One messed-up mandola

[mrmando]

The half & half tuners and non-original tailpiece suggest that
<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Gibson-Mandola-1908-Vintage-Mandolin-Family-Needs-Work_W0QQitemZ220231668275QQihZ012QQcate
goryZ119027QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">this poor puppy</a> had problems long before it got into its present condition.

Two things stand out to me: 1) The funky cover piece on the heel! Any chance that it's original to the instrument, or did someone put it there during a repair? 2) The wildflower inlay on the headstock. Don't recall seeing that one before on a Gibson.

[Bill Snyder]

Wow. If it was just the top it might be worth trying to restore, but I believe with the peghead like that it is further gone than I would ever be interested in. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Michael Gowell]

Is it an inlay? Looks like paint to me.

[Gutbucket]

It matches the barn siding in the background.

[Jim Garber]

Two things stand out to me: 1) The funky cover piece on the heel! Any chance that it's original to the instrument, or did someone put it there during a repair? 2) The wildflower inlay on the headstock. Don't recall seeing that one before on a Gibson.
1) I agree looks added on and funky.

2) I have seen this before. Here is a 1905 A3 from the archives... not exactly the same:

http://www.mandolinarchive.com/images/3376_peghead.jpg

Also, tailpiece looks later. This will take lots to restore but at the moment it is worth it for the parts.

[MikeEdgerton]

I'm going to guess there is probably a screw under that cover on the heel of the neck that somebody put in to pull the neck down.

[Jim Garber]

I love this ironic adlink under the last photo:
More than just a pretty picture. Try Vendio Image Hosting.

[markishandsome]

Looks like a nice half set of Handels and a cool tailpiece, the rest is a wall hanging. The back looks pretty good, a new mandola with a vintage gibson back plate would be neat and probably the only way that pile of firewood would ever make music again. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

[jackc]

Yeah, that one has just about every kind of serious damage it could possible have, escept for a fire, maybe. If you have the time, desire, and skill, anything's possible. I don't think it would have much value when you were done however..

I have an old damaged Gibson mandola neck that had that inlay. I made a new replacement, with the same inlay, for someone many years ago.

I think it's a very nice pattern.

If you had a 1/2 set of Handels, the other side (or it's match) would probably show up eventually on the bay or elsewhere. And then there's the tailpiece, which is original (although not to that mandola--it should have the pineapple) and people are paying ridiculous amounts for nowadays.

I'd think it's worth $300-400 to somebody...so it will probably go for $600.

[Tom C]

It looks like it was in a flood. A mandola from that time is not too common, is it?

[f5loar]

if they could put Monroe's Loar's back together this should be a piece of cake.

[Jim Garber]

It looks like it was in a flood. A mandola from that time is not too common, is it?
You mean, dating back to Noah?? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Gail Hester]

"Looks like a nice half set of Handels and a cool tailpiece, the rest is a wall hanging."

Oh contraire. No Gibson should ever have to be a wall hanging. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

"if they could put Monroe's Loar's back together this should be a piece of cake."

Exactly. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/coffee.gif

[MikeEdgerton]

You know Gail, when I saw this I said to myself "This has Gail's name all over it". http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[TomTyrrell]

But how much Gibson would there be after this thing is restored?

[Gail Hester]

I’ve done a lot of these basket case projects. On this one everything there is either repairable or can be re-built but it will be a very time consuming process. You just have to go slow and make sure every part is done right before moving on and take no shortcuts. I’d start by taking it completely apart and deciding what could be repaired and what I needed to replace/re-build. There is great satisfaction when you get to the end of the project like that, string it up and hear that beautiful voice again.

I actually bought an old Gibson mandola in similar condition a while back for the sole purpose of using it to draw a set of plans. It came in pieces and had no hardware with it. I told my Dad that I had just bought a mandola and when I opened the box of pieces to show him he just laughed and asked, “You had to pay for that?” To me they are precious chunks of wood and I’ll put it back together when I get the time.

[Jim MacDaniel]

That thing'll be as good as new with a new piece of duct tape and some WD40.

