Documenting Instrument Condition ???

[EdHanrahan]

A hopeful shout-out to the experienced professionals here ...

I recently volunteered to be the "curator" for the dozen or so instruments owned by the Bloomfield Mandolin Orchestra (that's in NJ). Most have been donated by friends or relatives of past (passed!) members, and are currently in several locations, some just being stored and some on loan. My short-term task is simply to document their location and condition in a central file, rather than in some of the older members' memories.

Which got me to thinking that documenting an instrument's condition, beyond just the basics of brand name, model, age, source, dimensions, serial #, condition/damage, etc., is something that you folks must do on a regular basis. AND, you probably check for features that I might not think of early on; I'd hate to have to go back bugging people about aspects that were missed the first time around. So...

Would any of you be willing to share a sample blank form that you've made for your own use? Or more importantly, suggest those features of such documentation that you've grown to need, and a that might not be apparent to a relative newbie like me. FWIW, I've done lots of messing with my own and friends' instruments, but that info is easy to hold in memory for some short period. Documenting for future reference or possible referral to a dealer, which I suspect is like documenting for a customer, is where I'm a bit lacking in short term confidence.

Any thoughts would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks!

[Br1ck]

I'd start by looking at the photo documentation of major dealers for the areas they feel a customer needs to see. A store like Gryphon has close ups of each quadrant, front and back, and they try to document even minor dings and scratches. I imagine they have great lighting a even better cameras. Pictures of original hardware, or non for that matter, lables, you can get quite extensive when you think about it. Look in the case for receipts too. My 1913 A1 has a bill of sale from 1984 and a repair invoice (frets) from 2002. These had the name of the deceased previous owner.

Then there is the info like was it the last owner's grandfather's mandolin, or did that Army/Navy go to Europe in 1918.

But I think you need to decide how much time you can spend on the project and form your list accordingly. Maybe ask what documentation would be needed for insurance and start from there.

[Jim Garber]

Which got me to thinking that documenting an instrument's condition, beyond just the basics of brand name, model, age, source, dimensions, serial #, condition/damage, etc., is something that you folks must do on a regular basis.

You have a good list already. I agree with Br1ck to take loads of photos and include any case candy or other stuff, in fact include whether it has a case or not. If they are doing it for insurance purposes some insurance companies require an official written appraisal especially if it is a very valuable instrument. That might not be necessary for many instruments below a certain value. I would just get as much info as you can possibly get.

[Marty Jacobson]

In this day and age, I would highly recommend something cloud-based, like a Google Sheets form, which includes photos or links to photos. No verbal description will fully encompass everything, though of course some things like serial numbers, owner's contact info, etc. are better as text. The fact that it's cloud-based means that it's not restricted by platform or location, and that it's not subject to being lost on a hard drive after failure.

[EdHanrahan]

Gentlemen -

THANK YOU ALL for getting me rolling down the right track! It occurs to me that I should pick up Joe Spann's Gibson book - that I almost went for more than once. And, I just noticed that there's an overview book of Gibson mandolins by Paul Fox that would probably be helpful.

As points of interest (that is, "just for grins"), the items I'm familiar with so far are:
- An undated ('teens I'm fairly sure) Gibson mando-bass that was restored to playability just last year, and is now in regular use. Thanks to guitarist/bassist Ben Larkey, it was part of the recent East Coast Mandolin Orchestra concert near Philadelphia.
- An again-undated, but probably teens, Gibson mandocello that was restored from, uhmm, let's say "smithereens" several years ago. Apparently there had been a choice of a multi-thousands full restoration (per the epic Bill Monroe mandolin) vs. simple playability regardless of cosmetics, which is what it received. I'm sort of amazed that it plays and looks as good as it does (from 20 feet away) even though the oval soundhole is now semi-football shaped! Some rehab on the tuners and it should be good to go.
- A home-grown mandocello, built decades ago by an orchestra member whose initials are inlaid on the headstock, that has been in regular and, to my knowledge, continual use. It's generally Gibson's K-shape (the bigger F) except for its less-than-graceful "lump" scroll. Somehow, it soldiers on, despite a top that looks like it wants to sink more but hasn't in the four years I've known it.
- A Strad-O-Lin mandolin that's in surprisingly clean condition. Gonna have to join the Strad-O-Lin social group!

And there are another handful of instruments that I'm not yet familiar with. This should get interesting, and you'll probably be hearing about whatever trials & tribulations present themselves.

Again, let me shout: THANKS!

[Jim Garber]

An undated ('teens I'm fairly sure) Gibson mando-bass that was restored to playability just last year, and is now in regular use. Thanks to guitarist/bassist Ben Larkey, it was part of the recent East Coast Mandolin Orchestra concert near Philadelphia.

I had one of those many years ago when I lived in a hot and dry heated Brooklyn apartment. I think the back seam opened up a few times over its life with me, so tell the caretaker to watch that. We used it a bit in the New York Mandolin Orchestra. Larry Cohen played it with us for one season.