google he used it more than once! The eBay ad text is lifted from here: http://mandoweb.com/Instruments/Gibs...olin-1916/4039

----------


## Timbofood

It's only worth that when some poor shlub drops the $5,000. For it! Until then, seller must wait and wait,and,...wait.

----------


## acousticphd

http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/98070#98070

I imagine just an uninformed new seller.

----------


## ollaimh

i wonder if that's the same guy locally who is offering a mauer mandolin for around that price? the ad doesn't come up when i click on the HERE thingey.

----------


## mrmando

This one's cute. "Half book value" your granny. Either it's refinished or he's reading the serial number incorrectly. 

http://newhaven.craigslist.org/msg/5577393779.html

----------


## mrmando

Here's a fun one. Even if old pumpkin-top A's were generally worth $2K, which they're not, this one wouldn't even come close. Do you know why? 

https://neworleans.craigslist.org/msg/5587861269.html

----------


## Charles E.

Screen print logo on the headstock.

----------


## Jim Garber

Granted this is most likely done by an owner but there is some possibility that this mandolin was sent to Gibson in the 1950s or 1960s for repair and the factory installed that logo. I have seen a friend's 1930's L-1 with similar factory-ordered insanity including refinished in 1960s cherry sunburst. Still, I agree the price is absurd. BTW the bridge is also non-original... you all probably know that already.

----------


## mrmando

Given that it has a truss rod when it shouldn't, and a third-fret marker when it shouldn't, as well as a post-1948 logo on a pre-1918 mandolin, I'm going to go ahead and say it was completely re-necked at the factory in the '50s.

----------

Charles E.

----------


## Jim Garber

That would make a lot of sense. I didn't notice the third fret marker.

----------


## LillianBelle

Have we seen this one before?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Gibson-1...3D191873827008

I like the overspray visible on the head stock from the stencil for the logo. It wasn't a very good stencil, either. Also the refinish. For $1850.

----------


## JH Murray

I know it is only $10,000 in Canadian dollars but this is ridiculous. http://www.kijiji.ca/v-string-instru...ationFlag=true

----------


## Jim Garber

> I know it is only $10,000 in Canadian dollars but this is ridiculous. http://www.kijiji.ca/v-string-instru...ationFlag=true


For posterity:



> This mandoline has been made by myself with over 240 hours .This instrument has a unique quality sound where there one of a kind . The darker one is made with butter nut and the back with maple /maple neck and cherry wood . The lighter one is made with cedar fornt and back and mapleand cherry wood neck .This is why i am asking this price . To purchase this type of mandoline u need to place a order in advance with a deposit required.Please .



That maker must have copied this *F4 "clone"*. More reasonably priced and a real beauty.

----------


## MikeEdgerton

Laguna.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Laguna-Vinta...QAAOSwP~tW3dtC

----------


## jim simpson

But hey!, it's vintage, lol!

----------


## Charles E.

Not a mandolin but a tenor guitar......

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1934-Martin-...8AAMXQ1d1TIL3q

----------


## Jim Garber

> Not a mandolin but a tenor guitar......
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/1934-Martin-...8AAMXQ1d1TIL3q


I must admit that it is a beauty. Nice shaded top. I would think those decals would come off pretty easily. I guess the dealer puts a super-premium price on it because of the shaded top? Still...

----------

Gary Hedrick

----------


## Ray(T)

The decals might soak off but not the gold paint outlining them.

----------


## Jeff Mando

You could always change your "stage name" to fit the initials........ :Cool: 

Let's see, "DT", ok, how 'bout Driftin' Tommy, Donnie Taylor, Double Trouble, Doyle Trout, Dylan Thomas, Delirium Tremens, "Dig" Tenor, Delaware Tony, Donald Trumpet (thought I was going to say something else, didn't ya? :Wink: ).......???

Could turn into a whole 'nuther thread....

----------

bassthumper

----------


## dhergert

> ... Let's see, "DT", ok, how 'bout ...


Delirium tremens (DTs) ?

----------

Timbofood

----------


## Jeff Mando

> Delirium tremens (DTs) ?


I came up with that one before my "coffee" this morning........... :Smile:

----------


## Jim Garber

Actually, I looked more carefully and those letters don't even look like decals. They are probably more like vinyl stick on letters. Old English typeface, too. Tackyness. Delirium Tenors, anyone?

----------


## Timbofood

Deliberate Tackiness!

----------


## Charles E.

Ya know, the look is starting to grow on me. It would be a great conversation piece at a jam, a great stage piece. But not for the asking price.

----------


## mrmando

I like this $1500 Stradolin ... 
http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/msg/5868649474.html

----------


## Jeff Mando

> I like this $1500 Stradolin ... 
> http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/msg/5868649474.html


Looks like a great example, just priced 4-5 times what it is worth!  Nice ad, but it takes a lot of "salesmanship" to get over the price....

----------


## Jim Garber

An real bargain at considerably less than half the price: *Vintage Used Mandolin*.

----------


## Roger Moss

"Item shows overall wear..."

Yeah...

----------


## Ray(T)

....... but it is 40% off.

----------


## MikeEdgerton

> I like this $1500 Stradolin ... 
> http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/msg/5868649474.html


$1500.00? Heck it was only $30.00 new!

----------


## Roger Moss

> $1500.00? Heck it was only $30.00 new!


Those were indeed the good old days (except for not having penicillin yet. Oh yeah and the polio). Even adjusting for inflation that's what, $75?

----------


## JeffD

> An real bargain at considerably less than half the price: *Vintage Used Mandolin*.


In one of the pictures there is a metal tube or thick wire inside. I it looks like a structural element, seeming to prevent further sinkage.

----------


## Jim Garber

> In one of the pictures there is a metal tube or thick wire inside. I it looks like a structural element, seeming to prevent further sinkage.


I think you may be seeing the light coming thru one of the multiple cracks in the bowl:

----------


## Petrus

I'm waiting for someone to list a plastic baggie filled with only a set of tuners, a bridge, and a tailpiece, and advertise it as "mandolin, needs work."  :Laughing:

----------

Jim Garber, 

LadysSolo

----------


## Roger Moss

Or a bag of sawdust labeled "mandolin, reliced".

----------


## Roger Moss

"Shows signs of wear".

----------


## mrmando

Hang on to those magazines; in 105 years they'll be worth your annual income. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1911-GIBSON-...YAAOSw44BYPORF

----------

Jim Garber

----------


## Jim Garber

> "Shows signs of wear".


Yes, but that was a fiddle made by Maurice "Boeuf" Bourguignon.

----------

Jess L.

----------


## Charles E.

> Hang on to those magazines; in 105 years they'll be worth your annual income. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1911-GIBSON-...YAAOSw44BYPORF


Well it obviously be worth more if it were not for the missing pages.     :Wink:

----------


## mrmando

I offered $10 for it.

----------


## Jeff Mando

> I offered $10 for it.


I feel for ya and granted it is over-priced at $50K..........

but, I do a lot of eBay and when somebody shoots me a "cute" bid like that -- rather that destroy my computer with a baseball bat or email a series of bad words that would get me kicked off of eBay, I just take a minute and cool off and then politely reply, "thanks for your offer, while I couldn't take $10 for it, I would be glad to split the difference with you.  please let me know if that sounds fair."  :Wink: 

I've said it many times before, but the reason people put ridiculous prices on things is that sometimes people do pay them or make an offer and the item sells.  I don't think it stands a chance at $50K, but I could see somebody offering $300 for it, which is probably $299.75 more than the seller has in it.....     Like I say, I'm a cheapskate when it comes to buying, but I certainly don't mind if my items sell for high prices!  eBay has created its own market, which is different than other traditional markets.  I've even had buyers tell me they were drunk when they placed the winning bid, but felt compelled to honor their bid, rather than be a bad customer.

NFI in the Gibson magazine.....

----------


## Jim Garber

The amazing thing is that you could probably buy one of each of the instruments pictured in that magazine for well under $50,000. I am sorry, tho, Jeff. That seller is either hoping it doesn't sell or is insane and in any case, did not do his or her homework. Man, even if that was a mint condition Gibson catalog it would not be anywhere near worth that price and the fact that it is missing pages and in generally poor condition makes that price super-absurd. 

I know, I know... I certainly don't have to buy it. The only thing it has going for it is that he offers free shipping. :-)

Yes, I have been doing eBay for quite some time too. There a re a few reasons to over value something. More often than not, the seller either doesn't want to sell it at all or, more likely, is testing the market to see what buyers will actually offer. In this case, he also possibly hit the zero key too many times. His other musical items seem to be reasonably priced.

We may be surprised when the seller accepts Martin's offer for $10 which is pretty reasonable, actually.

Actually, I found *this posting in UMGF* by our own Paul Fox about this first issue of the Gibson trade mag. Perhaps this is what got the seller fired up with rarity.

----------


## Petrus

When you write your eBay listing there's a box you can check to automatically reject any offers below an amount you state, and/or automatically accept any offers above a certain amount. You can check one, both, or neither.  This cuts out low-ball offers without the seller even having to look at them.

Another motivation for an unrealistically high price is just to attract attention to the listing.  A lot of people will click on it out of curiosity thinking "what the heck is this treasure anyway?"  Then the seller will revise it downward (a lot in this case) and it feels like a great deal.  (He might get $100 for it this way, as opposed to just listing it for $20 or whatever.)

Then again, old books and comics can go for ridiculous prices (a copy of Action Comics #1 from 1938 sold for over $3 million a few years ago) so who knows about old catalogs.

I sell old books and comics occasionally.  Another way to go that I would've considered, if the item is in bad condition, is to separate out the pages and sell each one separately, either framed or in one of those hard lucite blocks that hold documents flat for display.  This way the seller could just pick out the best looking pages to appeal to different buyers and maybe get $20 for each one as an art piece.  If the seller can salvage twenty good pages out of the catalog, that's a potential $400 revenue (minus cost of the frame, etc.; you have to do your own cost/benefit calculation.)

Again, I'd only do that if the book is in such poor condition that would make it unappealing as a unit; it'd be a shame to do that to something in good shape.  I read once about someone selling individual pages from a first-edition Book of Mormon (1830) for upwards of $200 each -- probably framed, I don't know.  (The book as a whole might be worth upwards of $100k.)  Which would make for a tidy profit for such a book (500+ pages total) but is certainly a hair-raising thing to do if you're a bibliophile.  IIRC, the person caught a lot of flack from the Mormoniana collecting community.  :Disbelief: 

(Yes, the total value comes out close to the same, but there are a lot more people who are willing to spend a couple of hundred bucks for a framed art piece of historical interest than there are able to spend six figures for a book.)

----------


## Jeff Mando

Interesting strategy on the selling of individual pages.  I see that a lot with vintage car ads being cut from Life magazine, National Geographic, etc., basically they have opened up the market from magazine collectors to include the vintage car community.  So a $5 magazine might bring in $60 if it contains enough car ads. (and you are willing to go to that much effort to make a few extra bucks)

Similar to the parting out of vintage guitars.  I think the market has suffered due to the economy, but there was a time, thanks to eBay, that you could buy a Fender Mustang for $800 and part it out for $1600 -- so basically you could buy at retail and still double your money.  At first, people were parting out refinished guitars and guitars with repairs or issues, but soon people started doing it with nice original guitars.   And taking a lot of heat for it.

None of which has anything to do with the old magazine in question..... :Mandosmiley:

----------


## mrmando

> We may be surprised when the seller accepts Martin's offer for $10 which is pretty reasonable, actually.


Nope, I got turned down. Fine print says this is a "local pickup only" ad. The seller doesn't even want to ship this priceless artifact!

----------


## jim simpson

I'm about an hour from Pittsburgh, I could pick it up for you for a small fee, lol!

----------


## Roger Moss

> I'm about an hour from Pittsburgh, I could pick it up for you for a small fee, lol!


How much to throw it into a dumpster?

----------


## Tavy

Ferrarri bowl on eBay UK, not only has the bowl been wrecked by ill-advised "restoration", but the action looks to be about 3/4":



Ouch!

----------


## brunello97

> Ferrarri bowl on eBay UK, not only has the bowl been wrecked by ill-advised "restoration", but the action looks to be about 3/4":
> 
> 
> 
> Ouch!


Ha!  I saw this, John, and was tempted to submit it as an example.  The ad text is very much of our times: 

"the action on these old instruments is high towards the sound hole and would suit a style of play using the frets near the headstock."

There's an idea for a new Mel Bay title: "_Italian Favorites That Can Be Played Only on Open Strings and (Maybe) the First Fret_".

Mick

----------

Jess L.

----------


## Jeff Mando

on acoustic guitars we call that "Bluegrass action!"

----------


## stinkoman20xx

This one at least as an interesting story to it. No where does the seller even call it a Gibson. It says it has Bill Monroe signature, Didn't Ibanez make a signatures series Ibanez for him?

----------


## Roger Moss

> This one at least as an interesting story to it. No where does the seller even call it a Gibson. It says it has Bill Monroe signature, Didn't Ibanez make a signatures series Ibanez for him?


I notice he "accidentally" cut off the headstock...

----------


## plinkey

> Ferrarri bowl on eBay UK, not only has the bowl been wrecked by ill-advised "restoration",
> 
> Ouch!


Tavy mi lad, don't you like the "chestnut brown finish" on the restored bowl ? :Disbelief:

----------


## Jess L.

> ... The ad text is very much of our times: 
> 
> "the action on these old instruments is high towards the sound hole and would suit a style of play using the frets near the headstock."
> 
> There's an idea for a new Mel Bay title: *"Italian Favorites That Can Be Played Only on Open Strings and (Maybe) the First Fret"*. ...


 :Laughing:   :Disbelief:   :Grin:

----------


## Tavy

> Tavy mi lad, don't you like the "chestnut brown finish" on the restored bowl ?


Not especially!

----------


## Jim Garber

> Ferrarri bowl on eBay UK, not only has the bowl been wrecked by ill-advised "restoration", but the action looks to be about 3/4":
> 
> 
> 
> Ouch!


3/4" action with the bridge located about 3/4" below the cant!  Still he got 15 bids already. Maybe the bidders thought it was an Italian sports car.  :Smile:

----------


## plinkey

> Not especially!


John, naturally, I was just kidding.......however, people do most bizarre "repairs" sometimes........remember that Stridente we had several months ago with aluminium plate headstock ? :Grin:

----------


## mrmando

> There's an idea for a new Mel Bay title: "_Italian Favorites That Can Be Played Only on Open Strings and (Maybe) the First Fret_".


Well, the mandocello parts for some of them might qualify ...

----------


## Tavy

> John, naturally, I was just kidding.......however, people do most bizarre "repairs" sometimes........remember that Stridente we had several months ago with aluminium plate headstock ?


How can I forget?  :Wink:

----------


## CES

"Honey, I just don't understand why my Stradolin isn't selling...it's been listed for weeks...honest..."

 :Whistling:

----------


## Ray(T)

> This one at least as an interesting story to it. No where does the seller even call it a Gibson. It says it has Bill Monroe signature, Didn't Ibanez make a signatures series Ibanez for him?


It does actually look like a '70s Ibanez but I'm not sure whether they ever had Monroe's signature inside. The one I bought in 1976 had neither label nor serial number.

I do, however, have a '14 Gibson which used to have Monroe's signature on the front - http://www.mandolinarchive.com/gibson/serial/23871 Fortunately it was removed before I bought it.

----------


## kkmm

Is this mandolin really worth the asking price >
http://www.ebay.com/itm/FENDER-USA-M...IAAOSwpLNX8Mlb

----------


## Jim Garber

> Is this mandolin really worth the asking price >
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/FENDER-USA-M...IAAOSwpLNX8Mlb


Probably not as a playing instrument but likely that is the retail price for a 1957 collectable Fender instrument being sold in Japan (where the seller is located). I would think tho that the general retail price would be a few thousand less. Actually, you can see what the *asking prices on Reverb* are lately.

If you think that price is outrageous, check out the price of a '57 Strat these days.

----------

Mark Gunter

----------


## fentonjames

That thing is sweet!

----------


## kkmm

> If you think that price is outrageous, check out the price of a '57 Strat these days.


I admit I am very ignorant about these special collectible mandolins.

----------


## gtani7

> Is this mandolin really worth the asking price >
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/FENDER-USA-M...IAAOSwpLNX8Mlb


with solidbody electrics of that vintage, sellers are usually asked to take pix of the neck heel to authenticate.  Fender techs usually wrote messages and put recognizable stickers on them.  Also pictures of the control cavity, to see what kind of pots/caps are in there.

----------


## Jeff Mando

> with solidbody electrics of that vintage, sellers are usually asked to take pix of the neck heel to authenticate.  Fender techs usually wrote messages and put recognizable stickers on them.  Also pictures of the control cavity, to see what kind of pots/caps are in there.


Agreed, necessary for authentication, but annoying to see an old instrument taken apart in the interest of commerce.  I've worked at vintage guitar shows where I saw the same guitar taken apart three times in one day!  Not really good for the wood in the screw holes as some is removed each time, obviously.  I've also seen sellers refuse to take a guitar apart, stating something to the effect of "I have owned this since 1956, I know it is all original."  Sometimes a seller will take it apart once, take photos, then display the photos.

----------


## mrmando

"Has Small Crack." 

uh ... it's a heel crack and I wouldn't call it small. Whatever you think this mando is worth, the heel crack should cut that value about in half. http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Gibson-A...sAAOSw2xRYYxlV

----------

Charles E.

----------


## Timbofood

Reminds me of
"Nice little town you've got here, mayor Daley" (or any major city you wish)

----------


## Ray(T)

> "Has Small Crack." 
> 
> uh ... it's a heel crack and I wouldn't call it small. Whatever you think this mando is worth, the heel crack should cut that value about in half. http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Gibson-A...sAAOSw2xRYYxlV


Plus a disappearing pick-guard clamp!

----------


## Jeff Mando

> Plus a disappearing pick-guard clamp!


I believe that mandolin without the pickguard clamp is another mandolin that he is showing for a price comparison.  I think this mandolin has the clamp.  The case for this mandolin has purple lining and the mandolin without the clamp has a red-lined case.  Very confusing.

----------


## mrmando

Correct. The mando being shown for comparison has problems of its own: it's also overpriced, and someone solved the missing clamp problem by drilling a hole in the pickguard and then driving a screw through said hole and directly into the top of the mandolin.

----------

5bassman

----------


## Ray(T)

Ah! I get it now. The final image is simply meant to encourage higher bids. It doesn't actually make that clear.

----------


## Jim Garber

Quick! Run, don't walk to bid on this beauty. You can buy it now for $400: *mandolin home made*.

----------


## Mark Gunter

Hmm. Now that's a bold modification to the scroll look. The fingerboard extension really balances out the overworked scroll. This guy's an innovator.

----------


## Mark Gunter

From the description: "looks good hanging"

----------

Woodrow Wilson

----------


## HonketyHank

Buyer beware. That fourth point will not be friendly if you have even a moderate belly. The third one looks relatively benign, but it is still perplexing.

----------


## Kris N

> Buyer beware. That fourth point will not be friendly if you have even a moderate belly.


Ha ha!  I was just about to say that.  Definitely an interesting piece.

----------


## mrmando

> From the description: "looks good hanging"


People said that about William Wallace, too ...

----------


## HonketyHank

> People said that about William Wallace, too ...


Uhh - did he play bagpipes?

----------


## Mark Gunter

*1940's Vintage Harmony Monterey Mandolin missing most of the finish used cond.*
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1940s-Vintag...-/272499386233

_"... Much of the  paint is missing on the whole instrument other wise I would think it could be a player. ..."_

       

He only wants $199.00  :Whistling:

----------

Woodrow Wilson

----------


## oldwave maker

Go Pack: http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/msg/5942147988.html

----------


## Mark Gunter

Looks like you're posting a link to your own ad there, oldwave maker. Probably a bad decision to do that.

----------


## Jim Garber

> *1940's Vintage Harmony Monterey Mandolin missing most of the finish used cond.*
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/1940s-Vintag...-/272499386233
> 
> _"... Much of the  paint is missing on the whole instrument other wise I would think it could be a player. ..."_
> 
> He only wants $199.00





> “Vintage Harmony Monterey mandolin from the 40's, 50's or 60's This one is missing some strings. I have not set it up yet so its playing condition is unclear. Tuners look like originals in good condition all the parts look original. I see no cracks or separations most of the finish is missing and that is the main issue , and it may be missing some strings a new set would really make it sound good. Great for a fixer upper.”


I think the missing strings is the real deal breaker.  :Smile:

----------

Charlieshafer

----------


## Bill Snyder

> Looks like you're posting a link to your own ad there, oldwave maker. Probably a bad decision to do that.



I think he is poking fun at himself. Bill is venerated builder by many who frequent the _Mandolin Cafe_ no matter how hard he tries not to be.  :Smile:

----------


## Charles E.

Mark, I will one up you........

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Used...EAAOSwt7ZXpL1J

Hard to imagine what people are thinking.

----------

Woodrow Wilson

----------


## seg

looks like this one is gonna need new strings

----------


## LadysSolo

"Cracks found throughout..." You think?!?!? BTW, I LOVE the cheese mandolin!!!  Too funny!!!

----------


## Woodrow Wilson

> Mark, I will one up you........
> 
> Hard to imagine what people are thinking.


Maybe it comes with a genie if you rub it the right way?

----------


## Jim Garber

> Mark, I will one up you........
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Used...EAAOSwt7ZXpL1J
> 
> Hard to imagine what people are thinking.





> Was: US $119.99
> You save:
> $42.00 (35% off)
> Price:
> US $77.99


Hmmmm... maybe $1.25 worth of parts and firewood value....

----------


## Jim Garber

> Hang on to those magazines; in 105 years they'll be worth your annual income. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1911-GIBSON-...YAAOSw44BYPORF


This *same one* was relisted a few times at $50,000 and now it has been reduced to a measly $40,000.

----------


## mrmando

Well, I understand Cromwell lump-scroll F mandolins are scarce, but are they this desirable? 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/CROMWELL-man...8AAOSw9GhYc54p

----------


## Jim Garber

> Well, I understand Cromwell lump-scroll F mandolins are scarce, but are they this desirable? 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/CROMWELL-man...8AAOSw9GhYc54p


I guess we will find out. Early pre-Gibson lump scroll. If this was made by Gibson that is not so bad a price for a semi-F from '37, methinks.

----------


## brunello97

Wow. So Gibson had the idea for the lump scroll, made some in the '30s and someone _still_ thought it was a good idea again in the '60s?  That's makes it even more painful to look at.

Mick

----------

Timbofood

----------


## kkmm

Hmm, even if this one is a very desired and valuable brand and model, my wife would say let's buy the Rogue mandolin as it looks much more beautiful  :Laughing: 
Honestly, I don't know much about Harmony Monterey mandolin.

----------


## mrmando

> I guess we will find out. Early pre-Gibson lump scroll. If this was made by Gibson that is not so bad a price for a semi-F from '37, methinks.


The Cromwell GM-6 is a Gibson product and very scarce, the only budget-brand F-style from the '30s. Paul Fox says there may be as few as 9 of these and as many as 18 to 20. A true rarity in either case. Couple of previous threads: 

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...y-Cromwell-A12

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...ll+lump+scroll

----------


## Jim Garber

There is something strangely appealing about that Cromwell mandolin. Clunky, of course, esp with that headstock and lump, but I would guess that as a Gibson product it might sound as good as a Gibson A model from the same period. This is a different GM-6 from the one on the 2011 thread. The neck joint doesn't look at all funky.

We forgot the porpoises:

----------


## brunello97

To my eye, the F5 just _barely_ holds together as a composite of disparate design ideas.  Six quarts in a gallon jug. G Puglisi and the Catanese had nothing on an F5 in terms of eclectic design weirdosity.  

I think there is only so much you can tinker with it without it coming apart visually, which is why I think the iconic design still carries so much currency and why the odd contemporary variations on the classic F5 look so odd.   

This Cromwell puts me in the mind of a Jeff Lebowski meme "That sunburst really tied the room together."

Mick

----------


## Timbofood

"Eclectic design weirdosity" in eight stringed instruments, would that become.......
Wait for it......







"Mandacity"?
Apologies to "Big Daddy"
I'm getting bruises on my forehead from standing my my corner so much but, I just really liked that one!

----------


## Jim Garber

> I'm getting bruises on my forehead from standing my my corner so much but, I just really liked that one!


You mean: "I'm getting *lumps* on my forehead..."

----------


## Timbofood

No, I'm past the lump stage, these are a lovely saffron!

----------


## Mandolin Cafe

Sounds a bit high, $50,000.00 for this magazine. I was thinking more in the $49,499.99 range...

----------


## Charles E.

Seller claims he values it more then he is asking...........

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Custom-Made-...wAAOSwstxU2QtW

----------


## Jim Garber

> This *same one* was relisted a few times at $50,000 and now it has been reduced to a measly $40,000.





> Sounds a bit high, $50,000.00 for this magazine. I was thinking more in the $49,499.99 range...


Yes! This one is a perennial favorite on this thread and primises to be so for decades to come  :Smile:

----------


## Jim Garber

> Seller claims he values it more then he is asking...........
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Custom-Made-...wAAOSwstxU2QtW


As we used to say: "That is a bargain at half the price."

----------


## Mark Gunter

> As we used to say: "That is a bargain at half the price."


Wow, now that is a work of art. Surely this thing has shown up in this thread before? Old ad copy, he mentions a future date of March 2015 in the ad copy.

----------


## Timbofood

Seller needs to learn what a decimal point and commas mean! 

"And the horse says, at these prices you won't get many more in here either!"
Bad joke, more lumps!

----------


## Ray(T)

He does say that he's a "Certified" Luthier.  :Wink:

----------


## jim simpson

> He does say that he's a "Certified" Luthier.


It seems that he's saving his best work for later in his career, lol!

----------


## Timbofood

Who does the "certification"? And what criteria do they want for certification? I'm really not being a smarty boots but, curious.

----------


## Jim Garber

> he mentions a future date of March 2015 in the ad copy.


Back to the Future!!!

----------


## Ray(T)

> Who does the "certification"? And what criteria do they want for certification? I'm really not being a smarty boots but, curious.


I was thinking more along the lines of "He ought to be Certified!". Maybe this doesn't have the same connotation in the US as it does in the UK?

----------


## Mark Gunter

Same usage here Ray(T), a lunatic is a lunatic on both sides of the pond. (I'm not calling that guy a lunatic, just making observations about the Angle-ish language).

----------


## Timbofood

I was not really thinking along the "state of mind" certification but, is there some "Lord High Everything Else"  (thank you Gilbert and Sullivan) Poo Bah who prints some bogus wallpaper stating that "The bearer has learned the word "Luthier" and can pronounce it therefor, he am one!" 
He may be an accomplished builder and I cast no aspersions, as I have not seen his work. Let's face it, I can call myself a certified egg whipper and who's to say I'm not. That particular profession may be certifiable in its own rubber room status I suppose.

----------


## Mark Gunter

I can get you a certification certificate for twenty bucks, how would you like to pay for that? Cash, credit card, PayPal?

Seriously, I have no idea what the guy means, maybe he went to a luthier school, or maybe he went to a weekend luthier camp and got a "Certificate of Attendance." Maybe he just thinks the adjective "certified" sounds good in his sales pitch.

I've been a member of the AIA and they have a program whereby they'll inspect and certify an architectural millwork shop. I have no idea if any of the well-respected luthier guilds do that type of thing.

----------


## Jim Garber

This thread needs some refreshing. Here's a real beaut of a *mandolin*. Just needs a wee bit of TLC to make it playable. Priced to sell!

----------

Mark Gunter

----------


## Mark Gunter

Wow, good find!
Couple more great deals from the same seller, save $$$, one-stop shopping . . .

Percussion ensemble



"Dulcimer"

----------


## MikeZito

Sorry boys and girls, but this might be an all-time classic . . . and, you might have to read the description several times . . . .

http://www.ebay.com/itm/mandolin-/28...wAAOSw1BlZOsd~

----------


## Jim Garber

> Sorry boys and girls, but this might be an all-time classic . . . and, you might have to read the description several times . . . .
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/mandolin-/28...wAAOSw1BlZOsd~


Cowboy Dennis is an excellent typist, too.:



> Early 1900s drought Gibson mandolin was my dads he had. The tuners and that part of the ne k replaced vefore he passed. I learn to play. The mandolin wuth it still works as should


Hey, only $10,000 and he only supplies one photo. Hmmmm....

----------


## Tobin

LOL, you just can't help but shake your head at listings like that.  It's missing two tuners, the peg head obviously snapped off and was crudely re-glued back on, and it looks like it has seen a lot of abuse.  Wonder how he came up with a $10,000 value?  I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and hope that his poor typing skills cause him to hit the zero button one too many times when posting the price.

----------


## MikeZito

> I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and hope that his poor typing skills cause him to hit the zero button one too many times when posting the price.


Even if one of the zero's was dropped from the price, I tend to doubt that there would be any interest . . . I think he would have to drop TWO zeros before the bidding would start.

----------


## Seter

He is offering affordable shipping at least.

----------


## mrmando

Solid gold Strad-O-Lin! 

Nice-looking back, but still ... 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Finest-S...kAAOSwCkZZU8Ee

----------

your_diamond

----------


## your_diamond

> Solid gold Strad-O-Lin! 
> 
> Nice-looking back, but still ... 
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Finest-S...kAAOSwCkZZU8Ee


Yeah, I might have priced it a little high, but where are you going to find a nicer one? One not as nice sold for $1,850 a few months ago, on ebay ... & There is always the make offer link.

----------


## mrmando

> One not as nice sold for $1,850 a few months ago, on ebay


Link, please.

----------


## your_diamond

> Link, please.


It was in ebay's sold listings but it's long gone now. 
I remember it had the nut replaced and more finish & fret wear. 

I reduced this to $2,500 o.b.o. ...girlfriend needs surgery (cyst removed) thank God she's got insurance, She's the finest person I know. Distributes food to the homeless. Volunteers to work with Alzheimer's patients (& has a gift for it), I would do anything for her... and so this one's got to go. 

Sure, I'm going to miss this Strad, like I miss my 1960 P Bass & my 1924 L-4 & my 1956 Les Paul Special. At least I got to enjoy them for a while. Would trade them all for an 'Angel flying to close to the ground'.

----------


## Jeff Mando

Sorry to hear about your girlfriend's surgery.....but, it is very difficult to sell things for several times the "going rate", IMHO.

I will say, however, when eBay first started and it was a "brand new concept" I did sell many instruments for more than I could have gotten locally, no surprise there.  I also was able to "write a better ad" than the other guy and got more money for my stuff, because of the description or better pictures.  I also charged a premium and got it for instruments that were extra clean or completely mint.  I actually got $400 for a 60's Harmony parlor sized guitar because it was in unplayed condition with the original case, etc. -- at a time when there were many for sale on eBay for $75-100 -- and I even said so in my ad, almost DARING someone to pay my price.  And, just for fun, I often listed things for several times the going rate just to see if there was a doctor in Madrid who would pay $2000 for a guitar that I thought was cool, but had no "track record" on eBay -- turns out there was and $2000 wasn't a lot of money to him!  I also remind myself that buyers in Belgium cannot go to flea markets in Mississippi and buy instruments for $30-40 like I can......unless they want to spend thousands on airfare and a vaction, that is!  So, yeah, sometimes ya find the right guy.  Sometimes it takes a long time.  I have had things listed on eBay for 5 years or more waiting for that "right" guy.....

So, IMHO, eBay it is no longer the "latest thing" or a particularly hot commodity, but it is still a viable resource for selling to a large international audience.  It is hard to get windfalls like were once possible, but it is still possible, IMHO.

But, in reality, when you list a $600 instrument for $3500, you mostly just tee people off and will probably get hate mail, which may or may not be an issue for you, it never bothered me, if I could justify my price.......

----------


## Mandolin Cafe

> Yeah, I might have priced it a little high, but where are you going to find a nicer one? One not as nice sold for $1,850 a few months ago, on ebay ... & There is always the make offer link.


From the Forum posting guidelines:

- Refrain from using the forum as a point of purchasing or selling items or for the purpose of discussing or linking to items you are selling. Please limit selling and buying activities to the Classifieds section of this web site or other external locations.

In other words, you're through discussing the mandolin you're selling and it's remarkable value within our space.

Amazing how these apparently lost a massive chunk of their value over a few short years. Be warned: Retrofret clearly states in their ad: _Prices subject to change without notice_. Get that grossly undervalued gem while it's still sitting at $650.

----------


## atetone

I have had a lot of Stradolins. The one being discussed is not your normal $600 Stradolin.
Even the "Artist" inscription on it is deceptive.
I have an Artist here now that is nowhere near the quality of the one for sale. There are more than one designated "Artist"  models so all Artists are not of  the same quality.
As a matter of fact I have only ever had my hands on one, once, that appears to be of the same quality of this one and like the fool I sometimes am, I didnt buy it because of a slightly sinking top.
The sinkage was relatively minor in retrospect, so I wish I had bought it.
The sound and volume and thunk on the one I tried was way over the top from any Stradolins that I have ever played.
Now whether that makes it worth the asking price of the one in the classifieds I dont know.
It does seem too high to me so I wouldnt be buying at this price but if it was $600 the ad would be down and it would be on the way to me. No doubt!
To me if I were in the market for one of this quality I would pay $1000 no problem. I have enough right now so I am not in the market.
Not all "Artists" are the same. This is one of the good ones.

----------

your_diamond

----------


## Mike Stewart

> But, in reality, when you list a $600 instrument for $3500, you mostly just tee people off and will probably get hate mai


I thought that calling you out by name in the ad, Jeff, was a classy touch.  :Smile:  Yeesh, let the instrument stand on its merits, and if it's worth $2500 then someone will buy it at that price. Make it personal, and I'll move on to the next ad because I'm not going to deal with those that lack common courtesy.

----------

Jeff Mando

----------


## allenhopkins

Nice looking mandolin.

Not $2.5K nice, IMHO.

----------


## Jim Garber

*Mandolinetto* with high action. Seller does say he posted with high price to find the real one, but this is a lower end Lyon & Healy oak mandolin.

----------


## mrmando

If you want to use eBay to find the real price, post it for a dollar.

----------

Jim Garber, 

Vernon Hughes

----------


## brunello97

> *Mandolinetto* with high action..... this is a lower end Lyon & Healy oak mandolin.


That oak grain pattern is so classically intense, iconic even, that it makes one think of grain painting techniques.

Mick

----------


## gweetarpicker

I have an old Victoria brand guitar with tiger oak back that sounds great. I've never heard a mandolin with that tonewood, but it might be something unique. The price does seem high given the lack of a brand name, possible finish work and the need for repairs. You could probably find a quality rosewood Howe Orme in playable condition for that much.  Still at the right price, the oak back might be tempting.  Plus I think it looks cool.

----------


## your_diamond

> If you want to use eBay to find the real price, post it for a dollar.


I'm not sure I would do that if I was selling a Lloyd Loar signed F-5 Gibson. Given the current market, it would be a great way for the buyer to get a great deal... not so much for the seller... and that goes for many other items.

----------

Jeff Mando

----------


## mrmando

Greek baglama. For what they're asking, you could fly to Athens and buy a brand new one. 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-old-Man.../322803672495?

----------


## MikeEdgerton

> I'm not sure I would do that if I was selling a Lloyd Loar signed F-5 Gibson. Given the current market, it would be a great way for the buyer to get a great deal... not so much for the seller... and that goes for many other items.


That's why they have reserves. Put an extremely high reserve on it and start it at a dollar. You'll have an idea of what the market will pay at the end of the auction.

----------


## Jeff Mando

> That's why they have reserves. Put an extremely high reserve on it and start it at a dollar. You'll have an idea of what the market will pay at the end of the auction.


Well, in theory this is correct, but two thoughts based on my experience.  First, eBay charges 4% for adding the reserve feature.  On a $2500 instrument that would be $100, just to "find out" what the market will pay.  And that is in addition to the final value fee and Paypal fee, which combine to be about 14% of the selling price.  So, IMHO, the reserve is an expensive feature on eBay.  It didn't used to be that way, when eBay started it was inexpensive to put a reserve on an item, but eBay found a way to "discourage" reserves so it would result in more sales -- FOR THEM!

Also, it might not actually result in telling you what the market is, because bidders don't like bidding against a reserve -- they like bidding against other bidders.  Same with live auctions, nobody likes it when the auctioneer says we already have a bid of $2500 on this, does anyone want bid $2550?  Nobody likes to start that high.  But, you're right, starting at a dollar (without a reserve) is a great way to create bidder excitement and (in the old days) often resulted in an item selling for more than the seller was hoping for.

OTOH, let's say you do the reserve for $2500 and the bidding peters out at $1450.  I doubt if you are going to relist it for $1450, when you wanted $2500 for it, right?  So, it goes back in the closet and it cost you $100 to find out.  In fairness, eBay does put a cap on reserve fees at $100, so listing a signed Loar with a $175K reserve, would still cost you "just" $100, which probably is more fair, in proportion to its worth.  However, you might not want to find out the result of such an experiment......I'm guessing it would be shocking!

----------


## Jim Garber

Here's a real beaut and reduced to 45% of its original price. Don't all fight over this *Vintage Used Mandolin Inlayed Mother of Pearl Wood String Instrument Neck Parts*!

----------


## Bill Clements

Hey Jim, I’ll split it with you; it won’t require much effort!  :Laughing:

----------

colorado_al, 

Jim Garber

----------


## LadysSolo

At least he offers free shipping!

----------


## Jess L.

> Here's a real beaut and reduced to 45% of its original price. Don't all fight over this *Vintage Used Mandolin Inlayed Mother of Pearl Wood String Instrument Neck Parts*!


Lol.  :Laughing:  Amazing what people try to sell nowadays. In the old days that would've went straight into the woodstove, although probably many fine fixable instruments were lost that way. 

And I never would have guessed  :Wink:  if the seller hadn't specified: *"... dirtiness found; this item is not in playable condition"*  :Laughing:

----------


## Bertram Henze

I intended to ask for a discount because the bridge is not in correct position, to be proved by position of the 12th fret, as soon as I see one  :Whistling:

----------

Eric Platt

----------


## Scot63

Oh, so that's what "overall wear" means. No wonder some would rather bid on Bill Monroe's toaster.

----------

Macabre

----------


## Jess L.

> ... the bridge is not in correct position, to be proved by position of the 12th fret, as soon as I see one


It's the new *fretless mandolin*. Correct bridge position is, anywhere you want!  :Laughing:  And the clever builder 'distressed' the mandolin a little to give it that 'relic' look, so the player wouldn't have to suffer the shame and embarrassment of showing up in public playing a shiny new mandolin like some sort of greenhorn. It gives you that "experienced player look" for greater street cred.  :Cool:   :Laughing:   :Wink:

----------


## mrmando

I wish I had some mand'lin strings, old Black Diamond brand 
But I'd have to hock this Martin box, 'cause they cost almost two grand ...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/14-Vintage-...gAAOSwdJ9aQCNz

----------


## Jess L.

> I wish I had some mand'lin strings, old Black Diamond brand 
> But I'd have to hock this Martin box, 'cause they cost almost two grand ...
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/14-Vintage-...gAAOSwdJ9aQCNz


Yes, but shipping is only $5.50 ! What a deal!  :Wink:   :Laughing:

----------


## pops1

Here is one to get excited about**:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Handmade-Ma...cAAOSwSKtaa7wE

----------


## Bertram Henze

> Here is one to get excited about**:
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/Handmade-Ma...cAAOSwSKtaa7wE


This looks so vegetarian...

----------


## Jess L.

> Here is one to get excited about**:
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/Handmade-Ma...cAAOSwSKtaa7wE


A gourd tenor guitar... or something.

