Joe Desperado
Jun-03-2009, 7:37pm
Well here is another from the pile. Its not a mando..I hope is ok to post it anyway. Its probably turn of the century or early 1900's. I thought maybe Washburn, but not sure. Its in rough shape but restoreable. The headstock looks like it had a plaque on the headstock. No markings except the number 35 on the heal block. Lets figure it out and I'll throw this one into the classifieds too! All will be price really reasonable or maybe even cheap.
Btw: the back has lots of pieces missing, but I would assume its brazilian rosewood.
Joe
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v362/jrepro/joesjunkguitars020.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v362/jrepro/joesjunkguitars022.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v362/jrepro/joesjunkguitars021.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v362/jrepro/joesjunkguitars019.jpg
Joe Desperado
Jun-03-2009, 8:51pm
This one appears to be the same guitar...yes/no?
http://chicago.craigslist.org/nwi/msg/1203543971.html
He says Washburn "new model" from the late 1800's. Anyone agree? Are ones in good shape really worth that much?
MikeEdgerton
Jun-03-2009, 8:58pm
I wouldn't assume the back is Brazilian rosewood. Many companies used a faux rosewood finish. Does the back and side wood look the same on the inside as the outside?
Joe Desperado
Jun-03-2009, 9:13pm
yes...but I will post a picture of a chunk of back. Its rosewood all the way thru.
allenhopkins
Jun-03-2009, 10:43pm
Joe D -- suggestion: back off about five feet and take pictures of the entire instrument, front and back. (Goes for your other posting re: the mandolin, too.) Detail shots are useful, but when one's looking for an overall ID, the "total picture" is where one starts.
Bernie Lehmann here in Rochester has a slew of "as is" parlor guitars, in similar shape, which he sells for $75-125. Most are "no name," but even if this is a Washburn, someone would have to put multi-hundreds of dollars of repairs into it to get it near the price the Craig's List seller's asking. How is it braced -- ladder, fan, X? Is there a center stripe on the back? I haven't seen a Washburn with a screw-on nameplate; doesn't mean there weren't some, though.
IMHO, it would have to be established that this was a recognized model. built by a well-known manufacturer, to make it worth restoring, unless the purchaser could do it himself. But maybe someone can ID it as Washburn, Cole, or other major turn-of-the-20th-century builder, and that would make all the difference in its marketability.