More ebay emandos

**Link** · Jan-16-2009, 9:48pm

There goes your commission. He does give you a nice "thank you".

**Django Fret** · Jan-17-2009, 8:47am

Pretty nice looking VINTAGE KENT ELECTRIC MANDOLIN MODEL 836 (1967).

**Andrew B. Carlson** · Jan-17-2009, 3:01pm

Beautiful Red Diamond up right now.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Great-Sounding-R...1%7C240%3A1318

Looks like this was originally built for John Wesley Lee of Murrayville, GA according to the Red Diamond site. Wonder if he put all those stickers on the case. Any of you know some history on this mando? Or maybe John is already on the forum.

**Django Fret** · Jan-17-2009, 6:11pm

Hmmm, where are the electronics on this one?

**mrmando** · Jan-17-2009, 8:08pm

Here is where we discuss the eBay sale of a StewMac in Cleveland for $900 last June. Toss in the one that sold last week for $750 (it went to a guy in Switzerland), plus the one from Guitar Center's Web site that appears to be gone ... and it becomes apparent that the instrument at Smashing Guitars is the fourth bender-equipped StewMac to go up for sale in just over seven months, not the only one ever to be sold anywhere, as the seller would have you believe. I don't know whether the fact that I pay attention to this stuff is a blessing or a curse.

**Django Fret** · Jan-18-2009, 8:00am

A GIBSON VINTAGE MANDOLIN 1938 RARE ELECTRIC EM-150 and according to the listing "YOU MIGHT NEVER SEE ANOTHER ONE OF THESE RARE MANDOLINS FOR SALE".

It is really amazing that so many rare mandolins are showing up these days...

**mrmando** · Jan-18-2009, 6:06pm

Yeah, we've discussed that EM150 in another thread. It's pretty messed up ... not seeing it for sale again wouldn't be a bad thing, methinks.

**F5GRun** · Jan-22-2009, 8:57pm

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/msg/992783470.html EM-200 Looks like its in Awesome shape. Oringinal????Case looks amazing....Sorry not on ebay

**mrmando** · Jan-23-2009, 2:04am

[deleted ... never mind]

**jefflester** · Jan-23-2009, 3:32pm

Originally Posted by F5GRun

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/msg/992783470.html EM-200 Looks like its in Awesome shape. Oringinal????Case looks amazing....Sorry not on ebay

Certainly looks original. The SN would put it more like a '68 I believe.

**jefflester** · Jan-23-2009, 5:02pm

Originally Posted by F5GRun

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/msg/992783470.html EM-200 Looks like its in Awesome shape. Oringinal????Case looks amazing....Sorry not on ebay

I requested pics and and in the email the guy said price dropped to $1800.

Very shiny TP cover.

**Django Fret** · Jan-23-2009, 5:17pm

If you act quickly, you might be able to snag this Master Built Electric Mandolin for Shotgun Willy

I don't think I've ever seen such a "speacial prise to behold", but it must be if the listing says so, right?

**mrmando** · Jan-23-2009, 5:57pm

Originally Posted by Django Fret

If you act quickly, you might be able to snag this Master Built Electric Mandolin for Shotgun Willy

It's almost certainly an Antonio Tsai or Bruce Wei. I've seen some pretty purple descriptions for those, but this one takes the cake. You could give it points for sheer chutzpah if it weren't also filled with outrageous nonsense. ("Stradivarious Violins," your granny.) Who the heck is Shotgun Willy anyway?

**Link** · Jan-23-2009, 5:59pm

Only thing I found is that Willie Nelson once recorded an album named Shotgun Willie. (Never heard of him before; I only listen to classical, mostly).

**mikeomando** · Jan-23-2009, 6:05pm

Nowadays anyone can call themselves Shotgun Willy. Back in my day, you had to kill somebody named Shotgun Willy before you could asume their identity. This modern world is just passing me by...

**Link** · Jan-23-2009, 6:11pm

And you could buy a week's worth of groceries for a quarter, and the air was cleaner, and you could leave your doors unlocked, and we didn't have none o' these "modern conveniences" like school buses, oh no, we had to walk eighteen miles to school, even if school was only two miles away, we had to walk back and forth nine times, and it was uphill both ways!

**F5GRun** · Jan-23-2009, 6:14pm

I was not aware that Antonio Tsai or Bruce Wei were allowed to work on strads. I dont know who Shotgun Willy is, but it appears the seller has set up shop in his closet...thus the ebay store name. Maybe Shotgun Willy is the store and they mean "Shotgun Willy's"????

**mrmando** · Jan-24-2009, 11:55am

I asked the seller about the luthier's identity. Here is the priceless reply:

Shotgun Willy say`s he wishes to be anonymous and will not reveil his name. I am as intrigued as you. Willy will be offering more of his instruments in his store. I myself have been trying to buy this one Jumbo acoustic he has with Shotgun Willy written acrossed the fretboard in Abalone. The back is also highly inlayed with abalone and mother of Pearl.I`m sure if these instruments become prised and increase in value he will reveil the name and if Willy himself was involved. Thanks for the interest.

**Link** · Jan-24-2009, 2:13pm

Ask him what songs "Shotgun Willy" has played this on... Should be interesting.

**mrmando** · Jan-24-2009, 2:27pm

I asked him to lock Shotgun Willy back in the closet, I'm afraid.

**mikeomando** · Jan-24-2009, 3:18pm

Maybe it's a Tsai _knockoff_. I'd want to be kept anonymous too...

**mikeomando** · Jan-24-2009, 3:20pm

Oh yeah, there's a fishing lure called a Shotgun Willy, too... Those poor fish, they never had a chance.

**Django Fret** · Jan-24-2009, 3:59pm

Well, I found a picture of Shotgun Willy. Not sure if it is the same Shotgun Willy, but it could be...

**Link** · Jan-24-2009, 4:32pm

I just noticed something funny: the seller took it upon himself to create another descriptive category (like Brand, Used or New, etc.). Just in case there's another mandolin out there with "over a thousand inlays" for this thing to be confused with. For that matter, I guess it's just as well that most people don't know that abalone material is the shell of an abalone (a kind of sea snail).

Another thing I would point out to this guy is that the fact that it was made by "one of the few Master [sic] builders that is alloud [sic] to refurbish Stradivarious [sic] violins" has no bearing on this instrument, as it is a solidbody electric.

**mrmando** · Jan-24-2009, 5:00pm

Originally Posted by Django Fret

Well, I found a picture of Shotgun Willy. Not sure if it is the same Shotgun Willy, but it could be...

You mean THIS picture of THIS Shotgun Willy?

Folks, I encourage you to read the original caption on this photo. Shotgun Willy is the one without the hat. I'm sure there's a joke to be made here somewhere, but right now I can't think of it...

Anyway, there's no international cabal of violin police determining who is allowed to work on Strads. It's up to the owner of the Strad to determine whom he or she trusts to repair it. Sure, that's bound to be a highly select group, but I'm not aware of any Strad-specific certification program.