For posterity, a quickie screenshot of front & back - click to make _slightly_ bigger:  

(if someone else has time, maybe they can post a larger view of the fullsize pics?)

----------


## LadysSolo

$1795.00 for strings completely blows my mind! (What is left of it, that is! LOL!!)

----------


## Eric Platt

Wow, maybe I should put my Black Diamond string box collection up for sale. Wonder what I could get for the retail box with multiple drawers for different styles of strings?

----------


## Jeff Mando

> I wish I had some mand'lin strings, old Black Diamond brand 
> But I'd have to hock this Martin box, 'cause they cost almost two grand ...
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/14-Vintage-...gAAOSwdJ9aQCNz


I'm wondering if that price is a typo.  Most of his stuff is in the $25-100 range.  He has almost 12,000 feedbacks -- all positive....

----------


## Jim Garber

> A gourd tenor guitar... or something.
> 
> For posterity, a quickie screenshot of front & back - click to make _slightly_ bigger:  
> 
> (if someone else has time, maybe they can post a larger view of the fullsize pics?)


Well, it is folksy and funky but there is a whole subculture of gourd instruments esp banjos. Listen to Adam Hurt playing his.

----------

Bill Findley, 

Eric Platt, 

Jess L.

----------


## Mark Wilson

> Well, it is folksy and funky but there is a whole subculture of gourd instruments esp banjos. Listen to Adam Hurt playing his.


That is beyond cool.

----------

Eric Platt, 

Jess L.

----------


## JRG

Oval or F-hole, your choice. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pango-Music...sAAOSww85abo5Q

----------


## Bertram Henze

> Well, it is folksy and funky but there is a whole subculture of gourd instruments esp banjos. Listen to Adam Hurt playing his.


Mojo overflow. Adding a snake rattle to this is unnecessary, I guess. It's a bit like making a banjo out of Mr. Monroe's skull.

----------


## OneChordTrick

> Oval or F-hole, your choice. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pango-Music...sAAOSww85abo5Q


Apart from the minor defects on the body it does come from "the top professional factory in building the Mandolin in China"

----------


## mrmando

> It's a bit like making a banjo out of Mr. Monroe's skull.


If someone did that, it'd probably sell for even more than his toaster!

----------


## LadysSolo

> Oval or F-hole, your choice. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pango-Music...sAAOSww85abo5Q


"mandolin for sale, some assembly required"  BUT shipping is free!

----------


## allenhopkins

Now we can have a new discussion, f-hole vs. oval-hole vs. no hole!

----------


## pops1

> Now we can have a new discussion, f-hole vs. oval-hole vs. no hole!


Who was it that wanted a quiet mandolin to play while traveling and staying in motel rooms?

----------

allenhopkins, 

Timbofood

----------


## MikeZito

> Now we can have a new discussion, f-hole vs. oval-hole vs. no hole!


How about just dropping a couple of pickups in it, and calling it a hollow-body electric?

----------

allenhopkins

----------


## Bertram Henze

> How about just dropping a couple of pickups in it, and calling it a hollow-body electric?


Do we know it is hollow?

----------


## Jill McAuley

Apparently this one was posted on Reverb 5 months ago - shocking that no one has snapped it up yet....

https://reverb.com/item/6525673-old-...k-red-artified

----------

Charlieshafer

----------


## pops1

With the amount of ART on that it will take just the right buyer. 

Was going to add a remark, but curbed my tongue.

----------


## MikeEdgerton

> Apparently this one was posted on Reverb 5 months ago - shocking that no one has snapped it up yet....
> 
> https://reverb.com/item/6525673-old-...k-red-artified


My goodness, somebody tell that person to back away from the magic markers. On my worst days I used paint.

----------

Charlieshafer, 

Jill McAuley

----------


## colorado_al

> My goodness, somebody tell that person to back away from the magic markers. On my worst days I used paint.


One man's trash is another man's...trash? Unless that's an Art Garfunkel drawing, I don't think it is worth the mandolin it's printed on.

----------


## allenhopkins

Old Kraftsman, but Young Doodler.

----------

Jill McAuley

----------


## Bertram Henze

Looks like what you scribble during a boring meeting.

----------


## Jim Garber

A *couple of beauties* on Craigslist. Actually the bandurria doesn;t look too bad but the guitarra, yikes!:

----------


## Jeff Mando

They forgot to "wipe their squeeze" after the glue job!  Might have more glue than Bill's!

----------


## Colin Lindsay

Maybe he just drools a lot while playing?

----------


## Bertram Henze

> Maybe he just drools a lot while playing?


Ok, it's Spiderman's instrument.
Now please take that picture of Spiderman casting at thread by spitting over the street out of my head  :Crying:

----------


## allenhopkins

Whatthehell are all the gewgaws stuck to the front of the big one?

----------


## Jim Garber

> Whatthehell are all the gewgaws stuck to the front of the big one?


Some look like Keebler elf cookies.

----------


## Mark Wilson

Somewhere a luthier should have said "I hear what you're asking but.. no

pumpkin-top-1915-pumpkin-top

----------


## Jim Garber

> Somewhere a luthier should have said "I hear what you're asking but.. no
> 
> pumpkin-top-1915-pumpkin-top


Hey, it could be a decent-sounding mandolin and is priced sort of reasonably, maybe?

----------


## Mark Wilson

Maybe.  That top looks clean.  Shame if the rest of it was that fine when the new neck went on.  An odd duck now.

----------


## Timbofood

“Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should!”
Maybe the guy should have not fooled around with the neck change, just because he could buy the parts does not mean it was the smart move. But, that’s just me.

----------


## Jess L.

> Somewhere a luthier should have said "I hear what you're asking but.. no
> 
> pumpkin-top-1915-pumpkin-top


Maybe a luthier *did* say no... click pic 2 or 3 times to make big enough to see non-luthier-like work: 



I wonder if that big split in the top (next to the neck, looks like it goes all the way to the rosette by the sound hole), was the result of the new neck being put in? **or** did that split happen when the old neck got broken or whatever?

----------


## mzurer

Bit of an understatement on this gem

"The mandolin shows plenty of wear from age and use, has a hairline crack on the front and the wood around the lower F hole has been busted out a bit in that area (see photos) "



https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Ant....c100011.m1850

----------


## Eric Hanson

That poor thing looks like a mouse decided to reside within.

----------


## pelone

Nothing that a pick guard could not hide--just opens it up a bit.

----------


## Roger Moss

Looks like it's "opened up" plenty.

----------

Bill Cameron

----------


## dustyamps

I think this case might qualify.

----------


## MikeEdgerton

I saw that case. I was in awe  :Cool:

----------


## Bob Clark

Extra padding and thermal insulation.  Gotta have it. :Grin:

----------


## Ray(T)

Shhhhhh ...... or the cat will want one!

----------


## Bertram Henze

> I think this case might qualify.


This is the largest blueberry biscuit I've ever seen.  :Disbelief:

----------


## Bob Clark

> Shhhhhh ...... or the cat will want one!


Cat bed and scratching post in one.  What cat could resist? :Grin:

----------


## MikeZito

$10 says the average airline baggage handler can still break the mandolin in that case, in less than 15 seconds . . . . 

Bob is right - that case absolutely looks like it was designed by somebody who once made cat accessories.

----------


## Jess L.

> Cat bed and scratching post in one.  What cat could resist?


Looks like a lot of absorbent material there on the *outside*,  :Disbelief:  seems like tempting fate, might eventually need a few bottles of this...  :Wink:

----------

Bob Clark

----------


## dustyamps

Search ebay for vintage homemade mandolin.

----------


## MikeZito

I don't know . . . this one is so weird, and not unreasonably priced, it just _might_ get bought!

----------


## Seter

I feel like that would be a good prop instrument for a post-apocalyptic movie.

----------


## darrylicshon

I saw that one days ago. I emailed to find out the scale length. This was his answer

11” board. With head/neck it’s total is 18” 

I just left it at that I was only just wondering about it

----------


## fentonjames

what's up with that metal bar?

----------

Mark Wilson

----------


## Jim Garber

> Search ebay for vintage homemade mandolin.


Hey dustyamps, why don't you just post the link? Like this: *Vintage Homemade Mandolin*

Hard to tell even from the other photos what that bar does. At first I thought it was a whammy bar but not sure how it would work.

----------


## MikeZito

Whatever that bar is, it looks like they attach some sort of strap to the tail end, and it almost looks like the other end might be attached to the neck pickup?  Some sort of dual purpose grounding device?   

Or - it could be a towel bar, in case you sweat a lot on stage and need a towel to wipe down during your set . . . .

----------

fentonjames, 

Steve VandeWater

----------


## LadysSolo

The bar looks to me like it folds down to prop the mandolin if you want to put it down with the back up (kind of like a kick-stand.)

----------


## Jeff Mando

possibly....
-carrying handle?
-uncomfortable armrest?
-incorrectly installed tone gard?

----------


## pops1

Looks like an arm rest, the string height above the body is fairly high and the body is flat and quite a ways down, so something to rest the arm on. Not very comfy looking, but then the arm rest for a banjo is a smaller diameter, similar piece and works well.

----------

Jess L.

----------


## F-2 Dave

Safety rail. Medicare approved.

----------


## David L

The string spacing is really poor. The strings in the pairs are spread too much.

----------

Jess L.

----------


## MikeZito

> The string spacing is really poor. The strings in the pairs are spread too much.


Excellent point - I didn't notice that.  If somebody buys it, they are going to have to set aside another few bucks for a new nut . . .  and get that towel bar / grounding wire / kickstand / vibrato handle / safety rail / arm rest / tone bar removed!

----------


## Jim Garber

> Excellent point - I didn't notice that.  If somebody buys it, they are going to have to set aside another few bucks for a new nut . . .  and get that towel bar / grounding wire / kickstand / vibrato handle / safety rail / arm rest / tone bar removed!


Oh, no. Are you insane? That mandolin is all original—you will reduce the value of this by at least 50%. That is an original towel bar/kickstand. I bet it even has original strings!

----------

allenhopkins, 

Jess L., 

MikeZito

----------


## allenhopkins

> Oh, no. Are you insane? That mandolin is all original—you will reduce the value of this by at least 50%...


Let's see: 50% of $0 is...

----------


## David Lewis

> I feel like that would be a good prop instrument for a post-apocalyptic movie.


Mad Max V: The Blue Moon of Kentucky....

----------

Seter

----------


## MikeZito

> Oh, no. Are you insane? That mandolin is all original—you will reduce the value of this by at least 50%. That is an original towel bar/kickstand. I bet it even has original strings!


You're right . . . I'm soooo ashamed . . . .

----------


## mee

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Ea...stic-Guitar.gc

I guess it could sell if someone thinks to look for this with the guitars. Is that an older headstock?

----------


## MikeZito

Are you kidding me - is someone THAT clueless that they listed an Eastman 805 as an acoustic guitar?

I know that _some_ G.C. employees are aren't exactly the most knowledgeable people in the business - but this one is _really_ bad.

----------

mee

----------


## mee

> Search ebay for vintage homemade mandolin.


Sorry, yours no longer qualifies for this board, it has a bid and will sell. :Laughing:

----------

Dobe

----------


## Seter

> https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Ea...stic-Guitar.gc
> 
> I guess it could sell if someone thinks to look for this with the guitars. Is that an older headstock?


I think I've mentioned that one in a thread in the general forum, I live a block away from that Guitar Center and see it frequently. Oddly enough, it is displayed with the mandolins so they must have messed up on the data entry side. I do like looking for instruments miscategorized since sometimes you can get a deal; but on the other hand someone might get more traffic to their listing if they list something as a guitar rather than a more obscure instrument like a laud, bisernica, etc.

----------

mee

----------


## dustyamps

Vintage double next... $279 with free shipping.

----------


## Jim Garber

> Vintage double next... $279 with free shipping.


The mandolin section has one of those foil pickups that I believe some guitar folks love. Funky sound. Might get sold.

If that is a genuine Harmony gold foil pickup and if *this listing* is priced right, then the guitar is definitely riced correctly to sell.

----------


## MikeZito

If that double-neck showed up around here, and it wasn't total garbage, I would buy it just for the 'cool' factor; (I'm a sucker for double-necks.)

----------


## Eric Platt

The pickups and mandolin controls probably are worth the asking price. While not true Teisco hold foils, those guitar pickups can sound rather nice. I have one in the neck position of my heavily modified Squier guitar.

----------


## Jim Garber

Here's a real strange one. Looks like an Asian funky F copy, terrible details. Either the manufacturer inlaid a rather poor Gibson logo or someone did it after-market. In any case, every aspect of this one looks wrong: all scrolls, fretboard, etc. 

*Gibson electric mandolin vintage PROTOTYPE*

----------


## Mark Gunter

$5k

I would assume anybody paying 5 G's for a Gibson mandolin would know what a Gibson mandolin looks like. I saw the painted-on F holes, I saw the obvious birch grain showing through the ebony stain on the headstock, this thing is nothing short of repulsive, and it's hard to believe it came out of an Asian factory. Looks like an idiot built it and wants to get 5k for it. I've only been interested in mandolins a few years, so maybe I'm naive. Does this kind of crap really come out of Asian factories?

----------


## Jim Garber

I wrote to the seller and told him the news and he was reasonable and thanked me for the information. He was given the “mandolin” many years ago and was told that it was a prototype. Hopefully he will take the listing down but Mark is right that anyone looking for a $5K Mandolin would know that this is far from one. I told him he was lucky to get a hundred for it.

----------


## Roger Moss

I don't know much about Gibsons but I could tell it was all wrong, but I missed the painted on f holes. That's actually laughable. Who in the whole world would go to the trouble to build such a stinker? Even the intentional counterfeit knock offs are better made than that.

----------


## pops1

Well he said it was electric, the lack of ff holes will keep feedback at a minimum. That should be worth another $100

----------


## Roger Moss

> Well he said it was electric, the lack of ff holes will keep feedback at a minimum. That should be worth another $100


Okay. But then why make it a hollowbody in the first place? It seems like extra trouble for no benefit in the sound.

----------


## Bertram Henze

> Okay. But then why make it a hollowbody in the first place? It seems like extra trouble for no benefit in the sound.


I'd not take it for granted that the body is hollow. There is a piezo pickup under the bridge, but that would work with a solid body as well. The ad says "Material: Hardbody" (whatever that means, it might be a hint). The sustain is probably infinite  :Whistling: 

Let's face it: It's a baby Les Paul  :Laughing:  :Crying:

----------


## pops1

> Okay. But then why make it a hollowbody in the first place? It seems like extra trouble for no benefit in the sound.


It was meant as a  :Laughing:

----------


## Jess L.

> ... why make it a *hollowbody* in the first place? It seems like extra trouble for *no benefit* in the sound.


I'm not sure, but I was thinking that Godin did something like that, with the electric Godin A8 mandolin ? I never quite understood that either, but they seem to get adequate reviews and they're not cheap, presumably someone must be buying them...  :Confused:  




> It was meant as a


Could be. Seems like as good an explanation as any.  :Smile:

----------


## Roger Moss

> I'm not sure, but I was thinking that Godin did something like that, with the electric Godin A8 mandolin ? I never quite understood that either, but they seem to get adequate reviews and they're not cheap, presumably someone must be buying them...  
> 
> 
> 
> Could be. Seems like as good an explanation as any.


Yes. I'm wondering, though, how the Godin would hold up in a head to head comparison with, say, a Mandocaster or Mandobird. I just can't get the hollowbody without any holes concept.

----------

Jess L.

----------


## pops1

If I remember Gretch made some guitars with painted ff holes back in the day.

----------

Jeff Mando

----------


## Jim Garber

I do think that a hollowbody electric does sound different than a solid body regardless if it has soundholes or not. The air space provides some resonance that would be different from a solid dense piece of wood.

----------


## multidon

Hopefully I will get the story right. If I make errors I’m sure I’ll be corrected.

As I understand it the story behind Gretsch making guitars with painted on f holes was a result of their association with Chet Atkins. He wanted hollow bodies without holes for his signature models to reduce feedback. Gretsch guitars traditionally had f holes and they thought that their guitars wouldn’t look right without them. The painted on f holes were a compromise so that Chet could get what he wanted and the “look” could still be preserved. The models that come to mind that had the painted on f holes were the Country Gentleman and the Tennessee Rose.

----------


## pops1

> Hopefully I will get the story right. If I make errors Im sure Ill be corrected.
> 
> As I understand it the story behind Gretsch making guitars with painted on f holes was a result of their association with Chet Atkins. He wanted hollow bodies without holes for his signature models to reduce feedback. Gretsch guitars traditionally had f holes and they thought that their guitars wouldnt look right without them. The painted on f holes were a compromise so that Chet could get what he wanted and the look could still be preserved. The models that come to mind that had the painted on f holes were the Country Gentleman and the Tennessee Rose.


I think this may apply here too, without ff holes the feedback potential would be reduced.

Not that Chet had anything to do with it. :Whistling:

----------


## Roger Moss

> Hopefully I will get the story right. If I make errors I’m sure I’ll be corrected.
> 
> As I understand it the story behind Gretsch making guitars with painted on f holes was a result of their association with Chet Atkins. He wanted hollow bodies without holes for his signature models to reduce feedback. Gretsch guitars traditionally had f holes and they thought that their guitars wouldn’t look right without them. The painted on f holes were a compromise so that Chet could get what he wanted and the “look” could still be preserved. The models that come to mind that had the painted on f holes were the Country Gentleman and the Tennessee Rose.


I just had to check this out. here's a pic of a Chet Gretsch. You can see the glare on the "f-hole".

----------


## Mark Gunter

Still looks pretty cheesy on that thing Jim pointed to, along with so many other aspects of it. Doesn't look like a very professional lutherie job to me. I probably wouldn't have it at any price - well, maybe $20 tops. Yeah, I'd give $20 for it.

----------


## Jess L.

> ... As I understand it the story behind Gretsch making guitars with *painted on* f holes was a result of their association with Chet Atkins. He wanted hollow bodies without holes for his signature models to *reduce feedback*. Gretsch guitars traditionally had f holes and they thought that their guitars *wouldn't look right without them*....


My man tells me that modern Nascar race cars have painted-on headlights and other 'trim'. He says they do that to increase aerodynamic efficiency so that the cars perform better - and at the same time, the race teams (and their sponsors) want the viewers to see cars that look like 'normal' cars that a person might find for sale at a regular new-car dealership. The idea being that fans might wish to buy a car that *looks* similar to their favorite drivers' cars they see performing well on the racetrack, even if most everything "under the hood" (and suspension etc) is entirely different. Basically a marketing decision to keep audiences happy. So, the race cars *look* like regular street cars, as long as one doesn't look too closely to see the painted-on details. 

That's what he says, anyway - I have not Googled it to see if he's right. 

Anyway, to get back to the topic, the correlation I see with musical instruments would be similar - a painted-on feature to simulate something that audiences expect to see (which might help to promote sales of that instrument), but the actual feature being removed for some technical reason related to public performance (feedback, in this case).

----------

Timbofood

----------


## Roger Moss

> My man tells me that modern Nascar race cars have painted-on headlights and other 'trim'. He says they do that to increase aerodynamic efficiency so that the cars perform better - and at the same time, the race teams (and their sponsors) want the viewers to see cars that look like 'normal' cars that a person might find for sale at a regular new-car dealership. The idea being that fans might wish to buy a car that *looks* similar to their favorite drivers' cars they see performing well on the racetrack, even if most everything "under the hood" (and suspension etc) is entirely different. Basically a marketing decision to keep audiences happy. So, the race cars *look* like regular street cars, as long as one doesn't look too closely to see the painted-on details. 
> 
> That's what he says, anyway - I have not Googled it to see if he's right. 
> 
> Anyway, to get back to the topic, the correlation I see with musical instruments would be similar - a painted-on feature to simulate something that audiences expect to see (which might help to promote sales of that instrument), but the actual feature being removed for some technical reason related to public performance (feedback, in this case).


Hmmm... I was thinking of painting flames on my mandolin, but on second thought I don't want to tempt fate.

----------

Jess L.

----------


## Mark Gunter

I pretty much hate the way ebay tracks anything I view and tries to hawk it through my email, but I thought this was pretty funny. They're notifying me that I can now save $3,795.00 by purchasing this item I happened to view a couple times. Who can argue with saving nearly $4k?*


Save $3,795.00 for a limited time!*

*You viewed at $4,995.00. It was just discounted to $1,200.00.
Make an offer to strike an even better deal.*

    






 electric mandolin vintage probably made outside US actually sounds great!

 $1,200.00

----------


## Jeff Mando

I used a similar technique, by accident, on eBay about 10 years ago.  I had an item I was trying to sell at $800 and it was listed for probably a year with no sales, just a few "watchers."  I got tired of it and lowered the price to $500 and it sold that very day!

Unfortunately, in this case, it is doubtful the mandolin is worth $200, let alone $1200........,IMHO.

----------


## CarlM

> So, the race cars *look* like regular street cars, as long as one doesn't look too closely to see the painted-on details.


A friend of mine was an engineer on Danica Patick's team on a couple circuits she raced in immediately prior to her move to NASCAR.  He had pictures of what is under the bodies of those vehicles.  As he put it, they are aircraft built upside down.  The frames are completely carbon fiber composite with all the parts, like tie rods, etc. shaped aerodynamically, computer designed and simulated and wind tunnel tested.  The bodies are polymer composites, seats molded and form fitted to the individual driver.  All the suspension, tire and engine parameters have full real time monitoring and telemetry with the ability to adjust things like suspension stiffness remotely on the fly.  The cars are capable of being driven remotely from the pits though that is not done per league rules.

They are nothing at all like production vehicles in any way.

----------

Jess L., 

Timbofood

----------


## Timbofood

> A friend of mine was an engineer on Danica Patick's team on a couple circuits she raced in immediately prior to her move to NASCAR.  He had pictures of what is under the bodies of those vehicles.  As he put it, they are aircraft built upside down.  The frames are completely carbon fiber composite with all the parts, like tie rods, etc. shaped aerodynamically, computer designed and simulated and wind tunnel tested.  The bodies are polymer composites, seats molded and form fitted to the individual driver.  All the suspension, tire and engine parameters have full real time monitoring and telemetry with the ability to adjust things like suspension stiffness remotely on the fly.  The cars are capable of being driven remotely from the pits though that is not done per league rules.
> 
> They are nothing at all like production vehicles in any way.


I am reminded of the Pixar movie “Cars” when the “working cars” see that pretty much anything on “McQueen” are all stickers, and gets the nickname “Stickers”. 
Yep, there “ain’t no “stock” in stock car racing”

----------


## mrmando

Mando-Strat for a grand! 

https://knoxville.craigslist.org/msg...620013184.html

----------


## MikeZito

> Mando-Strat for a grand! 
> 
> https://knoxville.craigslist.org/msg...620013184.html


Cut the price by 75%, and it will sell tomorrow . . . . otherwise, I hope they have plenty of closet space for this to sit for a while.

----------


## seg

https://boston.craigslist.org/bmw/ar...626761106.html

----------


## Roger Moss

> https://boston.craigslist.org/bmw/ar...626761106.html


Oh, is that what "art" is. I had previously been misinformed. Not so much from an Art Colony as a Colony of Slippermen.

----------


## Bertram Henze

Bucket, please.

----------


## Jess L.

> https://boston.craigslist.org/bmw/ar...626761106.html


If all I saw was the front, I might be able to tolerate it (briefly!) even though the creator put *six*  :Frown:  'strings' on it: 



But they lost me once I saw the back. That poor non-mandolin is in desperate need of being hauled out & put in drydock to have the *barnacles* (or whatever those lifeforms  :Disbelief:  are) removed: 



One wonders what brand of actual old instrument lurks beneath the parasitic lifeforms that caused its unfortunate demise.

----------


## Roger Adams

Ummmm...."tacky" comes to mind.

----------


## Mark Gunter

Last two words of the description are spot on ... "rare item" ... thank heavens.

----------


## Timbofood

Well, it’s “pushing some buttons” around here!
Sorry, I’ll go to my corner now.

----------


## Bertram Henze

> *barnacles*


I knew it, something made me think this would look good with Jack Sparrow - that was it.

----------

Jess L.

----------


## MikeZito

At first look I thought this poor creature was covered with upside down bottle caps . . .  upon second look, I think that might have been an improvement . . . .

----------


## allenhopkins

Calling Dr. Sandra Lee!  (Some of you will get the reference...)

----------

Drew Streip, 

Jim Botluk

----------


## pops1

The only place I can think of that would be a good place to display this would be an antique store in the jewelry display.

----------


## Steve VandeWater

> The only place I can think of that would be a good place to display this would be an antique store in the jewelry display.


I don't know.  Have you seen pics of the interior at Mar-A- Lago? I think this would fit right in.

----------


## Roger Moss

> I don't know.  Have you seen pics of the interior at Mar-A- Lago? I think this would fit right in.


Not garish enough.

----------


## Timbofood

Someone just decided to “Button it up!”
Dr. Sandra Lee, that’s funny right there, I don’t care who you are.

----------

allenhopkins

----------


## Bayou Sue

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Kentucky-El...0.H0.TRS5.TSS5

Seller with zero feedback/sales wants your $$$ for these blurry pictures.  I think not?

----------


## slimt

> I just had to check this out. here's a pic of a Chet Gretsch. You can see the glare on the "f-hole".


I have a 6119 from 63 like that.. I like it.. no dust bunnies inside..



 :Smile:

----------


## Roger Moss

> https://www.ebay.com/itm/Kentucky-El...0.H0.TRS5.TSS5
> 
> Seller with zero feedback/sales wants your $$$ for these blurry pictures.  I think not?




A- That's not an f style.

2- This is a Kentucky KM 300e...


https://www.amazon.com/Kentucky-KM-3.../dp/B001OQC6YC

That said, it is an interesting looking mandolin,  and if it's even close to being of decent quality,  that's not a bad price. Still,  I probably couldn't trust the seller.

----------


## Bayou Sue

Yes it kind of looks like a Seagull or something.

----------


## MikeZito

At $157 (including shipping) that non-Kentucky may find a home . . . . not at my house, but maybe elsewhere . . . .

----------


## mreidsma

Here is one that has a .... unique finish on it. (Love that instead of A-style they call it ‘Rogue style’) https://www.ebay.com/itm/372393289008

----------


## Bertram Henze

> Here is one that has a .... unique finish on it. (Love that instead of A-style they call it ‘Rogue style’) https://www.ebay.com/itm/372393289008


Aha - the combat camouflage model they played in Iwo Jima.

----------


## MikeZito

Isn't it funny that Rogue has now become some sort of benchmark name brand for mandolins . . . .

----------


## allenhopkins

Definitely looks like a *Rogue RM-100,* minus pickguard and finish.

Let's see; the RM-100's $50 new, and someone's bid $30 on this one?  Must be the "customizing" that's attracting at least one bidder.

----------


## Roger Moss

It closed at $36. Somebody got themselves a......I'm not sure exactly what they got, but they got it.

----------

allenhopkins

----------


## jim simpson

ro·guish
ˈrōɡiSH/Submit
adjective
characteristic of a dishonest or unprincipled person.
"he led a roguish and uncertain existence"
synonyms:	unprincipled, dishonest, deceitful, unscrupulous, untrustworthy, shameless; More
playfully mischievous, especially in a way that is sexually attractive.
"he gave her a roguish smile"
synonyms:	mischievous, playful, teasing, naughty, cheeky, wicked, impish, devilish, arch; informalwaggish
"a roguish grin"

----------

Timbofood

----------


## jim simpson

Who wouldn't take a chance on this unmarked mandolin at this price?, lol!!


https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-UNM...cAAOSwR4hbhC0v

----------


## AndyV

> Who wouldn't take a chance on this unmarked mandolin at this price?, lol!!
> 
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-UNM...cAAOSwR4hbhC0v


With VINTAGE LEATHER STRAP!

----------


## A-board

Frets look good. There's $300 value right thar...yessir

----------


## Roger Moss

"sold as is how is with no returns or complaints"

lol

----------


## Jeff Mando

> "sold as is how is with no returns or complaints"
> 
> lol


The dream of many a seller.............if you could only get the buyers on the same page!  :Grin:

----------


## Roger Adams

> Who wouldn't take a chance on this unmarked mandolin at this price?, lol!!
> 
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-UNM...cAAOSwR4hbhC0v


With just a little bit of effort the seller could have taken some really bad pictures...I hate underachievers....

----------


## Eric Platt

> With just a little bit of effort the seller could have taken some really bad pictures...I hate underachievers....


But then how could you enjoy seeing the broken side? Or the neck heel pulling away. With either the dovetail or a wedge of some sort peeking through? That's what memories are made of. Or nightmares. Could be either.

----------


## LadysSolo

And it only has 6 strings on it. At least the seller didn't claim it to be a Loar!  LOL!!

----------


## David Lewis

I was just think it looks like the one that bill Monroe played with that scroll thingy and all. 

If its that one then thats great value!

On an unrelated topic, is there a sarcasm font?

----------

jim simpson

----------


## jim simpson

Not a mandolin but mandolin strings on Ebay. What a bargain! 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Lot-of-...QAAOSwxaVbps~B

----------


## MikeZito

Somebody is really, REALLY delusional about this one:

- Unmarked and untested.
- Condition: For parts or not working.
- Sold As-Is. No Returns or complaints.
- Gouges/scratches/possible cracks on top and side.
- Looks like the back of the neck might be separating from the body.
- Amateur kit/home build.

Where on God's green earth this MissLynn come up with such a ludicrous a price of $2,400?  I guess the good news is that she is accepting offers.  Do you think she will accept 5% of the asking price?   

At least the leather strap looks nice . . . but then again, considering the rest of the instrument - I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to find out that it was actually pleather.

_(sigh)_ Just plain pathetic.

----------


## Jim Garber

> Somebody is really, REALLY delusional about this one:
> 
> - Unmarked and untested.
> - Condition: For parts or not working.
> - Sold As-Is. No Returns or complaints.
> - Gouges/scratches/possible cracks on top and side.
> - Looks like the back of the neck might be separating from the body.
> - Amateur kit/home build.
> 
> ...


Not sure what you are talking about. How about a link?

----------

Mark Gunter

----------


## Northwest Steve

Jim, this one - https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-UNM...cAAOSwR4hbhC0v

It appears the there is an issue with the neck as well if you look at the back pictures. Unbelievable!!! You can say what your want when you sell on ebay , "sold as is how is with no returns or complaints", gut she has been on there long enough to surely know that the buyer is all ways right in eBay's eyes.

----------


## LadysSolo

Wow! You can get a used Collings for that price!

----------


## Mark Gunter

> Wow! You can get a used Collings for that price!


Ah, maybe so, but this one is _vintage!_

----------

Timbofood

----------


## Roger Moss

> Ah, maybe so, but this one is _vintage!_


So are coprolites, begging the question "vintage what?" Maybe the seller needs some slack. She is in a small village in the middle of nowhere in North Carolina. Maybe she just doesn have the requisite sophistication needed to asses  such an instrument for resale. Going by some of the dreck on eBay, such errors can be understood. At very worst, she simply isn't going to sell that, err, item.

----------


## Bob A

Floating a trial balloon, just in case the item has unexpected value. 
Alas, no.

----------


## MikeZito

> Maybe the seller needs some slack . . Maybe she just doesn't have the requisite sophistication needed to asses  . . .


I have to laugh to myself when I read this.

I got my first guitar (acoustic) when I was 15.  It was a hand-me-down that my uncle found left behind in his garage when he bought a new house.   The guitar had a bridge that was badly lifted off the top, the area over the top of the the sound hole was sunken, the top and back were both separating from the body, the neck was badly bowed, and one of the string tuners was substantially bent.  I was so proud of my new guitar . . . until a family friend, who was a top-notch classical guitarist, looked it over and very nicely tried to tell me it was a piece of junk.

We all have to learn . . . somehow.

----------


## Roger Moss

> I have to laugh to myself when I read this.
> 
> I got my first guitar (acoustic) when I was 15.  It was a hand-me-down that my uncle found left behind in his garage when he bought a new house.   The guitar had a bridge that was badly lifted off the top, the area over the top of the the sound hole was sunken, the top and back were both separating from the body, the neck was badly bowed, and one of the string tuners was substantially bent.  I was so proud of my new guitar . . . until a family friend, who was a top-notch classical guitarist, looked it over and very nicely tried to tell me it was a piece of junk.
> 
> We all have to learn . . . somehow.


You don't learn by being right.

When I was 20 I acquired a Gibson SG from an acquaintance who owed me $35 (1978). Knowing what a Gibson was, I still traded it for a pair of rubbish car speakers later that summer. Now I did many foolish things in my youth, but that one is right up there.

----------

Mando Mort, 

Mark Gunter, 

Timbofood

----------


## MikeZito

> When I was 20 I acquired a Gibson SG from an acquaintance who owed me $35 (1978). Knowing what a Gibson was, I still traded it for a pair of rubbish car speakers later that summer. Now I did many foolish things in my youth, but that one is right up there.


My favorite (but pretty sad) SG story:

Back in the 1970's a former co-worker had a BEAUTIFUL SG.  He was playing in his living room one night when the phone rang.  Instead of putting the guitar on a stand, or back in the case - he leaned it against the sofa and stepped over it.   As you can guess, he tripped while stepping over the guitar and snapped the neck in half.  The REAL kicker in this story is that when he answered the phone, it was a bill collector!  

Ouch!

----------


## B381

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Kentucky-KM...YAAOSwmBdbhfkX


Kentucky KM-150 Standard A-model Mandolin - Sunburst
$795.19

----------


## Seter

That's $200 higher than the MSRP

----------


## Sayer

saw this listing mentioned in this forum about a year and a half ago- originally $50,000.00 still there though slightly lower price
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vol-1-No-1-...d=262739880206

----------


## Roger Moss

> saw this listing mentioned in this forum about a year and a half ago- originally $50,000.00 still there though slightly lower price
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vol-1-No-1-...d=262739880206


With the bonus of free shipping but you have to go to Pittsburgh to get it.

----------


## Timbofood

Well...
Yeah, no.
To be fair he doesn’t say free shipping, he says free pick up.
Potato, potahto 
He’s still nuts

----------


## Sayer

Kentucky KM-150 Standard A-model Mandolin - Sunburst
$795.19


I just bought a new 150 for less than half that . Do you think they charge extra for setup?

----------

LadysSolo

----------


## Jim Garber

> saw this listing mentioned in this forum about a year and a half ago- originally $50,000.00 still there though slightly lower price
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vol-1-No-1-...d=262739880206


Discounted from the prior price: $655.56 (10% off)

Let's see... in about 20 years or so it might be at about the correct price. Amazing even if it were in mint and perfect condition it would not be worth that money. Calling it in poor condition would be over estimating. But wait, there is more!



> This magazine continues to page fourteen and then it jumps to a portion of page twenty three and twenty four. It continues with page twenty five to page thirty two. This magazine is missing pages thirty three and thirty four. It continues with thirty five and the thirty six, which is the back. This magazine is missing pages as stated above. Pages fifteen to pages twenty three are missing and twenty three and twenty four have a portion missing. Pages thirty three and thirty four are missing.


I know we discussed this one out the wazoo but it is incredible. Even a fully mint Gibson catalog would not see for that much. Oh, well. Entertainment.

----------


## MikeEdgerton

You only have to sell one.  :Cool:

----------

Timbofood

----------


## Jim Garber

> You only have to sell one.


I am waiting for that one to sell and then I can put all ten of mine on eBay and clean up.  :Smile:

----------

MikeEdgerton

----------


## Charles E.

Sorry but someone had to do it........

https://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-UNUSUA...PHB:rk:29:pf:0

----------

MikeEdgerton

----------


## MikeEdgerton

> Sorry but someone had to do it........
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-UNUSUA...PHB:rk:29:pf:0


Please warn me next time before you do that.

----------

Timbofood

----------


## Sayer

> Sorry but someone had to do it........
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-UNUSUA...PHB:rk:29:pf:0


yeah but it does say bid with confidence      ... confident of what?

----------


## Charles E.

> Please warn me next time before you do that.


Doh, I hope it is not a problem.

----------


## Jeff Mando

I see the seller is from Canada.  That was not revealed in the previous discussion of this instrument. So, how about a "Gibson" that was made in Italy for the Canadian market?.............I didn't think so, either.

I still think the label looks phony......it would take a coupla minutes to create one like it on the computer.  Paper looks intentionally aged, IMHO.

Back is rosewood, which doesn't scream Gibson to me.....

He was very careful not to call it a Gibson, but managed to get both Gibson and Virzi in the title to show up in searches....

Lotsa disclaimers.....

Instrument has cracks and previous repairs....

----------


## soliver

This is the same guy that posted here recently asking about this instrument correct?... I have a memory of this instrument in another thread...

----------


## Roger Moss

> Sorry but someone had to do it........
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-UNUSUA...PHB:rk:29:pf:0


Maybe something like this was involved...

http://siminoff.net/virzi-tone-background/

----------


## Seter

The price is high given the condition and unknowns but otherwise it would be an interesting instrument for the collection. I would have gone the route of listing at $0.99 with a high reserve to get a better idea of what the market would pay.

----------


## MikeEdgerton

Unfortunately the Cafe has probably given this instrument more value than it deserves. As much as we would like it to be some sort of holy grail there are just too many sketchy things going on here.

----------

Timbofood

----------


## MikeEdgerton

> Maybe something like this was involved...
> 
> http://siminoff.net/virzi-tone-background/


There's nothing remotely associated to this in the Siminoff article. That's not unknown information.

----------


## Charles E.

This is a nice mandola but 10 K!?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Vin...9Zy:rk:33:pf:0

----------


## Mark Gunter

RARE & UNUSUAL could probably apply to the label; it's pretty unusual and possibly so rare as to say there's never been another like it.

Anybody notice how crisp the lettering is on his "better view close-up" of the label as opposed to the "weathered" label inside the instrument? I wanted to mention this in the original thread, but decided to hold my peace. The "close up" shot shows lettering that is perfectly printed and almost looks embossed; also, the paper appears to be that course old type of paper that shows fibers, but doesn't appear weathered at all. Either it is a different label altogether than the one inside the instrument, or this guy has heavily photoshopped that image.

Surely I'm not the only one who got that impression on the first go-round?







Glue looks fresh. 

First image, top edge of label, seems label has been applied over existing scratches, gouges. Am I being too suspicious?

----------


## Mark Gunter

My apologies, that original thread was locked down, I probably shouldn't have posted here ... please delete if my post is inappropriate.

----------


## Timbofood

> Please warn me next time before you do that.


Yes PLEASE! I dropped a whole handful of mashed potatoes and gravy! :Grin:

----------


## MikeEdgerton

It was locked down because of the OP saying he was going to sell it. No problem posting the labels.

----------


## Timbofood

I guess I lost interest, didn’t know it had been locked down.

----------


## Charles E.

> Yes PLEASE! I dropped a whole handful of mashed potatoes and gravy!


You eat mashed potatoes and gravy with your hands?!

----------


## MikeEdgerton

> You eat mashed potatoes and gravy with your hands?!


You can't take him out to eat.

----------

Charles E.

----------


## Bob Clark

> You can't take him out to eat.


Depends on where you go.  I know one local place where that would make him either one of the crowd or the entertainment, depending on the night.  :Grin:

----------

MikeEdgerton, 

Timbofood

----------


## slimt

> RARE & UNUSUAL could probably apply to the label; it's pretty unusual and possibly so rare as to say there's never been another like it.
> 
> Anybody notice how crisp the lettering is on his "better view close-up" of the label as opposed to the "weathered" label inside the instrument? I wanted to mention this in the original thread, but decided to hold my peace. The "close up" shot shows lettering that is perfectly printed and almost looks embossed; also, the paper appears to be that course old type of paper that shows fibers, but doesn't appear weathered at all. Either it is a different label altogether than the one inside the instrument, or this guy has heavily photoshopped that image.
> 
> Surely I'm not the only one who got that impression on the first go-round?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Its Junk...