[mrmando]

There's some tape residue on it already, so you're not the first one who thought so...

[BlueMountain]

You can't just use those Handels with some other half set and expect no one to notice. Note that they have two ears and two points top and bottom, whereas most Handel tuners we see have two ears and three points.

[Gail Hester]

I would find a matching set of period tuners, maybe with bad buttons and install a set of Mike Blohm's beautiful new reproduction Handel buttons. Not trying to fool anyone but to get a finished restoration that looks right. I love Mike's work with these.

[mandocaster]

People routinely restore smashed up basses, if they are old and solid wood (carved as opposed to plywood). You can get $3000 and up for anything of that description. Almost nothing is too messed up for restoration.

[MikeEdgerton]

But how much Gibson would there be after this thing is restored?
Perhaps as much as this (http://www.mandolinarchive.com/perl/show_mando.pl?55) one.

[TomTyrrell]

But how much Gibson would there be after this thing is restored?
Perhaps as much as this (http://www.mandolinarchive.com/perl/show_mando.pl?55) one.
Well, I suppose if you had this instrument restored by the folks at Gibson that might be true.

[markishandsome]

Of course anything is possible, but this restoration would have to be undertaken for the personal enjoyment of the repairperson. Nobody would pay enough for the finished product to make it worthwhile. A fun project for the right someone I suppose.

Bill's mandolin is not really a fair comparison. There the owner had the $$ and desire to have it remade and the instrument itself was of much greater value and historical significance.

[TomTyrrell]

And when it was done it was no longer original but it was still all Gibson.

[MikeEdgerton]

So if Gail worked at Gibson this would be an ok restoration? The point I'm making is that it's still a Gibson, even if the top is replaced. Gail Hester has resurrected some Gibson basket cases and I'll guess that when she was done they probably played and sounded as well as they ever did. There isn't an original Stradivarius violin being played in this world, all of them have been modified in one way or another by luthiers other than the original builder. They're still Strads. There are a few Gibsons that were rebuilt by Gibson in the 50's and 60's that are less than stellar. Done correctly this instrument would surprise you.

[TomTyrrell]

Mike, you're getting away from my question. I said "But how much Gibson would there be after this thing is restored?" Looks to me like the neck, fretboard, top and sides will need to be repaired or replaced. If parts are replaced at what point does it become a new mandola with an old Gibson back?

If the work is done by Gibson then it would be a new Gibson mandola with an old back.

[MikeEdgerton]

More parts would be repaired than replaced. It would still be a Gibson.

[TomTyrrell]

OK, I'll let it go. Once a Gibson always a Gibson. But this thing doesn't even have a label, it might already be a fake.... :)

[Jim Garber]

I have a feeling that if someone like Gail got hold of it she would not have to replace everything. I think that the top could be restored if done correctly. Yes there is that mammoth crack with warpage but anything is fixable. I have seen worse -- like Monroe's Loar.

I would think that the neck might be a problem but i suppose even that could be worked on with much time. Definitely not worth the time for resale value but could be cheaper than a luthiery course.

As one of us bowlheads says: "There is no such thing as a dead mandolin." I say it is only sleeping....

[MikeEdgerton]

Nobody would have faked one of these that far back, it's real.

[ilovemyF9]

It looks like very "Hip" firewood!

[TomTyrrell]

I guess if it hadn't already had so much "repair" work done to it I might be more inclined to assume a high level of repairability. An interesting hobby project but I wouldn't want to try to feed the family on this one, unless somebody is paying me to restore it.

[16samantha]

Have a L & H Style A, No 94 Mandolin (Pictures available) in what I was told is in excellent condition when I had it appraised. Was left to me by my grandmother. Any further info, email Zurlina1@aol.com

[Jim Garber]

Have a L & H Style A, No 94 Mandolin (Pictures available) in what I was told is in excellent condition when I had it appraised. Was left to me by my grandmother.
If you are selling it, you should place a classified ad (free). If you want more info it is fine to post on the msg board but prob better to start a new topic.