Gibson Bowlback Mandolin. Can someone unconfusion this person?

[Greg Stec]

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/m...930593781.html
This person has a bowlback mandolin that he claims is a Gibson.
The receipt mentions a Gibson A-2.



Checking the Mandolin Archive revealed NO Gibson mandolin with serial number 73041 listed.
If would great to have that receipt with that mandolin. I hope it's still out there.

[JEStanek]

I'm no expert but, I don't [I]believe[I] made any bowlback mandolins. Certainly not in 1923 when Loar was there with his F-5 that improved upon the bowlback mandolin for classical music. The A2 was a carved top mandolin. I think this posting is bologna . You can get bowls for $200 that have all their parts on them and have better descriptions and a sure straight neck very easily. This is fools gold IMO.

Jamie

[Steve Ostrander]

They have a receipt and a mandolin. Doesn't meant the receipt is for THAT mandolin.

[Greg Stec]

I called the phone number on the ad. The owner said the receipt came with with bowlback. He's now set straight.
I did tell him he may want to relist only the receipt, because there are people who collect period printed material like this, stuff one would not keep and wind up in the trash. It's politely called ephemera.

[MikeEdgerton]

The receipt might definitely be worth more than the mandolin and that's crazy stuff. I've been searching through junk stores and yard sales for years looking for a wooden Gibson shipping crate.

[brunello97]

.... I've been searching through junk stores and yard sales for years looking for a wooden Gibson shipping crate.

Didn't one of these show up here for discussion at some point recently, Mike? Pretty cool box, iirc.

Mick

[allenhopkins]

Listing removed by seller.

[ollaimh]

They have a receipt and a mandolin. Doesn't meant the receipt is for THAT mandolin.

good one. i always explain that a bouzouki is an armour piercing musical instrument

[ollaimh]

i once saw what appeared to be a legit gibson bowl back, from around 1900. not a lot of ribs, sort of like the washburn bowl backs. sounded good but the seller thought he had gold and wanted several thousand dollars. that one doesn't look like the one i saw

[MikeEdgerton]

i once saw what appeared to be a legit gibson bowl back, from around 1900. not a lot of ribs, sort of like the washburn bowl backs. sounded good but the seller thought he had gold and wanted several thousand dollars. that one doesn't look like the one i saw

The one you saw wasn't real either. Orville's entire schtick was that his mandolins were better than the bowlbacks. The early bodies and necks were carved from one piece of wood. Not staves, no bowl.

http://siminoff.net/gibson-background/

Orville Gibson's patent

[DavidKOS]

The one you saw wasn't real either. Orville's entire schtick was that his mandolins were better than the bowlbacks. The early bodies and necks were carved from one piece of wood. Not staves, no bowl.

http://siminoff.net/gibson-background/

Orville Gibson's patent

Yup, we all have seen those scurrilous ads Gibson ran "sweeping" the tater-bug bowl backs away.

[JEStanek]

Is it possible you saw Orville Wright's bowl back. His mandolin was on display at the Smithsonian and is a bowlback.

Jamie

[DavidKOS]

Is it possible you saw Orville Wright's bowl back. His mandolin was on display at the Smithsonian and is a bowlback.

Jamie

I get it now - Orville didn't have the Italian luthier's skills to make another staved bowlback so he hacked his mandolins out of solid wood!

[JeffD]

I get it now - Orville didn't have the Italian luthier's skills to make another staved bowlback so he hacked his mandolins out of solid wood!

Now, now.

[brunello97]

I get it now - Orville didn't have the Italian luthier's skills to make another staved bowlback so he hacked his mandolins out of solid wood!

That is pretty uncalled for.

Flotillas of drekky bowlbacks out there as well....

Mick

[DavidKOS]

That is pretty uncalled for.

Flotillas of drekky bowlbacks out there as well....

Mick

After all the bad Gibson ads it's fair play.

Besides, you guys should know my warped sense of humor by now!

And yes, there are PLENTY of crappy bowlbacks around.

But uncalled for?



Yeah, fair game indeed. That was 1908. This is a mandolin culture war, and I'm on the defensive.

And a wink!

[MikeEdgerton]

What's next here, Orville Redenbacher's mandolin?

[MikeEdgerton]

Is it possible you saw Orville Wright's bowl back. His mandolin was on display at the Smithsonian and is a bowlback.

Jamie

The Orville Wright mandolin is in the National Air and Space Museum. For this Orville that was the wright mandolin.

[DavidKOS]

What's next here, Orville Redenbacher's mandolin?

Maybe he had a Cumbus mandolin/popcorn popper?

[JEStanek]

The Orville Redenbacher Mandolin is a true Folk Instrument closely related to the Schmergel Destroyer. It has a great pop and played like butter. The sustain is not so great. Earlier models all came with a hard case but most Redenbacher mandolins now come just with a microwavable gig bag.

The tone suffers seriously in elevated humidity.

Jamie

- - - Updated - - -

That Cumbus could play reels in a Jiffy.

[MikeEdgerton]

Hey, Orville don't need no steenking bowl.

[DavidKOS]

That Cumbus could play reels in a Jiffy.

Jiffy...Pop...like pop music?

[allenhopkins]

The Orville Redenbacher Mandolin is a true Folk Instrument closely related to the Schmergel Destroyer...

Devastator, not "Destroyer."

And, nothing is "closely related" to the Shmergel Devastator. It is unique, an unapproachable pinnacle of mandolinitude.

[MikeEdgerton]

Devastator, not "Destroyer."

And, nothing is "closely related" to the Shmergel Devastator. It is unique, an unapproachable pinnacle of mandolinitude.

I've heard that they are so hot you can pop popcorn on the headstock.

[Timbofood]

All y'all are silly!