----------


## Timbofood

> You can't take him out to eat.


The last time it happened, I was out at a big, fancy, expensive restaurant and the girl I was out with (she was wearing one of those really deep plunging neckline dresses) took a fork and scratched her back right in the middle of that place! I was so embarrassed...

With greatest respect to the memory of the late Billy Ray Latham. May he laugh in peace.

To be fair, dropping the handful is preferable to spraying coffee all over a coffee shop, isn’t it?

----------


## MikeEdgerton

I think we're going to have to draw straws to see who has to take you out for lunch Tim  :Cool:

----------


## Timbofood

Any time buddy!
We will have to go someplace elegant! :Grin:

----------


## Mark Gunter

> someplace elegant!


The Road Kill Grill of Kalamazoo. Can't get any better than that.

----------


## Bertram Henze

> ... took a fork and scratched her back ...


That's what I call resourceful. With the right sweeping motion and a dainty two-finger grip on the fork it can be more elegant than picking your nose with chopsticks. Lauren Bacall might have done that in The Big Sleep and got away with it.

----------


## Timbofood

> The Road Kill Grill of Kalamazoo. Can't get any better than that.


No such joint here, no matter what anyone says and if there were they would be faking it.

----------


## Timbofood

> That's what I call resourceful. With the right sweeping motion and a dainty two-finger grip on the fork it can be more elegant than picking your nose with chopsticks. Lauren Bacall might have done that in The Big Sleep and got away with it.


Lauren Bacall could have scratched her back with a gravediggers shovel and made it look good!
Oh, and +2 points for thread integration! :Grin:

----------

Bertram Henze

----------


## your_diamond

> The last time it happened, I was out at a big, fancy, expensive restaurant and the girl I was out with (she was wearing one of those really deep plunging neckline dresses) took a fork and scratched her back right in the middle of that place! I was so embarrassed...


I feel your pain. Everybody knows the correct utensil to scratch your back with, in public, is the knife. 

Now might be a good time to ask if she had a tiny dog in her purse, because she has a lot of class... unfortunately, it's all low.

----------

Timbofood

----------


## NickR

Regarding labels, I notice that a 1931 label shows GIBSON, Inc. rendered as I have typed it. This was an era when punctuation was not "more honoured in the breach than in the observance" like it is, today.

----------


## MikeEdgerton

This a label from a 1939 Gibson archtop guitar. It was pointed out by a Cafe member in the earlier thread.

----------


## NickR

The label I saw, was this one- 1931 Nick Lucas. It's definitely an early 1930s Nick Lucas so the date is accurate.

----------


## MikeEdgerton

I still think the Gibson relationship with Virzi was done by that time. Beyond that I'm amazed that I wasn't able to find any ready documentation of Gibson using that name. They obviously did for a long period of time.

----------


## NickR

I think you are probably right about Virzi and the Gibson connection- it was probably over by 1931 if not quite a few years earlier. Personally, I think the instrument, which stylistically reminds me of central Europe is early 1930s at the newest. I wonder if the Wall Street Crash and the subsequent Depression derailed various activities and collaborations as the reverberations from those financial cataclysms were great. Although it may be a US made instrument, it could be a less expensive European manufactured item kitted out with American hardware, after its arrival. I would have thought that if it had been made in the USA, there would be some knowledge of it among members of this board as it surely would have been part of a reasonable production run. From an UK perspective, US made instruments were very expensive in comparison to what could be sourced from Germany, Czechoslovakia or Italy back in the 1920s and 1930s. It would have been the same in the USA- your profit margin would be much greater if the instrument was made in Europe.

----------


## tonydxn

Be quick or you'll miss this one: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Antique-V...oAAOSwLZBbwoZl
Apparently it was repaired by a welder.

----------


## Bertram Henze

> Be quick or you'll miss this one: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Antique-V...oAAOSwLZBbwoZl
> Apparently it was repaired by a welder.


not a new concept at all...

----------


## Ray(T)

Missing pickguard. Nice nut!

----------


## Seter

I'd be interested in it, but I'm afraid it might sound too tinny.

----------


## Roger Moss

I'm not sure it's a mandolin either.

----------


## MikeZito

'Repaired by a welder'.

I don't know about anyone else, but that's a first for me . . . . (and hopefully a last!)

----------


## Mark Gunter

> 'Repaired by a welder'.
> 
> I don't know about anyone else, but that's a first for me . . . . (and hopefully a last!)


But it was only $80. All it needed was a new nut - with a complete new mandolin attached to the nut.

----------

colorado_al

----------


## Louise NM

That one's gone, but it redirects to this. The next-to-last sentence is an interesting way of describing the situation.

----------


## MikeZito

> That one's gone, but it redirects to this. The next-to-last sentence is an interesting way of describing the situation.


_(laugh)_  Oh, that phrase just lends itself to endless jokes, puns and otherwise crude remarks . . .  but I'm trying to be a good boy, so I will pass . . . .

----------


## Greg Allen

Price Gouger? https://www.ebay.com/itm/323529517449?ul_noapp=true
I emailed him to say it has a value no greater than $150. He agreed but said he is trying to change the price but having difficulty. He did offer to sell it to me for $99. Scammer? I reported the item to ebay.

----------


## Mandolin Cafe

> Price Gouger? https://www.ebay.com/itm/323529517449?ul_noapp=true
> I emailed him to say it has a value no greater than $150. He agreed but said he is trying to change the price but having difficulty. He did offer to sell it to me for $99. Scammer? I reported the item to ebay.


Wow. I need to spend more time on eBay looking at $100 mandolins. Look at ALL those glowing, positive reviews at the bottom of the page. There's some real sizzle to go with the steak. I'm sure all of those reviews have been validated and were placed there by people that truly care about the Rogue RM-100A.

_Best drunk ebay purchase ever?
This is a blast to play. I've been playing guitar for years. This was easy to learn and fun to play. It has a nice tone to it. It stays in tune pretty well. I would buy it again and I would consider any other Rogue instruments based on my experience with this._

_Amazing Mandolin For The Price
This is just simply an amazing mandolin for the price. If got there and it tuned perfectly! There were no broken E strings that I find with cheap Instruments. The paint job is fantastic. There's no badly painted or lacked places. It's all even. The pic guard was a loyal loose but I easily just tightened it up with some tweezers and a Phillips screwdriver. Most of all I live in Colorado Springs and up here most cheap instruments untune instantly for weeks, this bad boy not only had minimal i tuning but also sounds like a real mandolin. I was able to take it to two open mics and perform with it. So end of the day this is a fantastic mandolin with an amazing price. I would be more then happy spending double what it cost. So thank you guys or creating cheap quality work._

----------


## MikeEdgerton

> Price Gouger? https://www.ebay.com/itm/323529517449?ul_noapp=true
> I emailed him to say it has a value no greater than $150. He agreed but said he is trying to change the price but having difficulty. He did offer to sell it to me for $99. Scammer? I reported the item to ebay.


He only needs to sell one  :Cool: 

Not bad for an instrument that musiciansfriend.com has on sale for $50.00 much of the time.

----------

journeybear

----------


## journeybear

> Not bad for an instrument that musiciansfriend.com has on sale for $50.00 much of the time.


Dang!  :Mad:  My thought, exactly. Beat me to it!  :Laughing:

----------


## Jeff Mando

His shipping is certainly reasonable for a $1300 instrument........

----------


## Steve VandeWater

This one is on the Charlotte, NC Craigslist.  I love the description: "Great copy of expensive mando" $200

https://charlotte.craigslist.org/msg...701167383.html

----------


## MikeEdgerton

> This one is on the Charlotte, NC Craigslist.  I love the description: "Great copy of expensive mando" $200
> 
> https://charlotte.craigslist.org/msg...701167383.html


You could hurt yourself looking at that scroll...

----------


## Drew Egerton

I'm embarrassed that that thing lives so close to me  :Disbelief:

----------

MikeEdgerton

----------


## HonketyHank

Well, take a guess at what sort of mandolin attracts the most watchers on eBay. Then look here: http://www.watchcount.com/mw2.php?bcat=10179#serp . 

It kind of tells you where the market is.

Frankly, I was pretty surprised to see how far I had to scroll to find something I might have on my watch list.

----------

Mark Gunter

----------


## Roger Moss

> Well, take a guess at what sort of mandolin attracts the most watchers on eBay. Then look here: http://www.watchcount.com/mw2.php?bcat=10179#serp . 
> 
> It kind of tells you where the market is.
> 
> Frankly, I was pretty surprised to see how far I had to scroll to find something I might have on my watch list.


I had to put that arm rest on my list just to think about it.

----------


## jim simpson

This one! Priced cheap for an unmarked mandolin, lol! Perhaps the vintage leather strap is where the value is?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-UNM...:pf:0&LH_BIN=1

----------

Jess L.

----------


## George R. Lane

This why I never look at ebay, except when you folks add to this thread.

----------

Jess L.

----------


## HonketyHank

Shoooey, what a deal I bet I can get the neck reset and sell it for at least $4800.

----------


## jim simpson

Not a mandolin but had to share due to the seller's comments:

The minor issues are pictured. The pulling at the neck looks significant but does not influence sound or playing. It is simply cosmetic.


https://www.ebay.com/itm/GA4-12-12-S...RQ6S:rk:3:pf:0

----------

Eric Platt, 

Jess L.

----------


## Mark Gunter

> The minor issues are pictured. The pulling at the neck looks significant but does not influence sound or playing. It is simply cosmetic.


They need to go back to cosmetology school.

----------


## Timbofood

Cosmetic, like a compound  fracture of the thumb!

----------


## Jess L.

> ... seller's comments:
> 
> The minor issues are pictured. The pulling at the neck looks significant but does not influence sound or playing. It is simply cosmetic.
> 
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/GA4-12-12-S...RQ6S:rk:3:pf:0


Riiiiight.....  :Laughing:  Of course it is. Not like neck angle could ever affect string height or anything.  :Whistling:

----------


## Jess L.

> ... Perhaps the vintage leather strap is where the value is?
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-UNM...:pf:0&LH_BIN=1


Lol yeah maybe that explains it.  :Laughing: 

And then the seller helpfully writes, in all caps: 

_"NO RETURNS OR COMPLAINTS"_
Also: 

_"For parts or not working."_ 
Must be lots of mighty high-value parts on that thing!  :Wink:   :Laughing:   :Whistling:

----------


## Eric Platt

Oh, and notice "case not included". Sadly, if he were the original owner, Taylor could probably fix it for him. I've owned a lot of Taylors over the years. Never seen that glue seam give way unless there was an impact involved.

----------


## Steve VandeWater

This one is on Facebook Marketplace. condition listed as "fair". It IS only $20, but still...

----------


## Jess L.

> This one is on Facebook Marketplace. condition listed as "fair". It IS only $20, but still...


 :Disbelief:   :Disbelief:

----------


## Seter

That looks like archaeological artifact, I wonder what its provenience was.

----------


## Jeff Mando

> This one is on Facebook Marketplace. condition listed as "fair". It IS only $20, but still...


You could easily upgrade it to Fair+ with a damp cloth.......

----------

Steve VandeWater

----------


## Jeff Mando

> Oh, and notice "case not included".


A pet peeve of mine, showing the case in the ad, but not including it (in the fine print.)   :Disbelief:  :Disbelief:  I've also had it happen in person, buying a guitar, negotiating a price, THEN the seller mentions "case not included" when it is clearly the original case and GOES with the guitar!  What's up with that?  :Confused:   I suspect there is something deep and psychologically wrong with a person who separates cases from instruments.....maybe they dream of having their own pawn shop! (full of caseless guitars and guitarless cases......)

----------

MontanaMatt

----------


## Mandolin Cafe

Anyone else think a 1960s Gibson for $7,900 is a tad high?

----------


## Jeff Mando

> Anyone else think a 1960s Gibson for $7,900 is a tad high?


That's getting close to "Duane Eddy mandolin money!"  :Cool:

----------

Timbofood

----------


## Mark Gunter

> ...maybe they dream of having their own pawn shop! (full of caseless guitars and guitarless cases......)


 :Laughing: 

I totally lost it, Jeff. The way you summed up that rant struck my funny bone; hilarious use of the English language. Lucky I didn't have a mouth full of coffee or Mountain Dew when I read that one.

----------

Jeff Mando

----------


## Eric Platt

> That's getting close to "Duane Eddy mandolin money!"


His prices always seem high. Right now he's got a Kalamazoo flat top mando for $1,392 or thereabouts.  Of course, I don't know if the customs fees and all the proper CITIES paperwork is included in that price.

----------


## mrmando

Lovely Jon Mann 5-string electric on CL ... but why is it $300 more than Jon charges for a new one? 

https://boulder.craigslist.org/msg/d...953866229.html

----------


## Ray(T)

It “.......could be a collectors piece”!

----------


## MikeZito

It '_could be a collector's piece_' . . .  and I '_could be the King of Spain_' - but neither is likely.

I suspect that I, and even my kids and/or grandchildren, will be long dead by the time that mandolin is worth almost $8,000.

----------


## Ray(T)

Reminds me of a story on UK national radio a few years ago when people were asked if they had met any interesting people.

A journalist said he’d been talking to a man in an airport departure lounge and the man asked what he did for a living. “I’m a journalist” he said, “What do you do?”. “Oh, I’m the King of Spain” came the reply.

----------

Cobalt

----------


## allenhopkins

> ...A journalist said he’d been talking to a man in an airport departure lounge and the man asked what he did for a living. “I’m a journalist” he said, “What do you do?”. “Oh, I’m the King of Spain” came the reply.


Maybe like this guy?

----------


## Jim Garber

A lovely well-patinaed 1916 Martin Brazilian rosewood mandolin. Seriously overpriced at $7000 though, IMHO. At least the seller is honest about testing the waters with this price. I do love the "feather" pickguard.



> I’m going out on a limb here with the price and I have no idea if I'm asking too much, but I feel it's a remarkable piece of history.
> 
> If anyone has any insight or information on this item, please share with me.


The interesting part is that the Martin A, first made in 1914, had BRW back and sides until 1917 when it was changed to mahogany.

----------


## NickR

Yes, it does seem massively overpriced. I have recently bought a 1939 Regal Custom Mandolin that retailed for $50- about the same as an A50- that has a rosewood body and a craved top- it is oval hole, for $350. There was an offer button but I went for it. It appears to be in good order with just a few tweaks needed. I hope I am not being over-optimistic!

----------


## Jim Garber

> Yes, it does seem massively overpriced. I have recently bought a 1939 Regal Custom Mandolin that retailed for $50- about the same as an A50- that has a rosewood body and a craved top- it is oval hole, for $350. There was an offer button but I went for it. It appears to be in good order with just a few tweaks needed. I hope I am not being over-optimistic!


This one on eBay? *Antique Regal Custom Built Mandolin*

I don't know why they call it custom built. Looks like a model 255 from this 1939 catalog page (see below).

----------

MikeEdgerton

----------


## NickR

Yes, that's it. I suppose the word Custom was all the rage back then! I have in fact also bought another Regal mandolin from 1939 which may be repairable for $50. However, it shares the same shape of pickguard and I can use it as a pattern to make a new celluloid tortoiseshell guard- the guard is plain black. In fact, the mandolin is a Wards version of the f hole mandolin shown in that 1939 catalogue page which features the model 255. I am hopeful I can fix it- it is complete.

----------


## MikeZito

I have a real weakness for 2-point oval hole mandolins - but not weak enough to drop nearly $400 on that one.

The search continues . . . .

----------


## MikeEdgerton

Yup, that little old Regal shop in Chicago was turning out a whole lot of them custom mandolins...   :Cool:

----------


## Ray(T)

Not “custom built” and neither is it yet “antique” but at least it’s not “rare”!

----------


## NickR

I am surprised it was not "rare" in the auction- although I have not seen many advertised for sale- there was one on Reverb for $695- I don't know if that price was realised. As the model probably debuted in 1939, the chances are that the run was curtailed with WW2, I think it is rare by the usual Regal standards. I have seen more of the earlier version that does not sport the big block inlays. I am hoping with a carved top and oval hole that it is going to sound good- if not, it will be a shame but it is always a bit of a gamble. The other one is also a gamble but the tuners, guard and bridge are worth more than the price but I hope to make it play. It may find itself with some late 30s Kluson tuners- like this Regal Custom- as I need the Waverly items which is partly why I have gone for it. If it plays, I will be back in the game of "hunt the cloud cover" once again! Here is the label that mentions CUSTOM- for those that are sceptical!

----------


## MikeZito

> Not . . . yet “antique” . . .


Judging from the pictures - if there is anyone out there who collects antique strings, this might be the mandolin for them . .  . it almost looks like those could be the originals!

----------


## Ranald

> Reminds me of a story on UK national radio a few years ago when people were asked if they had met any interesting people.
> 
> A journalist said hed been talking to a man in an airport departure lounge and the man asked what he did for a living. Im a journalist he said, What do you do?. Oh, Im the King of Spain came the reply.


Funny. Years ago (1970's or early 80's), when security wasn't what it is today, I came out of Union (train) Station in Toronto, and  saw cops all over the place. I asked one what was going on, and he told me that in a few minutes, King Juan Carlos of Spain would be arriving at the Royal York Hotel, across the street. I crossed over, and, from only a few feet away, watched the king enter the hotel. He was an ordinary-looking fellow, dressed in a military uniform -- no crown. That story sounds believable to me. Sadly, my encounter, unlike the journalist's, didn't leave me with a punchline. (Today, I'd probably be hauled off for showing too much curiousity.)

----------


## Jim Garber

I have one of thesemy only Regal instrumentwhich needs some help. I got it pretty cheap though. I have no real expectations that it will blow me away with tone, but I love the look and it has the original oddball and definitely custom case. It is in the queue for restoration. Too bad that the pickguard crystallized with that scratched in castle image. An upper-end reverse scroll.

----------

lenf12

----------


## Jeff Mando

That's a beauty, Jim!

I've mentioned before that Regal did have a pre-war custom shop that made giant archtop guitars that were the rivals of Gibson Super 400's and Strombergs.  Look up Regal Prince guitar on Google.  Anyway, almost bought one once -- super high quality archtop with an 18-inch bottom bout -- great peghead inlay, too.

----------


## NickR

Jim, here is Jake Widwood's review of one of these- a slightly undressed version but the same basic instrument. He reckons his is really good- so you may be in luck with its tone. I hope so.

https://jakewildwood.blogspot.com/20...p-reverse.html

----------


## NickR

Here is a YouTube video of the Regal Prince.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=offpChSS7CA


 I notice in his book Bob Carlin shows a few "Custom Built" instruments so those who were being sniffy about this concept are ignoring the higher end models' existence. I seem to recall buying a Jimmie Vaughan album over 20 years ago that had him with his Regal Bob Cat on the cover.

----------


## Jeff Mando

Most of the Regal Prince guitars seem to date from 1938 to 1940.  One of the big auction houses had one for sale a few years ago and they even gave the name of the luthier who built the guitar at the Regal custom shop.  I don't recall his name, but I'm sure an hour or less of research would locate that info.  Another Regal Prince was recently sold on Reverb with the notation that it was either played or owned by (can't remember which) Freddie Green of Count Basie's Orchestra.

----------


## NickR

I tracked it down- it was "played and owned" it mentioned in the listing by Freddie Green who was probably associated more with Stromberg guitars. However, it does remind us that some of the top end Chicago made instruments at that time were pretty damned good.

----------


## AndyV

W-W-WOW! Rock the Casbah!

----------


## Timbofood

Jim, thats so cool! Glad that it found a home and an owner who knows just how cool it really is!

----------


## yankees1

> I think it is partly the Antiques Roadshow syndrome. Every attic and every grandmother had a Loar-signed F5 or everyone heads out to the flea market and comes home with a valuable painting. Oh well. Too bad... I love my Maurer which I paid about $300. it is practically the same with the exception of the pick guard.


Same with a Stradivari violin ! Everyone who owns a very old violin that has  a Stradivari label inside of it has an original Stradivari ! Hard to convince them otherwise !  :Smile:

----------


## Jim Garber

> A lovely well-patinaed 1916 Martin Brazilian rosewood mandolin. Seriously overpriced at $7000 though, IMHO. At least the seller is honest about testing the waters with this price. I do love the "feather" pickguard. The interesting part is that the Martin A, first made in 1914, had BRW back and sides until 1917 when it was changed to mahogany.


I emailed the seller the other day and he still thought it was worth what he was asking. Finally he lowered the price by $1250. Here is the *eBay link*, for entertainment value. Only $5750 hurry on down!

----------


## LadysSolo

> I emailed the seller the other day and he still thought it was worth what he was asking. Finally he lowered the price by $1250. Here is the *eBay link*, for entertainment value. Only $5750 hurry on down!


Well, he's come out of the clouds a little bit.....

----------


## Alfons

Jim, That reverse scroll is way cool - thanks for posting pix!  I've been lusting after one of these for a while.

----------


## NickR

Here is one. Granted, not as good- but you can buy it from Mandolin Bros for $695 cash.

http://mandoweb.com/Instruments/Mart...olin-1917/1866

----------


## Mandolin Cafe

Only $9,995 on Reverb and it can be yours.

----------

MikeEdgerton

----------


## Eric Platt

Hmm. And no "make an offer" button. Guess they wanted to show it off. Can't see it selling at anything near that price.

----------


## Jim Garber

> Only $9,995 on Reverb and it can be yours.


That is a cool historic piece but again the asking price is about 10 times what it should be IMHO.

My take is that this is from the seller's personal collection and he doesn't quite want to let it go for awhile or (again) is testing the H2Os.

----------


## Cobalt

The price isn't bad, but not sure what this six-string mandolin-shaped thing is:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SMALL-MAN...D/383167194643

----------


## Jim Garber

> The price isn't bad, but not sure what this six-string mandolin-shaped thing is:
> https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SMALL-MAN...D/383167194643


This must be a toy. 14-1/2” and with that fret spacing is unplayable.

----------

Cobalt

----------


## Jim Garber

> A lovely well-patinaed 1916 Martin Brazilian rosewood mandolin. Seriously overpriced at $7000 though, IMHO. At least the seller is honest about testing the waters with this price. I do love the "feather" pickguard.
> 
> The interesting part is that the Martin A, first made in 1914, had BRW back and sides until 1917 when it was changed to mahogany.





> I emailed the seller the other day and he still thought it was worth what he was asking. Finally he lowered the price by $1250. Here is the *eBay link*, for entertainment value. Only $5750 hurry on down!


Now, down to $4,000.

----------


## MikeEdgerton

How about this rare one of a kind Premier-Multivox mis-identified Faux Resonator Mandolin? Not a chance. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Premier-Mul...YAAOSwmuNcrwhj

----------


## Ranald

> How about this rare one of a kind Premier-Multivox mis-identified Faux Resonator Mandolin? Not a chance. 
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/Premier-Mul...YAAOSwmuNcrwhj


Even if the seller replaces the missing string?

----------

MikeEdgerton

----------


## Jim Garber

> How about this rare one of a kind Premier-Multivox mis-identified Faux Resonator Mandolin? Not a chance. 
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/Premier-Mul...YAAOSwmuNcrwhj


Mugwumps says Premier is a Pepper trademark: Pepper, James W., Philadelphia, PA, 1890+. Strange that the seller contacted Martin, of all people. At least he says, "So it may not be a Premier brand but neither he or I could find this type in any other brand. I am open to polite and informative comments to help figure out more of what this is."

----------


## Cobalt

> How about this rare one of a kind Premier-Multivox mis-identified Faux Resonator Mandolin? Not a chance. 
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/Premier-Mul...YAAOSwmuNcrwhj


Looks like a re-post of this old favourite:
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...=1#post1709892

----------


## MikeZito

'_I am open to polite and informative comments to help figure out more of what this is._'

The seller must be getting tired of people e-mailing him and saying '_You are out of your mind_', or something similar . . . .

----------


## Jeff Mando

> '_I am open to polite and informative comments to help figure out more of what this is._'
> 
> The seller must be getting tired of people e-mailing him and saying '_You are out of your mind_', or something similar . . . .


I get some hate mail occasionally regarding my eBay prices.........they usually show up first thing in the morning and when I check the time they were posted it is usually 3:00am or so......you know, when the bars close............."hey, I didn't meet a nice girl tonight, heck, I didn't even find somebody I could pick a fight with, gee, but I'm still angry at the world, so I guess I'll go home and annoy some eBay sellers on my laptop......."

A new trend I'm noticing is sending laughing emoji's in response to eBay items..........FWIW

----------


## MikeEdgerton

Sorry Jeff, I didn't know those were your listings. It was late and all....

----------


## Jeff Mando

> Sorry Jeff, I didn't know those were your listings. It was late and all....


 :Laughing:  :Laughing:  :Laughing:  :Laughing:  :Laughing:  :Laughing:  :Laughing:  :Laughing:  :Laughing:

----------


## your_diamond

> I get some hate mail occasionally regarding my eBay prices.


Jeff, I know how you feel. 

When I price things, I only have one rule of thumb... It's only overpriced if it's a STRADOLIN

----------

Jeff Mando

----------


## NickR

Here is a canvas mandolin case for a mere $125! Some may recall that unplayed 1930s Regal mandolin that I posted up- complete with a canvas case which grossed $162 at auction. Now, that may have been a reasonable buy- somebody bid on it and then bought another mandolin and posted here he hoped he would not be the only bidder- and he was outbid at the close by a dollar- and was not forced to sleep on the couch! I was tempted to post this on Steve Kirtley's Vintage Case site. There is no doubt that a canvas case is of interest- but I would reckon that most owners of a vintage mandolin would not be pairing their cherished instrument with such a flimsy case although one would keep the dust off!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-2...EAAOSweuBcn3WQ

----------


## CarlM

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mandolin/18...c802%7Ciid%3A3



Kind of a primitive design there.

----------


## Eric Platt

Maybe it's perfect for roots music?

Love the ad copy that refers to Taylor Swift as a bluegrass artist.

----------


## Jim Garber

Seller says: “Mandolin.  Will post pictures in next couple of days.” Brand is Rocket.

----------


## MikeEdgerton

> https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mandolin/18...c802%7Ciid%3A3
> 
> 
> 
> Kind of a primitive design there.


For posterity the ad verbiage is:




> Product Information
> The sound of bluegrass has always been popular in the southern states of the USA but, thanks to mainstream artists like Taylor Swift, it is becoming popular worldwide. This Rocket MAB01 Traditional Bluegrass Mandolin (model Violinburst) is one of the four staple instruments for bluegrass. A mandolin may be strummed, plucked or tapped; keen instrumentalists with a background in guitar will pick it up very easily.


Classic.

----------


## Timbofood

How does one “Tap” a mandolin? If you tap this I don’t even think you’d get sap!

----------


## Jim Garber

> How does one Tap a mandolin? If you tap this I dont even think youd get sap!


Especially with basswood top back and sides.  :Smile: 

*Rocket MAB01 Mandolin*




> Features / Specification:
> 
>     8 strings
>     Basswood top  
>     Basswood back & sides
>     Nato neck  
>     Fingerboard provides a nice feel for the player and good support during quick fingerwork passages  
>     Bridge: Black-stained Maple, adjustable  
>     High quality engraved nickel adjustable tailpiece  
> ...

----------


## your_diamond

> Love the ad copy that refers to Taylor Swift as a bluegrass artist.


Here, for your listening pleasure, is some of that Taylor Swift Bluegrass on that stellar Rocket Acoustic Bluegrass Mandolin

https://youtu.be/9lVs51fXsVg

----------


## Bertram Henze

> ...model Violinburst...


Fiddlers beware!

----------


## Timbofood

> Here, for your listening pleasure, is some of that Taylor Swift Bluegrass on that stellar Rocket Acoustic Bluegrass Mandolin
> 
> https://youtu.be/9lVs51fXsVg


Eeesh!

----------


## your_diamond

> Eeesh!


I agree! Hurts my ears!!! 

Even worse, he appears to be an employee / getting paid for that performance!?!?! 

Here's a good reason I prefer older / vintage Stradolins (even the cheap stradolins) to that tinny / sterile / new Rocket "Acoustic Bluegrass Mandolin".

----------


## Simon DS

Is this one of the new ‘made for kids’ vids?



-this is not good music, I’ve reported it to YouTube.
Too late. I’ve watched it 3 times, and now I think I like it.

----------

WaxwellHaus

----------


## Heady

New from Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Kentucky-KM-2...i%2C151&sr=1-1

Or this on E-bay:  https://www.ebay.com/itm/Kentucky-KM...UAAOSwcntcYVTB

----------


## MikeZito

> Is this one of the new ‘made for kids’ vids?
> 
> 
> 
> -this is not good music, I’ve reported it to YouTube.
> Too late. I’ve watched it 3 times, and now I think I like it.


I was wondering who gave that video a 'like' rating . . . .

----------


## Peter K

This Gibson mandola sale on eBay looks like a scam.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1927-Gibson...QAAOSwz39d4qd7

Edit: Looks like eBay has taken it down already as I was posting this.

----------


## jim simpson

This Gibson A model on FB Marketplace:   https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...0416940772503/

Only $25,000.00, lol!

----------


## Jim Garber

> This Gibson A model on FB Marketplace:   https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...0416940772503/
> 
> Only $25,000.00, lol!


Probably a typo of at least one zero on the price. Strange that it is 1898 and 1920s. 




> 1898 Gibson Madolin style A - 1920s S# 63600
> Nashport, OH · 6 days ago ·
> $25,000
> 
> Was My Grandfather's he bought it during WWII    Willing to Negotiate on price right now.


Negotiate to about 3-5% of the asking price? It doesn't look too bad but price is silly.

----------


## MikeZito

I think you are missing something VERY special about the 1898/1920's Gibson . . .  it's a one-of-a-kind MADOLIN, not a mandolin - made in their super-secret Nashport, Ohio custom shop - most likely made by Lloyd Loar's siblings, Llary Loar and Llinda Loar.

----------

jim simpson

----------


## jim simpson

> Probably a typo of at least one zero on the price. Strange that it is 1898 and 1920s. 
> 
> 
> 
> Negotiate to about 3-5% of the asking price? It doesn't look too bad but price is silly.


It sounds like people have challenged him on his price but he's resolute on his prize, more from the seller:

My Story... The Mandolin I Have for Sale...

It is an 1898-1902 series Style A
Built in 1920s . The Original Gibson Guarantee Sticker Inside is still intact and Clearly Shows a Number of 63600 authenticating the Year.

"It might not be worth $25,000 But I know it is worth close to that because someone from Nashville told me 20 something years ago if I ever sold it not to ask for anything less"

Now there's good advise for setting a price on your instrument. Ask someone from Nashville, lol!

----------


## David Lewis

> I think you are missing something VERY special about the 1898/1920's Gibson . . .  it's a one-of-a-kind MADOLIN, not a mandolin - made in their super-secret Nashport, Ohio custom shop - most likely made by Lloyd Loar's siblings, Llary Loar and Llinda Loar.


The older  brother lex loar. Very smart but a supervillain.

----------


## Timbofood

Remember with regard to price...
“Askin’ ain’t Sellin’!”

----------


## Tom C

Wonder what they would say if I offered $800.

----------


## Simon DS

Wait a minute, is $250,000 the same as $250?

----------


## Steve Roberts

Nashport, Ohio is not too far from my office. If anyone is interested in the mando, send me $25,000 cashiers check and I will send you a Gibson A model. Heck, I'll even pay shipping.

----------


## Jim Garber

*Antique Hand-Made 8-string Mandolin Style Instrumental* on Facebook Marketplace




> Definitely hand-made, in fair condition. Playable, but used as antique decoration for years in our family.


Here's a real bargain at half the price! Handcrafted hardware, too. Checkout the tuners and the tailpiece. Bill James could learn a thing or two from this maker.

Hey, you never know. This could be one of Schmergel's early works or a prototype for the Devastator.

----------


## Bertram Henze

> This could be one of Schmergel's early works or a prototype for the Devastator.


If it is, the Devastator is a myth, for this was pryed from the hands of the charred corpse of its maker after a workshop fire, apparently. Torrefaction gone wrong?

----------

Russ Donahue

----------


## Bob Clark

> This could be one of Schmergel's early works or a prototype for the Devastator.


Except he was still working on the model name as well.  Instead of the Devastator, it was the Devastated.

----------

Jim Garber, 

Russ Donahue, 

Steve VandeWater

----------


## MikeEdgerton

There is no "c" in Shmergel.  Just saving Allen some extra work.  :Cool:

----------

allenhopkins, 

Jim Garber, 

Russ Donahue, 

Timbofood

----------


## Jim Garber

> There is no "c" in Shmergel.  Just saving Allen some extra work.


Actually, the Schmergel brothers, Carl and August, started out working together but there was some bad blood and Carl left and started his own shop and he was the more famous of the two. He had to change the spelling of his name to avoid devastating lawsuits from his estranged brother.

----------

Russ Donahue

----------


## brunello97

> *Antique Hand-Made 8-string Mandolin Style Instrumental* This could be one of Schmergel's early works or a prototype for the Devastator.


I doubt it is a Shmergel... But it _could_ be a Shmergel. It has some (sort of) _Shmergel traits_.

I saw a mandolin that had strings on it just like this one that someone said reminded them of a Devastator. 

Carlos and Augustus Shmergel, nee S_ch_mergel?

I'm devastated.

Mick

----------

Russ Donahue

----------


## mrmando

A used Michael Kelly north of $2K? Well, I guess They're Not  Making Any More of These! Their Value Will Only Increase!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Michael-Kel...AAAOSwJRleAK4~

----------


## Russ Donahue

> I doubt it is a Shmergel... But it _could_ be a Shmergel. It has some (sort of) _Shmergel traits_.
> 
> I saw a mandolin that had strings on it just like this one that someone said reminded them of a Devastator. 
> 
> Carlos and Augustus Shmergel, nee S_ch_mergel?
> 
> I'm devastated.
> 
> Mick


 Mick - you're close.  
I believe it is a "Smeagol," wrought in the forges of the Dark Tower to annoy elven ears. And to confuse mandolinists in search of the elusive "Devastator." 

It was wrought following his success at forging a ring of power.  Since "One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them." worked out so well for a long time, Sauron thought he could dragoon all the "Devastators" together through a mandolin of power.  

You know, "One Mandolin to rule them all, One Mandolin to find them, One Mandolin to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them." This is why the Devastators are so seldom seen. They were hidden when the Dark Lord's intentions were perceived, and their whereabouts are only known to certain princes of the Cafe, who quietly play them to heal the hurts of the musical world.

Or something like that. 

Maybe Scott has one...or Mike.

----------

brunello97, 

LadysSolo

----------


## Mark Gunter

> A used Michael Kelly north of $2K? Well, I guess They're Not  Making Any More of These! Their Value Will Only Increase!
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/Michael-Kel...AAAOSwJRleAK4~


Hey, that's one ambitious entrepreneur there  :Smile:

----------


## LadysSolo

> Mick - you're close.  
> I believe it is a "Smeagol," wrought in the forges of the Dark Tower to annoy elven ears. And to confuse mandolinists in search of the elusive "Devastator." 
> 
> It was wrought following his success at forging a ring of power.  Since "One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them." worked out so well for a long time, Sauron thought he could dragoon all the "Devastators" together through a mandolin of power.  
> 
> You know, "One Mandolin to rule them all, One Mandolin to find them, One Mandolin to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them." This is why the Devastators are so seldom seen. They were hidden when the Dark Lord's intentions were perceived, and their whereabouts are only known to certain princes of the Cafe, who quietly play them to heal the hurts of the musical world.
> 
> Or something like that. 
> 
> Maybe Scott has one...or Mike.


I appreciate the "Lord of the Rings" reference....

----------

Russ Donahue

----------


## Bertram Henze

> Mick - you're close.  
> I believe it is a "Smeagol," wrought in the forges of the Dark Tower to annoy elven ears. And to confuse mandolinists in search of the elusive "Devastator." 
> 
> It was wrought following his success at forging a ring of power.  Since "One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them." worked out so well for a long time, Sauron thought he could dragoon all the "Devastators" together through a mandolin of power.  
> 
> You know, "One Mandolin to rule them all, One Mandolin to find them, One Mandolin to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them." This is why the Devastators are so seldom seen. They were hidden when the Dark Lord's intentions were perceived, and their whereabouts are only known to certain princes of the Cafe, who quietly play them to heal the hurts of the musical world.
> 
> Or something like that. 
> 
> Maybe Scott has one...or Mike.


Thanks for the hint. Now we know what to do with that. Where is the nearest volcano?

----------

Russ Donahue

----------


## Jim Garber

From the darkened closets of Guitar Center Vintage...

*This 1920s(?) A-3* is a bit scary. If it was less than 1/2 the asking price perhaps someone would buy it and with mercy restore it to playable. I don't know what that pickup is. it is stamped "Ideal." GC vintage listings are notorious for having terrible photos.

It does look like it has original tuners and besides being probably a refinished whiteface might be in semi-decent condition. Unless, of course, the top was cut open to install that pickup.

I just did a quick search and the Ideal pickup was made in germany and wasthe first pickup to be used for bouzoukis. I don't know how it picked up 8 strings with 6 pole pieces.

----------


## Marty Jacobson

> I don't know how it picked up 8 strings with 6 pole pieces.


The field eminating from a pole piece is circular-ish, so a 6-pole pickup will work fine, just doesn't give you as convenient adjustment as a 4-pole pickup.

----------


## Jim Garber

> The field eminating from a pole piece is circular-ish, so a 6-pole pickup will work fine, just doesn't give you as convenient adjustment as a 4-pole pickup.


Thank you, Professor Jacobson. That makes a lot of sense.

----------


## LadysSolo

If it was $500 or so I might give it consideration - that would be a price I could afford and I am (casually) looking for a 1920s Gibson. But needing work at the price they are asking, no thanks.

----------


## mrmando

Were you wondering what the holy grail of bluegrass mandolins might be? Wonder no longer. 

https://sarasota.craigslist.org/msg/...105455781.html

----------

David Lewis, 

your_diamond

----------


## pheffernan

> Were you wondering what the holy grail of bluegrass mandolins might be? Wonder no longer. 
> 
> https://sarasota.craigslist.org/msg/...105455781.html


your_diamond is not a hipp-o-campus.

----------

your_diamond

----------


## your_diamond

> Were you wondering what the holy grail of bluegrass mandolins might be? Wonder no longer. 
> 
> https://sarasota.craigslist.org/msg/...127330899.html


Not quite a vintage Gibson A5 but much better than most (certainly not all) 1970's Gibson F5's 

If you don't have $7,000 to $10,000 for a good Gibson F5, This really is the holy grail of bluegrass mandolins... when it comes to price! Where else can you get a Pre-War American made mandolin for less than the many thousands that a Gibson F5 cost. There's a local bluegrass get together that I brought this to because I wanted to play this guys 1950's J-45. He saw her during break and asked to play her and I said he could but only if I could play his Gibson. After he played her for a while he called the mandolin player over (who brought his Gibson F-5 with him to play that night). When the mandolin player handed it back to me, he asked "how much". He had nothing to trade so I quoted him $1200. He was the one who said, in a very southern drawl "At that price, with a raised fretboard extension! She's the Holy Grail of Bluegrass Mandolins". His words, not mine. Made me laugh. Got to play his F-5 and made several friends / had lots of laughs.

99% of all Stradolins were cheap laminated mandolins... but their Top-of-the-line mandolines were nothing less than spectacular. Her fit and finish is better than many Gibsons (not all but many). 




