2003 Weber Absaroka - what's it worth?

[theCOOP]

Like the title says. What is a 2003 Weber Absaroka worth, or rather, what did they sell for originally, or what is the most you'd pay?

Surely it's worth clearing out 2 Epiphones and a Kentucky KM-150 to supplement it?

Thanks,
Coop

[Bill Snyder]

A Guitar Center in Chicago has a used f-hole Absaroka for $899.99 (does not list year). Elderly has a 2005 oval hole listed for $1,400.00.
Looks to me that the one at GC might be a good deal depending on condition.

[allenhopkins]

New, or at least unused,* Absarokas seem to be running on both sides of $2K. There's a CA CraigsList used one here for $1.2K. Are you looking at an f-hole or oval-hole model? I'd say if you can get one on either side of $1K you'd be in pretty good shape.

*The Absaroka's no longer listed on the Sound to Earth website, so I assume it's a discontinued model. This may well influence "what you'd pay," since there won't be new ones against which to compare the used ones out there.

[theCOOP]

Thanks guys. This F-hole is advertised at $1100. Canadian so it seems to be very well priced considering even used, most things sell for more in Canada. I thought it seemed to be about right.

I'd have to get around $200 for each of the Epiphones and about $275 or so for the Kentucky all in quick succession either before or after buying the Weber, to make it viable. I don't think that's gonna happen unfortunately.

Many thanks

Coop

[Clement Barrera-Ng]

I think the Absoroka will be well worth the upgrade. When I saw the one on Guitar Center I was seriously tempted. It will be neck and shoulder above both the Epiphone and Kentucky put together. Good luck

[Jill McAuley]

I saw one at my local music shop last year for I think $1000 - very easy playing it was too, so I do agree that it would be a considerable step up from your Epi and Kentucky.

Cheers,
Jill

[McIrish]

I went to Guitar Center last night to play the Absaroka they have listed for $899. I also saw a review of it online that said it was terrible. Unfortunately, they were right. I think you would need to spend some money fixing it up. The finish is in pretty bad shape. It has pick rash, but the worst is the neck. It's like the finish melted in some areas. Maybe the previous owners hands were very acidic. Hard to say, but there were very large ridges of lacquer kind of push into areas. I probably should have taken a picture of it. I've never seen anything like it. Maybe the guy tried to wipe the neck with lacquer thinner. Anyway, that wouldn't have made any difference if it sounded great. There again, it didn't. I have a Fender FM52E that has more tone and woodiness to it. That particular Absaroka had no tone. Just a thud. The lower strings had no resonance. Maybe it just needs a huge amount of TLC to get it back to playable. If your into mandolin refinishing and/or rebuilding, it might make a good start for you. If you want to just play it right away, better save your money. Funny thing is; I'm good friends with someone at GC and could have got a great deal. I passed on it.

[Bernie Daniel]

I went to Guitar Center last night to play the Absaroka they have listed for $899. I also saw a review of it online that said it was terrible. Unfortunately, they were right. I think you would need to spend some money fixing it up. The finish is in pretty bad shape. It has pick rash, but the worst is the neck. It's like the finish melted in some areas. Maybe the previous owners hands were very acidic. Hard to say, but there were very large ridges of lacquer kind of push into areas. I probably should have taken a picture of it. I've never seen anything like it. Maybe the guy tried to wipe the neck with lacquer thinner. Anyway, that wouldn't have made any difference if it sounded great. There again, it didn't. I have a Fender FM52E that has more tone and woodiness to it. That particular Absaroka had no tone. Just a thud. The lower strings had no resonance. Maybe it just needs a huge amount of TLC to get it back to playable. If your into mandolin refinishing and/or rebuilding, it might make a good start for you. If you want to just play it right away, better save your money. Funny thing is; I'm good friends with someone at GC and could have got a great deal. I passed on it.

That sure is odd. The neck seems like it might have been caused by some kind of solvent exposure? I don't think acidic perspiration would do that.

Also the "thuddiness" very wrong for a Weber for sure -- you were wise not to buy it.

Something very odd is at play here -- I wonder if it got left in a hot car one day?

FWIW I have a 2006 Weber Absaroka octave and it is a great mandolin. I tell you what I would do with that neck. Put tape on either end then sand off all the finish and stain it the color of the rest of the neck and put a couple of coats of tung oil on it -- problem solved and a nice looking "speed neck" as well.

[Capt. E]

One great thing about Weber is if you buy a used one you can renew the lifetime warranty for a small fee and have the security of Weber's warranty support.

[Nonprophet]

One great thing about Weber is if you buy a used one you can renew the lifetime warranty for a small fee and have the security of Weber's warranty support.

This is true and very generous of Weber to do IMHO. I'm not aware of any other company or builder that offers this service.

It's worth noting however that you must send the mandolin into Weber first for an inspection before they will renew/reassign the lifetime warranty. So in the case of the Absaroka above if there was damage due to neglect the warranty would not be renewed until the repairs were completed at the owner's expense. I do believe however that if the problem(s) were related to a manufacturer's defect that Bruce would probably go ahead and repair it under warranty as that's how much they stand by their instruments and that's the level of customer service that Weber is known for. YMMV of course as obviously I don't speak for Weber...


