F4 w/virzi

[cooper4205]

i wonder how much this <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Gibson-F-4-Mandolin-w-Virzi_W0QQitemZ140112612797QQihZ004QQcategoryZ1017 9QQrdZ1QQc
mdZViewItem" target="_blank">1924 F4</a> will fetch, with the virzi and all? looks rather nice, to say the least

[Glassweb]

It'll bring what it brings... I thought that a2z with pearl buttons last week would go for much more than it did! In other words, "ya never know". Most mandolin collectors and players prefer vintage Gibsons without the Virzi. So the same instrument without a Virzi would undoubtedly bring more at auction. That said, some of my favorite Loar F5 mandolins have Virzi's in them... how about that!?

[MikeEdgerton]

Up until a few minutes ago I think it was in the classifieds here as well. If not then there was a 24 F4 with a Virzi here as well. I see it's gone now.

[f5loar]

At that price it's at least 50% off. It should be around $16,000 being it is a Loar era F4 with Virzi. Rare describes this beauty loosely. For the F4 sound it don't get any better. Many F4s with Virzis had them ripped out by a famous DC area mandolin conductor. Few remain intact.
Few were made. It's like having a mandolin with a Hemi in it. It's supercharged! If I didn't already have a closet full of them I'd snap this up in a heartbeat.

[uncle ken]

I'm looking at the small and poor quality pictures on the listing and I see the headstock scroll has been broken off and I see what looks like some cracks on the top. For something like this the pictures should really be top quality and the description more detailed.

[Charles Johnson]

I think this one was posted in the classifieds here at $10,500.

f5loar, I gotta say $16,000 seems a bit steep in todays market, even if it does have a Virzi. #

Charles

[MikeEdgerton]

This has to be the same one that was listed here on the cafe earlier, it too had two brown buttons.

I don't think that listing will last by the way. I believe it's against eBay's policy to require the buyer to pay the Paypal fees. I know it's common here but I think it's a listing violation.

[uncle ken]

I agree with Charles, I would think 8-9k would be more like it.

[Bill Snyder]

Most mandolin collectors and players prefer vintage Gibsons without the Virzi. So the same instrument without a Virzi would undoubtedly bring more at auction.

One with a Virzi can have a Virzi-ectomy. I would expect it to fetch more than one without the Virzi if they were both in like condition, but I am not a collector so take my thought on the matter with a grain of salt.

[f5loar]

I was going by the cafe ad which seems to have disappeared.
It only had a photo of the back and the description said excellent conditon. The ebay ad photos indicated otherwise so right price should be in the 9K range. But a minty one could fetch $16K easily.

[evanreilly]

The Ebay listing seems to have been removed as well!

[MikeEdgerton]

I'm not shocked. I'm sure it will be back up on eBay with different terms. The verbiage looked to be the same as it was when it was up on the classifieds by the way.

[danb]

It's 78566

[f5loar]

thanks Dan, Those photos are much better than the ones he had on ebay. Are those 2 brown tuners just natural aging? I've seen tuners do that many times. If it's not got the original clamp guard then it's not all original. Still nice looking F4 with Virzi. I've played this one and it's sweet! Sounds like someone from the cafe' police force turned him in to ebay for the paypal fee. This would have meant he was going outside ebay for paypal payment which we know is owned by ebay.

[MikeEdgerton]

Actually their policy says that credit card charges have to be built into the sale price.

Not permitted:
*Charging an extra fee to use a credit card instead of a check.
*Charging an extra fee to use PayPal.

[danb]

Are those 2 brown tuners just natural aging? I've seen tuners do that many times.

Yes, there are a few examples scattered in this date range that have them. I haven't thought too much about it, perhaps a batch of the celluloid had some imperfections and aged differently from the rest. Some have all tuners that way, others just a few buttons. I track that in the archive, but I don't have it searchable yet

[f5loar]

I attribute it to "attic" heat exposure or quick changes in the humidity/heat.

[evanreilly]

Here is another set of tuners with 'amber' buttons on a F-4, also with a Virzi. 78532 is very close in spec and probably date as well.
Charlie Derrington ventured an opinion to me that these were some flavor of Waverly tuners.

[Mandorlando]

i own the mandolin and it was removed from ebay and mandolin cafe simultaneously because apparently i violated everyone's rules. it will be back up shortly with better pictures, and hopefully no violations. just got really busy this weekend and didn't get to it. when it was sold to me not long ago by some folks i trust, there was no mention of peghead being repaired. i'm a player and its not something i pay attention to, but will certainly include in the next description. sounds really great.....

[Jerry Byers]

Here is another set of tuners with 'amber' buttons on a F-4, also with a Virzi. 78532 is very close in spec and probably date as well.
Charlie Derrington ventured an opinion to me that these were some flavor of Waverly tuners.

Those are Waverly's. I have a set just like it.

[MikeEdgerton]

Sometimes I wonder why tuner manufacturers don't just build a set like that. Simple, classic, elegant. Instead they feel the need to make them as ornate as possible.

[evanreilly]

Well, if they are indeed Waverly tuners, they certainly are a marked contrast to the Waverly tuners of the same period that were put on the Master Model F-5 style instruments.

[carleshicks]

I am pretty sure they have waverley stamped on the underside of the plate my 25 A-4 has the same tuners plates as those.

[Jonathan Peck]

How about a 1924 A-4 with Virzi for $8,500.

http://www.musurgia.com/Products.asp?ProductID=3361

[danb]

I attribute it to "attic" heat exposure or quick changes in the humidity/heat.

I wonder- probably if that happened it was before they went on the tuners though, I've seen ones where they are all like that , and other like this one where only a couple of the buttons are dark.