> your_diamond is not a hipp-o-campus.


my milkshake is better than yours lol  :Grin:  My mandolin is too. Don't knock it until you try it. 
I would love to try out that Snakehead.

https://youtu.be/pGL2rytTraA 

--------------------------------------------

I just sold a 1939 solid woods Stradolin for $400 in the Mandolin Cafe Classifieds. Paid my 2% to Mandolin Cafe, too. 
Love this site. Thank you Scott Tichenor for all you do. 
Michael

----------


## your_diamond

> your_diamond is not a hipp-o-campus.


Dear pheffernan, 
I owe you an apology. Your 2007 Hester A5 and 2009 Passernig A5 are OFF THE CHAIN! 
Sincerely (and a little jealous), 
Michael Weigner 
P.S. My Stradolin A5 (okay A4&3/4 short 13 7/8" scale, 1 3/16" Nut width) would make you a nice knockaround / beach mandolin... and yes $2400 is a little much but I was looking to trade it for an American 5 string jazz bass. I got offered a $200 Harmony Guitar and a $300 Danelectro bass. Honestly, $1250.00 is what she is worth and if somebody came up with $1,000.00 ...I wouldn't say no. Been offered $700 by a dealer and that was before I added a Hard Weber Case. I know those are stratospheric prices for a Stradolin but if you played Her, She has a voice like a female opera singer yet can still belt out Bluegrass. Please don't scoop out the elevated fretboard extension on a Pre-War (1941) Vintage American made Museum Quality Mandolin. That's your call.

Yes I have been trying to sell this for a long time. It will sell, they always do. Just takes the right person. The Stradolin in the Mandolin Cafe Classifieds (not the 2 point) has been for sale since before I joined The Cafe in Jul-19-2014. Can't believe that has not sold for $500. She's a similar model to mine just not flamed, same rare body binding top and back but no three piece neck. I think she is all Solid woods, ask first, they know. That ad says, 1930s Kay Strad-O-Lin Mandolin... IT IS NOT A KAY. That may be why She is not selling. https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/150465#150465

I'll be playing my Fancy Stradolin on the back porch tomorrow morning. 
Be safe and enjoy the day.

----------

William Smith

----------


## pheffernan

> Dear pheffernan, 
> I owe you an apology. Your 2007 Hester A5 and 2009 Passernig A5 are OFF THE CHAIN! 
> Sincerely (and a little jealous), 
> Michael Weigner


No worries. I just recognized the instrument listed as your own and saw an opportunity to make a bad happy camper / Strad-o-Lin/ hipp-o-campus pun.

----------

your_diamond

----------


## your_diamond

> No worries.


Did you pay $2,749.95 for the 2007 Hester A5 or 
were you able to negotiate a better deal or trade in? 

Also what is the scale length and width at the nut?

----------


## pheffernan

The nut width is actually specified in the ad that youre referencing at 1-1/16. Ive never measured the scale length but assume that it is the traditional 13-15/16 Loar spec. I do know that I have always felt very fortunate to stumble into this mandolin when I did. Of course, if Id known then that I could have instead bought the Holy Grail of Bluegrass Mandolins when you first listed it and kept several hundred dollars in my pocket, I might have made a different  and some might even say better  choice.

----------

your_diamond

----------


## your_diamond

I was so busy googling every instrument in your arsenal that I forgot to pay that a little more attention. Nice collection.

----------


## belbein

> Why would you listen to someone who knew more about something than you?


  Hey, listen, I do compliance work for businesses, and even though I have decades of experience as a regulator, my compliance clients almost ALWAYS know more about the law than I do.  And they're also ALWAYS in compliance with laws and regulations they didn't know existed.  All people in every walk of life are male teenagers:  They know everything, they can be told nothing.  Until, of course, the big bad wolf comes to their door and huffs, and puffs ...

----------

oinkstrings

----------


## your_diamond

Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.

----------


## your_diamond

Though it's not a mandolin, this 1980 Gibson Byrdland GUITAR w/ F5 Mandolin Headstock on ebay for $11,499.99 seems a little bit overpriced

----------


## jim simpson

I had no idea they could go for that much, lol!:

$50,000
A Morgan Monroe mandolin and case; used very little; 

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...5340814752179/

----------


## CWRoyds

This one is not finely crafted, for sure. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/CUSTOM-MADE...AAOSw9OJfBKHev

----------


## mrmando

> This one is not finely crafted, for sure. 
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/CUSTOM-MADE...AAOSw9OJfBKHev


I love the "Siminoff" on the headstock ... that's a sick burn. 

It looks kind of like a James Docy but even more hastily assembled.

----------


## mrmando

> I had no idea they could go for that much, lol!:
> 
> $50,000
> A Morgan Monroe mandolin and case; used very little; 
> 
> https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...5340814752179/


I love that this ad includes the original $886.89 sales invoice from 2010. That mandolin was quite the investment!

----------


## Jim Garber

> I had no idea they could go for that much, lol!:
> 
> $50,000
> A Morgan Monroe mandolin and case; used very little; 
> 
> https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...5340814752179/


Maybe it has historic value: owned by *both* Bill Monroe and J. P. Morgan.  :Smile:

----------

Jeff Mando

----------


## Charles E.

I think the seller just made a typo and put a comma in the wrong place. The original cost of the mandolin alone was $499.95, I think he meant $500.00 for a ten year old item. But I could be wrong.

----------


## mrmando

> Maybe it has historic value: owned by *both* Bill Monroe and J. P. Morgan.

----------

Charles E., 

Eric Platt

----------


## Jim Garber

I had one of these, probably made by L&H, lovely inlay, but price is astronomical. About 4 or 5% of that price would be optimistic. Granted, it does look like it is in excellent condition, but still...

*Harp player inlay mandolin*

----------


## jim simpson

Then there's this one ($2995.00):   

https://www.ebay.com/itm/A-Style-Man...IAAOSwUjhfHJIS

Perhaps if it had been Granpa's banjo?

----------


## Bertram Henze

> Then there's this one ($2995.00):   
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/A-Style-Man...IAAOSwUjhfHJIS
> 
> Perhaps if it had been Granpa's banjo?


On the plus side, with that break angle it's probably inaudible.

----------

jim simpson, 

Mark Gunter

----------


## jaycat

No mandolin content, but a $450 Marine Band harmonica makes you stop and think....

https://westernmass.craigslist.org/m...172081977.html

Used harmonicas somehow never appealed to me all that much.

----------


## Jeff Mando

> Used harmonicas somehow never appealed to me all that much.


Exactly.  Very different than a horn, which can be sterilized.  The wood in the harmonica makes this impossible.  Or, at the very least, unappealing......

something like drinking from the same bottle as a, well, anyway, yuck, you get the idea......(and you thought Covid-19 was a problem.......)

And, yes, I see them at antique stores all the time and wonder..........what the....???

----------


## jim simpson

https://www.ebay.com/itm/A-TRUE-RARI...7/124291363910

A buy-it-now for $8450.00! Sure, they are rare but I'm not sure that it justifies the price. I have a friend with a killer Kettler that he wouldn't part with. I've tried, lol!

----------

lflngpicker

----------


## lflngpicker

> https://www.ebay.com/itm/A-TRUE-RARI...7/124291363910
> 
> A buy-it-now for $8450.00! Sure, they are rare but I'm not sure that it justifies the price. I have a friend with a killer Kettler that he wouldn't part with. I've tried, lol!


This price is a laugher! Thanks Jim for my morning smile!

----------


## allenhopkins

> Exactly.  Very different than a horn, which can be sterilized.  The wood in the harmonica makes this impossible.  Or, at the very least, unappealing...something like drinking from the same bottle as a, well, anyway, yuck, you get the idea......(and you thought Covid-19 was a problem.......)  And, yes, I see them at antique stores all the time and wonder..........what the....???


Hohner dealers used to have a bellows contraption that allowed prospective buyers to test out harmonicas without imparting their "cooties" to them by mouth-blowing.  The slogan was, "You blow it, you've bought it."

I have a couple antique harmonica devices (one is the legendary *Rolmonica*), which I still blow occasionally to demonstrate, but they'd all sat unplayed for a minimum of 50 years.  I'm relatively confident that no micro-organisms were left alive to menace me.

----------

Jeff Mando

----------


## Jacob

> Very different than a horn, which can be sterilized.


Exactly! Have recent arrivals, a 1963 Conn trombone & a 1916 King baritone horn soaking now. 
Too bad their vintage cases are not so easy to refresh & restore. Direct sunlight & Febreze Fabric inside help.

----------


## MikeEdgerton

> Exactly! Have recent arrivals, a 1963 Conn trombone & a 1916 King baritone horn soaking now. 
> Too bad their vintage cases are not so easy to refresh & restore. Direct sunlight & Febreze Fabric inside help.


Find a company that does restorations after a house fire and have them give the case an ozone treatment. You can also get it done at a hockey rink. It will solve the case stink problem.

----------

Eric Platt, 

Jacob

----------


## mrmando

Here ya go ... 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-Min...e/274458802259

"As you can see from the pics it is in absolute mint condition, and was officially appraised back in 2004 by Mandolin Brothers in Staten Island at $1,500, and in the past 16 years it's value has gone up considerably." 

Who's gonna break the news to the seller about instruments that were appraised by Stan Jay in the middle of the vintage instrument bubble?  

It's a nice one, and _may_ still be worth $1,500 if the seller is lucky.  Hard to imagine paying more than that for it. 

Especially with a string missing.

----------


## LadysSolo

Actually, I'm wondering what the reserve is, as the current bid is $100.00 and says "reserve not met." It may be less than $1500, so may be a bargain after all. It does look really clean.

----------


## mrmando

Anyone who thinks the value of a Style A has gone up from $1500 in the past 16 years is a few fries short of a Happy Meal. So I'm inclined to believe it will have a high reserve. But I could be wrong.

----------


## Eric Platt

> Anyone who thinks the value of a Style A has gone up from $1500 in the past 16 years is a few fries short of a Happy Meal. So I'm inclined to believe it will have a high reserve. But I could be wrong.


If it's the same one I saw yesterday, his original BIN price was a whole lot higher than $1500. Wouldn't be shocked if his reserve is $1500. While it is super clean, not sure there are that many collectors out there right now who are looking for mint old oval hole mandolins. But he might get lucky.

----------


## MikeEdgerton

Historically the seller appears to be heavily into selling Saxophone mouthpieces.

----------


## Charles E.

Two days ago the "buy it now" price on that Gibson A was $4,000.oo

I was going to post it but then the owner changed the ad slightly.

----------

Eric Platt

----------


## Jim Garber

> I had one of these, probably made by L&H, lovely inlay, but price is astronomical. About 4 or 5% of that price would be optimistic. Granted, it does look like it is in excellent condition, but still...
> 
> *Harp player inlay mandolin*


I contacted the seller and he said he was aware that the price was high but still has not changed it. Hope springs eternal!  :Smile:

----------


## Jim Garber

This is a *folky looking two-point* in funky condition that the seller has IDed as a Regal. I highly doubt it. More than likely a homemade job by a decent amateur. It sort of resembles some two point flatbacked Regals but they are not a roughly made as this. 

I like how the seller puts Washburn & Martin in the title.

And i the description below:



> Its got some cracking and heavy wear and tear. Still for such old (what 75+ years!) mando is good shape This Mandolin is a very beautiful looking and playing instrument. This was a attic find so I did not do extensive cleaning.  That said it could use a good scrubbing, new strings and should be good to go. As is sound lush and loud.


So, scrubbing and new stringsI think he forgot the huge crack in the top. "Good to go!" Maybe for half of the asking price it might be fun to glue it back together and might even "sound lush."

----------


## JeffD

All that is true, but that instrument sure has beautiful lines.

----------


## NickR

I have just received today a set of late 1930s guitar tuners from this seller- they had their original box as well and are probably unused- "Safe Ti String" tuners which were sold as accessories by Oahu and came with their guitars although I have them on my 1941 Kay made Wards retailed Louise Massey cowgirl guitar. The box mentions that you can avoid blood poisoning by using these tuners- the string end goes into a hole in the post and there is also a slot. A very clever idea- and you will not be puncturing your fingers and dying needlessly- the pre-antibiotic age! Anyway, I had a look at his other items and was somewhat amused by the Regal suggestion but I suppose it follows the rule that if you don't know exactly what it is, it might just be a Regal.

----------


## Jim Garber

> All that is true, but that instrument sure has beautiful lines.


Yes, but I am pretty sure that this mandolin spent the better part of its life in an attic. BTW those tuner posts look a bit odd. I wonder if they are the same kind that NickR bought.

 




> Anyway, I had a look at his other items and was somewhat amused by the Regal suggestion but I suppose it follows the rule that if you don't know exactly what it is, it might just be a Regal.


He covered other bases with Washburn and Martin.

----------


## Sue Rieter

> All that is true, but that instrument sure has beautiful lines.


I saw that, and while the cracks made me cringe, it also kind of made me wish I was a woodworker.

Not that I need any more instruments, even without giant cracks.

----------


## Jim Garber

> I saw that, and while the cracks made me cringe, it also kind of made me wish I was a woodworker.
> 
> Not that I need any more instruments, even without giant cracks.


My sentiments exactly, though the cracks may be the least of it. Who knows what is going on inside with bracing (if any) and whether the neck is set properly. It looks like it even has a slight radius in the fretboard which is unusual if it really was from the 1930s (I think). On the other hand, mandolins age rapidly in attic or basement conditions so it could easily be 1950 or 1960s.

----------


## NickR

Those tuners look to be German- or very similar to one of the styles used by Levin. If you want to check out Safe Ti String Tuners Jim then this link shows them- you will have to download the pdf of the catalogue. There is a comment from Jake Wildwood and he says they were a Kluson product.

https://jakewildwood.blogspot.com/20...s-catalog.html

----------


## MikeEdgerton

We recently had a mandolin posted for identification with some of the traits of this instrument. I love the "Recording King" headstock shape.

In looking at the other one it was more the "double nut". The tuners were similar but not the same. No help there.

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...range-Mandolin

----------


## Charles E.

Then there is this Suzuki bowlback.....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Kis...IAAOSw-ntfd1hN

 :Disbelief: 

Maybe they meant $325.oo   :Wink:

----------


## MikeEdgerton

> Then there is this Suzuki bowlback.....
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Kis...IAAOSw-ntfd1hN
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe they meant $325.oo


They only need to find one buyer....

----------

Charles E.

----------


## Bill McCall

> They only need to find one buyer....


But you have to live that long.........

----------


## Jim Garber

> This is a *folky looking two-point* in funky condition that the seller has IDed as a Regal. I highly doubt it. More than likely a homemade job by a decent amateur. It sort of resembles some two point flatbacked Regals but they are not a roughly made as this.


Did anyone here win this for $135?

----------


## Charles E.

> Then there is this Suzuki bowlback.....
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Kis...IAAOSw-ntfd1hN
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe they meant $325.oo


That is exactly what they meant. They fixed the price (originally $ 32,500.oo).

----------


## NickR

Apparently, this mandolin has been a star out there in TV Land. It does not have a tailpiece cover, the headstock and an f hole have been doctored. I paid $40 for one with the cloud tailpiece cover. Another, slightly older, in perfect condition- unplayed, it seems, since about 1940 fetched a mere $82 recently. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Old-Kraftsm...gAAOSw8Ntf3mGY

----------


## Timbofood

Well, hope springs eternal. Maybe it’s another errant decimal point?

----------


## Sue Rieter

But this has a "vintage sticker rock star case", so that's gotta mean something  :Laughing:

----------

Timbofood

----------


## Zach Wilson

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-HAN...Cclp%3A2334524

Interesting handmade 4 string electronic. NFI

----------


## Jim Garber

Looks like something converted from something else.

----------


## Charles E.

In the classifieds...

https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/164372#164372

More than a tad ambitious I would think.

And another...

https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/164657#164657

----------

rickbella

----------


## Jim Garber

Yes and the plain A I believe have either a non-original bridge or an original with a bone cap. I am not sure where the seller got that price. I can sort of understand the snakehead seller's thinking. Just look at A-4 snakeheads or A-2Zs but still.

----------

Charles E., 

Eric Platt

----------


## Eric Platt

> In the classifieds...
> 
> https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/164372#164372
> 
> More than a tad ambitious I would think.
> 
> And another...
> 
> https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/164657#164657


Top one went no place when I clicked on it. So maybe the seller realized it was wrong. 

Second one is definitely a reach. There's a nice A-2 snakehead in the classifieds at half that price. But what do I know?

----------


## Charles E.

The first link still works, seller looking for 7K for a modest A1 snake head mandolin.

Bernunzio Music has a similar Gibson, condition wise, for under 1,500.

----------

Eric Platt

----------


## slimt

How about this one.. was this a common practise to Copy F5s?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1994-Gibson...IAAOSwmRlfgGVM

----------


## rcc56

Yes, in the 1970's through the early 1990's it was common practice for many of the then small number of independent builders to build F-5 style instruments with "The Gibson" logo and replica Master Model labels.  They were easily distinguishable from the instruments Gibson was building at that time.  Generally speaking, many of those handmade instruments were better than anything that Gibson had built since before WWII.

And back then, nobody was complaining about the use of the Gibson logo and old style labels.  If I remember correctly, Gibson first began to safeguard their rights to the Gibson name around the time that the C.E. Ward instrument was built [1994], and most of the independent builders immediately started to label their instruments with their own names.  And no, that instrument was not made by Gibson.

Some of the builders who made instruments with the Gibson logo back then were Randy Wood, Gene Horner, and Tom Morgan.  I think Roger Siminoff might also have made a few with the Gibson logo.  I'm sure others can add to the list.

----------


## Eric Platt

> The first link still works, seller looking for 7K for a modest A1 snake head mandolin.
> 
> Bernunzio Music has a similar Gibson, condition wise, for under 1,500.


You're right. Didn't work last night. Did this morning. Gotta love computers. Yeah, to quote Bob Uecker, that's just a bit outside.

----------


## JMFingerstyle

> https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-HAN...Cclp%3A2334524
> 
> Interesting handmade 4 string electronic. NFI


It's wood. It's metal. It works. What more could you ask for?  :Laughing:

----------


## Zach Wilson

> It's wood. It's metal. It works. What more could you ask for?


 :Smile:

----------


## NickR

There may be a prize for knowing what this is. No prize for buying it at the price being asked.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/collectible...kAAOSwCypWmR0H

----------

Jess L., 

yankees1

----------


## Bertram Henze

> There may be a prize for knowing what this is. No prize for buying it at the price being asked.
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/collectible...kAAOSwCypWmR0H


I think it was washed ashore after a Viking and a banjo player embarked on a long sea journey - they were never seen again  :Laughing:

----------


## Jacob

A *Kora* with not nearly the usual number of strings?

----------

Jess L., 

Jim Garber

----------


## Jess L.

> There may be a prize for knowing what this is. No prize for buying it at the price being asked.
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/collectible...kAAOSwCypWmR0H


It seems to be an *African bow harp*. For posterity, first the eBay instrument: 



A similar instrument is shown at a different website - sold for $86: 



Another below, from the University of Oxford Pitt Rivers Museum, a "*Zande bow harp*" from Sudan, which the museum says was "purchased by John Petherick from the Bongo tribe, probably sometime between 1856 and 1858, and shipped back to England in 1859."



Some interesting *pricing* and historical info (I haven't read all of it yet)  :Redface:  about another African bow harp, a "Mangbetu harp", at Bruno Claessens African Art webpage (have to scroll down to get to the text on that page; for some reason the entire top portion of that page is just blank space). 

A curious feature of these instruments, is that the strings just kinda disappear down into the soundboard/head, instead of having a visible bridge of some sort. (I have no clue how the string ends are attached below the soundboard/head, as I didn't get that far with my reading.) 

One wonders if nowadays there would possibly be import/export issues (CITES) with the *animal horn* versions of such instruments. I don't know what kind of animal that horn could be from, and a border agent probably wouldn't know either and might think it was from something endangered or whatever. (No, I'm not buying one, just thinking out loud.) 

Anyway, here's a guy in Uganda playing a modern bow harp. A medley of several tunes, including a short "Amazing Grace" at 0:55. 



_(or direct link)_

----------

Ben Vierra, 

Jim Garber, 

Reywas

----------


## mrmando

Oh my ... 

It seems that when Antonio Tsai is doing his best work, he prefers to be known as Scaparelli. 
https://reverb.com/item/38312430-one...nio-scaparelli

----------


## Zach Wilson

> Oh my ... 
> 
> It seems that when Antonio Tsai is doing his best work, he prefers to be known as Scaparelli. 
> https://reverb.com/item/38312430-one...nio-scaparelli


Holy inlays Batman!

----------


## Timbofood

Well, aah, umm, no.
Just no.
Thanks,
Must go.

----------


## LadysSolo

Yikes!

----------


## Tom C

From Russia..where all the best mandolins end up. Dont forget about the "Very rare Carapace Series Piezo pickup"

----------


## Jeff Mando

Gotta love the rustic photo of the old chair, books, and rubble.......

----------


## slimt

Looks like a multi purpose instrument.

----------


## mrmando

> Looks like a multi purpose instrument.


Sure, you can use it for firewood or fighting off aggressive stray dogs.

----------


## mrmando

Never mind.

----------


## your_diamond

If a person calls the cheapest model Stradolin (Blue Comet) a "Rare Vintage 1930s Regal Gibson A Style mandolin", will that help fetch the ridiculously overpriced $300?  https://ebay.us/nfV22J

----------


## Sheila Lagrand

> From Russia..where all the best mandolins end up. Dont forget about the "Very rare Carapace Series Piezo pickup"


And please don't overlook the pathos of the untimely death of the collector who had originally commissioned the set. It's so tragic.

----------


## Sue Rieter

That's more than I paid for my beautiful Stradolin. Just saying

----------


## journeybear

I was looking for something else - well, I pretty much would have had to have been - and scrolling through, because you never know. Well, no, you never know. As much as the ad says, "Gibson," even though there's a big Epiphone E on the pickguard, and it clearly says "The Epiphone" on the peghead, one would think the green color would be a tip-off that it ain't so. I will grant that the truss rod cover says "Gibson," which could have caused the seller to overlook all other evidence otherwise.  :Whistling:  And yet he included a picture of the label, which clearly states "Epiphone."  :Confused:  My first thought was - well, actually my first thought was unprintable, so let's say my second or third thought was it would be perfect if someone wanted to do a take-off on the old Lemonpipers song: "Listen while I play (play-play-play-play-play-play-play-play) my green mandoline."  :Whistling:

----------


## jim simpson

https://reverb.com/item/38573226-cus...uCnvozk3jo1yMs


Here's a "custom" F9 on Reverb for $7995.00.  I've owned a couple of 9's and while they were good, I can't imagine what would be the upgrade on this one other than the flowerpot and the "The"  to put it at this price range.

----------


## MikeEdgerton

> https://reverb.com/item/38573226-cus...uCnvozk3jo1yMs
> 
> 
> Here's a "custom" F9 on Reverb for $7995.00.  I've owned a couple of 9's and while they were good, I can't imagine what would be the upgrade on this one other than the flowerpot and the "The"  to put it at this price range.


But it's "Custom"! I agree by the way and I believe this mandolin has been on the Cafe previously in another section.

----------


## Timbofood

Is it the “Custom” high gravel grade orange peel finish on the top that makes it custom or what? I’d say if those are the “good pictures” I don’t think I’d use that one in particular. Whatever, I’m not buying it.

----------


## mrmando

This may not be the right thread for this instrument, although at $7,500 we can agree that it won't find a buyer. But it certainly deserves to be discussed, with its offset soundhole and matching pickguard, as well as a bowl that looks like it might have been carved from a single block. https://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Antiqu...UAAOSwg0FgGGLm

----------


## journeybear

It's beautiful, with several intriguing design features. But you're right - it will never sell at that price. Not with it "missing a few strings."  :Whistling:

----------


## Jim Garber

> This may not be the right thread for this instrument, although at $7,500 we can agree that it won't find a buyer. But it certainly deserves to be discussed, with its offset soundhole and matching pickguard, as well as a bowl that looks like it might have been carved from a single block. https://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Antiqu...UAAOSwg0FgGGLm


Bears some resemblance to Waldo's and Walter Voorhees was also in Saginaw, MI. I did find a 1904 patent about using wet rawhide to form the bowl (I think). You can read it attached here. And some photos from the auction. What is amazing to me, aside from that mirrored side soundhole and pickguard, is the arching of the top. I just sent an email to Professor Ruppa, Waldo and Vega expert.

----------


## mrmando

Right ... you'd think for $7.5K they'd at least string it up.

----------


## journeybear

True enough. This shows up a lot. It's as if these sellers think those old strings have some sort of antique value.  :Confused:

----------

rickbella

----------


## David L

> True enough. This shows up a lot. It's as if these sellers think those old strings have some sort of antique value.


That's the difference between reality and The Antiques Roadshow.

----------

journeybear, 

rickbella

----------


## JeffD

I agree not at that price. But, engaging in a little thought experiment, I don't see anything that precludes it having an excellent voice. So what if we were to know somehow that it sounded great. Maybe not $7500 great, but maybe $5000 great. If we were to know that it was a real horse of a player, perhaps we would be jumping at it.

I mean its cool, its interesting, it has a little history, its quirky, and it needs some love. Who among is not also described in this way.   :Smile:

----------


## mrmando

> True enough. This shows up a lot. It's as if these sellers think those old strings have some sort of antique value.


True story ... the second mandolin I ever played belonged to Karen, the first girl I ever kissed, who kept it under her bed in her dorm room in college. She said it had belonged to her grandmother, and she let me borrow it but was very concerned that I not break any of the strings, because they were the ORIGINAL STRINGS!!!! Well, in fact I *did* break a string, and never having installed a mandolin string before (my experience with changing strings at the time was limited to the viola), I took it to Dusty Strings in Seattle and had them replace the string for me. Karen was none the wiser.  

And for the record, I regret having kissed her far more than I regret breaking the string.

----------

journeybear, 

rickbella

----------


## j. condino

Not many fellows that I know tell stories of the old girlfriends that they regret....


The idea of a wet rawhide bowlback does nothing to inspire me as a potential buyer!

----------


## Charles E.

> True story ...  
> 
> And for the record, I regret having kissed her far more than I regret breaking the string.


I think there is a country song right there!   :Wink:

----------

j. condino

----------


## Charles E.

> Not many fellows that I know tell stories of the old girlfriends that they regret....
> 
> 
> The idea of a wet rawhide bowlback does nothing to inspire me as a potential buyer!


But you could play "Rawhide" on a rawhide!

----------

j. condino

----------


## mrmando

> Not many fellows that I know tell stories of the old girlfriends that they regret....


She was never a girlfriend, thank goodness. One evening's necking does not a girlfriend make. 

The first mandolin I bought ended up with the third girlfriend, though ... she bought it off me _after_ I dumped her, if memory serves. Don't know why she wanted it — maybe she put it in the corner and threw darts at it for all I know.

----------

j. condino

----------


## mrmando

Here we go ... a Gibson A style with replacement tuners and a gnasty seam separation; seller wants about 5 times more than it could reasonably be sold for, methinks. https://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Gibson-...kAAOSwikxgHapU

----------


## journeybear

> I did find a 1904 patent about using wet rawhide to form the bowl (I think). You can read it attached here.


I did read the patent, and it's a little perplexing. It references four drawings, the critical one being the fourth, but does not present it - just the first three.  :Confused:  There is a detailed description of the process, but a visual representation would help understanding. I echo your confusion. I thought the rawhide was stretched around the bowl, but the description seems to talk more about the top - the "exterior face," "the top edge of the shell." Yet it also refers to being "stretched over the wooden shell or body of the mandolin and drawn tightly around the same."  :Confused: 

[Figure] 4 is a covering of rawhide or similar material which forms the exterior face of the body. The rawhide used in carrying out my invention is similar to that used for drum-heads. The skin or rawhide is first soaked in water until it becomes soft, after which it is stretched over the wooden shell or body of the mandolin and drawn tightly around the same and then cemented to the shell or body. It will be noticed that the edges of the skin or rawhide are drawn tightly over the top edge of the shell or mandolin-body. The skin or rawhide is permitted to dry, and in drying, as is well known, the skin will shrink very materially, thus closing tightly the joints between the numerous pieces of wood forming the shell, thereby putting the wood under more or less tension, thus increasing the vibratory powers of the wood, and consequently augmenting the tone of the instrument very materially and improving its resonant qualities. In addition to increasing the quality of the instrument this facing or covering of rawhide materially strengthens the shell or body of the mandolin and protects it against indentations and breakage and more or less obviates the usual warping in such instruments. 

BTW, because I looked at the listing on eBay, I've been offered a discount. I could snap it up for just $6,999. Should I?  :Whistling:

----------


## Jim Garber

> BTW, because I looked at the listing on eBay, I've been offered a discount. I could snap it up for just $6,999. Should I?


Sure. Go ahead: I can live vicariously through your blissful experience.  :Smile:

----------


## journeybear

Done! That's all I needed, just a little push to get me off the fence.  :Wink:

----------


## NickR

There is no substitute for optimism. I know that the Poles say that a pessimist is an "informed optimist" but it's always good to look on the bright side, if at all possible. Here's just a such a person:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Russian-Man...oAAOxyUylTT-Ms

----------


## LadysSolo

Is the $1450 for all 3 instruments? If so, only a little overpriced.

----------


## Jim Garber

> There is no substitute for optimism. I know that the Poles say that a pessimist is an "informed optimist" but it's always good to look on the bright side, if at all possible. Here's just a such a person:
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/Russian-Man...oAAOxyUylTT-Ms


And that is not a Russian mandolin so the value goes up by a bit.

----------


## tassiespirit

Not sure if anyone has had a look in at this very rare " collectable" at $3000 USD - https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/collecti...kAAOSwCypWmR0H

Maybe it has been shown already but I just saw it and it said it was a mandolin, and my jaw dropped.



Allan

----------


## mrmando

That's a very cheap African harp of some kind, related to the kora. 

Kora seems like an instrument that would be fun to learn, but I've bought one or two on eBay that turned out to be cheap tourist junk (or maybe I don't know enough about koras to distinguish cheap tourist junk from the real thing).

----------


## journeybear

Is the neck a horn of some kind? Rhino? Water buffalo? Would it have resonant qualities?  :Confused:  Not willing to spend $3k to find out.  :Whistling:

----------


## Denis Kearns

When I see prices that are way over what they should be, it makes me wonder if it’s some kind of money laundering scheme.  You sell to yourself, pay eBay for the privilege, and voila, you money is clean!  Unless someone takes a real close look, you could do this over and over.  Maybe I’m just paranoid or too cynical...but really, some of these prices...

- Denis

----------


## Jess L.

> https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/collecti...kAAOSwCypWmR0H
> 
> Maybe it has been shown already


*Pictures and info*.  :Smile:

----------


## Richard500

[QUOTE=Denis Kearns;1810711]When I see prices that are way over what they should be, it makes me wonder if it’s some kind of money laundering scheme.  You sell to yourself, pay eBay for the privilege, and voila, you money is clean!  Unless someone takes a real close look, you could do this over and over.  Maybe I’m just paranoid or too cynical...but really, some of these prices...

At least two different phenomena: One is the automated pricing function that some use to keep even with comparables, that escalates the asking price way into the stratosphere as two or more ‘engines’ keep topping each other.   
The other is actual money laundering, which probably doesn’t come into play this low.  For a while, in the collector car market, plain-Jane cars were selling at crazy prices, and it was definitely laundering and tax manipulations.  I don’t know if this persists. 
And also, the operation of ignorance and greed does cause some people to imagine their thrift store Stradivarius is actually immensely valuable, or thinking that not having seen another one,  makes Auntie’s crock rare and unique.

----------


## Jim Garber

Interesting (?) truly *homemade F-5*. 




> This is  f style mandolin  that  I  made. The  top  is  made  spuir  and  the  neck and  back is  made   of  maple. As  no case.


I am still trying to figure out what "spuir" is. The top looks like it was patched—maybe he carved too much?

----------

MikeEdgerton

----------


## MikeEdgerton

> Interesting (?) truly *homemade F-5*. 
> 
> 
> 
> I am still trying to figure out what "spuir" is. The top looks like it was patched—maybe he carved too much?


I'm not sure I would take that if he paid me $200.00 to take it.

----------


## journeybear

If I may quote Barat, "Wa wa wee wa!"  :Disbelief:  I feel compelled to do so because I do believe "spuir" is name in glorious language of magnificent Republic of Kazakhstan for "spruce."

----------


## MikeEdgerton

In the Scottish Gaelic dialect Google says it means spur. Google is not fluent in typo.

----------

journeybear, 

Timbofood

----------


## journeybear

"fluent in typo" - now there is a fine locution.  :Wink:  Over time, a great many people have become at least somewhat more that, given how many times we have had to interpret what was written in order to discern what was meant. Even spell check systems have improved to suggest possible intended spellings that include the proximity of keys in the keyboard or keypad, irrespective of language. That's an improvement. And it surpasses the lack of improvement in sellers' proofreading. That may be perpetually lagging behind all other advancements in the area.

----------


## Richard500

If you click on his other ads, the spelling is almost consistent, as is the degree of primitive.  Somehow, I think that this person does not deserve to be mocked.  
That said, as a thoroughly over-educated yankee, I do admit to  sometimes making light of Southern literacy, or even the sad display in my local Craigs List.

----------


## journeybear

While I agree with you to some extent, as I believe in being kind and fair and considerate of others, I also believe that thus I must be fair to my mandolin brothers hereabouts, who know what a true wonder a fine mandolin can be - and can tell the difference between that and this. That said, it does seem at least *some* attempt at constructing a playable instrument has been made. The neck and tuners look to be consistent with that. But not a whole lot else. The scrolls in particular could have earned this entry to a certain other thread. The headstock decoration and - varnish? - are in a class by themselves. As to spelling ... in his other offerings, he is consistent in misspelling "papper" [sic] on all his drawings. And on this, I wonder whether this is a custom made instrument or the name of the builder is "Costom."  :Confused:  We may never know.

From a personal standpoint, though, I admit to a bit of disappointment. I thought at first this might be a missing example of Gibbs' work. It seems not, as the frets and tuners seem at least close to standard. Also, the body doesn't appear to have Gibbs' distinctive incredible heft. Plus the headstock scroll doesn't have the signature disk. I thought I might have stumbled on another piece of his unique brand of folk art. If it had been, with the ability to make an offer, I might have been able to snap this up for far less than the askng price. Oh well. The search continues, ever on ...

----------


## Sue Rieter

> ... I do admit to  sometimes making light of Southern literacy, or even the sad display in my local Craigs List.



eg. a "rod iron" fence (seen relatively often on CL NH)  :Grin:

----------

oneoleone

----------


## journeybear

'Tis true, and the South doesn't have a monopoly on such goofiness. Just seems that way.  :Wink:  Spelling things misheard phonetically can be very humorous. I can't tell you how many times I've seen people write "could of" (and its variants) in all seriousness. I don't want to go off on a rant here, but ...  :Whistling:

----------


## maxr

A much older printed phoneticism - One of the revered old 'Soodlum's Irish Session Tunes' books has a tune which the book entitles 'Verse of Vienna'. The related dance, which was popular in the 19thC, is of Polish origin, and everywhere else it's called 'Varsoviana'. Now, imagine someone saying that in a strong Irish accent...

----------

journeybear

----------


## journeybear

Well, it *did* get a buyer. And for full price. How about that? To every rule there is an exception. 

I wouldn't say any of the alternatives they offer are "similar items."  :Whistling:

----------


## Timbofood

> 'Tis true, and the South doesn't have a monopoly on such goofiness. Just seems that way.  Spelling things misheard phonetically can be very humorous. I can't tell you how many times I've seen people write "could of" (and its variants) in all seriousness. I don't want to go off on a rant here, but ...


Aah, excellent observation of “Regional Affectation and Mannerisms” 
Name me three states that don’t have some sort of local idioms. There are a ton in the Pittsburgh area alone, it’s what language does. Spellcheck has no concept of syntax either. I really love “fluent in typo”!  I will be filching that one Mike!
I’m reminded of the parade ground scene in one of the great John Wayne cavalry movies:
Sgt. (Victor McGlaghan)- “There are ladies in camp so WATCH THEM WORDS, WATCH THEM WORDS!” 
From off camera “ Watch them grammar!”

----------


## journeybear

Bumped right into this the other day. Peter Wolf, lead singer for J. Geils Band, turned 75 Sunday, and much internet chatter ensued. Some grammar wonks raised the expected hue and cry when someone posted a video of them performing "Must Of Got Lost." They asserted it should of - whoops!  :Disbelief:  - should have been spelled "Must Have Got Lost." Someone averred it was actually "Musta Got Lost." So I looked it up, and the actual title is "Must Of Got Lost."  :Disbelief:  That's how it's spelled on the album and single cover. I had to tell people this, which caused some eye rolling, I'm sure: 'Take it up with the band. It's misspelled on the album cover, single cover, and I'll bet the label. As "Must Of."'

So wikipedia is forced to spell it thus in the track listing. When I looked it up, I was stunned to see the band misspelled it - repeatedly and consistently. That means everyone is torn between referring to it correctly with the error, or erroneously correcting it. Those bastids!  :Laughing:

----------


## Jim Garber

Actually the grammar wonks would have said it, “Must Have Gotten Lost.” Dontcha think?  :Smile:

----------


## Timbofood

“It’s the vernacular” Nyuk Nyuk Curly Q Link.

----------


## journeybear

> Actually the grammar wonks would have said it, “Must Have Gotten Lost.” Dontcha think?


Yes, yes I do. And they'd be right. (I think ... my sureness has surely become less assured due to all this surliness and discomfiture.) I *think* "got" is still acceptable, though.  :Confused: 

The filename for the photo in the wiki is "Must've Got Lost." That is not only grammatically correct, but fits the meter and pronunciation. Even though it's not how the song is officially spelled, it meets those criteria. Whoever devised that gets my hat tip and mandosmiley.  :Mandosmiley:

----------

Cobalt

----------


## Northwest Steve

Looks like a nice mandolin but I would like to know their appraisal folks if I every need to file an insurance claim -

https://portland.craigslist.org/grg/...291518902.html

----------


## Peter Barnett

> Looks like a nice mandolin but I would like to know their appraisal folks if I every need to file an insurance claim -
> 
> https://portland.craigslist.org/grg/...291518902.html

----------


## MikeEdgerton

> Looks like a nice mandolin but I would like to know their appraisal folks if I every need to file an insurance claim -
> 
> https://portland.craigslist.org/grg/...291518902.html





> If you are sirius...


I think I'm more XM. The sad thing about this is that even if you drop a zero off the price he's still in Hollywood with that price.

----------


## rcc56

> I think I'm more XM. The sad thing about this is that even if you drop a zero off the price he's still in Hollywood with that price.


Well, it looks quite clean, so it _might_ bring $1500 on a really good day.
[In case the link goes away, it's a 1940's Gibson A-50 with an implied price of 15 to 20k]

----------


## mrmando

Gotta love this one: a "Fender acoustic/electric mandolin" at a price no Fender acoustic/electric has to my knowledge ever attained, with one photo of ... a shipping box. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fender-ACOU...oAAOSw35dgWXmS

----------

David Lewis, 

Jim Garber, 

journeybear

----------


## Jim Garber

The prices of Fender boxes are going way up these days.  :Smile:

----------


## journeybear

I dunno. I mean, it looks really clean. Not a scratch or dent. Talk about mint condition! Yet no one's bid on it yet.  :Confused:  Maybe if there were more photos from different angles.  :Whistling:

----------


## mrmando

Aaaaaand ... it turns out to be an FM-52E, the cheapest Fender e-mando of them all. No idea what made the seller think it was so precious, or that someone would buy it based on a photo of the box.

