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Thread: Paddlehead A4 with issues at SGW

  1. #1
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Paddlehead A4 with issues at SGW

    Late teens to 1921 (no Handels, but a 1-piece bridge).

    https://shopgoodwill.com/item/158427446

    Vintage Gibsons have a history of selling for market or even above-market prices at SGW, even when in need of repair like this one. Here the sides are pulling away from the back and some of the kerfing is broken. I'd think the back would have to come all the way off in order to fix that.
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    Registered User jim simpson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Paddlehead A4 with issues at SGW

    Quote Originally Posted by mrmando View Post
    Late teens to 1921 (no Handels, but a 1-piece bridge).

    https://shopgoodwill.com/item/158427446

    Vintage Gibsons have a history of selling for market or even above-market prices at SGW, even when in need of repair like this one. Here the sides are pulling away from the back and some of the kerfing is broken. I'd think the back would have to come all the way off in order to fix that.
    I've noticed that about their pricing trends for Gibsons. This poor thing has the sides pulled away from the neck block as well. This would be a bit of a project. Hard to know how well it would come back together.
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  3. #3
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    Default Re: Paddlehead A4 with issues at SGW

    ". . . the back would have to come all the way off in order to fix that."


    Yes, it probably would. Maybe the neck also.

    Q: How many loose glue joints does this mandolin have?
    A: How many glue joints does an old Gibson have?

    ================================================== ===================

    Warm up the glue pot and get out your A style mold, or build one of those jigs to push an A back into shape.

    Cosmetically, it looks like it might be in pretty good shape.
    I'd give them $500 for it as is, but bidding is already over $700.
    Estimated repair bill: $1500 or more.

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  5. #4

    Default Re: Paddlehead A4 with issues at SGW

    Busy week over at SGW: a Mid-Mo, this Gibson and a Howe-Orme mandolinetto. Plus, of course, your choice of Rogues and some ?? F-type octave. I do check fairly often, and in my non-professional opinion, everything’s going higher, not only the star items. Even a Kay Venetian I was considering, went high. Other than a few folks getting bad value, I can only think that the resellers will only crowd up near retail if they have access to really cheap repair or known customers with very specific needs. I can’t see buying a minimally-described item for significant money unless I were pretty sure of making a profit regardless of defects.
    And, as usual, that Howe-Orme is not in the mandolin listings, but rather guitar. And ukes tend to overlap several categories.

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  7. #5
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    Default Re: Paddlehead A4 with issues at SGW

    Not a mando, but for a fixer-upper, this would be a more sensible buy: https://shopgoodwill.com/item/158249587

    Missing some hardware, and the fingerboard may or may not be intact. But although this model was the bottom of the line, these are passable instruments, and this one would take a heckuva lot less to put it in playing condition.

  8. #6
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: Paddlehead A4 with issues at SGW

    Goodness and mercy, it sold for $1940.06.

    For that amount you could probably buy an A4 of similar vintage that is set up and ready to play with no issues.
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  9. #7
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    Default Re: Paddlehead A4 with issues at SGW

    Well, you can certainly find a nice one in the mid $2000's.

    I hope the new owner has good health insurance, 'cos when he gets a repair estimate for the mandolin, they might have to call the paramedics to scrape him up off the floor . . .

    ================================================== ===============

    So why is it that when I have an instrument for sale, I can't find a buyer who's a SGW bidder??

    A while back, I spent a year trying to sell an A-4 in nice shape, set up and ready to go, with a signed letter of provenance from a well-respected previous owner, put it up in the classifieds for $2450, and got virtually no inquiries, except perhaps one tire-kicker. IIRC, I reduced the price a hundred or two and still had no action.

    I finally traded it off to a major dealer for an interesting instrument that he was having trouble selling. He priced the A-4 for $400 more than I was asking, and within 2 weeks, the A-4 sold to Trevor Moyle's UK shop. Then they quickly sold it for more.

    If some of those SGW basket case buyers would come over here, I might get back into the fix-and-resell business.
    Or not.
    Last edited by rcc56; Jan-20-2023 at 3:23pm.

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