A Picture is worth a thousand words

[MikeEdgerton]

And here is proof positive. I can't even read this all the way through.

NFI.

http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/92270#92270

[Emmett Marshall]

That Ad killed my laptop battery!

[Tobin]

I couldn't read it all the way through either. I went cross-eyed trying.

It did appear that the seller intended to include photos, based on the description. But wow, at the very least, paragraphs would be helpful.

[Tezzerh]

Can't complain that it's not comprehensive!

[jaycat]

"If you want a mandolin that shrieks out of the gate . . ." . . . sounds like the way my last girlfriend left me.

[kenny boy]

I started to read this ad, but 73 yrs old in bad health not feeling well today. So thinking I may not get thur this book I'd not know the of the story. I quit took a nap.

[mandobassman]

I didn't even start to read this.

[Mark Wilson]

I read it earlier. I thought same - a lot of words for no picture.

You dont read "played twice in 45 years" everyday imo.

[allowishish]

yep, it's as bad as the people selling a 5 figure ($$,$$$) instrument and only putting up one crappy slightly out of focus image of it.

[Hendrik Ahrend]

I believe I know what an exc. cond. '24 A4 is supposed to look like. But a picture might prove that the back and sides are really from maple instead of birch.

[mandroid]

I Used to think Mandolin Brothers adds were wordy...

That one Got tossed in the TL, DR bin, as soon as I saw It..

[dwc]

I read it. Was the text taken from an ebay ad? A quote from the listing, "Winner can have his luthier glue it or if wished, I will do it. Some don't want their historic instruments touched except the lightest cleaning and that is all that has been done." (emphasis added mine).

[Timbofood]

Agreed, paragraphs would make life a little less daunting. I'm not one for an over abundance of brevity but, that's one loooong paragraph.

[Tobin]

This one is in the mandolin archive, by the way. The seller now has a photo attached to his ad, which is the same photo from the archive:

http://www.mandolinarchive.com/gibson/serial/79567

[BrianWilliam]

And here is proof positive. I can't even read this all the way through.

NFI.

http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/92270#92270

What ever do you mean?

[MikeEdgerton]

Well, at least there's a picture now to go with the thousand words.

[JeffD]

One secret to readable writing is to never have a paragraph longer than it is wide. Just don't.

[allenhopkins]

Ya know, with all the descriptive prose in the essay, seller didn't tell us what kinda strings are in the packages under the headstock.

Or did he? I sorta lost focus somewhere along the way...

[Petrus]

Try this ...

1924 The Gibson A4 Snakehead Mandolin with Virzi. Sunburst red, original case. Serial #79567. Virzi serial number 10583. $7600 free US shipping.

"There is no more desirable A-style oval hole mandolin in the world than the Gibson Snakehead (inverted peghead) version made between 1923 and 1927.” (Mandolin Bros.)

The most important point to me is how unused this mando is. I have had it for 45 years sitting in the closet and have only slightly played it twice due to arthritis. It's ninety years old, folks, a bit rusty myself.

I am no expert in the description, but have done my best and am glad to answer questions or post more photos. It is, to my knowledge, all-original, with the most-desired features (the snakehead, the arrowhead Loar pattern tuners, chocolate buttons, cherry sunburst) and only slight grooving to a few of frets. See the close-up for the lack of wear on those.

Sound: Nice chop, And I would think great for bluegrass/old-timey music.

As stevem says: "My '23 A and '22 F. It all depends on what you are looking for in a mandolin. If you want bright, clear tone, with tons of sustain, plenty of volume, with an evenly balanced tone across all strings, it is tough to beat some of the Loar era ovals. Earlier ovals tend to be more bassy and tubby and sometimes a bit twangy (banjo-like). Some like these features. For whatever reason, the Loar era ovals virtually eliminate the tubbinesss and produce more crystal, bell like tones.”

The almost unused pickguard with all the correct dates, the adjustable bridge, ditto, and the The Gibson tailpiece.


TUNERS

The Loar pattern arrowhead Tuners work smoothly with no binding, having hardly been used IMO. The buttons are most desired chocolate color, and mint condition.

The is slight marring of the screw slots (see closeup) and slight oxidation of some of the wood screws and uprights (ditto.)

On the backside there is slight oxidation or dirt where the leather thong went, didn't wipe off.


NECK

Pristine, includes the normal worn stripe. The Heel needs a little more black paint on its leading edge.
The Tension rod appears to be good with original cover. OK a little dust.


NUT

The Nut appears original without defect or buzzing. Some abrasions in the lacquer above it tell me it maybe had been filed somewhat.


FRETBOARD

The Fingerboard ebony is IMO like new. Unradiused, stock frets.

I took it to our city's best mandolin repair/evaluator. He felt the slight (less than 1/16th inch) bow forward was perfect, neither flat nor in need of correction). One expects at least a shallow erosion of the wood above the first fret. I don't even see any bossing. The upper frets esp. #1, have been flat filed a little; see close-up [with magnification they are very hard to image]. Usually after this long, a refret might be necessary, an estimated $350 cost.