----------


## journeybear

So I guess he put up the picture of the box to have something in the listing, until he could put up photos of the actual item? Doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Why not put your whole listing together and then upload?  :Confused:  Whatever!  :Whistling: 



Thanks to the expert for identifying it - which is more than the seller does.  :Disbelief:  The model number  is not in the description. :Confused:  BTW, looking around the interweb, I'm seeing it's mostly unavailable. Has it been discontinued? I did see it being offered at a couple of sites for $400 and less - considerably less than his BIN of $2000. Sometimes lack of supply may drive up demand and, correspondingly, price. I don't think that's the case here. Not by 500%.  :Disbelief:

----------


## mrmando

I think the FM-52E may finally have been discontinued. I have been trying to sell one at far less than $2K for some time now, but no nibbles yet.

----------


## mrmando

Fender FM-52E relisted as a Buy It Now at $2500, with copy claiming that it's the last "new in the box" mandolin of its kind, as if (a) the seller had any way of knowing that, and (b) it mattered. Besides, it isn't strictly true, since I got him to remove it from the box long enough to shoot a couple of photos.

----------

Reywas

----------


## NickR

Journeybear: J. Geils grammar conundrum:

When the J. Geils Band recorded the track in the studio on the 1974 album "Nightmares...." it was titled "Must Of Got Lost" but when it appeared on their live album "Blow Your Face Out" released in 1976, it had been retitled as "Musta Got Lost". I saw the band twice and both concerts were truly memorable. It is worth pointing out that on the album "Nightmares" J Geils played mandolin. Here is the track- you will have to wait for the mandolin break: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACROtYLFT7o

----------


## journeybear

> Fender FM-52E relisted as a Buy It Now at $2500, with copy claiming that it's the last "new in the box" mandolin of its kind, as if (a) the seller had any way of knowing that, and (b) it mattered. Besides, it isn't strictly true, since I got him to remove it from the box long enough to shoot a couple of photos.


 :Laughing:   :Laughing:   :Laughing:  Little did he suspect that proving its existence utterly destroyed its inestimable collector's value.  :Crying:  It's the old Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle conundrum in action. That is, the act of observation of an action interacts with that action. So nothing can be observed as it truly is without affecting it, however slightly. (The HUP is a really small number, but it reduces everything from 100%; arguably, still arbitrarily close to 100%, but not exactly.) And I'm not even going to start with comparisons to Schrödinger's cat.  :Whistling:

----------


## journeybear

> Journeybear: J. Geils grammar conundrum:
> 
> When the J. Geils Band recorded the track in the studio on the 1974 album "Nightmares...." it was titled "Must Of Got Lost" but when it appeared on their live album "Blow Your Face Out" released in 1976, it had been retitled as "Musta Got Lost". I saw the band twice and both concerts were truly memorable. It is worth pointing out that on the album "Nightmares" J Geils played mandolin. Here is the track- you will have to wait for the mandolin break: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACROtYLFT7o


Somehow I never saw them, however many times they came through New Haven. But I did bump into Peter Wolf once backstage, in the green room at a Lucinda Williams show in Northampton MA, late 90s. Had a very good if brief chat, in which I learned he had been a DJ with a blues show for years before the band, which is where he developed his encyclopedic knowledge of the genre.  :Cool: 

I think I saw all that you reported in researching this matter, though you laid it out concisely and precisely.  :Wink:  I still think the best version of spelling the grammatical equivalent of the spoken phrase's phonetics is the title of the image in the wiki, "Must've Got Lost." It incorporates the non-existence of the "h" in the word "have' and the existence of the "v" sound. Neither "must have" nor "musta" fulfill those elements, and "must of" is grammatically, ah, horrid - despite its use in the release's graphics. Sadly, historically, the band's misspelling is the way it is, was, and shall ever remain in the annals forever and aye.  :Frown:  

Oh, and thanks for the note re: mandolin's existence in the J. Geils Band universe. So that everyone else doesn't have to wait for this 8-bar interlude - solid if not groundbreaking - tune in at 2:46. Honestly, I was surprised to hear a cut from them featuring accordion and mandolin. An interesting aspect of their oeuvre.  :Mandosmiley:

----------


## NickR

They must have wised up to the grammatical mistake and sort of wangled away from it!
I get the impression that Peter Wolf is a really great guy- and he and the J. Geils Band members got to know so many interesting people- prior to the band's formation and during its existence. These people ranged from Van Morrison, Barry Tashian, Gram Parsons and a wealth of bluesmen, R & B artistes and white blues rockers. In fact, it was just an incredible galaxy of musicians and singers that they knew and respected. I always felt that track might have been recorded in an Italian restaurant because of the musical content. You really missed out by not getting to see them- they just gave it their best shot when they performed. This interview with J. Geils was very interesting and rather sad as he died a few years after it was recorded. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZe-JZHAW6Q

----------

journeybear

----------


## Eric Platt

> Little did he suspect that proving its existence utterly destroyed its inestimable collector's value.  It's the old Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle conundrum in action. That is, the act of observation of an action interacts with that action. So nothing can be observed as it truly is without affecting it, however slightly. (The HUP is a really small number, but it reduces everything from 100%; arguably, still arbitrarily close to 100%, but not exactly.) And I'm not even going to start with comparisons to Schrödinger's cat.


Once knew a guy who would custom order acoustic guitars through stores and then return or reject them if the dealer opened the box to makes sure it what was ordered. Heard through one store that he was banned most places unless he paid up front and signed a waiver.

----------


## journeybear

> . You really missed out by not getting to see them- they just gave it their best shot when they performed.


Just one last (hopefully) post along this tangent ... I truly do not know how I missed them. They played at the biggest club in town plenty of times, and the club got to be very proactive at leaving free passes (and deeply discounted ones) around town to get people in and improving the bar tab. Maybe they got to be too big or just disbanded before the time of those promotions. Yeah, wish I'd seen them. Oh well!

We now return you to to your regularly scheduled programming, already in progress ...  :Cool:

----------


## mrmando

> Once knew a guy who would custom order acoustic guitars through stores and then return or reject them if the dealer opened the box to makes sure it what was ordered. Heard through one store that he was banned most places unless he paid up front and signed a waiver.


That must have been the guy this seller was trying to reach. And now I've ruined it for him.

----------

Eric Platt

----------


## Bertram Henze

> And I'm not even going to start with comparisons to Schrödinger's cat.


Schrödinger's guitar, in fact. If mysteries are the new hype, we might as well sell empty locked mandolin cases with a "Shmergel" logo on them and a matching conspiracy theory.

----------

Jess L.

----------


## mrmando

J. Geils made an album with Aaron Weinstein, believe it or not. I don't know if Aaron plays any mandolin on the album or just sticks to violin.

----------


## journeybear

I was curious. so I did some googling. The album is entitled, "Jay Geils - Gerry Beaudoin and The Kings Of Strings Featuring Aaron Weinstein," released in 2006. A few sites mentioned violin only. Then this review, apparently written by someone who actually listened to the recording, says this (reprinted without corrections): 

This CD is a follow-up to Gerry's acoustic recording with Dave Grisman which was nominated for a Grammy. On this CD Gerry teams up again with Jay Geils (The King of Strings) while adding nineteen year old teenage fiddle whiz Aaron Weinstein. The result is a swinging recording of classics from the swing era plus some original blues and bebop.

"In A Mellotone" kicks off with Freddie Green style comping by Gerry while Aaron on violin picks up the melody followed by Jay. Very tasty- especially acoustically. Blue Benedetto" is a catchy 12 bar blues dedicated to luthier Bob Benedetto. I think Gerry is playing rhythm and Jay the improv on this one. Either way, its a fun tune. Check out the transcription in this issue. Other tunes include "Here's That Rainy Day," "Minor Swing," "Take The A Train" and "Sweet Georgia Brown." The CD ends with a nice take on Miles Davis' "All Blues" with Aaron doing duty on mandolin.

A swinging recording with some tasty arrangements and playing by all.

Also, in an interview, Geils said this:

Q: Any other projects in the works?

Well, there’s the Kings of Strings, which is an acoustic jazz group with me and Gerry on acoustic archtop guitars with string bass and Aaron Weinstein, who’s a Berklee College kid who plays mandolin and violin.

Note that "mandolin" appears first. As it should.  :Mandosmiley:

----------


## NickR

I've got that album and it is superb and Aaron Weinstein does play mandolin on Out of Nowhere and Here's That Rainy Day for starters. I will have to play it all the way through at some time to get a fix on it and if he plays mandolin on other tracks but that's what the blurb mentions in the liner notes.

----------


## journeybear

Thanks. I don't have the album. I found an image online of the back cover, but it didn't provide track-by-track credits.

----------


## mrmando

Message from the seller of the new-in-box Fender: "I really really really don’t want to sell this but… If you can do $1999.99 right now… I’ll sell this to you… That’s $500 off! Let me know thanks." 

Not to worry if you don't want to sell it, pal.

----------


## Reywas

I mean, you've gotta buy it now - you made him open the box!

----------


## mrmando

> I've got that album and it is superb and Aaron Weinstein does play mandolin on Out of Nowhere and Here's That Rainy Day for starters. I will have to play it all the way through at some time to get a fix on it and if he plays mandolin on other tracks but that's what the blurb mentions in the liner notes.


Following this discussion I went ahead and bought the Geils/Beaudoin/Weinstein CD on Amazon... and instead the seller sent me the 4-DVD _Lethal Weapon_ box set. Not even sure I knew there were four _Lethal Weapon_ films...

----------


## Dusepo

Well I doubt this'll get a bid. It's listed as a Soviet mandolin made in the USSR, but in the description (and on the soundboard itself), it says made in 1994!  :Laughing:

----------


## Cando

The painting might be from 1994 but the mandolin itself seems indeed like a soviet mandolin from the Lviv factory.

----------


## journeybear

Could we have the url please? It hampers our ability to be fully dismissive if we haven't access to the listing's information.  :Wink:  Thanks!

----------


## journeybear

Here it is. You're right - it does indeed say it's from Lviv, 1970s vintage. It's just the painting appears to have been done in 1994. And the price is in line with similar instruments. So ... It may actually be spirited away by some happy owner. The artwork is pleasant enough - a bit gaudy, perhaps, but folksy. I'm most impressed by the effort to put all the tuning pegs in line. One hardly ever, if ever, sees that.

Here's another one.  Is this a common custom, folk-art painting of Lviv-made mandolins? I was not aware of it until now.



And another one.  All from the same seller. I think I have my answer.  :Wink:

----------


## Dusepo

I'm afraid I closed the tab now and can't find it again, but in the listing I found it said in the description "made in 1994". Maybe they just meant the painting...

----------


## journeybear

Yes, you did, and it does. I included the link in my previous post, merged with the phrase "Here it is." I found it by searching eBay for "Russian mandolin painted" or some such. It turned up these three examples and surely others - all from the same seller. Seems to be his business of sorts. The tip-off they were from the same source was the tuning pegs, so neatly aligned,  :Wink:  as well as the similar iconography - central figure of a bird, lots of flowers, bold colors. They are charming, in a primitive or folk-art way. Not my cup of tea, even from a samovar, but perhaps someone's.  :Wink:

----------


## Sue Rieter

I kind of like it.  :Cool: 
Especially the chicken (if that's what it is).

----------


## Reywas

My theory on this is that someone's recently departed grandma really loved painting mandolins.

----------


## Jeff Mando

> My theory on this is that someone's recently departed grandma really loved painting mandolins.


Exactly!

When I worked a a vintage guitar shop, we had a local wannabee folk artist type who was buying all the cool cheapo vintage guitars to use as his canvases.
No, no, no, no these humble little instruments do not need any help, they are already cool......

----------


## David L

> The tip-off they were from the same source was the tuning pegs, so neatly aligned,


Isn't that how you know it's in tune?

----------


## journeybear

> Isn't that how you know it's in tune?


Ah, if only it were that easy!

----------


## David L

Lining up the tuning pegs makes tuning in a loud environment much easier.

----------


## maxr

The seller's listed as in Ukraine on Ebay.co.uk, more hand painted mandos and balalaikas, even one (so far) unpainted mandolin, and lots of objects d'art and paintings of Soviet worthies - Marx, Lenin, Uncle Joe, a complete rogue's gallery of them. I wonder how much he'd charge for a mandolin with Soviet cosmonaut Yurin Gagarin on the back? He's selling this...

----------


## journeybear

I have this sneaky suspicion that he doesn't sell that much stuff that swiftly. His prices are not unreasonable, but the items' appearance ...  :Whistling:  Well, perhaps there are markets in which these sorts of _"objets d'art"_ are much sought-after. Not appealing to me, but who says my tastes are any arbiters of what the general public considers desirable?

So would he be open-minded concerning a commission? I'd be surprised if he weren't! Go for it!

----------


## AaronWeinstein

Jay had an incredible collection of guitars.  But I don't remember ever seeing his mando.  He was a wonderful musician, devoted to Jazz with a particular fondness for Charlie Christian.  He was terrific to work with!  


> Following this discussion I went ahead and bought the Geils/Beaudoin/Weinstein CD on Amazon... and instead the seller sent me the 4-DVD _Lethal Weapon_ box set. Not even sure I knew there were four _Lethal Weapon_ films...

----------


## journeybear

Thanks for that! This thread or sidebar was a revelation for me, and I'll wager for others, as well. I never knew of these aspects of J. Geils' music until now. In fact, even though his name was on the band, he didn't command attention the way Peter Wolf and Magic Dick did. The reference to his mandolin playing came about thanks to NickR in Post #1101, in which he mentions a brief passage in one song. There's a link there to the associated youtube video - in case you're interested (and didn't know). I've no idea whether it was his mandolin he used, or someone else's - no way of knowing for us spectators. While we've got you, though, do you know anything more about his involvement with the mandolin? Such as, did he play it much? Did he play it on any other JGB songs? Anything you can think of. We've already veered this far off-topic; might as well see it through.  :Wink: 

Thanks! And thanks for all the great mandolinning.  :Mandosmiley:

----------


## Isaac Revard

Just incase someone is searching for Hee Haw memorabilia:

https://louisville.craigslist.org/ms...310663305.html

----------


## slimt

> Just incase someone is searching for Hee Haw memorabilia:
> 
> https://louisville.craigslist.org/ms...310663305.html


Its on ebay as well.

----------


## allenhopkins

I'd pay a good price for _Ramona_ Jones' mandolin:

----------


## Jim Garber

> Just incase someone is searching for Hee Haw memorabilia:
> 
> https://louisville.craigslist.org/ms...310663305.html


That one was for sale for more than 3 times the price last summer, mentioned on *this post* in this thread.

----------


## Chris Gray

https://www.ebay.com/itm/37305903061...oAAOxy-NVSGreP

----------


## Sue Rieter

> https://www.ebay.com/itm/37305903061...oAAOxy-NVSGreP


Why? Just why?

----------


## Chris Gray

> Why? Just why?


He is a little low on shipping....

----------


## journeybear

No idea. None whatsoever. One would think someone trying to get that much for an item would put more effort and info into the listing. You know? Such as writing up a description - and making it good and flowery. But nothing? Not at all helpful. But the shipping cost estimate is very reasonable, if that's incentive enough.  :Wink: 

BTW, the listing has been revised twice. Not to include a description, mind you, but just so you know, the seller is making some kind of an effort. What exactly, I'm not sure. But neither revision included changing the price.  :Confused:  And we also know from this it's been up for nearly half a year. I'll wager that will continue for some time.  :Smile:

----------


## Jeff Mando

> Why? Just why?


Just guessing -- possible mafia money laundering scheme?

We'll have to watch "how many" they sell each month!  :Wink:

----------


## NickR

When I was a kid, I think I saw one of these in an early Dr Who episode in the 1960s- when the world was invaded by Mandomen. The price is pretty reasonable for nominations to this thread and it will sell, I am sure, given time.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/25496834628...gAAOSwOWlgkv8W

----------


## journeybear

> Just guessing -- possible mafia money laundering scheme?
> 
> We'll have to watch "how many" they sell each month!


I don't think so, since it's been sitting there for half a year.  :Confused: 

The seller has one other item for sale, a swimming pool ionizer for $1000. The thing is, it's used, and the same item can be purchased from Home Depot for $795, new. I'll grant the shipping for this is also low, $9.90. But I'll bet HD will ship theirs for free.  :Wink:  So I think we can add that to the list of items that won't get a bid or buyer, mandolin or not. 

Both listings end in 11 days. We'll have to see what happens then. Perhaps the mandolin will reappear at a more reasonable price of $300, which may have been what he had meant to say in the first place.

----------


## Jim Garber

> When I was a kid, I think I saw one of these in an early Dr Who episode in the 1960s- when the world was invaded by Mandomen. The price is pretty reasonable for nominations to this thread and it will sell, I am sure, given time.
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/25496834628...gAAOSwOWlgkv8W


That is cool and with known provenance! I had a long conversation with a prominent banjo collector years ago and we came to the conclusion that we collect stories as much as instruments. I have a feeling that the neck may have come from a busted mandolin. Certainly the fretboard.

It is my duty, as usual, to preserve the memory of this unique work by posting photos before it disappears into some treasured collection.

----------


## Jim Garber

What is also interesting about this Sam Goldberg box mandolin above is the beveling of the sides noticed only from the back. It is possible that the maker found a perfect (?) size wooden serving tray and thought it would make a good sound board and applied a choice piece from his stash of barnwood to the top. Or maybe he decided a box would look more elegant and decided to spend more time putting it together himself. 

I certainly hope that this step-grandson (the seller) has kept the bridge otherwise it might be very difficult to find an original Sam Goldberg mandolin bridge.  :Smile: 

The seller has no illusions of this instrument, in terms of value and workmanship, unlike many other posts in this thread:



> This is an amazing instrument. My Step Grandfather, Sam Goldberg was a renaissance man. He made several mandolins out of localbarn  wood in New Jersey. This one was made around 1960. He would ride around  the country and find an old barn and collect the wood. He  felt it gave the instrument better sound. Sam played for everyone and  was highly admired. He has one of his mandolins in a folk museum,  but not sure where. This one has amazing sound. I took the strings off  about 40 years ago, so the neck wouldn't warp. This one was a  gift to me. I have taken very good care of it. I think a true mandolin  lover will cherish this piece. It is beautiful  folk art, it is primitive and it plays beautiful  music and has much soul! Great provinance.

----------


## journeybear

I have a hard time believing this sounds all that good, if the wood is as thick as barn wood usually is. He may have planed it into a thinner piece, though - who knows? But since it's deemed folk art, and not a musical instrument, that may not matter much. It looks rather clunky, but even so, one design feature appeals to me - the sound hole. Its octagonal shape echoes the octagonal shape of the body. I've no idea whether that was intentional, but there it is. The overall appearance is more angular than what we're used to seeing, especially the headstock. It does have a certain offbeat charm. Even with its worm-over gears.  :Wink:

----------


## Charles E.

A bit of wishful thinking on this Kay mandolin....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/37312037181...sAAOSwvCtfFI3S

----------


## NickR

I have found a spouse for the Sam Goldberg mandolin- I think they go together well as a couple. She's more curvy as females tend to be and her hair is nicely waved- Sam's mandolin's hair is a bit outré: 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/12470755767...ndition=4%7C10

----------


## journeybear

This just in - just in case anyone was interested. Still. Before it's too late. 



I'm not. Indeed, no one is. Not enough to bid on it, with time running out. True to the estimate - hasn't got a bid. 

It could be YOURS!!!  :Smile: 

It's creepy that I got an emailed notice from eBay _just for looking at the auction._ I didn't put it on my watch list or anything. It's like ... hey guys, if I were interested, I'd have made a move. Don't bug me. I'll spend my C-note on something I actually want. Meanwhile, sod off!  :Mad:

----------


## rcc56

I'm laughing at the North Carolina "boutique" shop that's listing a nine year old standard issue Martin D-18 for $175 more than a new one costs.
Bet they'll sell it, though, to an unsuspecting customer who hasn't done their homework.

----------


## Jeff Mando

FWIW, I've been an eBay member for over 20 years with over 4,000 transactions and in every case sellers have been basically honest and fair -- until this year for some reason!  Not sure why.  This year I won the bid on a guitar amp for $200 and the seller said they sent it, but it never showed up.  When I asked for the tracking number I got not response from the seller.  After a month, I had eBay step in and cancel the sale and I received a refund.  Again, not sure why this happened -- the seller was selling other items up to $2500 and getting good feedback from those sales, so I am confused.

Another item I bought was a guitar repair tool for $40 that was $20 under the normal selling price and the seller was brand new with zero feedback -- no surprise, it was a scam and I reported it to eBay.  I realized later, they lifted the photos and copy from StewMac's catalog!  Paypal refunded me on that one.

Like I say, I'm not sure why I'm running into these characters, lately.  I guess we are living in desparate times where $40 to $200 is enough motivation for someone to commit a crime (scam, fraud, whatever the proper term might be.....)  Too bad, I say.

----------


## journeybear

> This just in - just in case anyone was interested. Still. Before it's too late.


And no one was. But now, the news is, it's baaaaack! And with that price reduction, this time it might actually go.

Or not.  :Wink:  

https://www.ebay.com/i/254980362178?ul_noapp=true

----------

Dusepo

----------


## journeybear

> FWIW, I've been an eBay member for over 20 years with over 4,000 transactions and in every case sellers have been basically honest and fair -- until this year for some reason!  Not sure why.  ...  I'm not sure why I'm running into these characters, lately.  I guess we are living in desperate times where $40 to $200 is enough motivation for someone to commit a crime (scam, fraud, whatever the proper term might be.....)  Too bad, I say.


I have nowhere near the volume of eBay experience as you - I mean, I may have made 1-2% of your total transactions in my life - but the vast majority have been favorable. Until this year. I found a good deal on some Japanese issue CDs of old Shocking Blue albums (I've mentioned several times they had quite an impressive career, much more than the perceived one-hit-wonder status to which they're relegated in the US), and asked the seller if they could all be put in one package and sent as one, so instead of spending over $20 in postage, I would be charged $5-6. The seller was fine with this. When I went to checkout, there was no change. I contacted the seller, and when I heard back, I was told the discount would be applied automatically upon payment. (These back-and-forths took days, of course.) It was not. When the package arrived, the actual postage charge was $5.85, though I was billed $22. I contacted the seller, or tried to - I got a message to the effect that the seller was "no longer registered on eBay."  :Disbelief:  I'm sure some of you had been wondering, why worry over $16 and change, isn't that petty - yet here is someone operating a business willing to shut it all down over this amount. I'll wager, though, there were other customers whom the seller had been flim-flamming, for much more moolah; I was a small fish caught in a big net. Besides, a deal is a deal. It's a matter of principle. I filed a claim with eBay for a refund, which stalled for a bit, though they expressed sympathy. They repeatedly advised me to contact the seller and I repeatedly informed them it was impossible and why. They finally reimbursed me themselves, as a courtesy. I'd never seen anything like this.

A month or so later I found a decent price on my favorite model of VCR (I may be progressive in many ways, but I'm also steadfastly old school in others) and made the purchase. As I have learned I must do, before paying I asked for and received an assurance that the machine actually worked - that the seller's idea of testing was more than just plugging it in, turning it on, and seeing lights go on - that it was fully functional. I've had problems with these several times, and have been unable to determine whether they had not been adequately tested, or these "antique" electric devices had been damaged in shipment. When it arrived, very well packed I must say, I plugged it in - nothing. The lights didn't even go on.  :Disbelief:  Moreover, there was a tape in the carriage.  :Disbelief:  How in the world the machine could have been tested by the seller and a tape left in it is beyond me. That proved it was not working, as far as I could figure. I shot a video of it not functioning, packed it back up, and sent it back - after much denial from him - a teenager or twenty-something "doing a favor for his grandpa." At least he was amenable to a refund. Epilogue: I just pulled the trigger on another one, and this time I'm going to go pick it up in person, as I'll be up that way this weekend. I'll be able to test it in person, and it won't suffer the vagaries of shipping.  :Wink: 

I had another experience, worse than both of those combined. But since it involves someone else, I don't feel at liberty to discuss it. Also, It's rather complicated, and nearly caused an international incident. Fortunately it didn't come to that, but I did learn that not all Canadians are polite and deferential.  :Frown:  I may never recover from that experience.  :Frown:  These three events occurred just this winter. So I also wonder what has happened to occasion this spate of untoward activity. Are times really that hard? Or is this all due to happenstance?  :Confused:

----------


## Jim Garber

> And no one was. But now, the news is, it's baaaaack! And with that price reduction, this time it might actually go.
> 
> Or not.  
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/i/254980362178?ul_noapp=true


this has been relisted multiple times going down in price each time.

----------

Dusepo

----------


## journeybear

> this has been relisted multiple times going down in price each time.


But somehow ... just never ... quite ... enough ...  :Chicken:

----------


## Reywas

I'm still partial to that listing titled simply "A". It's all we needed to know, and so much more.

----------

Dusepo

----------


## journeybear

"A?" Eh?  :Confused:

----------


## Dusepo

> I'm still partial to that listing titled simply "A". It's all we needed to know, and so much more.


You have expensive taste!

----------


## Jim Garber

> I'm still partial to that listing titled simply "A". It's all we needed to know, and so much more.


He is referring to the $300,000 Ibanez on eBay in the listing titled “A”.  https://www.ebay.com/itm/373059030610

----------

journeybear

----------


## Frankdolin

I think I've seen this here somewhere before but wanted to post in case someone is looking for a HUGE mandolin. :Mandosmiley:  https://www.ebay.com/itm/11456567779...id=26037137442

----------

Dusepo

----------


## jim simpson

Do we ever tire of "lawsuit" proclamations, lol!    
I believe this mandolin could also qualify for the "ugliest scroll" thread.

https://reverb.com/item/40775230-ult...-f5-em-a-style

----------


## Jim Garber

> Do we ever tire of "lawsuit" proclamations, lol!    
> I believe this mandolin could also qualify for the "ugliest scroll" thread.
> 
> https://reverb.com/item/40775230-ult...-f5-em-a-style


Greco was certainly a maker of lawsuit instruments but this was not one of them. I have a Strat Sixties copy that probably was a better of vintage than the original Fenders. Even I would have sued them. Yes, to nominate for the ugliest scroll thread and also ugliest sunburst.

----------

jim simpson

----------


## Denny Gies

Ouch.

----------


## Dusepo

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/144044860...IAAOSwcK1gpYpK

----------


## LadysSolo

I like the ornamentation around the sound hole. The rest of the instrument, not so much.

----------


## catmandu2

I believe the fret job on that 4-stringer above will render an authentic 'rustic' intonation.

----------


## rcc56

I had to replace the original factory fretboard on a c. 1931 Gibson A-4 because the fret placement was as bad as or worse than the above example.

Not a mandolin, but a 1954 Martin D-28, nice but certainly not excellent ++, for $24K at a well known Brooklyn shop.  Although their prices tend to be rather high, I don't see how they came up with _that_ number.  Perhaps they meant to type $14K [which would still be a premium price] and hit the wrong key.  Or maybe they had a visit from a certain Staten Island ghost.         :Whistling:

----------


## Jim Garber

Rcc56: you are correct. I just checked and RetroFret has a ‘59 D-28 for $11k so I am not sure why they have that ‘54 so much higher. My guess is that it is on consignment and the consigner insisted on that price. Or, as you say, it could be a typo.

----------


## NickR

Here's some poor chap who has found a set of old, probably, East German tuners in a Harmony box and has mistaken them for something rare and special. I don't suppose anybody is in the market for such tuners- not least at the price that is being asked.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/25457212628...f9a2%7Ciid%3A1

----------


## mrmando

This eBay seller has some interesting vintage instruments and has labeled a couple of them "mandolins" even though one is a bandurria and the other looks like a 12-string guitar. 

Here's another instrument from that seller: 
https://www.ebay.com/itm/32464757073...kAAOSweOtgmqRB

Other Rickenbacher Electro "frying pan" lap steels from the '30s, in better shape, are selling for $3–4K on Reverb.

----------


## Jim Garber

> This eBay seller has some interesting vintage instruments and has labeled a couple of them "mandolins" even though one is a bandurria and the other looks like a 12-string guitar. 
> 
> Here's another instrument from that seller: 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/32464757073...kAAOSweOtgmqRB
> 
> Other Rickenbacher Electro "frying pan" lap steels from the '30s, in better shape, are selling for $3–4K on Reverb.


yes, but, “We are selling a large selection of RARE items from a lifelong collector of movie, writing, music, and horse related items.

These items were owned by Victoria Racimo, a celebrity writer and actor. We believe the music instruments were possibly her fathers, who was a talented musician and played around the world in the USO united service organization.”

Actually, the bandurria is cool ($899) with lots of case candy and the Pagani 13-string (?) looks like it was made by one of the Greenwich Village Italian luthiers though probably prices too high at $2999. I wonder if it is a 12- string wit an extra bass.

----------


## journeybear

As mandolin harps go, this is a decent price. *But* it's not a mandolin harp. So ...  :Whistling:  Then again, it's Hawaiian, and there's sheet music ...  :Whistling:

----------


## Dusepo

> This eBay seller has some interesting vintage instruments and has labeled a couple of them "mandolins" even though one is a bandurria and the other looks like a 12-string guitar. 
> 
> Here's another instrument from that seller: 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/32464757073...kAAOSweOtgmqRB
> 
> Other Rickenbacher Electro "frying pan" lap steels from the '30s, in better shape, are selling for $3–4K on Reverb.


The 14-string guitar-shaped one is, I think, an octavina, a Philippine instrument played in Rondalla orchestras along with the Philippine 14-string bandurria (which they also have one for sale) and laud. The Spanish ones only have 12 strings, and they don't have the octavina, which is only used in Philippine orchestras.

----------


## Jim Garber

Strange stringing. I haven’t been able to look on my computer only my phone but a friend said nut is cut with First, Second and Third courses are tripled, four and five are doubled, sixth is single. Jo, is that usual for Filipino bandurrias ?

----------


## Dusepo

> Strange stringing. I haven’t been able to look on my computer only my phone but a friend said nut is cut with First, Second and Third courses are tripled, four and five are doubled, sixth is single. Jo, is that usual for Filipino bandurrias ?


Yep, that's normal for the Philippine bandurria, laud and octavina. 
Philippine: | || || ||| ||| |||
Spanish: || || || || || ||

----------


## jdsobol

> Yep, that's normal for the Philippine bandurria, laud and octavina. 
> Philippine: | || || ||| ||| |||
> Spanish: || || || || || ||


I wrote the seller a note about her pricing:

With all due respect, when a dealer offers musical instruments for sale at prices that bear no relation to any existing musical instrument marketplace past, present or future, they may expect to deal with three types of buyers: either bipolar billionaires on a manic binge, difficult ones, i.e. those who might challenge their unhinged valuations, or no buyers at all.

Arthur Godfrey baritone ukuleles, for instance are common as dishwater. they were mass-produced during the post-war ukulele boom, and they typically sell for between $250 and $500 retail depending on condition and the willingness of the seller to carry inventory. To offer it for nearly $30k as if you are doing the marketplace a favor--that is just silly. Your other instrument prices are, to put it generously, only slightly less maniacal.

Please do yourselves and the rest of us a real favor and do some basic price comparisons or consult an actual vintage instrument dealer before assaulting Ebay with these second-hand hallucinations.

All that said, for that certain coterie of bipolar hedge fund managers who also happen to be conveners of their local Victoria Racimo Fan Club Chapter, this will surely be the sales event of their lifetime.
Best wishes,
JS

Whereupon she blocked me from further communications and raised the price of the bandurria from $999 to $2,999. Welcome to Post-truth Vintage Instruments.

----------

journeybear, 

Timbofood

----------


## journeybear

Ha ha ha!  :Laughing:  Thank you for fighting the good fight and tilting at this windmill. It was a noble effort, and even though it produced unsatisfactory results, you did your best and acquitted yourself admirably. Your level of erudition is clearly much higher than the seller's. The response is amusingly appropriate, considering this disparity. If nothing else, you've provided us with something to shake our heads and chuckle about. Much appreciated!  :Grin:

----------


## Mandolin Cafe

Homer & Jethro Joke Books come up pretty often. First time seeing someone trying to sell the Corn Flakes box they came in. Only $15.

----------

Jim Garber, 

Northwest Steve

----------


## Dusepo

> Homer & Jethro Joke Books come up pretty often. First time seeing someone trying to sell the Corn Flakes box they came in. Only $15.


Ooooof, that's not aged well. :|

----------


## theinone

> I wrote the seller a note about her pricing:
> 
> With all due respect, when a dealer offers musical instruments for sale at prices that bear no relation to any existing musical instrument marketplace past, present or future, they may expect to deal with three types of buyers: either bipolar billionaires on a manic binge, difficult ones, i.e. those who might challenge their unhinged valuations, or no buyers at all.
> 
> Arthur Godfrey baritone ukuleles, for instance are common as dishwater. they were mass-produced during the post-war ukulele boom, and they typically sell for between $250 and $500 retail depending on condition and the willingness of the seller to carry inventory. To offer it for nearly $30k as if you are doing the marketplace a favor--that is just silly. Your other instrument prices are, to put it generously, only slightly less maniacal.
> 
> Please do yourselves and the rest of us a real favor and do some basic price comparisons or consult an actual vintage instrument dealer before assaulting Ebay with these second-hand hallucinations.
> 
> 
> ...



I love the paragraph that states:

We want these items to go to people who will appreciate and care for the items. We would prefer to not deal with extra picky or difficult buyers for these items. Thank you for your interest.

... if wishes were fishes we'd all cast nets.

----------


## NickR

A $15 Corn Flakes box? Ooh! That's corny!

----------


## journeybear

I wonder how much the joke book would go for. I mean, that is the star of the show, the big enchilada, the main corn-sideration. If it was all of two bits back then, how much might its value have increased over the years?  :Confused: 

Nemmine. I'm seeing it available for $30 - $50, though there is one damaged copy for a mere $15.  :Disbelief: 

My search also turned up a few entire threads at the Café devoted to this!  :Laughing:

----------


## jim simpson

Looks like they start at about $45.00. I owned a copy for a while, corny jokes!  https://www.amazon.com/Homer-Jethros.../dp/B006SMN2AO

----------


## Mandolin Cafe

Those joke books were available for years for $10, sometimes less. Fewer for sale now that everyone that wanted one snapped them up, so guess that makes them more valued, right? I don't think many are selling for over $20. Just a hunch.

----------

jim simpson

----------


## journeybear

Your hunch is probably on the money. (We *are* talking about corny jokes here.) Seeing a few of these being *offered* for up to $50 doesn't mean they're *selling* for that much. There's a difference between asking price and selling price - the kernel of truth driving this thread.  :Whistling: 

If one really wanted to, one could snap up this one for a mere $768.57. plus $3.99 for shipping.  :Disbelief:  Now *that* is this week's item that won't get a bid or buyer.  :Laughing:

----------

David Rambo, 

jim simpson

----------


## Dusepo

Here's a mandolin (probably?) with a floating guitar bridge and a soundhole much further down the body than usual. Probably made as someone's project, and then the bridge got lost or other alterations were made.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274830100...8AAOSwx6pgw4QO


And here's a giant zither banjo (just what you *always* wanted!  :Wink:  )
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/224341971...oAAOSwpDdU~vCm

----------


## journeybear

Oh, sure. It's a cheapo-cheapo piece of junk. BUT it's priced to move. It'll be someone's starter or beater. Now, if the seller were asking $1000, I'd say they were nutso. But at $59? Might even be worth it.  :Disbelief:  Though the way it's presented is so apathetic, it might not sell.  :Laughing: 

On the other hand - or should I say hands, because it looks like it will take two people to play it/them - the giant banjo(s) ain't goin' nowhere!  :Laughing:

----------


## Denny Gies

Speaking of corny.........Why does a duck have feathers?         To cover it's butt quack.....................

----------

Timbofood

----------


## Timbofood

Denny, that’s just down to the ground bad.
I’ll use it later when I go to the post office!

----------


## keith.rogers

> Oh, sure. It's a cheapo-cheapo piece of junk. BUT it's priced to move. It'll be someone's starter or beater. Now, if the seller were asking $1000, I'd say they were nutso. But at $59? Might even be worth it.  Though the way it's presented is so apathetic, it might not sell. 
> ....


Not saying it's the case here, but sometimes pictures are bad for a reason. With the perspective of the picture, it's impossible to say where a [proper] bridge really belongs - I wouldn't be surprised if it needs to go where the soundhole is located.

----------


## journeybear

I was referring to the way the instrument is presented - just plopped on the seller's table, with no regard for foreground, background, or anything, really, including leaving other stuff on the table. It's a level of apathy seldom seen in photos of something one is trying to sell.

BTW, even though the seller describes it as solid, that is a nasty crack near the neck join. Begs the definition of solid.  :Whistling: 



PS: Tim, I'm baffled why you didn't banish Denny to the corner for that corny joke. You know what? Go to your corner!  :Laughing:

----------


## Timbofood

You know JB, I’m getting to like my corner.

----------

journeybear

----------


## journeybear

Huh!  :Disbelief:  Doesn't seem so bad there, after all. I might just have to join you.  :Grin:

----------


## Dusepo

> BTW, even though the seller describes it as solid, that is a nasty crack near the neck join. Begs the definition of solid.


Are those Soviet machine heads? They look like some I've seen on Soviet-made mandolins and domras.

----------


## keith.rogers

Not a mandolin, but an alternator guitar on the local Craigslist.

https://houston.craigslist.org/msg/d...343605298.html

If you're looking for a resonator, resophonic, dobro, national, slide or even steel guitar, this ad won't show up. (Maybe a kind person will let the seller know, so attaching a pic. Maybe they'd be interested in a trade for a "starter" guitar? sorry...)

----------

Jess L.

----------


## Jess L.

> *alternator guitar* on the local Craigslist.
> 
> https://houston.craigslist.org/msg/d...343605298.html


It's actually a Shmergel. All Shmergels have the little-known ability to shape-shift to perform other complex tasks, such as substituting for a malfunctioning alternator in a car. Just place the Shmergel anywhere in the engine compartment, wait 30 seconds while it assesses the situation and automatically morphs into the required component, then start the car. In this instance, the transformed Shmergel will retain its new alternator funtionality for up to 24 hours, to allow the owner time to procure a standard alternator. When the Shmergel detects that the situation has been resolved by regular means (and after it has been placed back in its case, for privacy), it automatically morphs back into its original musical instrument form. 

The Craigslist seller has clearly experienced this, and is so delighted that they want the rest of the world to also know of the Shmergel roadside auto-repair capabilities. However, such public displays of enthusiasm are not encouraged, because if too many people know about it, it would create more demand than the factory could keep up with, and too many new instruments flooding the market could devalue Shmergel resale value if they became too common. 

(Yes, of course, we all know that Shmergels are not to be viewed in their natural state. That's why it's disguising itself as a Gretsch in the Craigslist ad.)

----------

keith.rogers

----------


## journeybear

It couldn't be a Shmergel. The price is far too low. That is, it's actually affordable.  :Grin:  Unless the seller doesn't know what he's got. Which it seems, he doesn't - though for other reasons.  :Wink:

----------

keith.rogers, 

LadysSolo

----------


## Jess L.

> It couldn't be a Shmergel. The price is far too low.


The seller might have inadvertently left off a couple of zeros. Craigslist pricing errors are not uncommon, although usually it's the other way around (too many zeros, rather than not enough).  :Wink:

----------

journeybear, 

keith.rogers, 

LadysSolo

----------


## Sue Rieter

This is a very sad looking mandolin. Do you think it has been in a fire?

