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Thread: 1956 Fender Mandolin Serial #00005 HELP

  1. #1

    Question 1956 Fender Mandolin Serial #00005 HELP

    I have just purchased a 1956 Fender Mandolin in the Translucent White. The serial number is 00005 so yeah its an early one, maybe the earliest known to exist. I have questions that I'm hoping there may be some answers here.

    It has had a lot of play, so I'm thinking a road warrior on tour.

    1) is it possible that Leo Fender actually had a hand in building this one?

    2) I would like to connect this to a particular player/ band as it has the name "HOPPY" on it in the old 60's metal mail box numbers. I've really hit a dead end on this one.

    3) Of course I would like to find out what it might be worth and where or who might be a high end buyer of low serial number Fenders.
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  3. #2
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    Default Re: 1956 Fender Mandolin Serial #00005 HELP

    I am not an expert but that serial number does not look like any Fender serial number i have ever seen. Fender serial numbers are usually on the face of the head and/or on the neck plate. Dates are often stamped on the but end of the neck where they are covered by the pocket.

  4. #3

    Default Re: 1956 Fender Mandolin Serial #00005 HELP

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    The number is also on the neck plate. Not sure what or how they did things in their early years. I have heard that mandoline numbers don't follow the guitar serial numbers

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    Registered User John Rosett's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1956 Fender Mandolin Serial #00005 HELP

    You might want to post this on the Steel Guitar Forum also. There are a lot of people with knowledge of old western musicians there.
    It would also help to know where the mandolin came from.
    "it's not in bad taste, if it's funny" - john waters

  6. #5

    Default Re: 1956 Fender Mandolin Serial #00005 HELP

    I believe that it spent most of its time on the West Coast. Northern Cal and Oregon. There is a music book by Hank Thomson and a Gigging Set book.

  7. #6
    Registered User tjmangum's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1956 Fender Mandolin Serial #00005 HELP

    Ask the auction company, Nest Egg, if they can get you any info from the family about it. This is unique enough that someone should know something. Seems they marketed this auction as being friends of theirs.
    " Give me some words I can dance to and a melody that rhymes" - Steve Goodman

  8. #7

    Default Re: 1956 Fender Mandolin Serial #00005 HELP

    I just sold a blonde '56 (SN00101) for $3k that looked to be in a little better condition. That might help with your question about value.
    Chris from Tucson
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  9. #8

    Default Re: 1956 Fender Mandolin Serial #00005 HELP

    They were no help

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  11. #9

    Default Re: 1956 Fender Mandolin Serial #00005 HELP

    You your thinking that serial number 5 is worth like 3K?

  12. #10

    Default Re: 1956 Fender Mandolin Serial #00005 HELP

    Quote Originally Posted by 56fender View Post
    You your thinking that serial number 5 is worth like 3K?
    Maybe a little more. Here is what Reverb says:

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    I personally don't think a low serial number adds that much to the value.
    Chris from Tucson
    2007 Heiden Artist F5 #F102
    1919 Gibson A3 #49762 (found on eBay for $15!!)
    2022 Austin Clark Octave #159
    1922 Gibson H1 Mandola #70063
    1972 Martin D-18 (modified by Bryan Kimsey)
    2024 Klos Carbon Fiber (on order)

  13. #11

    Default Re: 1956 Fender Mandolin Serial #00005 HELP

    All righty then. I guess Ill just learn to play it put it with the rest of my guitars. I hope a mandolin will fit in with guitar and they won't get jealous!

    Thanks for all of your help.

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    Default Re: 1956 Fender Mandolin Serial #00005 HELP

    Quote Originally Posted by 56fender View Post
    All righty then. I guess Ill just learn to play it put it with the rest of my guitars. I hope a mandolin will fit in with guitar and they won't get jealous!

    Thanks for all of your help.
    My mandolins and guitars all live together just fine.
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  15. #13

    Default Re: 1956 Fender Mandolin Serial #00005 HELP

    You sure got a beauty and hope you enjoy playing it!

  16. #14
    Registered User Dave Hicks's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1956 Fender Mandolin Serial #00005 HELP

    The notebook in the case seems to have the name of Jerry Hopkins. Looks like this is/was a mando player of that name in Viriginia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnsvRkpJKxg

    D.H.

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    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1956 Fender Mandolin Serial #00005 HELP

    Ah yes, here is the original listing. Unfortunately, the auction sale price isn't that far below market price. Vintage Mandocasters took a hit when Fender introduced the Mando-Strat. For this to fetch much more than $3K it would have to be super clean, which it isn't.

    https://www.proxibid.com/ORIGINAL-CL...ation/62189990
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    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1956 Fender Mandolin Serial #00005 HELP

    Here is a news story from Baker City, Oregon, with a photo of a "Hoppy" Hopkins playing cowboy music. This might be your guy.
    https://www.bakercityherald.com/arch...f0c7eccf8.html
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    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1956 Fender Mandolin Serial #00005 HELP

    And here is another musician named Hoppy Hopkins, but he is from Ohio and is married to Suzanne Thomas, former member of Dry Branch Fire Squad:
    https://hotmudfamily.com/about/
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  22. #18

    Default Re: 1956 Fender Mandolin Serial #00005 HELP

    It's possible but this has spent time on the West coast but I'm certainly going to look in to it. Thanks so much for passing this on to me.