At the lower end of the fingerboard there is the usual slight separation of the ivoroid. Winner can have his luthier glue it or if wished, I will do it. Some don't want their historic instruments touched except the lightest cleaning and that is all that has been done.

Original pearl dots.


BRIDGE

The Bridge appears original, usual embossed numbers of patent (PAT'D JAN. 18-21)

PICKGUARD

The Pickguard and Holder appear all original even down to the little piece of blue felt. (PAT MAR 30, 08), all hardware (PAT JULY 4, 1911.) The nickel-silver has the usual minimal tarnish. It still amazes me that the pickguard has such minimal pick-marks. I used to use a tortoiseshell pick, shame on me. Hard rascal, but it obviously didn't seem to cause damage.

STRINGS

Strings are monel and steel. You certainly would get a richer tone with bronze but my sweat tarnishes brass. Extra new EXP74 strings in the case. And they are killer.

TAILPIECE

Tailpiece appears original, even to the tarnished screws. See pic for the minimally tarnished areas on the cover. Polish could completely remove the tarnish, IMO, but that would be Buyer's option. Some buyers want as-found condition.

BODY

There are the expected scratches and lacquer chips here and there. Without significant defect except for small round light spots on the sides. Could someone have been drinking some white lightning and dribbled a few drops? It is not in the wood, only in the stain/lacquer, IMO. Look at the pictures. Cosmetic only. It doesn't show, until you undo the holder for the pickguard but under the holder is a small erosion on the side. Two piece wavy maple back and sides. Beautiful VG Adirondac spruce top.

HEADSTOCK

Just above the bell cover there is a 6mm shallow gouge which might have been from a non-standard tension rod nut wrench. It barely goes into the wood. Since this is in an area of black, a repair should be able to be easily, invisibly made. There is a shallow dent behind the very top on the backside.


TAILPIN: Original IMO and OK but a little rough.

VIRZI: Appears intact. Funny how times change. When I got it everyone was telling me to have it removed. Now it is for many a premium feature. Why was it developed? This was the time of the mandobands, when each instrument needed to accompany, complement the others. The call for a solo instrument developed the F-5, OK for a stage with no mike.

Notice how the warmer woody tone of the Snakehead A series, the switch from the archtop banjos to flattops, archtop guitars to dreadnoughts, maybe even the return to the Weissenborn Hawaiian have favored the player who likes to jam with, not jar, his fellow pickers. The Snakehead A-4 with Virzi was the peak. Removing it doesn't make it the same sound as the F hole.

This one has Virzi Bros. label 10583 above the Guarantee label Guarantee label: some idiot, me, erased the Model # line and wrote in his driver's license #. After several of his instruments had been stolen. Anyway the rest of the label is intact and there is no question which model this is. Ser No. 79567 This appears to put this manufacture just days before Loar left Gibson in December 1924. . Order #8098 stamped on the neck block.

CASE

The handle of the case has instead taken the brunt of the years. The handle is good but the leather is nearly gone. Several shallow scuffs, but only one tiny dent that shows wood that I see. Clearly original and matched to the mando IMO. What impresses me is how good the hardware is. Tight. Most old cases need help here. Again seems to be consistent with little use other than storage.

[MikeEdgerton]

I started to do that but decided it was more fun to leave it in a jumble.

[Ron McMillan]

The Forum is occasionally reminded in the firmest of terms that criticism or scorn directed at posters' abilities to communicate in written English is a complete no-no. This is a strict forum policy that I respect and admire.

Then something like this comes along.

[Petrus]

Yeah the big block paragraph is sort of like digging for buried pearls or whatever the metaphor is. Some day I'd like to try a long write up like that and hide something ridiculous right in the middle of it just to see if anyone picks up on it. ("If you've read this far in, I'm also going to include a crate of mandolin oranges just for fun.")

I can imagine some scammer trying this tactic on a much less expensive item hoping the buyer won't read the fine print too well. ("Incidentally, we reserve the right to substitute a somewhat similar item to the one you're reading about at our sole discretion.")

[MDMachiavelli]

Well there is at least a picture up now to ease the pain a little.

[Explorer]

The Forum is occasionally reminded in the firmest of terms that criticism or scorn directed at posters' abilities to communicate in written English is a complete no-no. This is a strict forum policy that I respect and admire.

Then something like this comes along.

Given that this mocks someone using the forum, I was a bit surprised by this topic.

I guess as long as we are making fun of the right people, one can't complain... and since it's a moderator making fun, I don't think a complaint would go far.

Carry on!

[MikeEdgerton]

The Forum is occasionally reminded in the firmest of terms that criticism or scorn directed at posters' abilities to communicate in written English is a complete no-no. This is a strict forum policy that I respect and admire.

Then something like this comes along.

I don't believe anyone has a problem with his ability to communicate in written English, simply his decision not to format, and that was his decision.

The author of the ad made a choice to put it out there that way.

With that said he has a better chance of selling this item now than he ever did.