----------


## journeybear

It sure looks like it's been through ... something. I was thinking it could have undergone some internal combustion caused by a short or something, like when someone installed that pickup.  :Wink:  But that wouldn't explain the tuning knob on the eighth string, which looks like it's  melted.  :Disbelief:  Something out of the ordinary happened, for sure. But someone might yet buy it. Stranger things have sold ...  :Whistling:

----------


## Ray(T)

Looks to me that it was originally a dark colour (or dirt?), somebody decided to paint it in an orange colour and this, along with some of the original colour, has partly worn away.

----------


## allenhopkins

Seems to be the same model Harmony as discussed in *this thread.*  The damage is in the same places as one would expect from playing wear -- where the player's arm rests on the rim, where the pick may strike the top, and on the neck where the player's hand generally touches.

I like Ray's suggestion, that a later overspray of finish wore away, exposing first the darker original finish, then the bare wood.  The pickup is a retrofit, with one of the f-holes used to accommodate the tone and volume knobs.  Fairly sad example of "shade-tree luthiery," or as Mandolin Brothers used to call it, "reptile dentistry."

An inexpensive instrument to start with, not made any more valuable by subsequent "improvements."  Still, _someone_ probably got a lot of playing out of it, judging by the wear.

----------


## John Rosett

Do you have a link?

----------


## journeybear

The word "This" in Sue's post is the link.  :Wink:

----------


## NickR

We are discussing serious repairs for another Harmony mandolin in the Monterey family right now. 

I saw this mandolin a while back- which has Kluson tuners that are not riveted making it about 1940 -42 in terms of age, and posted it on the Harmony website. I did this because that Gibson pick up (probably a P13) may have been of interest to some of the members, as Harmony used this pick up on a number of its guitars in the late 40s to early 50s. However, it has lost its polepieces which makes it far less of interest. I did see an old Stradolin with the same pick up and posted that up and it was bought for its pick up but I don't think the mandolin has been mended.

----------


## NickR

"Still solid considering minor damage"

1920s Stella. Not such a bargain! Looks more like a Sovereign- I wonder if the wrong label was pasted in?  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185013631...ndition=4%7C10

----------


## Charles E.

Just a tad over priced me thinks.....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/32470545971...kAAOSwonVg5ThH

----------


## Sue Rieter

"Came in contact with a small flood"

https://www.ebay.com/itm/20359000450...4AAOSwooJgiqPx

----------


## journeybear

> Just a tad over priced me thinks.....
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/32470545971...kAAOSwonVg5ThH


Ah, but if the original warranty is still in effect ... Oh, and if you are interested in buying the _extended_ warranty ...  :Wink:

----------

Sue Rieter

----------


## Sue Rieter

> Ah, but if the original warranty is still in effect ... Oh, and if you are interested in buying the _extended_ warranty ...


I get offers for extended warranties on my 2005 Ford Freestyle all the time. If it's good for a rustbucket SUV, why not a nice looking vintage mando?

----------


## journeybear

Well, yes, I, too, get such offers, and I'm driving a 1994 Chevy Astro Van.  :Disbelief:  Whatever warranty once existed has long since expired. These are cold call scam outfits with zero actual expertise in automotive anything. My usual response is to ask what information they have on my vehicle. After all, *they* called *me,* and surely they are contacting people whose vehicles are on a list which delineates all pertinent data, right? Right? RIGHT?  :Laughing: 

But in the case of this vastly overpriced mandolin, I daresay any warranty it may have come with at the original point of sale has long since expired in the nearly 100 years since. Hence my point.  :Wink:

----------


## Jim Garber

> Just a tad over priced me thinks.....
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/32470545971...kAAOSwonVg5ThH


what’s up with that bridge?

----------


## rcc56

Here we go again.

1]  The bridge is not original to the mandolin.
2]  While the mandolin does bear some Larson characteristics, the shape is atypical for a Larson, I have not heard of Larson building for Wurlitzer, etc. etc. . . .  
3]  While it's a nice looking piece, it's overpriced no matter who made it, especially if that bridge has been glued down.
4]  If you want a Larson that is definitely a Larson, Carter's has one for $1500, and I know the mandolin and can vouch for its authenticity and tone.
5]  And Mandolin World Headquarters has a fancy one, also bona fide, for $2050, which is the highest price that I've seen for that model.

----------

Charles E., 

Eric Platt

----------


## jim simpson

That bridge is thick! It resembles a guitar bridge.

----------


## journeybear

> Here we go again.
> 
> 1]  The bridge is not original to the mandolin.
> 2]  While the mandolin does bear some Larson characteristics, the shape is atypical for a Larson, I have not heard of Larson building for Wurlitzer, etc. etc. . . .


But ... but ... but that would void the *warranty*, an oh-so-important factor in this offering!  :Crying:  That just can't be!  :Crying: 




> That bridge is thick! It resembles a guitar bridge.


I think it IS a guitar bridge!  :Disbelief:

----------


## Charles E.

I was kind of wondering if the whole ad could be a scam because the seller offers no info at all, really. Then I saw the other listings he has and they are all way over priced. IMO

----------

Eric Platt

----------


## Eric Platt

Yup, very high prices. My only thought on the first one listed is that he states "please give us a message before purchase". Am not even sure that one could be brought back to the US at this point. So very possibly his audience is not here.

----------


## Jim Garber

> Here we go again.
> 
> 1]  The bridge is not original to the mandolin.
> 2]  While the mandolin does bear some Larson characteristics, the shape is atypical for a Larson, I have not heard of Larson building for Wurlitzer, etc. etc. . . .  
> 3]  While it's a nice looking piece, it's overpriced no matter who made it, especially if that bridge has been glued down.
> 4]  If you want a Larson that is definitely a Larson, Carter's has one for $1500, and I know the mandolin and can vouch for its authenticity and tone.
> 5]  And Mandolin World Headquarters has a fancy one, also bona fide, for $2050, which is the highest price that I've seen for that model.


And Larson prices don’t transfer to mandolins from their guitars at least not at that level: 5 figures sometimes for Prairie States and the like. So it goes...

----------


## rcc56

Right, Jim.  But the real Larson mandolins are good instruments.  The one at Carter's is strong enough to make a good Martin flat back slink away with its tail between its legs.  I'm a little tempted to get it for myself, but I have taken the pledge and managed to stick to it. Also, I need a new roof.

----------


## Jim Garber

I own a Maurer bowlback and I agree it is in the same league as all quality vintage American bowlbacks. Just the market is much hotter for Larson guitars vs. mandolins. I suppose it is mostly that they didn’t make F-5 copies and if they measured up to Gibsons maybe they would be up there in price. OTOH they are priced similar to the best of Martins and other high quality flattop mandolins.

----------


## rcc56

An old student of mine has a Maurer style 15 flat back, which is also a good strong mandolin.  The Larsons knew what they were doing.

----------


## allenhopkins

Recently I've acquired two Larson-built Stahl instruments, a mandola and a mando-bass.  The mandola, which has had a lot of work done on it but is eminently playable, is my fave instrument of the past 18 months; I'm playing it a lot more than my mandolins.

The mando-bass is a mando-bass.  'Nuff said.

----------


## Charles E.

More ridiclousness from Japan, a Harmony tenor guitar this time......

https://www.ebay.com/itm/22459875484...gAAOSwwYthNTmL

----------


## journeybear

Yeah, but ... free shipping!  :Cool:

----------

Timbofood

----------


## Sue Rieter

> Yeah, but ... free shipping!


JB, second law of ecology: "There's no such thing as a free lunch"

Sue's corollary:  Or free shipping ....  :Cool:

----------

Timbofood

----------


## journeybear

At that price, shipping *should* be included!  :Laughing:

----------


## Sue Rieter

At that price, shipping *is* part of the price. You can call it free ...

When I was doing Ebay, I never wanted to do the free shipping thing, because you'd have to calculate for the highest possibility, and if the buyer lived close to you, basically they were being ripped off. I'd much rather buy, and sell, with calculated shipping.

If they are in Japan, and charging the same price to ship to the next city vs. ship to the US; I wouldn't want to be the person in the next town.

----------


## Jim Garber

> More ridiclousness from Japan, a Harmony tenor guitar this time......
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/22459875484...gAAOSwwYthNTmL


I think that these are Japanese prices for overseas instruments. Maybe they can sell them over there for that. For  a US buyer it makes little sense.

----------


## NickR

Here is the very same guitar for sale in New York for $599. It is being sold by Rivington Guitars and presumably, judging by the blurb in the Japanese sale, this organisation sells under various names- certainly two on eBay in the USA and also this Japanese identity as well. I just recognised those old cases and US flag as backdrops to the photos which led me to search for a Harmony tenor guitar and up it came

https://www.ebay.com/itm/19406043451...EAAOSwz7RggykV

----------


## Jim Garber

It is a pain to post pics on my phone but take a look at this auction. Looks like the top has lots of warpage and the non-original bridge is positioned so the strings are lower. Will this ever okay in tune? I doubt it. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Old-mandolin-luigi-vincentini-napoli-/393553436944

----------


## Jim Garber

An Antonio Tsai mandolin offered at an inflated price: https://www.ebay.com/itm/8-String-Canadian-Spruce-Mandolin-with-Mother-of-Pearl-Inlay-/163291300329

----------


## brunello97

> It is a pain to post pics on my phone but take a look at this auction. Looks like the top has lots of warpage and the non-original bridge is positioned so the strings are lower. Will this ever okay in tune? I doubt it. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Old-mandolin-luigi-vincentini-napoli-/393553436944


Jim, this looks to be an example of the very rare 4-1-2-1 tuning arrangement.  We don't see those very often any more.  

Maybe coming back into fashion?

With a 17.574" scale and those bass guitar strings it should deliver a lot of low end and abundant non-Western dystopian microtonalities.

The "Made in France" stamped tuners are of note, as well.

I wonder how much of that top warpage occurred during the photo shoot for ebay with those boss strings?

Mick

----------


## journeybear

> An Antonio Tsai mandolin offered at an inflated price


For posterity ... Some very splashy inlay work, for sure. Does it make it worth what the seller is asking? (~ US $1,989.30) You decide ...  :Whistling:

----------

LadysSolo

----------


## Bazz Jass

Ouch!

"Peg head was cracked but fixed by a professional with wood putty"

https://reverb.com/item/44624228-gib...m=Feed%20Email

----------


## MikeEdgerton

> An Antonio Tsai mandolin offered at an inflated price: https://www.ebay.com/itm/8-String-Canadian-Spruce-Mandolin-with-Mother-of-Pearl-Inlay-/163291300329


It never occurred to me to buy some of them and hold onto them until the price went up  :Smile:

----------

brunello97

----------


## MikeEdgerton

> You decide ...


Ok. No, it does not.

----------


## journeybear

Yeah, no. Right?

But I wouldn't be too surprised if someone were to shell that out for this. It might be just the thing ... to somebody ... Freedom of choice.  :Wink:

----------


## allenhopkins

Anyone ever think it would be interesting to visit those Vietnamese shops where the "bling-y" instruments are made. and watch the local craftspeople working on their construction?  Seems to be an endless supply of highly figured wood and mother-of-pearl.  There's a good deal of skill involved in construction and inlaying, but reaction from purchasers leads one to believe that corners are cut, especially in seasoning the wood, obtaining well-made metal parts, and securing inlays so they don't fall out later.  

Which is too bad.  The level of intricacy and artistry in some of the inlays is really admirable. But it's so much for "looks," and not for acoustic quality or even durability.  We see some of the same emphasis in other Asian-made instruments for sale in the US: banjos with inlays, flamed woods and engraved metal parts that put Gibson and Stelling to shame, but that sound clunky and suffer neck warping within a year or two, _et. al._  There's a 19th-century poem about a razor seller whose incredibly cheap razors -- _"twelve for eighteen pence"_ -- are worthless for shaving.  In the last verse, confronted by an irate customer, the razor-seller explains the situation:

_" Friend, " quoth the razor-man, " I'm not a knave; 
— As for the razors you have bought, 
— Upon my soul, I never thought 
That they would shave . " 
" Not think they'd shave! " quoth Hodge, with wondering eyes, 
— And voice not much unlike an Indian yell; 
" What were they made for, then, you dog? " he cries. 
— " Made , " quoth the fellow, with a smile, — " to sell. "
_

So, mandolins made not to *play,* but to *sell?*

----------


## MikeEdgerton

I've always felt that the day that the builders of the AntonioTsai and BruceWeiarts mandolins figure out how to get the shape and dimensions right and figure out the things can be sold without the bling they will probably gain a lot of market share. 

Unfortunately they are dealing into a market where some people are attracted by the bling. How it plays and sounds may or may not enter the picture. Obviously getting the dimensions right doesn't either.

It's kind of like Harmony and Kay in their heydays. I seriously doubt anyone was sitting at the factory saying "Well, if we trim this brace a little and use a different finish it will sound better." I just can't imagine anyone had that job.

----------

allenhopkins

----------


## Ray(T)

> Ouch!
> 
> "Peg head was cracked but fixed by a professional with wood putty"
> 
> https://reverb.com/item/44624228-gib...m=Feed%20Email


Looks like they simply rounded off the broken head scroll with the putty. It does make you wonder what sort of “professional” carried out the work!

----------


## Bazz Jass

> Looks like they simply rounded off the broken head scroll with the putty. It does make you wonder what sort of “professional” carried out the work!


I assumed it was referring to this:

----------


## Bazz Jass

This one really has some issues:

https://reverb.com/item/45937844-191...-budget-f-5-f4

Actually light under the fingerboard here!

----------


## journeybear

Aw heck, ain't nothing but what a little super glue can fix.  :Chicken:

----------

Bazz Jass

----------


## keith.rogers

> This one really has some issues:
> 
> https://reverb.com/item/45937844-191...-budget-f-5-f4
> ....


"Luthier's Dream" is where I stopped reading.

----------

Bazz Jass

----------


## Richard500

> "Luthier's Dream" is where I stopped reading.


I’m thinking that the glue did what it was intended: acting like a fuse to keep the wood from ripping itself up with all those years of climate.   
More interesting is the ‘sounds great’ opinion.  Will something with a loose soundboard, or back typically sound just the same when glued up properly, or better or worse? Spent part of this morning tacking down perished glue on the latest rescue, a Japanese bowlback that also had a neck problem (one, 1/2”soft dowel and hardly any glue. Fortunately, the part of the fretboard that had to be disconnected also had just a tiny smear, and released easily.)

----------


## rcc56

> This one really has some issues:
> 
> https://reverb.com/item/45937844-191...-budget-f-5-f4
> 
> Actually light under the fingerboard here!


That's a very nice looking F-4.
Somebody will look at it, and think that fixing it is as simple as going to the hardware store, getting some wood glue and squirting it in there, and clamping it back together with whatever they've got lying around the house.  It isn't.

Chances are that besides the loose glue joints that can be seen in the pictures, a large portion of the remaining joints are also in bad shape.
The fingerboard may have to be removed completely, and the surfaces cleaned and levelled before it can be reglued.  Then it will probably need a fret job.
I'd say it's 50 - 50 that the back will also need to be at least partially lifted, and the surfaces cleaned and levelled before any new glue joint can be expected to hold.
The right way to do it is with hot hide glue.  That takes a high level of experience and skill.  Special clamping cauls will need to be made.  A temporary mold may also be needed.
And by the way, chances are about 10 to 1 that the top brace is loose, if it is there at all.
And every minute the strings remain on the instrument with that failed fingerboard joint, it increases the probability of a warped neck.
And so on.  Not a job for a do-it-yourselfer.

I would expect the repair bill to run anywhere from $500 to $1500.

It could be a worthwhile buy if the seller would take $3000.  I wouldn't touch it for any more than that, even though I can do the work myself.

----------

Bazz Jass, 

Eric Platt

----------


## Eric Platt

I also think from my non expert look that it isn't just the back and fingerboard are loose, but the dovetail has slipped. Which would mean resetting the neck in addition to everything else listed above. 

My own guess would have been $1500 to $2000 to get it into playing shape and a selling price of $2500 before work done.

Again, though, I'm not a repairperson and wouldn't even think of buying it.

----------


## rcc56

I'd like to think it could be done for less than $2000, but I've been known to underestimate the cost of a job more often than I would like to admit.
At any rate, I'm not buying it either.  If it were reduced to $2500, I might change my mind.  It _is_ a nice looking F-4.  It deserves a better looking bridge.  And that's another hundred or two right there.

----------


## your_diamond

> This one really has some issues:
> 
> https://reverb.com/item/45937844-191...-budget-f-5-f4
> 
> Actually light under the fingerboard here!


Well of course there is light under the fingerboard... that there is the rare elevated fretboard option he's charging so much for  :Confused:  :Disbelief:

----------

Bazz Jass

----------


## your_diamond

Rare because it's the only F4 with a elevated fretboard.  :Chicken:  
CONDITION: Very Good (Used)... Kids, don't do drugs.

----------

Bazz Jass

----------


## Charles E.

Good luck with this....

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1083579...BoCAF0QAvD_BwE

----------

Sue Rieter

----------


## journeybear

What's the problem? He's only asking $40,250.49.  :Disbelief:  I should see if he's willing to take offers. Think I'll try $40K, see what happens.  :Wink: 

"THE BOX IS METAL AND THE NECK IS WOOD." Good to know.

"I AM NOT A MUSICIAN OR AN EXPERT ON MANDOLINS." Truth in advertising.

But that does include shipping, so ...  :Whistling: 

Seriously, though: Why do these keep showing up with breaking tailpieces? Design flaw? Cheap material? Why?  :Crying: 

PS: My Triolian tenor guitar's tailpiece is A-OK. Looking at it just now, it might be a replacement.  :Confused:

----------

Sue Rieter

----------


## MikeEdgerton

> Good luck with this....


I'm darned impressed by the comment on this.

----------

Dusepo

----------


## journeybear

Yes, I saw that, and others, too - I assume for previous sales of other items. The page layout provides clumsy placement for that, for sure.

----------


## rcc56

I wonder where folks like this come up with their prices.  Even the rarest, most highly engraved National guitars don't bring $40k.
As for a brown Triolian mandolin, if you were to divide his price by 30, it would still be way too high.

----------

Charles E.

----------


## journeybear

It's gotta be a typo. I'd like to think he meant 1% of that - two decimal places.  :Whistling:

----------


## Charles E.

I think the guy is just clueless. He is way off on the date too, I would think more like 1930's.

----------


## journeybear

Yeah, I saw that, too. At one point he says 1910's, and he also says 90-year-old. I think it's another math issue. He may have figured 100 years ago is 1921, but then tried to figure in a 10-year difference. He went the right direction once, the wrong direction the other.  :Wink:

----------


## allenhopkins

Well, I paid about $600 for my Triolian mandolin, and it's in better shape that this one -- still has its pickguard, as well.  However, I know prices have risen over the past ±30 years, so maybe the market's up over -- let's see -- 237,900% over that time?  Whaddaya think?

----------


## rcc56

I did a quick survey of recent prices for a Triolian mandolin.  They might bring $1000, +/-, in pretty good condition.
Oh, by the way, this one has a broken tailpiece and quite a bit of wear.   $1000 would still be too much.

----------


## Charles E.

> Well, I paid about $600 for my Triolian mandolin, and it's in better shape that this one -- still has its pickguard, as well.  However, I know prices have risen over the past ±30 years, so maybe the market's up over -- let's see -- 237,900% over that time?  Whaddaya think?


Still has the original pick guard?! Wow, that's gotta be worth 39K!   :Whistling: 

When I got my 1928 Triolian Tenor it had the pickguard but it was decomposing in front of my eyes.  :Frown:

----------


## journeybear

Curious about this - where's the piece of steel that goes over the biscuit/bridge? Isn't that welded on? How does that go missing? And what's with the two screws there? And what were they holding in place there? Inquiring minds want to know.

Oh, and I asked the seller what the real asking price is, as that had to be a typo. He just said it's really old, and make him an offer. I wonder what could I offer that won't hurt his feelings.  :Confused:

----------


## rcc56

> I wonder what could I offer that won't hurt his feelings.


Don't.
Take several deep breaths.  Eat a chocolate chip cookie.


If you're still thinking about it after you read this, see my post in your "Have I been scammed?" thread.   :Smile:

----------

journeybear

----------


## journeybear

If we were in the UK, you could have said "biscuit," with a delicious double entendre.  :Wink:

----------


## Ray(T)

The word “biscuit” actually originates from the French for “twice cooked (or baked)”. Perhaps the price the seller is seeking is somewhat “half baked”?

----------


## Bazz Jass

Here's an optimistic seller -not even an offer option!

1923 F4 on Ebay

----------


## Jim Garber

> Here's an optimistic seller -not even an offer option!
> 
> 1923 F4 on Ebay


Maybe five or six years ago I remember somebody bid up a Loar era F-4 to over $10k but nothing like that since.

----------

Bazz Jass, 

Eric Platt

----------


## rcc56

That's a Reverb seller that has been around for a while, and their habit is to price way above market value.  They are listing a 1970 Martin D-28 in Indian rosewood for 
$4800, which is _way_ high.

For over $7500, a '23 F-4 darn well better have an original pickguard, tailpiece, case, an unbroken peghead scroll, and a nearly unmarked finish.  This one does not.
I know the market is drying up, but even $7000 would be pushing it for this one.

----------


## journeybear

Dang! I knew I shouldn't have pulled the trigger on that '22 for $4500. I think I jumped the gun!  :Crying:

----------


## rcc56

And JB's response brings up the eternal question:  Why are people willing to pay a premium of 25% on '23 and '24 mandolins?  Loar didn't build 'em, sign 'em, inspect 'em, or as James Condino might say, wave a bucket of fairy dust over 'em.

If this was not a "Loar period" mandolin, $5K would be about the max.

----------


## journeybear

It may have been hard to tell, but I was being sarcastic. Way sarcastic. (We really need an eye-roll emoji.  :Whistling:  ) I'm happy with what I've got. Sure, I'd have liked it for less. But I was seeing these at $6500 and up. So, as much as it was, I still got a good deal, market being what it is. Better strings helped it sound better than it did out of the box; a good set-up is next.

So yeah, this is twice what it should be, more or less.

----------


## Bazz Jass

This one is even more ridiculous....

https://reverb.com/item/47200281-gib...m=Feed%20Email

----------

journeybear

----------


## Bazz Jass

> And JB's response brings up the eternal question:  Why are people willing to pay a premium of 25% on '23 and '24 mandolins?  Loar didn't build 'em, sign 'em, inspect 'em, or as James Condino might say, wave a bucket of fairy dust over 'em.
> 
> If this was not a "Loar period" mandolin, $5K would be about the max.


As far as I've seen, a Loar-era F4 (compared to an earlier F4) is just an F4 with a truss rod. Am I wrong?

----------


## Bazz Jass

> Better strings helped it sound better than it did out of the box; a good set-up is next.
> 
> So yeah, this is twice what it should be, more or less.


One thing I've learned about an F4 - it wants to be an only child. Sounds the best when there are no other nearby mandolins to endlessly compare it against  :Wink:

----------

journeybear

----------


## journeybear

> This one is even more ridiculous....
> 
> https://reverb.com/item/47200281-gib...m=Feed%20Email


You're right! An A doesn't become an A2 all by itself, and no amount of ad copy can change that. Seller should take a look at his own photos, FCOL.  :Disbelief:  And as beat up as this is, asking a tenth of that is too much. "Used - excellent."  :Laughing:

----------


## Sue Rieter

All these crazy prices make me appreciate my F2 all the more.

----------


## journeybear

Right? The damage it sustained didn't affect its playability, at least after the luthier was done fixing it. Of course, it's no longer collectible, which in some ways is a good thing - it kept the price down, yet if it plays fine, that's what matters. This A model, though ... I don't know what the seller is thinking. It needs a lot of work. Yes, they promise to do the job right, but restored and refinished? Not for that much. And they really should stop calling it an A-2. Look at the label, look at the headstock. _¡Ay caramba!_

----------


## rcc56

> As far as I've seen, a Loar-era F4 (compared to an earlier F4) is just an F4 with a truss rod. Am I wrong?


Other differences that occurred in the early 1920's:  The necks were slimmed down sometime during 1922 or '23.  Adjustable bridges start to appear in 1921.  At some point, the cam style pickguard clamp is phased out and replaced with a screw-in mounting bracket.  The flowerpot peghead inlay is redesigned to accommodate the truss rod.  None of these changes occurred overnight, they were phased in gradually.

I think the magic "Loar" tone comes from the new pickguard bracket and the redesigned flowerpot.   :Whistling:

----------

Bazz Jass

----------


## Bill McCall

> …….I think the magic "Loar" tone comes from the new pickguard bracket and the redesigned flowerpot.


Sort of.

Most people don’t realize that the new pickguard bracket allowed the pickguard to act as an external Virsi-type device, hence the enhanced tone.

----------


## journeybear

Right. Far from it blocking the sound coming out of the treble f-hole, it resonated, initiating the production of even more brilliant tones and higher volume. Ever notice how much people ask for vintage pickguards? This is why. A dirty little secret that, now I've told, might see me suffer the consequences if the Virzi mob can find me. I might have to alert the Bluegrass Police.

----------

Bill McCall, 

David Rambo, 

Richard500

----------


## rcc56

No, that's not it at all.  The old bracket exerted vertical tension on the mandolin rib, which restricted its horizontal oscillations and increased the resonant frequency of the rib beyond its ideal critical value.  The new bracket relieved the rib of this tension so that its vibrations could be transmitted through the air in a parabolic arch and collected in the new, more efficiently designed flowerpot.  The new flowerpot had a higher resonant frequency than the old one, which had the same "Q" as the newly released rib vibrations, which caused them to bounce when they hit the bottom of the flowerpot and spring out with highly magnified velocity right towards the player's ear.

I know I'm right-- I took a 13 week course in non-calculus based physics in 1982 and got an "A".

----------

Bazz Jass, 

Bill McCall, 

Eric Platt, 

GMorgan, 

Richard500

----------


## rcc56

> This one is even more ridiculous....
> 
> https://reverb.com/item/47200281-gib...m=Feed%20Email


This guy is going to need more than $8500 or $9999.11 to pay his legal bill if Garrett Park spots his ad and decides to report him to the Federal Trade Commission for using that image of their old A-2 listing with the intentionally modified price.  I wonder if he knows how to spell F-R-A-U-D.

----------

Bazz Jass, 

Eric Platt

----------


## Bazz Jass

> Right? The damage it sustained didn't affect its playability, at least after the luthier was done fixing it. Of course, it's no longer collectible, which in some ways is a good thing - it kept the price down, yet if it plays fine, that's what matters. This A model, though ... I don't know what the seller is thinking. It needs a lot of work. Yes, they promise to do the job right, but restored and refinished? Not for that much. And they really should stop calling it an A-2. Look at the label, look at the headstock. _¡Ay caramba!_


I looked at the label - that's not a 1921 label like I ever saw!

----------

Eric Platt

----------


## Bazz Jass

Now this is really quite unattractive:

https://cartervintage.com/collection...bson-a-5-1960s

Not lump-scroll unattractive, but pretty close....

----------


## NickR

I assume it went to Gibson and had a new label pasted in for some reason. I didn't know that an extra bridge and saddles could add so much to the "value" of an instrument! I nearly fell over when I saw the price!

----------


## rickbella

Here's a bowlback that would require repairs/restoration greater than the value of the instrument:

https://portland.craigslist.org/clc/...419658521.html

----------


## Zach Wilson

What kind of bridge is that?

----------


## rickbella

Homemade?  Weird adaptation of something?  I give up.

----------


## Eric Platt

Pretty sure it's a cut down comb. As in men's hair comb. That's a first for me. Never seen that before.

----------


## Zach Wilson

> Pretty sure it's a cut down comb. As in men's hair comb. That's a first for me. Never seen that before.


That was my guess too. Ha!

----------


## Richard500

Bridge moved north to compensate high action from cracked neck and probably made lower than original, but the seller admits problems and lack of knowledge, so probably honest!  At least not a dental bridge.
Glue isn’t gonna fix this one, and it looks like an economy model, so project for a hobbyist at best. So unless someone id’s it as the long lost masterpiece of some long departed master, even I wouldn’t pay shipping to get it free.

----------


## journeybear

> Now this is really quite unattractive:
> 
> https://cartervintage.com/collection...bson-a-5-1960s
> 
> Not lump-scroll unattractive, but pretty close....


Lump scroll might be more attractive, sad to say.  :Frown:  

I don't think the F-style peghead fits. The headstock scroll needs to be balanced by a body scroll. Methinks the design would have been improved with a snakehead. 'Twould be more symmetrical.

----------


## Charles E.

> Now this is really quite unattractive:
> 
> https://cartervintage.com/collection...bson-a-5-1960s
> 
> Not lump-scroll unattractive, but pretty close....


It looks like it is going "wheeeee".   :Laughing:

----------


## Bill McCall

> Now this is really quite unattractive:
> 
> https://cartervintage.com/collection...bson-a-5-1960s
> 
> Not lump-scroll unattractive, but pretty close....


Well, it might be better with a snakehead peghead on the reneck, but I like it, I'm partial to 2 points.  There certainly have been a lot uglier ones go by on many threads here.

For me 'nontraditional' colors are a wide swath of ugly.

----------


## KCNelson

I did a quick search "garrett park guitars gibson mandolin a2" and the first URL returned does, indeed, have a price of $9999.11
I don't get it, but there it is. And I've been waiting for someone to ask the $8500 seller if his price is off by a decimal point.

----------


## Jim Garber

> Other differences that occurred in the early 1920's:  The necks were slimmed down sometime during 1922 or '23.  Adjustable bridges start to appear in 1921.  At some point, the cam style pickguard clamp is phased out and replaced with a screw-in mounting bracket.  The flowerpot peghead inlay is redesigned to accommodate the truss rod.  None of these changes occurred overnight, they were phased in gradually.
> 
> I think the magic "Loar" tone comes from the new pickguard bracket and the redesigned flowerpot.


as RCC noted there *are* differences, however the bottom line is that the market will bear these prices and there are buyers who will value them at that level or near to it. And lately I don’t really recall many dealers pricing exc condition f-4s at $5k. I seem them more at $6-7k and exc F-2s at $4-5k. And I have also noticed that at most boutique shops the A models have creeped up to $5k+. We will see what the market will bear. This thread is a bunch of us joking about the ridiculous levels that asking prices have risen to.

----------


## Charles E.

Then there is this 1975 F-5....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/26535554758...IAAOSwqK5hY1oa

Hooboy.

----------


## journeybear

> I did a quick search "garrett park guitars gibson mandolin a2" and the first URL returned does, indeed, have a price of $9999.11
> I don't get it, but there it is. And I've been waiting for someone to ask the $8500 seller if his price is off by a decimal point.


The Garret Park Guitars website does indeed have that listing - though it is listed as sold, with no price displayed. So someone did buy it, but we have no info regarding what was the actual selling price.




> This thread is a bunch of us joking about the ridiculous levels that asking prices have risen to.


Yes, among other things, but definitely geared toward jocularity and astonishment at such things. It does seem that most instances reported here are outliers, not indicators of trends. Though someone could play around with the math and concoct some sort of theoretical analysis concerning serious matters. But yeah, we're just having a bit of fun here, usually at the expense of sellers who are greedy, underinformed, or just plain wrongheaded. There seems to be an endless supply of them.  :Laughing:

----------


## Rose #1

> Then there is this 1975 F-5....
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/26535554758...IAAOSwqK5hY1oa
> 
> Hooboy.


Back in the day when my ex father in law (Buddy Davis) and I were building full time we took a few of these 70's Gibsons and removed the tops, carved new ones to Loar specs then thinned out the backs a bit and refinished them....turned out to be some good mandos.....thats when they were affordable and could be had at a decent price.  :Smile:

----------


## mrmando

> Pretty sure it's a cut down comb. As in men's hair comb. That's a first for me. Never seen that before.


I actually have! The first mandocello I bought was a Gibson K1; it had the original 1-piece bridge base but the saddles were gone. In the saddle slot was the spine of an old men's comb. 

Had a new bridge made out of an archtop guitar blank and ended up selling that cello to the late Neil Dean. I wonder what became of the instrument. Its other attractive feature was that someone had done a crack repair using Popsicle sticks for cleats on the inside.

----------


## Zach Wilson

> Its other attractive feature was that someone had done a crack repair using Popsicle sticks for cleats on the inside.


Definitely made _all those licks_ better  :Laughing: 

Alright, I go back to my corner now  :Wink:

----------

MandoMack, 

Sue Rieter

----------


## NickR

We get a tremendous amount of info about Gretsch on this listing which might be helpful if this mandolin was not a Harmony Monterey branded as a Gretsch. Nice monkey on a stick- but you can probably get one of those and a Monterey mandolin and have about $3000 spare to invest elsewhere. Nice chipboard case which is good for keeping the dust off it but that's about it in terms of protection although as a $200 mandolin maximum, it is a reasonable pairing.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/28459265564...temCondition=4

----------


## journeybear

I'll never understand how some people come up with their sale prices. For that kind of money you could do something like what I did: Pick up a nice 'teens H-2 mandola. AND a fine 'teens Gibson A mandolin. AND another fine 'teens Gibson A mandolin. And still have enough left over for a custom-made Steve Ryder electric mandolin. I'm not bragging, I know I've had some luck in this area. Just saying, by comparison ...  :Whistling: 

But if you're dead set on shelling out that much for something like this, go for it! May it bring you joy.  :Grin:

----------


## Martin Beer

Spotted this on my local Facebook marketplace. Call me cynical, but I don't think they'll get £250 for it! And the description somehow neglects to mention the neck joint.

----------


## Jim Garber

This is the thread where we report wishful thinking. I doubt that that Italian mandolin has any ivory on it and most likely the scratch plate is plastic not TS.

----------


## mrmando

Nice '46 Gibson A style here. 

But $25K nice? I doubt it. 

https://portland.craigslist.org/grg/...433844515.html

----------


## journeybear

Well, it IS rare, right? Though I don't know if it's _very_ rare.  :Confused:  Nor, for that matter, _very very_ rare.  :Confused:  And no, I'm surely not Sirius. And don't call me Shirley.

----------

Jim Garber

----------


## Richard500

It’s code.  The owner has a preferred customer, an artist who deserves such a gem.  Sirius is the Dog Star…get it?

----------


## journeybear

So, it's code for "rats god?"  :Confused:

----------


## Timbofood

That’s just too much to believe, Sirius ly!

----------


## mrmando

Here's an entertaining one: 

https://reverb.com/item/48625497-gre...lin-super-rare

"This unique electric mandolin is labeled 1978 and crafted by the renowned Japanese company Greco during one of their best production periods. In the several years I have owned this mandolin I have yet to find another like it.  It has a one of a kind construction that matches the high quality craftsmanship for which Greco is known for."

You have to admire someone who can launch such a brazen attack on truth, common sense and the English language simultaneously.

----------

Bob Clark

----------


## journeybear

The seller is really pushing the alleged rarity of this instrument. Rarity doesn't necessarily mean an item is special; it just means there aren't that many of them. Is "rarity" the same as "scarcity?" * Maybe not many were produced. Maybe there were, but no one wanted them. Maybe they weren't made well and didn't last very long, or were discarded. Who knows? I've never heard of the brand, but again, that doesn't necessarily mean much,  :Wink:  From the listing title -  "Greco Electric Mandolin, Super Rare" - to the numerous synonyms - "unique," "yet to find another like it," "one of a kind," "rare find," "super rare and unique," - this seldom seen instrument's near-invisibility is touted repeatedly as a selling point. Might as well go with that; probably not much else going for it.  :Whistling: 

* Merriam-Webster defines "rare" thus:

1: seldom occurring or found: UNCOMMON
2a: marked by unusual quality, merit, or appeal: DISTINCTIVE
  b: superlative or extreme of its kind
I aver this wee beastie is much closer to definition 1 than either definition 2.  :Wink:

----------


## mrmando

That's just the point, these aren't rare at all. If you can't find another one of these, you're not looking very hard. 

Maybe you can't find another one that says "Greco," but there have to be hundreds if not thousands of these old Japanese electric KayKraft copies floating about, identical to this one in every respect save the brand name.

----------

journeybear

----------


## maxr

Currently I suspect we're at a high point of collectibles, where any old junk from 1980s back is pitched as high as anyone will pay (and higher). There are also lots of people understandably desperate to try to make a few $$ because of Covid affecting their income. All collectibles bubbles deflate or burst eventually, and when they do, only the inherently good or very old stuff retains value, even if it drops a lot.

One thing I notice now on Ebay (probably happens on other sites) which should, and maybe will, be stopped is false pricing.  When you do a Google search for some popular domestic item like a torch or common power tool, you'll see items listed under the 'shopping' heading at prices less than what you see when you click through to Ebay for that item from that trader. I'm told this is because some discount retailers are listing items which are not available at the advertised price. When you click through to Ebay you find they're anything from $1 to $10 more than the Google listing showed. I don't know whether those traders think we won't notice they've done this, but I blacklist them for it.

----------


## Martin Beer

I have no idea if this mandolin is even from the same factory, but Greco electric guitars and basses are among the better regarded Japanese copies of that era, and even have a few collectors. So I suspect the seller may be hoping to use this to attract some interest.

----------


## mrmando

> I have no idea if this mandolin is even from the same factory, but Greco electric guitars and basses are among the better regarded Japanese copies of that era, and even have a few collectors. So I suspect the seller may be hoping to use this to attract some interest.


[Checks Wikipedia] Yes, I see what you mean ... perhaps this seller hopes that some of the guitars' reputation will spill over onto this mandolin. Still, there's no visual evidence that it is any different from other factory mandolins of the era, whereas the guitars do seem to have been more specialized.

----------


## John Soper

And even if the Greco mandolin were rare, it might not be desirable.  I think Gruhn said:  "Bubonic plague is rare, but not desirable"

----------

oinkstrings, 

Skip Kelley

----------


## jaycat

Not a mandolin, but I couldn't resist.

https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/ms...435305853.html

----------


## journeybear

There's something a little different about this guitar. Not sure what, can't quite put my finger on it, I just get a feeling ...  :Confused: 

But despite its looks, I wouldn't be surprised if this sold. It's priced to move, and the seller will deliver to the area.

----------


## Northwest Steve

Here is one - https://reverb.com/item/47200281-gib...-and-2-saddles

This spectacular mandolin just celebrated it’s 100th birthday this year! For her birthday she enjoyed a centennial, bare-wood concourse restoration. Everything from repaired binding, new Stew Mac finish and clear coat to fret work, neck work, structural repair and more… you name it, it’s been addressed and finessed back to a healthy glow. Comes with a brand new hard shell case and fresh D’Addario strings, picks etc.

----------


## MikeEdgerton

You need the entire text.




