Johnson mf-350

[Pheasant Plucker]

A friend of mine in need of some cash has offered me her Johnson for $300. She paid $450 two years ago. Cosmetically it's in great shape, and it sounds better than the Johnson 115 I'm currently using. Yeah, I know, Johnson (even if not a synonym) is almost a bad word with most pickers. Is it worth it?

[Gutbucket]

How's the setup? That might be the deal-breaker.

[Pheasant Plucker]

It was set up by the music store that she bought it from... pretty good.

[Jim Broyles]

PP, there are people who wouldn't buy a Johnson for $50.00 even if they picked it out of 10 mandolins in a blind sound test. If you like how it sounds, you've already said it looks great, and it's worth the money to you, buy it. If not, help her put it up for sale. What we say about it matters very little in the grand scheme of things.

[BlueMountain]

I suspect that your friend bought her mandolin in a local music store, and she seems to have paid the full retail price. The going rate NEW for these seems to be $325: http://www.instrumentalley.com/Product....lick=35 (http://www.instrumentalley.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=MF-350&click=35)

If it were mine, I'd put on a bone nut and an ebony bridge, level the fretboard, dress the frets, and set it up so it played like butter. It might sound only okay (but MUCH better than yours), but it would play really well. Unfortunately, music stores don't generally put this much effort into that sort of mandolin.

What SHE paid for it new has nothing to do with what it's worth now. The top is solid spruce, which is good (but not properly carved), but the sides and back are plywood with maple on top. The resale price of a Gibson, used nicely for a couple years, tends to be about 65-75% of the new price. The resale price of mandolins like this is more like 50%, as few people want them.

Thus, as the going price new is currently $325, I think a price between $150 and $200 is more realistic for her. If she sold it on eBay, I would be surprised if she got $150. How about a compromise at $175?

[Pheasant Plucker]

Thanks BlueMountain, you've given me great info, but now I feel sorry for my friend... She told me that the tag price was almost $800!(I'd never doubt her word) She got ripped off, even if she only paid $450. I guess that's what you get for buying in Sun Valley. Everything is highly overpriced in a resort town. BTW is there a place to post ripoff alerts on this sight? Some stores need to be kept honest...

[BlueMountain]

Well, at present the list price is about $425, I think, but it's possible that two years ago the list price was $800. It definitely isn't now. I would assume that yes, a music store in Sun Valley during the ski season would NOT be the place to look for a bargain in mandolins. I don't know that you need to "out" the store.

What you could do is have her list it on eBay, tell her that you will bid $175, and if it sells for more, it goes to the person willing to pay it. That way you won't pay more than you need to, and she won't feel that you cheated her at all (though she may give up skiing).

[Seafood]

A couple of years ago I bought one at a local music store. Same store I bought a Kentucky mandolin and a Martin guitar. I bought it on a Saturday for about $325 and by Saturday night I wasn't happy with it. I put new strings on it and cleaned it up real nice. On Monday I called the store and told them I wanted to trade up and they told me they couldn't give me the money I paid towards a differnet mandolin because it is now a used instrument, although it was in better shape. I ended up trading it for a banjo that I'm very happy with. Needless to say I haven't been back to that store. And as stated earlier it may not be a bargain at any price. Spend the money on a solid wood Kentucky, you'll be glad you did.