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EasyEd
Oct-07-2004, 5:11pm
Hey All,

I asked about this in another thread but it was kinda obscure in there and so thought I'd bring it out here.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....MEWA:IT (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=3751881177&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT)

I'm wondering if this fake. Why or why not? Chime in!

In the other thread I said...

I don't have even 1% of the expertise you guys do but to me the ebay mandolin (above) is interesting and I'll suggest why. Could be an interesting wall hanger - a genuine R. L. Givens body with a Gibson neck.

Note that it says Givens body (not A50) with a Gibson neck. No indication of who did the work. Ever hear of somebody putting a Gibson neck on a Givens?

Why would anyone do this? Maybe the original neck got broke or they thought it would play better with a different neck?

Second the pick mark area shows the mando was played alot and likely originally had a fingerboard with no extension on it. Otherwise how did the area get pick marked so thoroughly. Did Givens make fretboards without an extension?

I did some looking and Givens made lots of mandos without an extension.

Third It is/was likely a good sounding mando to be picked that much.

Still pretty likely.

Fourth the back appears to be pretty plain Jane for something from a builder like Bob Givens - although I don't know. Maybe some of you do.

Thank you Jasona for the reply. As you indicated Bob did make a lot of plain Jane mandos. The mando on ebay has a back an awful LOT like the unsigned unumbered one at Greg Boyd.

Fifth The description says it could use some glue on the inside -whats with that - a Givens needing glue??? Oops my bad - the case not the mando - Jeez Ed learn to read.

Still working on it! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Sixth - the labels are obviously pretty bogus but the neck may be tied to one of the labels. I guess the Gibson neck could have come off something made in Bozeman couldn't it?

Obviously so.

Still the "sucker quotient" here is pretty high so I won't bid but will watch this one just to see what happens.

I guess my basic question still is - why could this not be genuine? Any thoughts?

I only have one theory. The area pictured on the mando for auction is round every Givens pic I could find shows it pointed. Is this likely?

Thanks and Take Care! -Ed-

I have absolutely no financial interest in this!!

Take note though if your into Gibson the same seller is offering a pretty nice looking A9. It even has some nice albeit somewhat weak IMO flame on the back! Too bad there is no way to know what it sounds like.

jessboo
Oct-07-2004, 8:54pm
Ed this is not a Givens mandolin!!! This is a the tags inside says it is a gibson mandolin!!!Go to gruhn's web site and check out the 95 A5l or the 95 A5g he has. they the same body shape. then go too Greg Boyds web site and check out the Givens he has. It's not the same body shape.
Hope this helps.
Dale

Rob Powell
Oct-08-2004, 7:27am
To the seller's credit, they say the back story is what they were told and encourage you to research it, unlike most of the scams.

I don't think the seller is trying to scam anyone but obviously, if the back story on this being a Givens is true, it would help the sale...

I guess I would say this one is questionable but not necessarily a scam...

mmukav
Oct-08-2004, 9:26am
Chaecked out that A9. Seller says he bought it directly from Gibson. Looks funny to me. Note the dark color on the face of the headstock and light stain all around. Maybe a refinish? Just wondering. Good price though.

jessboo
Oct-08-2004, 9:55am
yea but the neck looks like it's loose in the a9 as well???