> This spectacular mandolin just celebrated it’s 100th birthday this year! For her birthday she enjoyed a centennial, bare-wood concourse restoration. Everything from repaired binding, new Stew Mac finish and clear coat to fret work, neck work, structural repair and more… you name it, it’s been addressed and finessed back to a healthy glow. Comes with a brand new hard shell case and fresh D’Addario strings, picks etc.
> 
> As you can see, this 100 year old Gibson A (like thousands of others), needed quite a bit of TLC when she arrived and she received it in spades from JML Studios in NYC. Everything from an impossibly weathered original paper label to peeling up binding!
> 
> The luthiers at JML Studios are constantly restoring world class mandolins every day and this one is probably the coolest (dare I say best sounding) mando ever to grace our benches.
> 
> This highly projective 1921 Gibson A model is now a very strong 8-string mandolin, ready to go another 100 years. It was sanded down to the bare wood and completely restored from the ground up using only the very best luthier stains and clear coat products money can buy. The binding has been fixed as well, as it was coming up where the neck meets the body, look at the last picture for details. No expense was spared and we even had a new handmade Gibson engraved saddle made (1:1 spec) just for the restoration (old tailpiece is included, as seen in last picture). The old oxidized saddle, while original, was also blank AMD I’ve always preferred the Gibson stamped ashtray covered ones so I had one made to spec and appropriately distressed by some pretty incredible craftsman. The original is also included in the listing and can be put back on but the new one looks way better imho. Even the original paper-label serial badge on the inside, which was all but completely disintegrated away, was recreated by veteran mandolin luthier Scott Fox of SOuth Carolina who specialized in those types of concourse restoration details. Scott actually serviced this one of 8 mandolins at the same time in 97, which he sold to the guy I bought this one from. His name is written in sharpie down in the body. Too far to get a photo but I contacted him. He sounds like he’s in his late 90’s and couldn’t remember which one I was talking about. When I got this mandolin however, his 97 restoration, just like an old 1997 hot rod, desperately needed a facelift and a ground up job. It’s now ready for another 40-50 years of like new playability and shine.
> 
> Every single thing you see was attended to. These sell as high as 10k when done right (see pricing screenshot in pics) and this one is being done RIGHT but will go for much less to move quickly. This is one of the loudest, warmest and boldest sounding mando’s on the market today. Everyone that hears it agrees it’s the loudest and boomiest mando they’ve ever heard. The sound itself is just massive.
> ...


I have one that is in better shape than his was when it started. I'm thinking if I can get half what he thinks he can get I'm good.

----------


## Jim Garber

Didn’t we discuss this $8500 A model a few pages ago on this thread?

----------


## journeybear

> Didnt we discuss this $8500 A model a few pages ago on this thread?


Yessir, just 50 posts ago , beginning on Thanksgiving. Guess it hasn't attracted as many serious buyers as the seller believed it would.  :Chicken:

----------


## Skip Kelley

https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/ms...435305853.html

[/QUOTE]


What were they thinking? Oh,maybe they werent 😉

----------


## Bazz Jass

> This one is even more ridiculous....
> 
> https://reverb.com/item/47200281-gib...m=Feed%20Email


"You will not find a cleaner, stronger, or more beautiful Gibson Model A Mandolin on the internet."

Unless that is, you have 30 seconds to do a Google search.

I pinned this one pre restore. Now it's umm.... restored and the price is no less ridiculous.

But hey, perhaps it sounds great? Check the video clip. I need to get my speakers checked - I don't remember hearing a worse video demo....!

https://reverb.com/item/47200281-gib...-and-2-saddles

Oh, it has two saddles!

----------


## mrmando

Who told this cat that red was the original color?

----------


## mrmando

> But hey, perhaps it sounds great? Check the video clip. I need to get my speakers checked - I don't remember hearing a worse video demo....!


He's got it tuned EBF#C#, and it doesn't sound like that tuning on those strings does this mandolin any favors.

----------


## Jim Garber

I wondered about the tuning. It didn’t sound standard. I don’t get how someone can be so oblivious to the vintage instrument market. Maybe he doesn’t have a computer. If you search for Gibson mandolin among the first would be Mandolin Cafe and he can could have read about all sorts of restorations. Maybe out there is an equally clueless deep-walleted classic car aficionado who will fall for the concourse restoration description. So very odd.

----------


## mrmando

Tuning might actually be in fourths, come to think of it, but that low string is definitely tuned to E.

----------


## rcc56

I looked at the listing on that one before the "repairs" were executed.
Because the old finish was so far gone, I believe that there actually would have been reasonable justification for re-doing the top finish, _if_ it was to be well done using period correct materials, i.e. brown aniline dye and spirit varnish.

My estimate of the instrument's market value, pre-"repair":   maybe $100 - $200 tops.
My estimate of what its value might have been, correctly and conscientiously repaired:  $600, maybe a little more.
My estimate of the value now that the "repairs" have been completed:   maybe $200 tops.

I'm beginning to believe that the seller might actually believe his own description.
What worries me is that a year from now, some poor fool will buy it for $1000, which would still be way too high.

What in h---'s name did they do to that peghead???

----------

allenhopkins, 

mrmando, 

Richard500

----------


## CarlM

> https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/ms...435305853.html



What were they thinking? Oh,maybe they weren’t [/QUOTE]

Maybe they thought it would be easier to play upside down and backwards like Jimi Hendryx.

----------


## rcc56

Well, that one could be construed to be an "objet d'art."
But I don't see any way that the butchered A model could qualify for such a distinction.

----------


## Jim Garber

> What were they thinking? Oh,maybe they weren’t


Maybe they thought it would be easier to play upside down and backwards like Jimi Hendryx.[/QUOTE]

I recall a bunch of these, multiple models, showing up at NAMM one year. Since the craigslist image is no longer visible…

----------


## NickR

A "concourse restoration". 

Concourse: 
a large open area inside or in front of a public building.
"a station concourse"

----------


## mrmando

> My estimate of the value now that the "repairs" have been completed:   maybe $200 tops.


One-quarter of that would be the aluminum saddle!

----------


## Bazz Jass

How do you even put this in a listing that has photos????

"...it’s been addressed and finessed back to a perfect instrument, put in a case and marked for sale as brand new, without a scratch."

----------


## jim simpson

That's nuts! from Nutley, NJ, lol!

----------

Bazz Jass

----------


## Jim Garber

> A "concourse restoration". 
> 
> Concourse: 
> a large open area inside or in front of a public building.
> "a station concourse"


This is a collectible car term:




> The full concours restoration is an unlimited reconstruction of an automobile to 100 point perfection including every nut, bolt, finish and part. It is a restoration that brings the interior, exterior, trunk compartment, engine compartment and the undercarriage to original. Every individual part on the car is refurbished. Due to the detail required, this is the most expensive type of restoration.

----------

Jess L.

----------


## mrmando

Here is what the same seller has done with an old made-for-export Sicilian bowlback: 
https://reverb.com/item/47200475-ref...lback-mandolin

Most people wouldn't undertake to restore such a thing, understanding that they'd never get enough money out of it to justify the amount of work put into it. Points to this guy for trying it anyway, I guess. 

However, I'm guessing he used standard American strings that are probably too heavy. Note that the D strings aren't even installed correctly (they cross over behind the bridge) and even post-restoration the action appears to be a mile high. 

Price has been dropped from $1850 to $1399. I don't see what would possess anyone to buy it, though.

----------


## Richard500

> This is a collectible car term:


 Well, for those outside of the NY metro area, the word concourse  relates to a major, even Grand, thoroughfare in the Bronx, or The Bronx, but in Joisey, language is often somewhat perverse, and even pedestrian (wd?) car shows turn up as Concourse dElegance, or even Concourses de Elegant.  

Now Im no snob about who might be less well-spoken, especially in the general public*.  But I did choke over hyde glue.
From the sales guy at a restoration shop?  Or is this ye olde restoration shoppe and hyde boiler?
So I Googled: and there is a Jekyll and Hyde glue product, I just didnt know.

*Latest survey indicates that 54% of the American adult public reads no higher than sixth grade level.  Writing, obviously even worse.

----------


## journeybear

> Tuning might actually be in fourths, come to think of it, but that low string is definitely tuned to E.


I think you're right about this. Those look like guitar chords. 

At first I thought he was trying to be the Joni Mitchell of the mandolin, with some sort of odd open tuning. But even with whatever inventive tuning Joni concocted, she was always in tune. This guy, not so much.

For the life of me, I don't understand him. You'd think, with how much he's asking for this, he would put some effort into presenting this instrument in its best way. He is not. Why he hasn't taken the time to learn how to tune a mandolin and play it properly is beyond me. And when he mentions his other mandolins, I wonder whether they too are tuned this way. This whole deal is mind-boggling.




> *Latest survey indicates that 54% of the American adult public reads no higher than sixth grade level.  Writing, obviously even worse.


I'm not sure where you've gotten this figure, but it wouldn't surprise me. What I find around the interweb, especially facebook, bears this out. This is one reason I spend so much time at the Café, enjoying the palaver of its erudite denizens, for the most part.  :Whistling:

----------

Bazz Jass

----------


## pops1

Has anyone noticed the screws sticking out of the top of the saddle. OUCH!!!. If it was so painstakingly redone they must have missed that.

----------

Bazz Jass

----------


## Steve 2E

> Has anyone noticed the screws sticking out of the top of the saddle. OUCH!!!. If it was so painstakingly redone they must have missed that.


I did miss that, but I noticed those tuners might work for a Washburn bowlback that I have. I just haven't figured out how to flip a $6500 mandolin that on a good day might be worth a tenth of the asking price.

----------


## mrmando

> Has anyone noticed the screws sticking out of the top of the saddle. OUCH!!!. If it was so painstakingly redone they must have missed that.


You would be taking pains every time you strummed it!

Those aluminum saddles were originally held on by little nuts that fit over the post. Few of the saddles are still around; even fewer of the nuts are.

----------


## pops1

> You would be taking pains every time you strummed it!
> 
> Those aluminum saddles were originally held on by little nuts that fit over the post. Few of the saddles are still around; even fewer of the nuts are.


I thought there was one under and one above. If you put one under the action would be a little high.

----------


## mrmando

> I thought there was one under and one above. If you put one under the action would be a little high.


That may be right. I know I've seen photos of how these saddles were set up, although I don't know where such a photo would be at this instant.

----------


## Ray(T)

> Here is what the same seller has done with an old made-for-export Sicilian bowlback: 
> https://reverb.com/item/47200475-ref...lback-mandolin
> 
> Most people wouldn't undertake to restore such a thing, understanding that they'd never get enough money out of it to justify the amount of work put into it. Points to this guy for trying it anyway, I guess. 
> 
> However, I'm guessing he used standard American strings that are probably too heavy. Note that the D strings aren't even installed correctly (they cross over behind the bridge) and even post-restoration the action appears to be a mile high. 
> 
> Price has been dropped from $1850 to $1399. I don't see what would possess anyone to buy it, though.


Sicilian? He says its from Catinia - wherever that is! Last time I looked most Sicilian mandolins were made in Catania.

As for the butchered Gibson, knock the $6000 off the current asking price and youre probably in the right ballpark.

We really ought to start a thread about the worst mandolin demo videos!

----------


## journeybear

> Few of the saddles are still around; even fewer of the nuts are.


And even fewer of the nuts who would shell out that much scratch for a restored, refinished A model.

----------


## pops1

> I thought there was one under and one above. If you put one under the action would be a little high.


Went back and looked at the pic again, and there is a knurled adjuster under the saddle, but the posts would still stick out even if there were another on the top.

----------


## journeybear

Just thought this CL gem belongs here. At that price, it's not going anywhere. But I appreciate optimism.  :Smile:

----------


## Jim Garber

Hmmm… I *am* Sirius. Woof!  :Smile:

----------


## Eric Platt

> Hmmm… I *am* Sirius. Woof!


"I am Sirius. And don't call me Shirley." Fixed that for ya! :Grin:

----------

Jim Garber, 

Timbofood

----------


## allenhopkins

If you're really Sirius, you should buy a Rigel!

Aren't astronomy jokes cool...?

----------

Eric Platt, 

Sue Rieter, 

Timbofood

----------


## journeybear

Yes, they're out of this world! 

Ah, don't get me star-ted ...  :Whistling:

----------

allenhopkins, 

David Rambo, 

Sue Rieter, 

Timbofood

----------


## MikeEdgerton

> Just thought this CL gem belongs here. At that price, it's not going anywhere. But I appreciate optimism.


You definitely need a copy of the CL post for posterity. This is after all, a museum quality post.

----------

brunello97, 

journeybear, 

Sue Rieter, 

tjmangum

----------


## journeybear

Yes, indeed, thanks. Context* is* important. And we do need *all* the info whilst preserving for posterior.

----------


## Mark Gunter

I should trade my $25k rogue for that one.

----------

MikeEdgerton

----------


## MikeEdgerton

I would think a twenty-five thousand dollar Rogue would be very rare indeed!

----------


## journeybear

Seriously. Think about it. A Rogue worth that much would be even rarer than this. Best hang onto it. Till someone makes you an offer you can't refuse.  :Cool:

----------


## Jim Garber

This is certainly an interesting old bowlback with an interesting construction but a ridiculous asking price: https://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Antique-Bowl-Back-Mandolin-by-Voorhees-Mandolin-6-Instrument-/133653715618

Marked down from $7500 to $6375.

----------


## journeybear

I considered it for half a mo - the seller does say it's in great condition - then I read further and saw it's missing a few strings. 

Sorry, deal-breaker.  :Frown:

----------


## LadysSolo

At the rate he (or she) is reducing the price, I would consider it after about 3 or 4 more price reductions.  :Popcorn:

----------


## Richard500

> I considered it for half a mo - the seller does say it's in great condition - then I read further and saw it's missing a few strings. 
> 
> Sorry, deal-breaker.


That is frequently a ShopGoodwill criterion for a caption “parts or repair”.

----------


## journeybear

> I considered it for half a mo - the seller does say it's in great condition - then I read further and saw it's missing a few strings. 
> 
> Sorry, deal-breaker.





> That is frequently a ShopGoodwill criterion for a caption “parts or repair”.


Perhaps my sarcasm was too drily presented.  :Whistling:  I'll never understand why some sellers even mention the old strings - sometimes they make it sound as if they believe they have antique value.  :Confused: 




> At the rate he (or she) is reducing the price, I would consider it after about 3 or 4 more price reductions.


At first I thought that, instead of *reducing* the price by 15%, he should be *offering* it at 15%. But $1125 would still be far too much for this. Even 5% is a bit much, but much closer ...

Though I must say, that back is in awfully good shape. Nice and shiny too. Then there's that charming case.

----------

Dusepo

----------


## allenhopkins

*Parallel thread on the Voorhees bowl-back.*

----------


## Jim Garber

Yes and this wacky seller of the Voorhees mandolin now bumped price back up to $7500. That is very logical if something gets little interest then price it higher, right?

----------


## maxr

> That is very logical… if something gets little interest then price it higher, right?


Today I was looking for 100ml of Lugol's iodine, suitable for sanitising vegetables, wounds from dissatisfied audients, and preowned Ebay recorders. This stuff usually retails in UK about £18-£22, but there's a seller on EbayUK with maybe 10+ listings at £200. I've seen this kind of overpricing before - are they just hoping somebody's really bad at math, or what?

----------


## journeybear

In instances such as this, I tend to assume the *seller* is really bad at math.  :Wink:  Or it's some kind of typo, ridiculously overlooked. At some point, one would think a friend would point this out so it can be corrected. It could be caused by an errant 0 or decimal point. (I vaguely recall something similar was reported not long ago.) Then again, so many listings like that ... It's hard to see how someone could be that sloppy.

----------

maxr

----------


## Jim Garber

I have seen some listings on eBay and Amazon for out of print books or CDs that are in the stratosphere when you can find reasonable pricing for the same items from other sellers. I have a feeling that these may be collectors who can’t bear to let go of precious things or else there are buyers who have deep pockets and don’t care. It is odd though.

----------


## maxr

I guess these 'out of line' Ebay prices could just be a mistake in the example I give, as suggested above. On the other hand...when Covid first appeared, new Ebay posts appeared advertising 100ml bottles of alcohol based hand sanitiser (normal retail say £1-£2) for £20 and more, and sugar free/Keto granola for 5 x normal retail. It seems like anytime there's some kind of crisis or shortage there are some attempts on Ebay to sell things which might become scarce for x10 the normal price. Why would anyone buy them IF comparable products beside them are much cheaper (which usually happens, but not always)? I dunno, but I'd speculate those adds are posted in the hope of either panic, mathematical or technological incompetence. I don't think we can blame Ebay for this, it's just another retail market, albeit without the direct customer reactions you might get trying to sell hand sanitiser on street corners at rip off prices. So, I hope everyone watches with interest next time there's a world crisis resulting in panic buying of mandolins  :Smile:

----------


## Richard500

First noticed this with books, and the culprit was said to be autopricing algorithms that look at comparables and run prices up to be just below the top - but that winds up matching the actually valuable rare first edition to the dog-eared worthless one. This becomes recursive, and crazy prices ensue.  Every mandolin becomes equal to a Loar.
On commodity items, if a vendor is out of stock, but wants to retain ranking, they won’t pull the listing, but just put a go-away high price until they can restock.
There are other mechanisms supposedly at work, some actually scammy, but I hardly ever use ebay, so don’t pay attention to the details.

----------

Eric Platt, 

Jim Garber

----------


## allenhopkins

> ...On commodity items, if a vendor is out of stock, but wants to retain ranking, they won’t pull the listing, but just put a go-away high price until they can restock...


Frick:  "I'll sell you that widget for $500."

Frack: "_$500!?_  Frumus has the same widget priced at $250!"

Frick:  "So, buy your widget from Frumus, then."

Frack: "I can't; he's out of stock."

Frick:  "Well, when _I'm_ out of stock, I price 'em at $200."

----------

Eric Platt, 

Jim Garber, 

journeybear, 

Richard500, 

Timbofood

----------


## journeybear

:Laughing:   :Laughing:   :Laughing:   :Laughing:   :Laughing:  

Too funny! And yet, a bit sad. All too often, good deals are hard to find, as so many sellers are more interested in making big one-time  profits than developing repeat customers. But meanwhile ... 

 :Laughing:   :Laughing:   :Laughing:   :Laughing:   :Laughing:

----------

allenhopkins

----------


## GeeBee

https://reverb.com/item/51935843-indiana-bm1-sunburst

A mandolin that sells for $90 new, listed at $120. Looks like the neck joint is broken. Can anyone make out the signatures?

----------


## journeybear

Somebody'd better buy that quick, before the neck falls off altogether.  :Disbelief:  "Used – Excellent" condition? I don't think so, bubba!  :Laughing: 

Not sure who "Powder" is/was. But the other signature, dating from Stevie Wonder's 54th birthday ('04) - it's a safe bet that's not Bill Monroe.

----------


## jim simpson

> Somebody'd better buy that quick, before the neck falls off altogether.  "Used  Excellent" condition? I don't think so, bubba! 
> 
> Not sure who "Powder" is/was. But the other signature, dating from Stevie Wonder's 54th birthday ('04) - it's a safe bet that's not Bill Monroe.


Powder:

----------


## journeybear

Hmmm ... All good and well, but a movie title a mandolinist doth not make.  :Frown:

----------


## journeybear

> https://reverb.com/item/51935843-indiana-bm1-sunburst
> 
> A mandolin that sells for $90 new, listed at $120. Looks like the neck joint is broken. Can anyone make out the signatures?


Well, it sold. Full asking price. Happens.

----------


## Caberguy

I submit for your consideration, this "Northfield," which I take to mean that it was built in the north field:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/23448223286...0dea%7Ciid%3A1

----------


## Charles E.

Thats about an ugly mandolin as I have ever seen.   :Frown: 

I hope the good folks at Northfield have a sense of humor.

----------


## Sue Rieter

oh my. In another post I stated my opinion that ugly can be beautiful. Sometimes ugly is just ugly  :Disbelief:

----------

David Rambo

----------


## Eric Platt

Oh my that is ugly. And I have no confidence on the solder joints on that volume pot either.

----------

David Rambo

----------


## journeybear

I wonder why the builder/seller decided on the name "Northfield" for this. Or, for that matter, if that's what the logo says. The two photos which show the front of the headstock show only part of the logo and are too blurry to make it legible. 

For posterior ...

   
   

If it does indeed say "Northfield" on the headstock, I would think this qualifies as attempted fraud.

----------


## journeybear

As much as people tend to be dismissive of ugly things, sometimes there is a comical side to them - if they are SO ugly they are in a sense, beautiful.

I have these two, um, artifacts. They are by no means playable instruments. I don't recall, but I don't think that quality was mentioned in the ads for them. The one on the left caused quite a stir when it appeared here. It got picked apart for its many, many faults. I mean, we had a field day with this. I joined in the fun, to be sure. But the more I looked at it, the more I became fascinated with it. And the seller was not asking much for it. Plus I got him to throw in the shipping.  :Laughing:  I found the other one a couple of years later. These are wall hangings and conversation pieces, nothing more. Although I keep thinking of finding a luthier willing to risk his reputation and having him install accurate frets and genuine tuners, bridge, nut, and whatever it takes to create an _electric_ instrument from one of them. It would never be an acoustic instrument; it's built from knotty pine or something, more suited for furniture than luthiery.

----------

David Rambo

----------


## Richard500

Right to be fascinated.  These are folk art.  Could also call them primitive.  Possibly the work of a disabled person.  Each took time, possibly scarce resources, and is an image of a desired thing.  Makes you wish you knew the maker, or the maker’s story.

----------

journeybear

----------


## journeybear

I tried to do that. It took a lot of doing. I tracked him to an old folks' home in Carolina, IIRC, but I think he died before I could get up there. I wasn't 100% sure it was him anyway. But I agree with you. I think he was trying to recreate something he had seen but didn't know how to, other than with what skills, tools, and materials he had at hand. And yes, primitive, or folk art - I believe, though, they come from the heart, and are the physical realizations of someone's imagination. As such, they bear a resemblance to music being made. One thinks of a melody or chord pattern and uses an instrument to translate it from thought into music. That's why I call my mandolin my reality interface. It's the interface between my inner and outer selves. Mr. Gibbs used his tools and whatever would he could find to create something akin to what he had seen and/or heard. I see no evidence of him understanding luthiery, but he did understand woodworking. Yes, they're odd, and ugly compared to bonafide mandolins. But they still have their own rough-hewn charm, and in their own way, inspire.

I don't think the same can be said of this "Northfield." That's just ... pretty rough.  :Grin:

----------

Richard500

----------


## maxr

Assuming Mr Gibbs came from a line of Gibbs, you have a 'Gibbs son' mandolin there...

----------

Denis Kearns, 

journeybear, 

Rush Burkhardt

----------


## journeybear

Yessir! It may well be this represents the source point, the wellspring from which all that is Gibson has sprung. It is primitive, after all, from the same root as "prime," the first. Coincidence? Destiny? Who's to say?  :Confused:

----------


## Chris Gray

I found this on Reverb. I'm not sure if it's an April fools joke...

https://reverb.com/item/45114523-saw...mando-electric

----------


## Sue Rieter

> I found this on Reverb. I'm not sure if it's an April fools joke...


That's really .... something. I'm not sure what

----------


## journeybear

The seller has uploaded over a dozen photographs of the contraption!  :Disbelief:  That's more than are provided for many vintage instruments, all too often. There are also several other interesting artifacts in the "Similar Listings" area at the bottom. Who knew this is a thing, that there is a possibly burgeoning industry here?  :Confused:

----------


## Dusepo

> I found this on Reverb. I'm not sure if it's an April fools joke...
> 
> https://reverb.com/item/45114523-saw...mando-electric


Did anyone else watch the video?  :Laughing:

----------

Sue Rieter

----------


## journeybear

I tried to. Couldn't put up with it for more than a minute.  :Frown:  Wonder how many artifacts he actually sells?

----------


## Sue Rieter

> Did anyone else watch the video?


Thanks for pointing that out. Very strange. Funny how he's all over the place and his buddy just sits there in the back.
Scrolling down past the video I also saw his other things. Pretty funny.

JB, he's got 81 buyer reviews!

----------


## pops1

I didn't make it thru, nothing ventured, nothing gained I guess.

----------


## Jim Garber

> I found this on Reverb. I'm not sure if it's an April fools joke...
> 
> https://reverb.com/item/45114523-saw...mando-electric


I think you are paying for the excellent craftsmanship. :-)

----------


## journeybear

> JB, he's got 81 buyer reviews!


Somehow I'm not surprised.  :Frown:  I'll bet some are a hoot to read. I'm not quite that bored, yet.  :Wink:  100% positive reviews of the shop, though.

He is super annoying. But since his prices are low, these things must sell. So they don't qualify for inclusion here.  :Whistling: 

Hey - we've got standards. They're pretty low, but we've got 'em.  :Laughing:

----------


## journeybear

I just looked at my "recently viewed list." Kerman mandolins, restored Gibson A, two F-4s, and this.   :Crying: 

BTW, IIRC, at the beginning of "It Might Get Loud," Jack White slaps together something like this - just a board, a string, a pickup, and an output jack, plugs it in, and wails. So I guess ... why not?  :Confused:

----------


## journeybear

Yup.



PS: A bit of MC - Autoplay on the above led me to ... At 5:30 Jimmy Page messes about on a nice old A model, "The Battle Of Evermore."  :Cool:

----------


## Chris Gray

Another good Reverb find....

https://reverb.com/item/52800434-unb...s-natural-wood

----------


## Richard500

Interesting, but dating it not obvious. Seller must have too much iron in the blood if he affects magnetic poles.

----------


## rcc56

A real bargain here . . .   :Whistling: 
1918 Gibson A-1, only $2995 [double the usual market price].
http://www.garysguitars.com/catalog/...son-1-mandolin

The strange thing is this guy has been posting instruments at above market prices for decades, but somehow has managed to remain in business.

----------

tjmangum

----------


## Charles E.

Do you mean like this Monteleone guitar?

https://www.garysguitars.com/catalog...ne-radio-flyer

----------


## Jeff Mando

In fairness, Gary is known for having super clean stuff and has been doing it a long time.  And, yes, he is often pushing the market.  He often has the same instruments listed for 5 years before they sell at his price.  And, like previously stated, he manages to stay in business.

Also, to be fair, other sellers have also used this technique to draw attention to certain instruments.  I remember a couple years ago Carters had a guitar that was once owned by Wesley Rose that Hank Williams borrowed to write some of his first songs with.  The guitar without the provenance would be a $100 catalog guitar, at best -- not even close to a Gibson or a Martin -- I forget the exact asking price, but it was 6 figures.  I saw it in the showcase a couple years ago.  The weird thing is that is must have sold -- I don't see it advertised anymore.......makes ya think, doesn't it?

----------


## Jim Garber

I agree with Jeff. Many of the prominent vintage dealers decades ago were pushing the envelope. I remember that Mandolin Brothers, Matt Umanov, and George Gruhn often had higher prices and would wait until the market caught up. On the other hand I bought from all of them at some time or other when they had exactly what I wanted and I was willing to spend the extra price. Hey I even remember a maple Nick Lucas guitar that was to die for back in the 1980s. I loved it but couldn’t justify the $1200 price back then. I remember saying to my friend that that sounds like a price a store would charge for a Martín, not for a Gibson. So it goes.

----------

Eric Platt

----------


## jim simpson

Here's a Gibson that seems a bit high considering it has replacement tuners, non original case, and a headstock seam separation. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/29488862800...QAAOSwf4xiQNnj

----------


## journeybear

Yeah, but it's a 1909 (-ish), so ...  :Whistling:

----------


## Richard500

From seller’s screen name, not likely to be interested in taking up dad’s axe.

----------

Dusepo

----------


## Bazz Jass

Way too much going on with this 1921 F4 at Elderly, for that sort of price!

https://www.elderly.com/products/gibson-f-4-1921

"VGC+ (entire instrument except headstock overlay refinished (natural), plugged jack hole in lower bout, two top braces installed by Elderly to support top, some sinkage, top is stable)"

"Bound ebony replacement radiused fretboard with extension"

"Replacement tortoise plastic raised pickguard"

Even in it's repaired condition, I wouldn't rate it VGC+. I doesn't look great to me.

----------


## Denis Kearns

> Way too much going on with this 1921 F4 at Elderly, for that sort of price!
> ………
> Even in it's repaired condition, I wouldn't rate it VGC+. I doesn't look great to me.


Agreed, with the refinish job, it just looks wrong.  There is something almost disquieting about the way it looks.  Kinda like the “uncanny valley” condition with computer-generated face images.

----------


## jim simpson

> Way too much going on with this 1921 F4 at Elderly, for that sort of price!
> 
> https://www.elderly.com/products/gibson-f-4-1921
> 
> "VGC+ (entire instrument except headstock overlay refinished (natural), plugged jack hole in lower bout, two top braces installed by Elderly to support top, some sinkage, top is stable)"
> 
> "Bound ebony replacement radiused fretboard with extension"
> 
> "Replacement tortoise plastic raised pickguard"
> ...


Odd finish choice for refinishing. Was in such bad shape that it needed it? If so, perhaps a darker side and back stain (could help hide plugged hole), and perhaps a vintage tint to the top. I'd want to see before photos. I agree it's a bit too steep considering all of the factors.

----------


## LadysSolo

Maybe they should have used the Gibson "pumpkin" finish on it - I think it would look more appropriate, YMMV.

----------


## Richard500

Have no idea about cost of luthier labor at Elderly or their subs, but since this is consigned, someone paid. This instrument in the before state would have to have been bought very low, or else the seller is taking a loss, IMHO.
If the originality-paramount-to-value collector folk are not lining up to buy, someone else, with different perspective, will.  After all, the finish was a preference of the present owner.  Then again, they’re selling it!

----------


## journeybear

I think it'll sell, regardless. It's priced to move - more or less - as instruments of this style and vintage tend to run half-again to nearly twice as much. Granting all that it's been through, it was still built back then with those now-aged woods. 

And *looks* ain't everything. I'd like to hear how it *sounds.*  :Wink:

----------

Eric Platt

----------


## Eric Platt

Agree that this one will sell. The added braces by Elderly would not be cheaply done.

If it sounded good, I would consider it if looking for an F oval hole.

----------


## Jeff Mando

> ...If the originality-paramount-to-value collector folk are not lining up to buy, someone else, with different perspective, will.


I agree.  When I worked at a vintage guitar shop, guitar guys would often buy a vintage Gibson mandolin to "mess around" with, not being super concerned with the fine points.

I agree the jack hole patch is ugly and poorly done, IMHO.

----------


## Bazz Jass

I would be interested to know where those extra braces were put, and what impact this would have on the sound? Surely the difference between one and three braces would be discernible?

Anyway, what do I know. It sold in 3 days....

----------

journeybear

----------


## journeybear

Yeah, not surprised. It's a player, not a collectible. I think for inclusion on this thread, an item should be way, way overpriced, just silly in that way, not just kinda weird. We've had a few examples lately that were most def weird, but not so far out of reach they wouldn't move. Like those slapped-together electric items from a couple weeks ago. If they were priced in the few-hundred-dollar range, yeah. But for only fifty or sixty bucks? They'll sell.  :Laughing: 

Ah, well. They're all "things that make you go, 'Hmmm...'" as Arsenio Hall used to say.  :Wink:

----------

Bazz Jass, 

Sue Rieter

----------


## Sue Rieter

"Just kinda weird" may need it's own thread, as it is, after all, intrinsically interesting.

----------

Bazz Jass, 

Timbofood

----------


## Charles E.

Flatiron pancake, over priced by about 2K I think.....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/31390915615...sAAOSwRQZiKrU4

 :Disbelief:

----------


## Jim Garber

> Flatiron pancake, over priced by about 2K I think.....
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/31390915615...sAAOSwRQZiKrU4


I agree but, once again, this is in Japan. This Flatiron was the fanciest of the pancakes -- extra maple syrup and plays like butter (as any pancake should).  :Smile:  Still...

----------


## rcc56

And then there's this blonde F-4 for $9750 [reduced]:
http://www.reverb.com/item/51716308-...-mandolin-1909 
We've seen this seller before.

----------


## Sue Rieter

One offer pending. I wonder if they're being "that guy"?

----------


## rcc56

The "offer pending" tag isn't coming up on my screen.

It doesn't matter, though.  As much as I like the look of a blonde F-4, it isn't me . . .
Neither is there temptation, nor any desire to be "that guy" on an asking price that far out of line.

But I did have to resist temptation on the 2 point torch and wire blonde F-4 that went through reverb a month or two ago for $5500.
I used my standard tool for keeping the pledge intact, even when something really good comes along:  I just wait, and usually someone else will buy it.  If the price is reasonable, it only takes a week or two.

----------


## journeybear

It's not an "offer pending" tag, per se. Under the "Make an Offer" button it says "1 Offer." That is what's pending. I think the count is there to nudge people to make more offers, as a gauge of interest. Much as does the tally of people who've put it on their "Watch" lists.

I have a feeling that, because the asking price is so high, anyone who makes an offer in keeping with the current market value will be considered by the seller to be "that guy."  :Popcorn:

----------


## NickR

Just a "vintage" pickguard but at quite a price. I don't understand any of the "logic" behind the attribution. Of course, Gibson did not make any sound hole mandolins during the period mentioned. I think the notion that it is "possibly guitar" in origin has a bit more substance but I don't think it has been near a real Gibson.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/27526224963...3ABFBM2LyYgYpg

----------


## Bazz Jass

This is all making me very pleased I got my '21 F4 for $3400 last year!

----------


## journeybear

And I my '22 for $4500. Yes, more than yours, but from right at the start of the Loar era. And still, less than half of what "that guy" is asking.  :Whistling:

----------


## Ed McGarrigle

I saw this “Camp Branded Wooden 8 String Mandolin” on Shopgoodwill web site and aside from the decrepit shape of it, what the heck is going on with the tuners?

----------


## Eric Platt

> I saw this “Camp Branded Wooden 8 String Mandolin” on Shopgoodwill web site and aside from the decrepit shape of it, what the heck is going on with the tuners?


Someone possibly needed new posts/gears for a different mandolin or even guitar. This was lying around and became a donor. I did that back in the late 1970's with a Harmony flat-top. The tuning gear teeth stripped on one so got one from a junk guitar and made it work.

----------


## Richard500

Some designs, if the screw holding the post gear falls out, the whole post comes loose. If theres no string there, it all goes away.
Coincidence with the nearby thread about the British Ebay find of a round-body mandolin, and the L-H invention of the Camp design, ca. 1923.  I like this one and may bid. Dont worry, Ill drop out early.  If I perchance do get it, Ill be looking for a couple bits of hardware.

----------


## Sue Rieter

1920s Lyon & Healy Camp Mandolin on Jake Wildwood's site. Includes a sound clip.

https://jakewildwood.blogspot.com/20...-mandolin.html

----------


## NickR

I have never seen what I assume are Waverly tuners quite like those on Jake Wildwood's Camp mandolin. The tuners on the mandolin in question are far more common but the plates on the other one are just a bit different to the norm.

----------


## Jim Garber

> I have never seen what I assume are Waverly tuners quite like those on Jake Wildwood's Camp mandolin. The tuners on the mandolin in question are far more common but the plates on the other one are just a bit different to the norm.


 I didn’t see anywhere on Jake’s posting where he said these were Waverly tuners. Did I miss something?

----------


## NickR

Jim, he didn't- I wrote that I was assuming they were Waverly made. With that plate shape I thought they were Waverly but the plates had a little detail difference at the ends. He mentions they are original to the instrument. Of course, they may not be from Waverly but if they are not, I cannot suggest an alternative maker in this time period.

----------


## journeybear

OK, not a mandolin, but offered as a "guitar mandolin strap." It's not crazy expensive, maybe double what its price should be, but it is not very attractive and way too wide for a mandolin - indeed, it's wider than most mandolins' depths. That's overkill. Perhaps its load-bearing capability would work for a solid-body electric - but even then, it's too wide. It wouldn't have caught my eye if it didn't have "mandolin" in the listing title. BTW, it is indeed "Levy's," not "Levi's."  :Whistling:

----------


## rcc56

Also not a mandolin, but I couldn't resist this one:   http://www.reverb.com/item/29285934-...-one-of-a-kind

The capital letters are the seller's, not mine.
"MARTIN CUSTOM MADE 12 STRING 2001 ONE OF A KIND"
$10,000

Yes, it probably was a custom order, because Martin generally doesn't build 12 strings with smaller bodies.
But it is a lower end model, style 15 appointments with unbound all mahogany body and decal rosette, and I doubt the owner paid more than $1800 - $2000 for it at the most, and that's really pushing it.

He 'really wishes he didn't have to sell it, but really needs the money right now.'

Anybody feel sorry enough for him to give him 10k for this unique piece??   :Wink:

----------


## pops1

I believe they wrote a song years ago about this asking price.....Dreeeeam, dream dream dream...dreeeeeeam.

----------


## Bazz Jass

> Also not a mandolin, but I couldn't resist this one:   http://www.reverb.com/item/29285934-...-one-of-a-kind
> 
> The capital letters are the seller's, not mine.
> "MARTIN CUSTOM MADE 12 STRING 2001 ONE OF A KIND"
> $10,000
> 
> Yes, it probably was a custom order, because Martin generally doesn't build 12 strings with smaller bodies.
> But it is a lower end model, style 15 appointments with unbound all mahogany body and decal rosette, and I doubt the owner paid more than $1800 - $2000 for it at the most, and that's really pushing it.
> 
> ...


Yes, a J-15 12 string. Here's one that sold for $999. Perhaps the only OTHER one in existence??

https://reverb.com/item/3263480-mart...coustic-guitar

----------

journeybear

----------


## rcc56

I think that the "custom made" job is a 000 or OM [15"] rather than a J [16"].  I could be wrong about that.  If I am right, a 15" Martin 12 string would have been a special order.
But it doesn't really matter either way.  Brand new style 15's top out at about $1350.

----------

Eric Platt

----------


## milli857

> OK, not a mandolin, but offered as a "guitar mandolin strap." It's not crazy expensive, maybe double what its price should be, but it is not very attractive and way too wide for a mandolin - indeed, it's wider than most mandolins' depths. That's overkill. Perhaps its load-bearing capability would work for a solid-body electric - but even then, it's too wide. It wouldn't have caught my eye if it didn't have "mandolin" in the listing title. BTW, it is indeed "Levy's," not "Levi's."


It would be good for electric bass, which can sometimes weigh upwards of 12 lbs and a 3" wide strap can help a lot. 
Still, $80 is too high.

----------

journeybear

----------


## journeybear

Yeah, it's overkill - in design and price - for a mandolin. And it's pretty darned ugly, IMO. I do kind of like the notion of the pocket there - useful for picks, tuner, capo  :Disbelief:  - but not enough to offset the downsides.

I don't think I've ever bought a strap. I've always fashioned one out of some sort of cloth other material of the right length. Oh, yes, there was the time I modified a nylon dog leash for my F-12 - removed the buckle, folded it over and glued it, put some insulated wire through that loop to attach to the endpin, and slid the wrist loop at the other end over the scroll - which I'd gotten at a yard sale for a quarter. So OK, no such thing as 100%.  :Wink:

----------


## keith.rogers

Maybe this is a deal, because I am sure I know nothing about these things., but it sure looks like it could use some TLC. "Action seemed a little high at first" must be a conservative view, if the picture in the listing is how it is now.

https://houston.craigslist.org/msg/d...467650520.html

----------


## sounds_good

> Maybe this is a deal, because I am sure I know nothing about these things., but it sure looks like it could use some TLC. "Action seemed a little high at first" must be a conservative view, if the picture in the listing is how it is now.
> 
> https://houston.craigslist.org/msg/d...467650520.html


Thank you for pointing out this one.  That photo seems worth sharing.

"Action seemed a little high at first but when I restrang it and adjusted the bridge, it seems just about right."


In my opinion those frets look low.

----------


## pops1

> Thank you for pointing out this one.  That photo seems worth sharing.
> 
> "Action seemed a little high at first but when I restrang it and adjusted the bridge, it seems just about right."


Hahahahahahahah that action is unplayable, for me anyway.

----------


## allenhopkins

> "Action seemed a little high at first but when I restrang it and adjusted the bridge, it seems just about right."


Maybe he was playing slide mandolin...?

----------


## journeybear

I just want to say, I appreciate the seller's attempt to utilize the correct tense for the verb, "to restring."

----------

Sue Rieter

----------


## maxr

> I just want to say, I appreciate the seller's attempt to utilize the correct tense for the verb, "to restring."


'The Swang's The Thang' (c. Stevie Ray Vaughan?) - maybe he spoke his ad in.

