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Thread: Five'll Get You Tenor

  1. #1
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Five'll Get You Tenor

    So here's an eBay ad that made me cough and splutter:

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/1930-C-F-Mar...61457679823774

    $4,700 for a beat-up 1930 Martin 0-18T? Ah, but read the ad! It belonged to a famous musician! Who, you say? The seller ain't tellin'!
    Who played the instrument may be important for some; but the instrument itself is what I am selling.
    Um, no. Sorry, buddy, but when you add 2 or 3 G's to the blue book price because it belonged to some big shot you refuse to name, you are selling more than the instrument, and pretending otherwise is just downright infuriating. Oh, and there's nothing "custom" about this guitar; it's a perfectly ordinary stock tenor, unless millions of scratches and a chewed-up soundhole amount to customization.

    Larry "Leather Couch" Wexler, who sells high-end vintage to an exclusive clientele and prices his stuff accordingly, also has a 1930 0-18T for sale, in far better condition than this one. And Larry wants only $2,750 for his.

    The eBay instrument has the name "Paul" scratched on the upper bass bout. Unless that stands for "McCartney," I'm thinking it will be a very lonely tenor until the seller decides to price it in accordance with its condition.
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  2. #2
    Registered User jim simpson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Five'll Get You Tenor

    Based on the items the seller usually sells, I would guess they are thinking they'll cash in big without doing the usual research.
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    Registered User Charles E.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: Five'll Get You Tenor

    I saw that too and thought "good luck with that!" There are at least two or three 0-18's listed any given week, in better shape, at a more realistic price. I keep looking at that style 2 for sale.
    Charley

    A bunch of stuff with four strings

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    Carpe Mandolinium
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    Default Re: Five'll Get You Tenor

    Nice picture of the case in the background, though.




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  5. #5
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: Five'll Get You Tenor

    Yes, that is a beeyoooooooootiful case. Genuine Corinthian chipboard.
    Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.

    Notorious: My Celtic CD--listen & buy!

    Lyon & Healy • Wood • Thormahlen • Andersen • Bacorn • Yanuziello • Fender • National • Gibson • Franke • Fuchs • Aceto • Three Hungry Pit Bulls

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    In The Van Ben Milne's Avatar
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    Default Re: Five'll Get You Tenor

    Since it's in original conditions, and factory custom made, the "scratches" you're talking about are actually a factory distressing job.
    Hereby & forthwith, any instrument with an odd number of strings shall be considered broken. With regard to mix levels, usually the best approach is treating the mandolin the same as a cowbell.

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    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
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    Default Re: Five'll Get You Tenor

    English is a funny language, it sure is, and people have a lot of fun with it - both intentional and unintentional. The title does say "Original Condition," which seems to imply this is how it left the factory. This lends credence to your distressed theory. Well, you know, if you cant dazzle 'em with brilliance, baffle 'em with bulls**t. I tell you one thing - this ain't shinola!

    Oh yeah - great thread title!
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

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  8. #8
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: Five'll Get You Tenor

    Seller labeled me a "Muslim" for raising some of these issues. I'm not even going to try to turn that into a joke. What a charming fellow.
    Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.

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    Default Re: Five'll Get You Tenor

    Wow. Hope he enjoys playing his prized possession. Not going to sell it the way he's going.
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

    Furthering Mandolin Consciousness

    Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!

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    In The Van Ben Milne's Avatar
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    Default Re: Five'll Get You Tenor

    I think the simultaneous WOW was perhaps everyone seeing the custom Paul etching, like "wow, what a shame about that."
    Hereby & forthwith, any instrument with an odd number of strings shall be considered broken. With regard to mix levels, usually the best approach is treating the mandolin the same as a cowbell.

  11. #11
    Work in Progress Ed Goist's Avatar
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    Default Re: Five'll Get You Tenor

    Imagine the tenor guitar one could have custom built for $4,700.
    Just imagine...
    c.1965 Harmony Monterey H410 Mandolin
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  12. #12
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: Five'll Get You Tenor

    For $4,700 you could get one of those "Blueberry" tenors with Maori carvings all over it ... hey, maybe that is what this seller thinks he has.

    In the same eBay message where he called me a Muslim, the seller remarked that he was "too tired" to respond to my (admittedly not entirely polite) inquiry as to the identity of the guitar's famous former owner. I replied simply to note the irony of his being too tired to respond, yet somehow not too tired to complain about being tired. Here's what he came back with:
    Please cease any contacts with me at this time, continuing such will cause reporting to El Monte PD. I feel you are harrasing me. Stop NOW!
    I suppose I should comply, not so much because he asked, but to spare the El Monte PD from having to deal with this nutcase.
    Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.

    Notorious: My Celtic CD--listen & buy!

