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Thread: 3-point Gibson conversion from 1972 on eBay

  1. #1
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default 3-point Gibson conversion from 1972 on eBay

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    Registered User bbcee's Avatar
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    Default Re: 3-point Gibson conversion from 1972 on eBay

    That is definitely one word for it. There are probably a few others as well!

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    Default Re: 3-point Gibson conversion from 1972 on eBay

    I suppose, the proof of the pudding is in the playing, with this instrument. Again, it is something you would really want to play and inspect in person to ascertain what you might be prepared to pay for it. The seller may be ambitious with his price but establishing its worth starts with throwing in the baited hook and seeing if you get a bite.

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    Dan Sampson mando_dan's Avatar
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    Default Re: 3-point Gibson conversion from 1972 on eBay

    Kinda cool actually!
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  5. #5

    Default Re: 3-point Gibson conversion from 1972 on eBay

    I like it. I've always thought the 3-point was an elegant body design. Looks like decent workmanship and a cool concept/upgrade. I can't tell from the pictures since they can't be supersized, but it looks like a mahogany back and neck, not sure? What's it worth? Who knows?

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    Registered User John Rosett's Avatar
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    Default Re: 3-point Gibson conversion from 1972 on eBay

    A friend of mine has had a 3 point conversion kinda like that for many years. It was a great sounding mandolin, but he retired it in favor of a Gilchrist years ago.
    "it's not in bad taste, if it's funny" - john waters

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    Registered User Charles E.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: 3-point Gibson conversion from 1972 on eBay

    Seems pretty high priced for a non original instrument that needs a neck reset and has an open back seam.
    Charley

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  9. #8
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: 3-point Gibson conversion from 1972 on eBay

    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff Mando View Post
    I can't tell from the pictures since they can't be supersized, but it looks like a mahogany back and neck, not sure?
    That's a good question. I don't know if Gibson was already using birch for backs during this era or not.

    The seller says something about not wanting to mention a certain type of wood for fear of getting the ad shut down. What's that about? Does eBay flag your ad if you mention Brazilian rosewood? And would mentioning it even be correct? I don't recall reading that Gibson ever used BRW for mandolins.
    Last edited by mrmando; Jul-22-2022 at 4:38pm.
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  10. #9
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    Default Re: 3-point Gibson conversion from 1972 on eBay

    I can't tell from the pictures what was used here, but some of the early 3 point F models had bodies that were made of walnut. Cherry necks have also been seen.

    The seller may be confused about what wood[s] he has here, and may be even more confused about the regulations concerning rosewood. There's a lot of mis-information floating around on the web, and it's easy for someone who is unfamiliar with a subject to stumble upon bad info. And "say it ain't so," but misinformation turns up on the Cafe also.

    While I have never come across a Gibson mandolin with a rosewood body, Gibson did sometimes use it for bridges and fingerboards. I've seen it on Juniors, occassionally other low-A models, and on quite a few F-hole A models. I don't recall seeing it on anything made before 1918 - 1920 or so.
    Last edited by rcc56; Jul-22-2022 at 6:11pm.

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    Default Re: 3-point Gibson conversion from 1972 on eBay

    Yes, bridges and fingerboards on the c. 1942 A-50 that I know of, in my limited experience. That’s the reason I keep them on mine although both are seriously showing their age.
    But the sides and back on this mandolin, not clearly shown in pics, do not look out of the ordinary. The neck wood is barely shown at all. In this current market of many crazy prices, perhaps not an unexpected ask.

  12. #11
    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
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    Default Re: 3-point Gibson conversion from 1972 on eBay

    Quote Originally Posted by rcc56 View Post
    ...I have never come across a Gibson mandolin with a rosewood body...
    This one sure looks the part.
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  13. #12
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    Default Re: 3-point Gibson conversion from 1972 on eBay

    To quote Red Barber, "How about that!!?"

    Looks like they made at least one.
    Can you tell us anything about that one, John, and perhaps furnish pictures of the rest of the instrument?

  14. #13
    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
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    Default Re: 3-point Gibson conversion from 1972 on eBay

    At the time I took that picture it belonged to a friend of mine who may or may not still own it. He said George Gruhn said he had never seen one like it.
    I'll have to look and see if I have any more pictures of it. There was a thread here dealing with it, but it seems to have passed into the ether of evaporated old threads.

    I found a couple more pictures. I have several more pictures of the back but only these two of other parts. I had forgotten that it was a "project" mandolin...
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    Full Grown and Cussin' brunello97's Avatar
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    Default Re: 3-point Gibson conversion from 1972 on eBay

    Quote Originally Posted by sunburst View Post
    This one sure looks the part.
    That’s remarkable.

    If it were a faux finish, it would still be nice work.


    More photos please if you have them, sir.

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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: 3-point Gibson conversion from 1972 on eBay

    Quote Originally Posted by sunburst View Post
    At the time I took that picture it belonged to a friend of mine who may or may not still own it. He said George Gruhn said he had never seen one like it.
    I'll have to look and see if I have any more pictures of it. There was a thread here dealing with it, but it seems to have passed into the ether of evaporated old threads.

    I found a couple more pictures. I have several more pictures of the back but only these two of other parts. I had forgotten that it was a "project" mandolin...
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    This is a thread about a 1905 rosewood back 3-point F-4 but the photos are not of the one that John posted. https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...905-F-4-Artist
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    Default Re: 3-point Gibson conversion from 1972 on eBay

    I've always liked the moon and stars guards. I wish they turned up more often.

