Monroe's Headplate

[re simmers]

SO, what's the expected sale price?

I guess if James has the piece that Bill broke off, and the "Gibson" pieces that Bill gouged out, Gibson could get someone to put it back together?

Personally, I would like the knife he used to do the gouging.........and also that fireplace poker. What happened to that poker?

Bob

[Goodin]

Isn't that the headstock from the "million dollar mandolin". I would estimate $50-75K but it's anybody's guess. I think it will be far more than the Cristie's estimate of 5-7K.

[danb]

Probably not that high, but still.. the mandolin isn't for sale

[Fretbear]

I never noticed before how the gouge looks like a thunderbolt...very fitting for Zeus's axe.....

[Spruce]

Looks like they gussied it up a bit since these pics were taken... ;)


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee22/e_stamp/MVC-648S.jpg


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee22/e_stamp/MVC-647S.jpg

[Glassweb]

ok all you fine arts majors, here's your chance to reproduce "a masterpiece"... or at least a piece of a master...

[re simmers]

It is fitting that these fine pictures are posted by "wood butcher."

[Spruce]

Hear Bill tell his side of the story here (http://www.mandolinarchive.com/audio/73987/73987_monroe_mandolin_story.mp3)...

:)

[Mandoist]

Christie's clientele could care less about Bill Monroe's F5, much less a piece of wood from it. If it does reach their high end estimate of $7k, it'll have to be an outsider.

It'll be fun to watch.

[Chris Rogers]

My bet: Skaggs will pay whatever it takes to add it to his Monroe mojo.

[Steve Ostrander]

I'd rather Skaggs buy it than have it go to Japan...

I don't get Monroe's thinking. It wasn't good enough to be a Gibson, but it was still good enough for him to play?

[allenhopkins]

I don't get Monroe's thinking. It wasn't good enough to be a Gibson, but it was still good enough for him to play?

Scratching out the "Gibson" on the headstock was Monroe's way of showing displeasure with the company, not a reflection on the quality of his mandolin.

Here's what Richard Smith wrote about it in his book Can't You Hear Me Callin': The Life of Bill Monroe (p. 120):

"Around 1950, Bill had a long list of repairs [for Gibson to perform]: resetting of the neck; new frets and fingerboard; new tuning pegs; a new bridge; and refinishing. Gibson kept it about four months, for Monroe a difficult separation during which he had to make do with other instruments...

"When the mandolin came back, only the neck had been reset. Aggravated, Bill thought of all the people inspired by his music to take up the mandolin and how most of them had purchased Gibsons because he played one. Looking down at the headstock, he decided he had given the company enough free advertising. He unfolded his pocket knife, sat down, and gouged the inlaid mother-of-pearl "Gibson" out of the headstock, leaving only "The" above a raw red wound in the wood."

Monroe's beat-up Loar, with the broken-off headstock curl and the Gibson logo scratched out, became as much a part of his performances as his big hat and amazing tenor voice. It was later, when "person or persons unknown" invaded his house and smashed the mandolin with a poker, that Monroe and Gibson kissed and made up, and the late Charlie Derrington rebuilt #73987.

Later: some inaccuracy above. Gibson had already restored the Loar's headstock, and added a "Bill Monroe" engraved truss rod cover, when the vandalism occurred. So the reconciliation was earlier than Charlie D's restoration project.

[woodwizard]

Would it be a terrible thing to do something like this ? ... Have a great respected mandolin maker build a special mandolin to fit it. Just so it could live on and make music. Destressed ofcourse.

[bhGreen]

Would it be a terrible thing to do something like this ? ... Have a great respected mandolin maker build a special mandolin to fit it. Just so it could live on and make music. Destressed ofcourse.

I think that would be way more amazing than keeping it in someones vault, or up on a wall for display... keep it up on stage, IMO =]

[SternART]

Would it be a terrible thing to do something like this ? ... Have a great respected mandolin maker build a special mandolin to fit it. Just so it could live on and make music. Destressed ofcourse.

Interesting idea......better than framed with glass over it.
Serious mojo there.

[woodwizard]

That mojo would sizzel! Think of all the music that has vibrated through that baby. And the kind we all love and respect too. It would be an amazing thing. IMHO

[toddjoles]

I wouldn't put it behind glass, I'd put it on a big gold chain and wear it around my neck like all the rappers do!! NOW THATS WHAT I CALL BLING!!! Think of all the attention you would get at festivals!

[D C Blood]

Personally, I think the Country Music Hall of Fame should buy it, and keep it displayed with "The Mandolin"...

[woodwizard]

That would be cool but it's still behind glass. Guess whoever makes the purchase can do whatever they want with it. We'll have to wait and see what happens I guess.

[Goodin]

so...does anyone know how much it sold for?

[Marc Berman]

so...does anyone know how much it sold for?

The auction takes place Dec. 3, 2009.

[Goodin]

Oh, I thought I read it was in August.

[Ronnie L]

Good Grief! Its a piece of wood......:))

[Goodin]

Hey now...my mandolin is just a piece of wood too!

[Willie]

At a show that I was playing a few years ago I had the misfortune of the end pin coming out of my "Gibson" and it fell and knocked the curl off of the peg head just like Bill`s and everyone said I should dig out the word "Gibson" and my mando would look just like Bills but I had it replaced and now I wish I had of left it like it was, I could have made some money selling it as "the original" I wonder how many people will try and copy that item? Willie

[Matt DeBlass]

On one hand I'm a little surprised that there isn't a distressed Bill replica on the market yet, on the other, what instrument maker wants to sell a nice axe without their name on the headstock?

[JEStanek]

Look near the bottom of Gary Vessel's page (http://vesselmandolins.blogspot.com/)for his Monroe Loar Replica. They are out there, rather, it is out there....

Jamie

[f5loar]

Yep, they're out there all right ! ;)

[Ivan Kelsall]

I think that it wouild be nice if it was bought by a player & installed on an instrument similar to the one that Gary built. Not to try to 'replicate' Bill Monroes instrument as such,but to give the headplate a purpose, instead of simply being an 'object of curiosity'. I realise that having said that,it would still be an object of curiosity,but it would at least be in use,
Ivan

[mandozilla]

A full size replica for a case sticker would be cool. :cool:

~o):mandosmiley: