A2z-record price

[uncle ken]

David, are there any recordings out there with this one or perhaps a sound clip or two? I would really love to hear it.

[Bob A]

Hype or not, I have to agree thay A2Zs are loud instruments. The mystique of this model has been around for some time. I don't think it's just the Cafe that's put that about . . . I've had mine for more than a decade, and they were highly sought after for longer than that. Rarity may play a part, but I've not heard of any that were dogs.

FWIW, when I got mine I called Julius Bellson in Kalamazoo (aothor of "The Gibson Story", and a long-time employee of the company) to ask him about the model. So far as he was concerned, there was nothing particularly unique about the model, and he preferred his A4. So it goes. Whether the price was out of line is a question the market will have to answer, but I have no doubt that this sale has raised the bar for the model.

[John Rosett]

A nice A2Z sold for $6000 almost two years ago.

[mythicfish]

To cop a well-known phrase:

Mandolin: $8400
Buyer and seller satisfied: Priceless

Curt

[David W McLaughlin]

Hey, uncle ken...I do have quite a few cassette tapes and perhaps some old reel-to-reels of me playing it with the JMBs, and I have a bunch of scattered photos going back thirty + years. I just need to locate them. They are stored away somewhere.

[Mike Buesseler]

...but I've not heard of any that were dogs.

Not sure mine was a 'dog' exactly, but it didn't ring my bell. I bought it from the original owners, took it a music store in Seattle to get it appraised (both professionally and informally from one of the good 'players' there). No one was especially impressed, including me. Very nice playing instrument, but way short on 'mojo.' I traded it for a mandolin I liked better...

[Timbofood]

Having read the info on the instrument and doubting not a word, I must say...That is Selling "sizzle" like a Chicago steakhouse! Congratulations to both partys and I hope a fine picking session follows soon!

[Darryl Wolfe]

Well of course I am talking about two of my own instruments current, and one past here. #But, my brother visited this weekend and we gave some of my mandos a real workout. #The newly restored brown '23 snake floored him. #He had been used to playing my very very good '25 snake for that last few years and thought nothing could top it. #In his words about the '23, "a completely different tone and feel", "makes the other one sound like crxp"

I had an A2z quite a few years ago. #I did not sound like either of my current snakes. #It was the best of both worlds

[uncle ken]

David, I saw you guys play about 15 years ago but I forgot what instrument you were using at the time. I also have old cassettes and reels going back to the early 70's laying around. It would be nice to convert them all to digital one of these days before they completely rot away.

[mrmando]

A nice A2Z sold for $6000 almost two years ago.

$6600, I think, and it wasn't even set up! It was here in Seattle and I went and checked it out before it sold. Had come down from the attic with old cruddy strings. The seller didn't want me to restring it or even really try to bring it up to pitch, but I did get half of it sort of into tune (that is to say, two unison pairs a fifth apart, even if they were about a whole step flat) and got some very promising tone out of it.

My friend Sue has said she'll leave me her A2Z when she dies. Not that I'm hoping she'll die soon, but it IS a nice instrument...

[squirrelabama]

I love mine! I'll sell it for $8401.50. Oh, and by the way, mine smells even better than a Loar. Just kidding. These are truly magnificent instruments. -Geoff

[OregonMike]

Congratulations Geoff! Is that a nose print in the picture?

How long have you been hunting for one of these?

My second significant other is #76096 a 1924 A-1 Snakehead that was also built in Spring of 1924 as far as I can tell. (I still can't figure out why it has binding on the back too but is labeled A-1).

Enjoy, Mike

[MandoCowboy]

Another A2Z on Ebay. Do a search there, not sure how to do a link.

[mrmando]

'Tis here

[Jim Garber]

Another A2Z on Ebay. #

That belongs to a friend of mine who is also obsessed with these. He has more than one, in any case. That one is a very nice one as are most of them.

Jim

[OregonMike]

Wow, that's another sweet one - I have never seen the actual A2-Z stamp. Are those MOP tuners original?

[Glassweb]

The tuners are certainly original... and very rare and desireable!

[danb]

Yes, we had a chat about those tuners a while back here. I couldn't believe it at first but they are the real deal, a very cool added touch. Interesting is that they are the late '24/ early '25 style plates. I've seen a few other oddball tuners (some gold plating or shiny polished brass plates on old 3-pointers too!) over the years, but aren't those just especially cool?

[Glassweb]

My friend and mandolin guru Adam told me last night about an A4 snake he saw once... natural blonde (ala A2z) top and silver-plated, pearl button tuners. Now THAT would be one to see... or play... or have!!

[Darryl Wolfe]

I believe we have seen more than one A2Z with the pearl tuners. I remember a small time dealer at guitar shows that had 2 NOS gold sets. I was too stupid to buy them because he wanted about $100 a set for them when wriggle ends and arrow ends were bringing $40 or $50

[Glassweb]

Yep Darryl... I'd like to be 16 again (with a bit of money) and know what I know now...

[Ken Waltham]

I know of another A4, red colour, that had Loar style pearl button, fluer dis lis end tuners.
I had an A2Z one time with tuners as the one shown, but, ivoroid buttons. Go figure..

[danb]

The especially interesting thing to me is that these plates are the "bump end" ones, not arrow-ends.. the arrow-end ones were easy to explain away as loar-spec stock. I'm struggling to remember if there are any Loar sets with pearl buttons, silver plating, and those bump-end plates.. I believe they are all wiggle end ('22) or arrow-end (23, 24). My ex-snake virzi A4 was 81564, and had the bump-end plates.

The ones that can accept pearl buttons must have been an upgrade/added cost at the time, and hence were used sparingly on the Loars etc. Adds to the mojo factor!

[Darryl Wolfe]

Dan, I believe you will find that the Loar tuners "went gold" before the introduction of the bump ends. All of the bump end style 5 tuners I have seen are gold. We do have one bump end tuner Loar documented

[danb]

Always odd when there is only one..

F5 79719


Though I do list 5 instruments in the archive with earlier serials that have the same plate style:
| 78977 | A2Z |
| 78974 | A2Z |
| 78751 | A |
| 78532 | F4 |
| 77335 | A1 |