----------


## journeybear

Ain't no thang!  :Laughing:  (And yes, believe it or not - actual mandolin content.  :Mandosmiley:

----------

maxr

----------


## jaycat

I wish I had known that restranging could fix high action, I wouldn't have paid for that neck reset.

----------

Timbofood

----------


## Kevin Winn

Just saw this one on the Portland CL:

https://portland.craigslist.org/grg/...473364410.html

$25K for a 1946 Gibson A

Especially love the description.  They'll be waiting quite a while for the Harry Potter character to contact them...

----------


## Ray(T)

Yes, “very, very rare” - on the basis that there’s only one of it! Haven’t we discussed this one before? (“Sirius” buyers only.)

----------


## Richard500

What used to be amusing or irritating illiteracy has been replaced with device autocorrect or dictation features, so now the emphasis is now on our proofreading abilities, an entirely different part of the brain.  Spelling isn’t my responsibility anymore, the historical rules of grammar are ignorable, punctuation now includes hieroglyphic emoticons.  All I can say is lol.

----------

journeybear

----------


## journeybear

> What used to be amusing or irritating illiteracy has been replaced with device autocorrect or dictation features, so now the emphasis is now on our proofreading abilities, an entirely different part of the brain.  Spelling isn’t my responsibility anymore, the historical rules of grammar are ignorable, punctuation now includes hieroglyphic emoticons.  All I can say is lol.


All that is very true. Except for saying lol. I hardly ever do that. This stuff, these affronts to my beloved English language, make me so mad  :Mad:  I could spit. I spent a lot of time and effort and thought learning all that, and also how much more there is to know, that I'm not about to let it go. Which is not to say I don't let a lot go - you have to, it's overwhelming - but sometimes ...  :Whistling:  I find I'm rolling my eyes all too often, especially at facebook. My goodness, we are so in need of an eyeroll emoji here. Whistling is the closest, but it doesn't really get it.   :Whistling: 

Anyway ... this guy. Reminds of John McEnroe's classic, "You cannot be serious!" This guy cannot be Sirius - he is definitely not a star.  :Wink:  And while this is nice and all, an A-50 is neither rare, let alone very, nor worth that much. Not even a tenth of that. Whatever! [insert eyeroll here]

----------


## jim simpson

It's very rare and worth $25.000! Well I'm not sirius but i'm xm! I do have a $25,000 valued harmony mandolin, he is open to trades, lol!

----------


## journeybear

Go for it! Tell him Harmonys are much rarer than Gibsons. But you'd be willing to trade - if he throws in $5000 to offset the difference in value.  :Wink:

----------


## rickbella

This absurd ad is making its third appearance in Craigslist's classifieds for Portland, Ore.  My first reaction was to suspect an attempt to fleece a would-be buyer.  But I have learned over the years not to underestimate the power of ignorance and/or incompetence.

----------

David Rambo, 

tjmangum

----------


## danielpatrick

Hmmmm, I wonder if they’d take more? Lol

----------

rickbella

----------


## JeffD

> But I have learned over the years not to underestimate the power of ignorance and/or incompetence.


This is a gigantic lesson, that has helped me in many many situations. 

"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."

----------


## Jean Andreasen

> I agree but, once again, this is in Japan. This Flatiron was the fanciest of the pancakes -- extra maple syrup and plays like butter (as any pancake should).  Still...


whew - if I could get that kind of change for my Flatiron, I'd forgo the maple syrup and butter...

----------


## jim simpson

This Ebay seller gets 2 listings for mandolins that are priced way over market prices: 

Gibson A Model Mandolin #9645 for $4999.99 
https://www.ebay.com/itm/29488862800...QAAOSwf4xiQNnj

Kentucky KM-250 S Mandolin W/Case for $1299.99
https://www.ebay.com/itm/29499443193...EAAOSwtu5iVXX3

----------


## MikeEdgerton

> This Ebay seller gets 2 listings for mandolins that are priced way over market prices: 
> 
> Gibson A Model Mandolin #9645 for $4999.99 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/29488862800...QAAOSwf4xiQNnj
> 
> Kentucky KM-250 S Mandolin W/Case for $1299.99
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/29499443193...EAAOSwtu5iVXX3


I would have held onto my 250 S that I got rid of all those years back if I'd only known.  :Cool:

----------


## Jim Garber

This thread has been a little too quiet for the last few months. I don't think this F-2 3-point has been discussed here:

https://reverb.com/item/58924491-gib...2-early-1900-s

Obviously refinished, with non-original bridge and tailpiece cover and, I believe, either replaced or chopped-off fretboard and missing the pickguard. At least it has the Handel tuners. Lots of cracks, some repaired, some don't look repaired although the seller says they are.




> Selling a beautiful, early 1900's, 3-Point Gibson F-2 Mandolin.  This is  a fully functional gorgeous mandolin in a rarely seen finish!  The tone  on this instrument is incredible as you can imagine.  Purchased from  the original owner who had it in his family for years.  Mandolin is in  great shape for an instrument that is well over 100 years old.  The  exact date is not known since the label inside has faded but these were  made during the early part of the 1900s.  As you can see, there were  cracks that were repaired by a professional luthier and are 100% solid.   There is no pickguard but to be honest I actually love the way it looks  without it.  The headstock scroll is in one piece and never split,  which is rare.  Please look closely at all pics.  Mandolin comes with  the alligator case pictured which is fully functional but could use a  little glue around the outside strips.  Here is your chance to own a  piece of history, it pains me to sell but I must.

----------

Eric Platt

----------


## Jeff Mando

I don't like the cracks or the price, but from 10 feet away it looks pretty good!

----------


## journeybear

I dunno. At only (only?) $6300, with free shipping, it may well get snapped up soon enough.

----------


## rcc56

There's a 3 point black top F-2 with original finish at Gruhn's for less.

www.guitars.com/inventory/mf9146-1908-gibson-f-2

It's been there for a while.  They would probably consider a reasonable offer.

----------


## Jim Garber

That Reverb seller hasn’t a clue that it was refinished. His price is based on his assumption that it is a rare finish maybe never seen.

----------

Charles E.

----------


## Charles E.

Ignorance is bliss...

----------


## journeybear

> That Reverb seller hasnt a clue  ...


I saw that. It was almost a spit take.  :Laughing:  But I think it'll sell because enough people are not as clued-in as many of us are. And ignorance is bliss for buyers, too.

----------


## pops1

That reminds me of a quote from a teacher long ago. " If ignorance was bliss you'd be in a peaceful state for the rest of your life".

----------

LadysSolo, 

Sue Rieter

----------


## Sue Rieter

Speaks for itself:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/26594446325...&segname=11021




> Condition: needs a lot of work


Ya think?

----------


## Jim Garber

> Speaks for itself:
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/26594446325...&segname=11021
> 
> 
> 
> Ya think?


Well the spiders like it a lot. I do like the homemade case. And think I of the stories that mandolin could tell of the person who played it quite a few years ago. I see lots of smokey bars…

----------

Sue Rieter

----------


## journeybear

What?!? Just needs a little TLC.  :Wink: 

OK, a lot. And a few other things.  :Laughing:  Still, only $300 ... for a bonafide gen-u-ine historical artifact.  :Whistling: 

Someone might make an offer ...  :Confused:

----------


## NickR

I have recently spent not that much more for a Kalamazoo Oriole in good order. I don't think there is much that is salvageable without a large investment of time except for some rusty early WW2 tuners. I think $50 would be a stretch.

----------


## keith.rogers

Considering current shipping costs, I cannot imagine any use (or alternative universe) where that thing would attract even one offer.

----------


## rcc56

. . . but it's got mojo . . .    :Grin:

----------

Sue Rieter

----------


## journeybear

But ... Shipping is free.  :Wink:  And maybe he would accept an offer of fifty bucks. Just to help clear out the attic.  :Whistling:

----------


## pops1

If he would simply send it to me I may take it, but then I have too many projects now so it's only a maybe.......

----------

Sue Rieter

----------


## jim simpson

Buy-it-now price only $6499.99, lol!  Well, if it had an original case, er, well, no! 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/29527955096...Bk9SR8bCnuP-YA

----------


## Jeff Mando

> Speaks for itself:
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/26594446325...&segname=11021
> 
> 
> 
> Ya think?


I had this one saved in my watch list and received an email from eBay that said, sorry old mandolin sold for $250......

(may we suggest these other items...)

Believe it or not!

OK, you could remove the pickup, clean the filth, glue the peghead wing, oil the tuners, find a bridge and pray the strings follow the neck -- AND THEN you would still have an enlarged f-hole to deal with and four extra screw holes from the pickup brackets, pickguard is shot, also........sounds like a lot of work for a so-so goal.  What am I missing?  Winter project?  Retirement project?  Try out of new glue?  Finish restorer?  Trying to watch less tv?

I repeat $250!

----------

Sue Rieter

----------


## rickbella

Not surprisingly, this mando drew no bids.  Maybe the seller should lower the price by about $5,000 -- give or take.

----------


## Eric Platt

Repairing that neck is going to cost more than it's worth. I had a beat up 1910 A that had a very home brew repair to fix it. Still regret selling that one. Looked ugly but sounded fine. A bit tubbier than the Jr. Decent volume, though.

Also wonder what was done to get those tuners to fit.

----------


## journeybear

> Buy-it-now price only $6499.99, lol!  Well, if it had an original case, er, well, no!


At first glance I thought it might be the seller had accidentally typed an extra 9. But then I saw the bidding threshold was $1699.99, so ... nope. "Bidding has ended" - maybe that means it's going to be relisted with a more realistic price?  :Confused:

----------


## journeybear

> Buy-it-now price only $6499.99, lol!  Well, if it had an original case, er, well, no!


And ... it's back!  Opening bid reduced to $1499.99, BIN reduced to $2999.99. Still doubtful it will get any bids. Still likely seller has an emotional attachment to it, bringing price higher than its value.

----------


## LadysSolo

It's getting to a more reasonable price...

----------


## keith.rogers

The 09 A1 looks gone so maybe someone actually paid $3k.?

----------


## journeybear

Huh?  :Confused:  It got relisted this morning. Click on the link in my previous post, not the original link.

----------


## MikeEdgerton

I wonder if those tuners turn easily? They shouldn't be the right size for the hole spacing unless somebody was importing Gotoh tuners in the early Gibson spacing.

----------


## keith.rogers

> Huh?  It got relisted this morning. Click on the link in my previous post, not the original link.


Ah. I didn’t see that it was a link (tiny phone font!). Somewhat relieved to see that it’s still there  :Smile:

----------

journeybear

----------


## jim simpson

> I wonder if those tuners turn easily? They shouldn't be the right size for the hole spacing unless somebody was importing Gotoh tuners in the early Gibson spacing.


Mike, I would guess those tuner holes have been enlarged to allow the replacements to fit. The grommets are large and probably hide the evidence.

----------


## journeybear

> Ah. I didn’t see that it was a link (tiny phone font!). Somewhat relieved to see that it’s still there


Yeah, some of us are sneaky little devils - I mean, creative wizarss - with the way we concoct these links. I don't do any Caféing on the phone, so I don't have firsthand knowledge of such foibles. But anyway, it's not so much "still there" as "back again," with lowered prices. So if you've got a hankering for this,  :Grin:  maybe make him an offer. Ya never know ...  :Whistling:

----------


## Ranald

Someone bought it!

----------


## journeybear

Eh? Looks like it's still up to me. Still no bids.  :Confused:

----------


## MikeEdgerton

> Mike, I would guess those tuner holes have been enlarged to allow the replacements to fit. The grommets are large and probably hide the evidence.


At best  :Smile:

----------


## keith.rogers

> .... anyway, it's not so much "still there" as "back again," with lowered prices. So if you've got a hankering for this,  maybe make him an offer. Ya never know ...


Oh, I'm not interested in that one. I was just "happy" that someone had not paid $3k for it (yet... as in "every minute" that passes could change things). I'm kind of stunned at some of the prices being asked, and I assume, being paid, for some of those. Now, I appreciate the "antiquity/rarity" aspect of pricing, and the slope the world seems to have stepped onto (off of?) in the past couple of years. But there are very few mandolins I'd take a chance on in that kind of price range, and I can say zero chance I'd do it on fleabay...

----------


## journeybear

Update: The wording has changed again, to mention it comes with a mandola case. Looks like the seller has been keeping an eye here. Glad to see we're so helpful, even with our general 'tude.  :Grin:  Just so you know, the auction's ending in less than three hours - and still no bids. Fairly good odds it will retain the requirements to be on this thread.  :Wink: 

And be offered again next week.  :Whistling:

----------


## keith.rogers

This seems a little steep, even for Japan, but I confess I have not been looking at these.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/15522619818...EAAOSwINtjWfsq

----------


## Bertram Henze

> ...a little steep


...diplomatically put. Someone should tell the seller where to stuff it.

----------


## Ray(T)

Apart from the price, the advert is actually misleading insofar as it should say “Applause by Ovation” rather than “Ovation by Applause”. A real Ovation has recently popped up at auction in the UK and the estimate for that is £100-£200 + commission and it doesn’t say that the electronics are faulty!

----------


## Jim Garber

I dont know if this belongs in this thread or not but this custom shop Martín AK-45 mandolin has appeared in the classifieds for quite a few years. I am not sure if it had a few owners or that the original owner continues to try to sell it. The price is a bit optimistic even from the new Carters owners: https://cartervintage.com/shop/marti...O9XqlY0EWKSn9V

It's the fanciest mandolin ever made by Martin, and the hand-cut pearl headstock logo was a first for Martin. 

I highly doubt this is true having owned a 1902 style 6 Martín mandolin with fluted back and more specatular inlay.

----------

Paul Statman

----------


## MikeEdgerton

> I dont know if this belongs in this thread or not but this custom shop Martín AK-45 mandolin has appeared in the classifieds for quite a few years. I am not sure if it had a few owners or that the original owner continues to try to sell it. The price is a bit optimistic even from the new Carters owners: https://cartervintage.com/shop/marti...O9XqlY0EWKSn9V


I would also argue that it's not the fanciest mandolin ever made by Martin. I think there are a few in the Martin Museum that would be more in line for that designation but who knows? I almost bought a 150 year anniversary guitar the year they came out not because it was an anniversary guitar but because it sounded great.

----------


## FLATROCK HILL

I'm just impressed the link didn't come back 404

----------


## Jeff Mando

Maybe it's just me, but it seems the 45 style pearl trim looks better against a dark wood, such as rosewood.  The pearl against the lighter color Koa just doesn't have the contrast and doesn't seem to pop, IMHO.

----------


## Bob Clark

I remember this mandolin in postings some time ago, and it seemed to draw a lot of negative comments at the time.  It is, in my estimation, way over-priced.  

I almost always prefer less bling, or even no bling, to more bling. Yet there is something about this particular mandolin that I like.  It just appeals to me.  Part of it is my general fondness for flat-top instruments, and Martin mandolins in particular. But there is something more to it than that.

The only thing that doesn't appeal to me on this one is the font of the lettering on the pickguard, but I could live with that.  I'm not in 'buying mode' at this time, and the price is way outside of my range, but I think I could really enjoy this instrument.  I hope it goes to someone who will play it and love it.  Wouldn't it be great for it to go to someone with a real connection to C.F. Martin or Nazareth, PA?

----------


## Jim Garber

Generally you can find vintage Martín AK mandolins for mid-teens prices. This one is on Reverb for $1500. https://reverb.com/item/62322651-192...ntent=62322651

Granted you don’t have the pearl border but I bet the sound is at least as good and possibly better. I am sure the custom shop is well made but I doubt it cost anywhere near the current asking price back in 1983.

----------


## NickR

Rock bottom or what? Bedpan art- any resemblance to an existing instrument is purely coincidental:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/22527624518...Bk9SR7inzt2ZYQ

----------


## journeybear

Yeah, not sure it qualifies as a mandolin, nor even an instrument. The *seller* himself isn't sure whether it's a guitar, a ukelele, or a mandolin. Good luck stringing it up woth those tuners, or even getting them to do ... anything. The only part of the description he gets right is "bedpan." Even saying it's "folk art" is pushing it a bit. But, well, hope springs eternal and all.  :Whistling:

----------


## LadysSolo

> Yeah, not sure it qualifies as a mandolin, nor even an instrument. The *seller* himself isn't sure whether it's a guitar, a ukelele, or a mandolin. Good luck stringing it up woth those tuners, or even getting them to do ... anything. The only part of the description he gets right is "bedpan." Even saying it's "folk art" is pushing it a bit. But, well, hope springs eternal and all.


Especially for $200! LOL!! I wouldn't even pay that for it as a wall-hanger!

----------


## rickbella

Maybe hang it on the wall of an outhouse?!

----------


## journeybear

> Especially for $200! LOL!! I wouldn't even pay that for it as a wall-hanger!


Right? If one had a hankering to hang something like this on the wall - even of an outhouse  :Wink:  - one could slap it together for a *lot* less.   :Laughing:

----------


## Jim Garber

There was a maker here on the Cafe who actually made playable Bed-Pandolins. Ah, yes, the Commodium! Discussed here on this thread: https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...1-Bedpan-dolin

----------

journeybear

----------


## journeybear

Yes, indeed. This ain't that!  :Laughing: 

BTW, thanks for holding off on your usual druthers regarding posting pics for posterior.  :Wink:  Don't think this deserves that accommodation.  :Whistling:

----------


## your_diamond

> Rock bottom or what? Bedpan art- any resemblance to an existing instrument is purely coincidental:
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/22527624518...Bk9SR7inzt2ZYQ


Can't carry a tune in a bucket? Try this!  :Grin:

----------


## Bertram Henze

> Rock bottom or what? Bedpan art- any resemblance to an existing instrument is purely coincidental:
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/22527624518...Bk9SR7inzt2ZYQ


This thing is really pissing me off.

----------


## Jeff Mando

Not to be confused with toilet seat guitar/mandolin creations.....

----------


## Jim Garber

Here's a real winner: Combine terrible pictures, poor condition including missing frets and sell a relatively undesirable mandolin for a ridiculous price $1,000.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/144845319875

----------


## Jim Garber

Here's a real winner: Combine terrible pictures, poor condition including missing frets and sell a relatively undesirable mandolin for a ridiculous price $1,000. And I especially like the electrical connection in the background. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/144845319875

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## Charles E.

Yeah, that's a "little" overpriced.   :Wink:

----------


## milli857

I got one a lot like that, but in better shape, for $80 as a project!  Sounds thin and terrible but it is a bit of fun.

----------


## mrmando

$1895 for a Harmony Batwing? 
https://www.ebay.com/itm/225244370499

----------


## jaycat

> $1895 for a Harmony Batwing? 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/225244370499


Makes this one look like a bargain.

----------


## LadysSolo

> Here's a real winner: Combine terrible pictures, poor condition including missing frets and sell a relatively undesirable mandolin for a ridiculous price $1,000. And I especially like the electrical connection in the background. 
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/144845319875


But it has "free" shipping! LOL!!

----------


## Sue Rieter

Okay, you guys, what about this one:






> The front of the body has some cracks and splits, the back has just one small crack.  The pegs all turn and appear to be serviceable.  One interior strut has come loose and will be included.  The instrument may or may not be playable when fully strung.


(It actually looks like it would be pretty cool if it weren't so beat ... low price, too  :Laughing: )

----------


## Richard500

This one has potential for Bob Clark’s range of feline mandolins.

----------


## Jim Garber

> Okay, you guys, what about this one:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (It actually looks like it would be pretty cool if it weren't so beat ... low price, too )


Did you buy it Sue? It says it sold for $50.

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## Sue Rieter

Not me. I don't have the wherewithal to work on something like that. For me it would be a wall hanger. I guess someone saw some kind of potential there. It reminds me a little of an Octofone.

----------


## NickR

An early example of recycling I would think but maybe misplaced!

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## JeffD

> Okay, you guys, what about this one:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (It actually looks like it would be pretty cool if it weren't so beat ... low price, too )


I see it was sold. One does wonder what the purchaser intends.

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## Jim Garber

> I see it was sold. One does wonder what the purchaser intends.


Planter? Spittoon? Halloween mask?

----------

Sue Rieter

----------


## jaycat

> I see it was sold. One does wonder what the purchaser intends.


Have you checked the price of kindling wood lately?

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Bertram Henze, 

Sue Rieter

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## milli857

For $50, I bet it'll just be used for decoration.

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## Bob A

It'd add to the decor of my outhouse, for sure.

----------


## milli857

It does have tuners and a tailpiece on it, maybe the buyer just wanted the hardware.

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## Richard500

> It does have tuners and a tailpiece on it, maybe the buyer just wanted the hardware.


Many repairable things are scrapped for parts that are then used to repair or retain originality on others.  This is either indefensible or just fine, depending on perspective.  I tend to favor the former.

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## Jeff Hildreth

There is such a thing as an instrument for free that isn't worth the price.

----------

Bertram Henze

----------


## Dave Hanson

I wouldn't  hang it on the wall, it could seriously de-value your house.

Dave H

----------


## journeybear

My goodness! The floodgates have swung open and a torrent of tittilation has washed over the land. Methinks thou all doth protest too much, and this hath the aroma of sour grapes. Couldst be thee are all lamenting failing to bid just one more dollar to call this brazenly unique artifact your own for a mere $51?  :Confused: 




Nah ...  :Laughing:

----------

Bertram Henze

----------


## Bertram Henze

> The floodgates have swung open and a torrent of tittilation has washed over the land.


A very poetic definition of what this thread is all about.  :Cool:

----------


## journeybear

> A very poetic definition of what this thread is all about.


Perhaps a wee bit too poetic. Ah, sweet schadenfreude!  :Whistling:

----------


## Jeff Mando

> There is such a thing as an instrument for free that isn't worth the price.


Agreed.  Free piano is an example -- it will still cost you to move it and have it tuned.

----------


## MikeEdgerton

> Agreed.  Free piano is an example -- it will still cost you to move it and have it tuned.


Wait, people actually tune pianos? Why wasn't I informed?

----------

Jeff Mando

----------


## journeybear

The bass player in one of my bands got gifted an upright piano, and learned how to tune it himself. We had a good bit of fun with it, toting it to gigs for a while in the back of a pickup truck. One memorable time we carted it to one of the biggest clubs in town, The Green Parrot, for a Cinco De Mayo gig. We had some fun afterward - instead of driving it straight back, we toodled along the main srag for a few blocks with a bunch of us also in the back, playing music and carrying on. It was  pop-up one-vehicle parade. Good times!  :Mandosmiley: And he just left it behind when he moved out. So, no cost, but plenty of entertainment.  :Laughing:

----------

David Rambo, 

Eric Platt, 

GMorgan, 

Jeff Mando

----------


## Jim Garber

Am I remembering correctly that there was a scene in Five Easy Pieces of Jack Nicholson character playing piano on the back of a pickup truck. Or was that another movie?

----------


## John Soper

NMC, but since we drifted into pianos...  My brother plays guitar and tunes pianos in the SF Bay Area.  Every year there are several pianos set out in the Presidio Park for casual doodling and concerts.  They require daily tuning.  He has a very sore right arm after that week.  He's also been involved in an art project that involved a piano left outside at Half Moon Bay, with a documentary filming the gradually disintegrating piano being played each day as it was exposed to the elements.  

Fortunately, no mandolins were harmed during that project!

----------


## Sue Rieter

Okay, since we're on pianos now, my parents had a piano that we were unsuccessful at giving away. My brother took out the soundboard and made an art project (wall hanging) out of it. The rest of the piano he made into a planter and similarly documented it's gradual decomposition. It was a functional planter for two seasons.

After that, it was relegated to his fire pit, piece by piece.

Have you ever seen those planters that hang on a wall and the plants flow out of them? That mandolin might do well as a planter like that. If hung outside, someone could document it's final moldering as it supported some kind of vegetation.

In case you forgot what it looked like  :Smile:

----------


## John Soper

Somebody made a planter out of a pearl-trimmed '30s Martin guitar once.

----------


## journeybear

Um, yeah, no, that notion doesn't hold water. Because I don't think the instument will hold water.  :Grin:  It's coming apart at the seams, and looks to be otherwise structurally unsound for holding weight, beyond its own. I've seen photos of mandolins set into the ground and similar in order to have plants set into them. But as I recall, I think those were done with instruments that had served their intended purpose for a long time, but began to deteriorate structurally beyond a point of musical usefulness, so then were converted to this other purpose. I'm not convinced someone would spend money to acquire some dilapidated instrument in order to construct this sort of project. But who knows?  :Confused:  I think it's more likely someone has some notion of this being a fixer-upper, or perhaps wants to use it as a teaching tool in a program of instructing a student in the methods of luthiery. It's not something most of us here would want anything to do with. But who knows?  :Confused:

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## Sue Rieter

> Um, yeah, no, that notion doesn't hold water. Because I don't think the instument will hold water.  ...


Air plants. Readily available down there in Florida  :Wink:

----------


## journeybear

Aha!  :Mandosmiley:  Orchids and the like. Maybe some Spanish moss. There ya go! The more, the merrier. Maximum coverage.  :Laughing:

----------

Sue Rieter

----------


## Sue Rieter

> Aha!  Orchids and the like. Maybe some Spanish moss. There ya go! The more, the merrier. Maximum coverage.


It could look pretty good out on the patio. Not in New England, though.

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## Jim Garber

> In case you forgot what it looked like


Sort of cat shape and it reminds me of this wonderful painted uke by Robert Armstrong:

----------

Charles E., 

Sue Rieter

----------


## Sue Rieter

That's cool in so many ways, Jim. I love it.
Thanks for sharing.

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## journeybear

> It could look pretty good out on the patio.


Backyard, maybe. Backside of the outhouse, maybe. Nope, not a conversation piece.  :Whistling:

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## Ranald

> Am I remembering correctly that there was a scene in Five Easy Pieces of Jack Nicholson character playing piano on the back of a pickup truck. Or was that another movie?


You're right, Jim. Little did Jack know he was starting a trend!

----------


## Jim Garber

> Am I remembering correctly that there was a scene in Five Easy Pieces of Jack Nicholson character playing piano on the back of a pickup truck. Or was that another movie?





> You're right, Jim. Little did Jack know he was starting a trend!


Here it is:

----------


## journeybear

Well ... not a pickup truck, exactly, and not in tune, either, but a memorable scene indeed!  :Laughing:

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## Jim Garber

> Well ... not a pickup truck, exactly, and not in tune, either, but a memorable scene indeed!


I am no expert (to say the least) on trucks and I never said it was in tune. Or did I?

----------


## journeybear

Oh, no, sir, just a bit of jollity. No need to pay it no nevermind.  :Wink:  You did get the gist of it right. I don't remember much of this movie other than Jack's character's recipe for toast.  :Grin: 

My goodness! Whoever shelled out a Grant for this hunk of junk sure got his money's worth in palaver over here!  :Laughing:

----------


## MikeEdgerton

I'm watching this one, if it sells I'm going to have to start dumping projects,

https://www.ebay.com/itm/175542951392

----------


## Charles E.

Not showing up.

----------


## Jim Garber

This one? 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/175542951392

----------

MikeEdgerton, 

rickbella

----------


## keith.rogers

I'm guessing at some point enough offers will have been made that the seller decides to accept something more realistic. Or, leaves in a huff. Doesn't look like there's much history, and none as a seller.

----------

rickbella

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## Charles E.

Looks like a mandola?

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## journeybear

That is the most cockamamie, frustrating, off-putting presentation of a mandolin for sale I have ever seen. Doesn't get around to showing wood until the fourth photo, nor a full-frame photo until the last one, #20. No verbiage whatsoever. And he's arbitrarily added about ten years to its vintage. Suddenly near the end we have a strong candidate for Oddball Of The Year.

----------

rickbella, 

Sue Rieter

----------


## keith.rogers

I asked (via eBay contact) "What does it say on the label?" and got back 2 separate replies:

_On the inside it says. March 30 06

On the piece that is in my hand it says pat July 4 1911_
Intentional or not, presenting too much fuzzy detail might let some buyer construct a mental image of a thing that is worth the asking price.

----------


## Jeff Mando

Years ago at a flea market, I saw an old trunk for sale.  I asked the seller how old it was.  The seller said, "we did a little research and pulled out a big legal pad with handwritten patent numbers and dates, another book picturing antiques, telling us about others he had seen, etc., he went on and on, but he finally concluded with the BEST we can figure it was made sometime between 1492 and 1974!!!"  I think he was serious, too!  Whenever I drive by that flea market I think of him.

----------

rickbella

----------


## Sue Rieter

> That is the most cockamamie, frustrating, off-putting presentation of a mandolin for sale I have ever seen. Doesn't get around to showing wood until the fourth photo, nor a full-frame photo until the last one, #20. No verbiage whatsoever. And he's arbitrarily added about ten years to its vintage. Suddenly near the end we have a strong candidate for Oddball Of The Year.


I got ripped off (not on Ebay) by someone in this same area of Ohio. Likely coincidental, but the presentation and language was similar. _Very_ off-putting.

----------


## Jeff Mando

> Looks like a mandola?


Yep.  A project at best and certainly not for that price.  Terrible photos, but the bridge foot top crack is a concern, among other things.  The seller has only been on eBay for a year and all his feedback is from buying.  None from selling, FWIW.  Most of his listings are for video games.  No judgement, but his chest of drawers has a bag of Pedigree on top of it and underwear hanging out of the drawers with coins on the floor that haven't been picked up?  His buddy holding it for the pictures seems to have elaborate neck tattoos, again no judgement....but I see red flags.

PS I did offer $150 plus shipping and it was rejected.

----------


## journeybear

> I asked (via eBay contact) "What does it say on the label?" and got back 2 separate replies:
> 
> _On the inside it says. March 30 06
> 
> On the piece that is in my hand it says pat July 4 1911_


That March 30 '06 is printed on the upper edge of label and refers to the design patent date, AFAIK, not the manufacture date. That proves it was built _after_ that date, nothing more. Same with the date on the bracket.

Furthermore, if it were actually a 1906, it would have one of those small pickguards affixed to the surface, yes? Not a big one (missing) with a bracket. Looks like a teens H-1 to my tired eyes. My 1916 H-2 is very similar. But his has no fleur-de-lis.

The seller really should have done more research before listing it.  :Whistling:

----------


## Jim Garber

> Looks like a mandola?


By the fretboard extension, I am guessing...

----------


## Jim Garber

> The seller really should have done more research before listing it.


Very funny... It looks from the photos that he found it in a barn and took photos immediately, not even washing his hands.

----------

Jeff Mando

----------


## journeybear

Did a number on the metal though. Almost _removed_ the number in the cleaning process.  :Grin:

----------


## rcc56

My best guess from the poor pictures is that it's a sheraton brown H-1 mandola, built between 1918 and 1921.
Cross-grain fractures such as the one above the bass foot of the bridge tend to be serious, and should be handled by an expert.
Expect more repairs to be necessary than what can be discerned from the pictures.
Observe that the plating on the tailpiece cover has been ruined.
The bridge appears to be a mandolin bridge from a later period.

The asking price is more than double what the instrument is worth in its current condition.

----------


## mrmando

I can't tell what photo No. 7 from this listing is even supposed to be.

----------


## Jim Garber

Heres a mandolin you could use as-is for Hawaiian-style playing or perhaps to play like a kora. https://www.ebay.com/itm/255764422751

----------


## LadysSolo

The poor thing! I agree with the seller that too aggressive string-tightening (or too heavy strings) likely caused the damage, but it would take a lot to get the poor mandolin fixed. Such a shame!

----------


## rickbella

It looks as if it's trying to eat itself!

----------


## Simon DS

> Here’s a mandolin you could use as-is for Hawaiian-style playing or perhaps to play like a kora. https://www.ebay.com/itm/255764422751


Beautiful. I like the woodwork; well preserved as a result of being stored in 2 feet of mud in a canal.
I wonder how they dried it out?

----------


## journeybear

Hmmm ... Staves look tight, pretty butterfly ... Sue, I think we've found you a planter!  :Wink:

----------

Sue Rieter

----------


## Sue Rieter

Or you, JB  :Laughing:

----------


## journeybear

Oh, no, ma'am, not me. I strenuously object to misusing a mandolin that way, even a POS like the other. And not only that, but I am no good with plants. I did not inherit my mom's green thumb. I kill ivy, I kill bamboo, I kill cactus, for goodness' sake.  :Disbelief:  Nope, no planter for me.

----------

Sue Rieter

----------


## journeybear

> I can't tell what photo No. 7 from this listing is even supposed to be.


Seriously. Looks like a medical condition or a moonscape. So many of these photos are too close or indistinct pr otherwise abstract. And as I said, putting a full body pic dead last is not the way to go, especially after so many. Show the instrument first, then the details.




> Observe that the plating on the tailpiece cover has been ruined.


I have never seen one that color. Looks more like rust than tarnish. Yes, I too suspect it's a barn find.

----------


## Sue Rieter

> Oh, no, ma'am, not me. I strenuously object to misusing a mandolin that way, even a POS like the other....


I tend to agree with you on that.

----------

journeybear

----------


## journeybear

I get emails ... All ya gotta do is look at something at eBay and they'll find ya. Well, time's running out on this find. Still no bids.  :Whistling:

----------


## mrmando

Regal bowlback with some bling ... but not THAT much bling.  
https://www.ebay.com/itm/234838997637

----------


## journeybear

Right? For $35k it had better be bee-you-ti-ful in every way and sound like Orpheus' lyre. 

Perhaps the seller thought when he entered the price it would automatically convert 35000 to 350.00  :Confused:  Still a bit hefty, however nice it looks.

_I have looked on the internet everywhere and have not seen one like this_.  

Look a little harder, please.
_
I am not sure what something like this one is worth_ 

So it would seem.
_
If you know more about this mandolin please send me a message._

Perhaps a bowlback aficionado would like to help him out?

----------


## Jim Garber

That is a CYA price and he figures this could be a valuable museum piece. It looks to be in good shape though missing (I think) some pearl on the headstock. The only the bridge is positioned incorrectly so could have neck angle issues.

----------


## LadysSolo

It's pretty enough that I might be willing to go to $200 for it (but not $20.000!) LOL!!

----------


## journeybear

I've been puzzling over this, trying to sort out why someone would offer an instrument like this for sale at a price so much higher than similar ones command, however nice it seems to be. Then it occurred to me there may be something more than meets the eye in play here. 

I don't know if any of you have heard the rumors, but supposedly in the early days, before Shmergel succeeded with his design for the Devastator, he made several attempts to realize his vision in various configurations. One was a bowlback prototype which seemed promising, yet kept ending in disaster. Something about the shape, with its rounded, nearly spherical structure, kept causing problems. Reportedly, it induced overamplified gravitational fields purportedly creating small black holes, according to a few of his apprentices who managed to survive the miniature supernovas these errant efforts produced. It has long been believed that none of these prototypes survived the experiments.

I think what we may have here is one such that somehow did not so dramatically self-destruct. That would explain the excessively high price for this - indeed, if this is its true identity, it would be a bargain at ten times the asking price. However, I would caution anyone interested in acquiring this, that there is no guarantee that the stability that has miraculously allowed it to exist as long as it has is more than tenuous. That is, it could go kerphlooey at a moment's notice, causing unimaginable devastation to an unpredictable extent. So keep that in mind, however tempting this would be as an investment. You'd have to present it just right and turn it around right quickly so it becomes someone else's problem, not yours. Still, the notion of owning, however briefly, such a unique instrument is nearly irresistible.

----------

LadysSolo

----------


## maxr

> I've been puzzling over this, trying to sort out why someone would offer an instrument like this for sale at a price so much higher than similar ones command, however nice it seems to be...


But seriously folks - many Ebay items have one or two units offered at preposterous 'decimal point error' prices. I don't know if they're hoping to hit pay dirt through fat finger or currency dyslexia, but this may be in the same category at that $350 tube of Anusol you didn't buy? Course, it might just be a very special tube...

----------


## journeybear

Oh, sir! *That's* your takeaway from all the witty wordplay to which I so determinedly dedicated myself for many, many minutes to provide amusement for all able to appreciate it? Did you venture beyond the intentionally clichéd setup? Oh, sir!  :Crying:  

Sigh ... I suppose it's like children ... One does all one can to bring them into being, guide them as they grow, bring them to maturity, ready to face whatever may await them, and hope for the best. _Que sera, sera_ ...  :Whistling:

----------


## maxr

Well Journeybear, what can I say? I felt that constructive comment on your finely wrought panoply of reasoning on this investment was beyond my abilities, that all readers would appreciate the extreme erudition indeed, the probability of your explanation - that they would get it, appreciate it, and treasure it as an outstanding example of the understanding of market forces displayed in this place. Nothing I could add would improve on it indeed, so I just posted the usual dumb Ebay question in case anyone else has an alternative construct of the answer...

So, please forgive my ignorant reduction of the level of discussion to the price of Anusol, and I look forward to discussion reaching new levels next year.

Happy New Year, and all the best for 2023!  Max

----------

journeybear

----------


## journeybear

Oh, no worries, and nothing to forgive. Except perhaps that allegation of erudition.  :Disbelief:  Scholarly analysis? In this thread? Heaven forbid!  :Laughing:  There is another thread where this instrument is being discussed in a more serious manner. We're just having a bit of wicked fun here.

But thank you for volleying back to me with some good dry wit. Well, done, sir. Happy New Year to you, which I believe it almost is for you.

If you ever want to have a few chuckles, take a look at what has been said around here about the Shmergel Devastator. It has inspired a treasure trove of jocularity.  :Grin:

----------


## Bazz Jass

This one: https://reverb.com/item/64712320-gib...m=Feed%20Email

Not only an insane price, but the photos appear to be taken of photos on a computer screen?? Scam do we think?

----------


## Eric Platt

> This one: https://reverb.com/item/64712320-gib...m=Feed%20Email
> 
> Not only an insane price, but the photos appear to be taken of photos on a computer screen?? Scam do we think?


Definitely wonder. Only one prior transaction on Reverb, and saying will listen to lowball offers. OTOH, the photos are not from a current or recently sold listing that I could quickly find. Hopefully if it is legit the seller posts at least one new photo of the instrument.

----------


## Bazz Jass

> Definitely wonder. Only one prior transaction on Reverb, and saying will listen to lowball offers. OTOH, the photos are not from a current or recently sold listing that I could quickly find. Hopefully if it is legit the seller posts at least one new photo of the instrument.


Here's the original listing that the photos are taken of. I would say this is 100% a scam: https://reverb.com/item/28427086-vin...lays-kalamazoo

----------

Eric Platt

----------


## milli857

Someone should offer $10 just for kicks.

----------


## Richard500

I don’t see a scam, necessarily. Nevada to Texas three years ago, reuse of the old photos you bought it from, for convenience…try to make some money because a friend said these things are appreciating.  I’d just swap a couple emails if interested, ask for specific photos, etc.

----------


## Jeff Mando

I love the peghead overlay -- Brazilian rosewood?  I know nobody gets excited about 70's Gibsons on this forum, but really not a bad looking mandolin, IMHO.  
As far as price -- who knows?

----------


## Bazz Jass

> I dont see a scam, necessarily. Nevada to Texas three years ago, reuse of the old photos you bought it from, for conveniencetry to make some money because a friend said these things are appreciating.  Id just swap a couple emails if interested, ask for specific photos, etc.


Maybe the case. It just seems strange to me that someone would take photos of their computer screen rather than just downloading the photos and posting them. Or just taking photos of the instrument? These aren't screen grabs, the seller has actually use a camera to take photos of the old listing.

----------


## Bazz Jass

> I love the peghead overlay -- Brazilian rosewood?  I know nobody gets excited about 70's Gibsons on this forum, but really not a bad looking mandolin, IMHO.  
> As far as price -- who knows?


The headstock overlays were ebony in this era. This one has a very distinctive striped ebony!

----------