NP

[draino]

Anyway, that wouldn't have made any difference if it sounded great. There again, it didn't. I have a Fender FM52E that has more tone and woodiness to it. That particular Absaroka had no tone. Just a thud. The lower strings had no resonance.

I've played four Webers. Three were really great instruments. One was exactly as you describe here . . . and it was an Absaroka. I don't know what the specs were on the Absaroka -- if it differed in construction from other Webers in any significant way . . . or if the one I played just happened to be a dud and just happened to be an Absaroka too.

Mandolins: (1) play before you buy or (2) make sure you've got a return option or (3) make sure you're comfortable with whatever hit you might take if you need to resell it. I think that applies regardless of the maker.

[theCOOP]

Sorry, I was unaware that this thread had continued.

I've passed on this mandolin simply because I suspect it would take too long to recoup some of the cash by selling my current mandolins.

I really don't have any complaints with my Epiphones and Kentucky. They all sould great to me when I play them, and have had the opportunity to hear a skilled player play a couple of them so I could hear them from a distance, and I was quite pleased still.

I've got them well set up for action and they have great sustain and intonation all the way up the neck IMO.

I'm not one for paying market price for used things, so I'll hold out for an exceptional value.

[mpduggan]

One great thing about Weber is if you buy a used one you can renew the lifetime warranty for a small fee and have the security of Weber's warranty support.

Is this True?

[pheffernan]

Is this True?

Yes. The process is called recertification and costs $300 plus shipping: http://webermandolins.com/support/recertification

[multidon]

I think I remember reading that even the F hole Absarokas were X braced. That may affect the tone that people were commenting about.

I love it when a 5 year old thread gets resurrected.

[EdHanrahan]

... even the F hole Absarokas were X braced. That may affect the tone ...

Yeah but: If X-bracing equated to thuddy tone, the term "Martin guitar" would be long forgotten. IMHO, one of top five mandolins I've played was a '90s Flatiron with X-bracing.

[multidon]

Yes Ed, but on the other hand not exactly fair to compare a large flat topped instrument design to a small carved top one.

I don't doubt there are nice sounding X braced F hole instruments out there, it's just that it's not the norm, tone bars are much more common, and perhaps as this particular design element was executed on the Absarokas, it may have not performed as excepted. Which would be curious if true, because weren't the 90's Flatirons Bruce Weber designs?

I am just speculating. I have no specialized knowledge. Just wondering why a bad sounding Weber would be out there.

[Bill McCall]

I wouldn't describe my 98 Absaroka as 'thuddy' in any way. Its quite mellow and very clean from bass to treble. (I'm sure its opened up quite nicely Fair number of x braced Gilchrists out there, haven't heard any of them described as poor sounding. But hearing is so subjective, especially behind the instrument. ymmv

[Bob Clark]

I've only played one Absaroka mandolin but it sure was nice. It's too long ago to try to describe the sound, but I remember it as being a really pleasant mandolin to play and to listen to. I nearly bought it but went with a Custom Vintage A instead. My highly customized Absaroka OM is mighty nice as well. I doubt I will ever part with it.

[HonketyHank]

Bumping this thread back up to life:

There was a 2003 Absaroka up for sale on ebay last week. $999 starting bid. I put a watch on it because I thought it looked like a great deal. The auction died with no bids. I am just plain mandolinned up right now or I woulda been in there. The only thing I saw going against it was that all the photos were fairly dark. Was I missing something? Heres the link.

[WoodyCTA102]

That looks like a very nice Absaroka. As mentioned above, photos are a bit dark. I always liked that dark wine finish. If I had seen it earlier, I might have been unable to resist at the starting bid price. Elderly has had several Absarokas like this one and an oval hole in the past 6 months or so. All of them were listed at $1700 +/- $100 or so. The two f-holes are still listed in that range. You do have a little more protection buying from Elderly and I suspect they check them out. A $1000 or so would seem a steal, but then it didn't sell. So who knows.

[Charlie Bernstein]

Thanks guys. This F-hole is advertised at $1100. Canadian so it seems to be very well priced considering even used, most things sell for more in Canada. I thought it seemed to be about right.

I'd have to get around $200 for each of the Epiphones and about $275 or so for the Kentucky all in quick succession either before or after buying the Weber, to make it viable. I don't think that's gonna happen unfortunately.

Many thanks

Coop

Now that folks have told you something about what they're going for these days, how about selling your three axes, THEN browsing? Even if the ones mentioned have been sold, others will come around. And when you do see a good one at a good price, you can jump at it.

[HonketyHank]

I see it was relisted on a BIN-OBO at $1200 and a best offer was accepted. Somebody got a good deal unless there were problems I didn't see. I haven't played an Absaroka but I have bought three Webers without being able to part with any of them. This one sorely tempted me. Twice.

[Bill Snyder]

Charlie Bernstein, you quoted theCOOP from 6 years ago. If you take note you will see that he does not list the Epi or the Kentucky in the list of instruments he currently owns.

[Sperry]

Holy Resurrection, Batman! Will this thread never die?

I'm looking at an Absaroka which the seller says has a label stating "Alaska Edition".

This might mean Sitka spruce top?