Mandolin with J W on the neck

[JeffD]

Now it might be that this is not the same mandolin.
.

That seems a possibility. I know my family could not tell one mandolin from another.

[MikeEdgerton]

That seems a possibility. I know my family could not tell one mandolin from another.

And then there's the famous conversation that goes like this:

Wife: Did you buy another mandolin???????
Husband: No sweetie, this is the same one I've had for years.


There are all kinds of possibilities.

[OldGus]

...it looks like he was building every mandolin differently...It also looks like he was building some kits.

These statements are contradictory because kits are the same but what makes you think there were kits involved? My understanding is that he was one of the pioneers of the resurgence on the F5 and built from scratch even collecting his own shells on the beach when living in California. He used local hardwood when living in Missouri....I agree that this could be a retopped/renecked Gibson but check here http://www.wynnmandolins.com/pages/about.php, I've never heard of a kit that used nails for frets and why would he have to go backwards after having built the first one from scratch?

[SBrockman]

I have submitted information to the Wynn site and hope to gain further information from them. My grandfather owned a swap shop in Seymour, MO in the 70's and 80's. It is possible that someone sold it to him at the shop. Maybe he traded up.

Soon I hope to complete the story of this mandolin and will post the findings.

Thanks again for the help.

[SBrockman]

Does anyone know how to contact any of the Wynn family members or someone else who knows about these instruments? I have yet to receive a reply to my request for information.

[spoonbill]

JW Wynn owner. On the Wynn website there is a link to their facebook page. Please post what you find out. The above conversations make it sound like a Wynn. M&M