    About 20 years ago, I ordered a 3 pointer with moon and stars guard from Mandolin Bros. The mandolin was listed with their typically wordy description, but they neglected to mention that the peghead had [in what would have been their own words if they had bothered to include the info] some "reptile dentistry;" and the instrument needed either a neck set or a tapered shim under the fingerboard.

    Upon discovering those things upon arrival, I called them and told them I wasn't satisfied with it. Without even bothering to ask why, they just said "send it back." The whole phone call only lasted perhaps 45 seconds. If they had bothered to ask any questions and discuss it with me, I might have made an offer, but they just didn't seem to care at all about saving the sale. So I sent it back.

    I always remembered that. Especially since the description was quite long, I didn't much appreciate their omissions on the instrument's condition. I never tried to order from them again.
    Last edited by rcc56; Jul-23-2022 at 1:42am.

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    Default Re: 3-point Gibson conversion from 1972 on eBay

    Quote Originally Posted by rcc56 View Post
    I've always liked the moon and stars guards. I wish they turned up more often.

    About 20 years ago, I ordered a 3 pointer with moon and stars guard from Mandolin Bros. The mandolin was listed with their typically wordy description, but they neglected to mention that the peghead had [in what would have been their own words if they had bothered to include the info] some "reptile dentistry;" and the instrument needed either a neck set or a tapered shim under the fingerboard.

    Upon discovering those things upon arrival, I called them and told them I wasn't satisfied with it. Without even bothering to ask why, they just said "send it back." The whole phone call only lasted perhaps 45 seconds. If they had bothered to ask any questions and discuss it with me, I might have made an offer, but they just didn't seem to care at all about saving the sale. So I sent it back.

    I always remembered that. Especially since the description was quite long, I didn't much appreciate their omissions on the instrument's condition. I never tried to order from them again.
    Yeah.

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    The three pointers on this thread are sweet, even the Frankentrepunti.

    The one Diego (re)posted is simply wonderful.

    If you're going to tear down a rainforest for some rosewood, at least make some great mandolins out of it.


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    Default Re: 3-point Gibson conversion from 1972 on eBay

    Quote Originally Posted by brunello97 View Post
    ...If you're going to tear down a rainforest for some rosewood, at least make some great mandolins out of it.
    I thought the rosewood embargo was in 1969 -- haven't those trees grown back yet? Actually, there is a study from 2020 that states about a third of the lost rainforests have recovered naturally by now -- an area approximately the size of the United Kingdom...

  22. #19
    Full Grown and Cussin' brunello97's Avatar
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    Default Re: 3-point Gibson conversion from 1972 on eBay

    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff Mando View Post
    I thought the rosewood embargo was in 1969 -- haven't those trees grown back yet? Actually, there is a study from 2020 that states about a third of the lost rainforests have recovered naturally by now -- an area approximately the size of the United Kingdom...
    As more and more gets plowed under for McDonald's hamburgers.

    Would love to see what kind of 'study' shows the rainforest recovering at that rate.

    FWIW the Amazon basin is roughly 2.5+M square miles. Four UKs will fit into Texas with space left over.


    Pretty sure this 3-point mandolin predated '69.


    Let's not go here.

    I shouldn't have popped off.


    I love Brazilian rosewood. Went to an exhibit of historic furniture in Grand Rapids, MI this past Winter. The amount of rosewood beds, pianos, ginormous dressers, credenzas, dinner tables etc. etc. was staggering.

    The guide at el museo said, "Yeah, we shipped some leftover material down to the Gibson folks in Kalamazoo."

    I choked.


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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: 3-point Gibson conversion from 1972 on eBay

    I am a big fan of he three-point look. I actually had a torch-and-wire F-4 for awhile but was not too impressed by its tone but loved how it looked. And when Hans Brentrup was still building and active on these forums, I wrote to him to find out how much one of his three points would cost. Just a dream, sad to say.
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    Default Re: 3-point Gibson conversion from 1972 on eBay

    My luthier has a stash of rosewood that somebody recovered when the ocean liner the QE2 was being fitted out in the mid-60s- he said that the wood was being -or going to be burned and this chap saved it. Those were the days- when stuff was just destroyed. When I was a kid we had a Broadwood baby grand piano- all rosewood veneer. I subsequently found out it was probably the Chopin Broadwood and was very old. It looked like this one dated 1859- same style of inlaid lettering. The buyer said the keyboard range was unusual.

    https://www.invaluable.com/auction-l...9-c-eb34480a3c

  25. #22
    Registered User Eric Platt's Avatar
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    Default Re: 3-point Gibson conversion from 1972 on eBay

    I think someone here in Minnesota had a conversion like that. Can't say for certain, though, because that was during the time I was only playing guitar and didn't study mandolins enough.

    As to the price, well, it will require work, but to the right person it might be nice. Better than a 1972 F-5 maybe.

    The neck seems interesting - if making a new neck, why not just put the original headstock overlay back on? Or am I just thinking too much into this?
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    Default Re: 3-point Gibson conversion from 1972 on eBay

    Wonder where the Handel tuners went? The seller says they replaced "50-year old" ones, but the Handels would have been closer to 100 years old. Maybe the guy who did the F-5 conversion kept 'em.
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  27. #24

    Default Re: 3-point Gibson conversion from 1972 on eBay

    It sold for $2500 plus shipping. Only one bidder.

  28. #25
    Registered User Charles E.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: 3-point Gibson conversion from 1972 on eBay

    Thats just stupid. IMHO
    Charley

    A bunch of stuff with four strings

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