Whats a Washburn M3SW Mandolin Worth?

[Wolfbane Stevens]

Hi, A friend of mine was wanting to buy my 1990 Washburn M3SW Mandolin. I paid $350 for this mandolin two years ago and #I think that this was more than a fair price. It plays well, but has a few chips and dings in the finish. #This instrument lists new in the $700-$800 range. #Another #friend of mine sold it to me so cheap as for he needed the money for rent.

The moral dilemma here is do I sell it for what I paid for it (which I probably will do - I am not looking to profit off a friend), or do I sell it to someone else for a price of say around $400?

-Is this too cheap, too expensive? #All of these mandolins
(Washburn M3SW Mandolin) I see on ebay are not going for anywhere near the $700-$800 suggested retail. #

What do you folks think?


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[fatt-dad]

I think business and friends don't mix - especially when friends don't expect you to make any money. I would stand tall in the saddle and just offer the mandolin for a fair price. And, if you make some money that is good too. I am willing to promise you if you become a collector, there will be instruments that you make money on and those that you don't. That is your risk.

Not knowing about the Washburn mandolin, I cannot tell whether it is a $300.00 or $500.00 mandolin. I can tell you that there is a price to be had for the buyer to being able to sit, play and decide whether to go for it or not (that is a luxury that you don't get with an ebay purchase, at least without paying extra postage).

Good luck.

fatt-dad

[Martin Jonas]

I have a 1989 M3-SW and one thing that may be relevant is that the reputation of the Washburns in the 80s and early 90s was a good deal better than today. At that time, they were considered the best of the PacRim F5-clones, ahead of the Kentuckys (which also had a better reputation then compared to now). The even earlier ones were Japan-built, but by 1990 they were already built in Korea. Still, your 1990 may well be a better instrument than the new ones or more recent Ebay ones, so comparing the price is tricky. In the UK, I have seen a mint 1989 M3-SW going for 330 Pounds ($600) on Ebay, with six different bidders all willing to go above 300 Pounds. Prices in the US may well be a bit lower, as there are more on the market, and wear and tear may lower it a bit still. I don't think you'd be ripping your friend off if you sell to him for $350, especially if this is an instrument that you can honestly recommend. Selling it on the open market, you might well make $400 or so, but your dilemma is going to be that the relatively poorly made recent Washburns may affect the price you can achieve for your better-made older instrument.

Martin

[grsnovi]

My first F-style mando was one of these older ones. A friend of mine wanted to upgrade and when he purchased it originally, he did so based on the fact that (at the time) it was indeed widely accepted to be one of the better Pac-Rim offerings. He subsequently added a Fishman bridge to it and I still have it. The finish is rather thick and the headstock inlay is rather clinical (see my comments on clinical inlays elsewhere) but when I upgraded, I kept the M3SW.

I would think that $400 would be a fair price (at least for mine).

[Wolfbane Stevens]

Hey thanks folks! I told him last night that if he wanted it, that I would sell it for $350. It seems like a fair price to me, and it is not a bad mandolin. I would rather see somebody I know enjoy it rather than make an extra $50.

Now, my next question…I believe it to be a 1990 model, but I am not 100% sure. If I posted the serial number on here, would anybody be able to tell me what year it was made in?

What is it with these mandolins? It does seem like there is an overabundance of finish on it, and this may in turn be dampening the sound. I guess that’s what you have to expect from a cheaper pacific-rim built mandolin…. Who’s the Lloyd Loar of the Pacific-rim anyways? Is there such thing as “the golden years” of Asian import mandolins?

Thanks!
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[Martin Jonas]

Now, my next question…I believe it to be a 1990 model, but I am not 100% sure. #If I posted the serial number on here, would anybody be able to tell me what year it was made in?
That one's easy: first two digits of the serial number is the year, next two is the month. I asked Washburn that question when I tried to date mine and that's what they came back with. Mine starts "8903..."

Martin

[8ch(pl)]

I inherited a bit of cash when my mother passed away in 95. I went into a local store with the intention of buying a Washburn F5 that was in stock. I played it, had a salesman play it, it wasn't right. It sounded thin in tonewith little bass. They had 3 Samick A styles, solid woods. I played them and thought they all soundd better than the Washburn. I paid $340 Canadian, the Washburn was either $795 or $895. This store now stocks Weber mandolins, I would have bought one of them if they had them then.