    Lyon & Healy • Wood • Thormahlen • Andersen • Bacorn • Yanuziello • Fender • National • Gibson • Franke • Fuchs • Aceto • Three Hungry Pit Bulls

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    Default Re: Five'll Get You Tenor

    Wow! Again, wow! It just keep getting better, or worse, depending on your perspective. Maybe you should report him to the El Monte PD for harassment. He is definitely offending your sensibilities, insulting your intelligence, and committing assault and battery on common sense. Are these crimes? They should be, at least in this case. Crikey!
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

    Furthering Mandolin Consciousness

    Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!

  14. #14

    Default Re: Five'll Get You Tenor

    The tenor guitar is worth every penny and more.

    It is OBVIOUS that the guitar was built by Les Paul.

    Or St. Paul, the Apostle.

    Or Pauley Shore.

    Or Pauley from The Sopranos.

    The Arabic world develop the Oud, an ancestor to the Lute and therefore guitar and mandolin. Maybe he thought calling you a "Muslim" was an insult? A totally APPAULING fellow. Maybe I'll send him a recording of me playing The Macarena on a banjo mandolin. THEN he'll know what pain REALLY is. But first I have to fix my banjo mandolin. And learn the song.

  15. #15
    Registered User Seonachan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Five'll Get You Tenor

    Quote Originally Posted by Ed Goist View Post
    Imagine the tenor guitar one could have custom built for $4,700.
    Just imagine...
    No need to imagine!

    http://earnestinstruments.com/veronica.html

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    Default Re: Five'll Get You Tenor

    Chuck

  17. #17
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: Five'll Get You Tenor

    Finally just digested this bit from the eBay description. I must have been laughing too hard to notice it before:
    For an appraisal before the bidding ends, please contact any shop in Pasadena, CA or surrounding. like Redzone or Guitar Center. Contact them if you may, Upon proper payment of service, I will bring the guitar over to the shop for inspection.
    So not only does he expect potential buyers to start bidding at $4.7K, he also expects them to pay for an appraisal.
    Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.

    Notorious: My Celtic CD--listen & buy!

    Lyon & Healy • Wood • Thormahlen • Andersen • Bacorn • Yanuziello • Fender • National • Gibson • Franke • Fuchs • Aceto • Three Hungry Pit Bulls

  18. #18
    Carpe Mandolinium
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    Exclamation Re: Five'll Get You Tenor

    Quote Originally Posted by mrmando View Post
    Finally just digested this bit from the eBay description. I must have been laughing too hard to notice it before:
    For an appraisal before the bidding ends, please contact any shop in Pasadena, CA or surrounding. like Redzone or Guitar Center. Contact them if you may, Upon proper payment of service, I will bring the guitar over to the shop for inspection.
    So not only does he expect potential buyers to start bidding at $4.7K, he also expects them to pay for an appraisal.
    At GUITAR CENTER

    Does "proper payment of service" include paying the seller's time and mileage to take it in?




    == John ==
    == JOHN ==



    Music washes away from the soul the dust of every day life.

    --Berthold Auerbach



  19. #19
    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
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    Default Re: Five'll Get You Tenor

    No doubt. Lunch too. This guy is a hoot!
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

    Furthering Mandolin Consciousness

    Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!

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    Default Re: Five'll Get You Tenor

    Quote Originally Posted by mrmando View Post
    Finally just digested this bit from the eBay description. I must have been laughing too hard to notice it before:

    So not only does he expect potential buyers to start bidding at $4.7K, he also expects them to pay for an appraisal.
    Still , but now even louder

    Edit, I have no idea where that cow came from or what it means...for this listing they should have an emoticon of a cow's backside!
    Chuck

  21. #21
    In The Van Ben Milne's Avatar
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    Default Re: Five'll Get You Tenor

    I wonder what conditions a lendee would be under if one were to take him up on the offer of loaning the instrument?
    Hereby & forthwith, any instrument with an odd number of strings shall be considered broken. With regard to mix levels, usually the best approach is treating the mandolin the same as a cowbell.

  22. #22
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    Default Re: Five'll Get You Tenor

    What the seller is asking shouldn't get everyone excited.... What he gets is the only important figure.
    Bart McNeil

  23. #23
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    Default Re: Five'll Get You Tenor

    Are you suggesting we be sensible? Where's the fun in that? You have a lot to learn!

    Kidding aside, there actually are a few important figures: $4700 (the asking price); 0 (the number of bids so far; 0 (the number of bids he is going to get; $0 (the amount he is going to get from this auction).
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

    Furthering Mandolin Consciousness

    Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!

  24. #24
    Work in Progress Ed Goist's Avatar
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    Default Re: Five'll Get You Tenor

    All of the discussion here leads to an interesting question...
    With vintage Gibson TG-1 and vintage Martin O-18T tenor guitars pretty much always available in the 'up to $2,000' price range, is there really ANY market (used or new) for standard scale acoustic tenor guitars over $2,000?
    c.1965 Harmony Monterey H410 Mandolin
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  25. #25
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Five'll Get You Tenor

    That guitar used to belong to Paul Gilbert. Or umm... was it Bucket Head. Or am I both right.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

    The entire staff
    funny....

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