  23. #19

    Default Re: 1956 Fender Mandolin Serial #00005 HELP

    I'm thinking this could be the guy. Makes sense as it came from Oregon. Thank you so much for passing this along. Some seem to this this piece is not worth much but I think it is. I'd sure like to see another one in single digit serial number. I believe that Leo Fender likely had a hand in building this one. Not a big deal but the thought makes it more cool than later ones.

    The condition does not bother me one bit as it was LOVED a lot!

  24. #20
    My Florida is scooped pheffernan's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1956 Fender Mandolin Serial #00005 HELP

    Quote Originally Posted by 56fender View Post
    Some seem to this this piece is not worth much but I think it is. I'd sure like to see another one in single digit serial number. I believe that Leo Fender likely had a hand in building this one. Not a big deal but the thought makes it more cool than later ones. The condition does not bother me one bit as it was LOVED a lot!
    I wouldn’t conflate “worth” with price. It’s a cool piece that many here would like to own and nearly all would like to play. And if its early serial number adds to your enjoyment of it, all the better. But if your intention is to “find out what it might be worth and where or who might be a high end buyer of low serial number Fenders,” then some factors that you value (speculation about Fender’s involvement) might not impact its resale price while others (the instrument’s condition) will.
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  26. #21

    Default Re: 1956 Fender Mandolin Serial #00005 HELP

    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Hicks View Post
    The notebook in the case seems to have the name of Jerry Hopkins. Looks like this is/was a mando player of that name in Viriginia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnsvRkpJKxg

    D.H.
    It has not arrived just yet so I will have to see what is in the case, but thank you, good eye.

  27. #22

    Default Re: 1956 Fender Mandolin Serial #00005 HELP

    Thank you, I HAD hoped I bought something of great value - It seems that I was wrong. Now I own an expensive instrument that I don't even know how to play. On the other hand, I have a lot of guitars and many of them are "safe queens". I just added another.

    As for Fender, I DID get a response and they tell me that since the ownership changed, they only have records to the mid 90's. What a shame they bought the company but didn't bother to get those historic records.

  28. #23
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1956 Fender Mandolin Serial #00005 HELP

    Quote Originally Posted by 56fender View Post
    I'm thinking this could be the guy. Makes sense as it came from Oregon.
    Well, Oregon is a big state. Baker City is in eastern Oregon and the estate was in the Willamette Valley ... that's a fair hike. So this is less than definitive, but at least you have a place to start looking.

    I went through the entire estate auction, and notably, the mandolin was the only musical instrument. Mostly tools, a few firearm-related items, and collectible coins. So it's possible that the estate was not that of the original owner of the mandolin ... a musician's estate would be likely to have more than instrument in it. Hoppy might have sold this mandolin at some point. If he was playing a gig in Baker City in 2019 he might still be around.
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    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1956 Fender Mandolin Serial #00005 HELP

    Quote Originally Posted by 56fender View Post
    Thank you, I HAD hoped I bought something of great value - It seems that I was wrong.
    Well, you weren't really wrong. You bought an electric mandolin for about $3K, which is more than most people will ever pay for an electric mandolin. It just happens to be worth not much more than you paid for it.

    David Gilmour's Mandocaster sold at auction for $32,500, while John Abercrombie's sold for $1,500. Abercrombie was a better-known musician than Hoppy Hopkins, but apparently fame doesn't translate to auction value until you reach the Pink Floyd level of fame.
    Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.

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    Lyon & Healy • Wood • Thormahlen • Andersen • Bacorn • Yanuziello • Fender • National • Gibson • Franke • Fuchs • Aceto • Three Hungry Pit Bulls

  30. #25
    Registered User Peter Mix's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1956 Fender Mandolin Serial #00005 HELP

    I have the honor of caretaking '56 Mandocaster 00779 in the Mary Kaye translucent white finish. Over the years, I've had two other '56 Mandocasters, a '58 and a couple from the early '60's. I may have broken even over time as I've zeroed in on what works for me. Possibly wishful thinking.

    To my ears, the '56 has the best-sounding pickup of all that I have played, very sweet, full-bodied, powerful. Oddly, the tone pot works backward. Clockwise dials it down, while the volume pot works normally. None of the others have had this odd feature.

    I think they are fabulous for so many things. Here's a youtube snippet of the '58 which also has a very sweet pickup....wish I still had it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=Ubne9XqfYGY
    Last edited by Peter Mix; Jul-01-2021 at 5:52pm. Reason: punctuation
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