1923 Gibson Ajr mandolin 72500

**NewsFetcher** · Apr-12-2012, 10:25am

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$520.76 (5 Bids)
End Date: Sunday Apr-22-2012 8:11:10 PDT
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This news feed watches mandolin family related items on eBay and selects one randomly. By appearing here the Mandolin Cafe is not endorsing the legitimacy of the item nor the honesty of the seller. This is a computer generated posting. If you feel the auction represents fraudulent activity please contact the site owner.

**barney 59** · Apr-12-2012, 8:29pm

This is a nice, clean and pretty unique Ajr being bound and all but it just came on and almost instantly went past $1100 with multiple bidders with 9 days yet to go! That's pretty unique in itself for that to happen. Me suspects there is some shill bidding going on.

**Tom C** · Apr-13-2012, 8:17am

I doubt it. multiple people with high bids to that amount. Being advertised on here once again, I will probably be denied the opportunity to win this one.

If you think this NewsFetcher showing mandos on ebay, possibly boosting winning bids, and causing more competition within our own community, I would state your opinions to the admins. I have.

**barney 59** · Apr-13-2012, 11:13am

But we have always done it ourselves when we, the cafe members, start a thread about a particular instrument on ebay. How I got on to The Mandolin Cafe was because of an instrument that I wanted to find out something about that was listed on ebay and discovered when I logged on that it was already being discussed. I don't really care that much. Actually, being an owner of vintage instruments I probably have to some extent an interest in these things gaining their former value. As a potential buyer I like the prices down,as someone who likes to rehab vintage instruments and flip them I've had to take a second look at my retirement plans because the potential to resell something is so iffy.
I follow ebay pretty closely and the way this instrument took off is highly unusual. Mostly, anymore, bidders hang back and wait a while before they push the value up. For any "A" model to go past $1000 almost instantly and there is still 9 days left on the auction pretty much doesn't happen. There is always an instrument that goes it's own way on ebay and maybe this is one of those. Like I said this is a nice mandolin, it seems, but it's still a paddle head Jr. it's not an A2Z, a snakehead or an A4, how come so much interest?

**bootinz** · Apr-13-2012, 11:16am

Did any '23 Ajr's have truss rods? I know I could find this out for myself with not much effort but I'm feeling lazy today.

**Jim Garber** · Apr-13-2012, 11:46am

It is interesting that it it a 23 (I don't have my SN/FON list here) but it is not a snakehead. Someone asked and the seller (a Cafe member BTW) posted: serial # 72500 FON # 11808

My 23 A Jr is a snakehead but not in quite as good condition. I have a feeling that that tp cover is not original or else a prior owner did some engraving.

As to the bidding, a few people obviously want it badly. IMHO it is close to retail pricing at the moment.

**barrangatan** · Apr-13-2012, 12:39pm

Originally Posted by bootinz

Did any '23 Ajr's have truss rods? I know I could find this out for myself with not much effort but I'm feeling lazy today.

None of the A-Jrs have truss rod even after truss rods were introduced.

I definitely think that the A-Jrs are getting more attention and more popular among potential buyers, because they are usually more affordable. Most of the auctions I come across for A-Jrs tend to get a lot more bids, while other high-priced and similar vintage Gibson As get none. With the recent article on affordable vintage instrument under 1K, I only expect the trend to continue.

**barney 59** · Apr-15-2012, 3:53am

But this one is already OVER $1000 -so they read the article but didn't pay attention? The engraving definitely looks to have been added. I kind of like it. Ajr's and A0's never had truss rods. I have one and have run across quite a few and the necks have always been fine. Makes you wonder if they were needed on any of the short scale Gibson line.
So Jim, out of curiosity, how do you know the seller is a cafe member? Do you just happen to know or do you have some particular computer nerd ability? One of my sons can do stuff on computers that is quite frightening and it wouldn't surprise me if he could figure out the name and address,social security number and shoe size of an ebay seller.
It must be the binding, maybe these are a secret rare collectible,known only to a select group of binding collectors. All the Ajr's I have seen have been in fact unbound. Ajr's do get some good press because they do sound so good, as good or sometimes better than their more lofty cousins. Is there some mandolin wizard out there that's playing a jr? I think Andy Statman jump started the interest in A2z's.

**Martin Jonas** · Apr-16-2012, 11:02am

Originally Posted by barney 59

Is there some mandolin wizard out there that's playing a jr?

Mike Compton used to play a snakehead Ajr (for example on the "Down From The Mountain" concert film), as did some decades earlier Howard Frye:

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Both got fabulous tone out of them, too. For the discussion on binding it may be relevant to note that Frye got his top-and-back bound (but not soundhole) and refinished.

Martin

**Jim Garber** · Apr-16-2012, 11:15am

Originally Posted by barney 59

So Jim, out of curiosity, how do you know the seller is a cafe member? Do you just happen to know or do you have some particular computer nerd ability? One of my sons can do stuff on computers that is quite frightening and it wouldn't surprise me if he could figure out the name and address,social security number and shoe size of an ebay seller.

His shoe size is 9 1/2 M.

**George R. Lane** · Apr-16-2012, 11:32am

Has anyone seen this one in the classified?

http://www.mandolincafe.com/cgi-bin/...uery=retrieval

**fatt-dad** · Apr-16-2012, 11:35am

Originally Posted by George R. Lane

Has anyone seen this one in the classified?

http://www.mandolincafe.com/cgi-bin/...uery=retrieval

Yeah, I'm just hoping that Bucket throws in the Blue Chip.

f-d

**Martin Jonas** · Apr-16-2012, 11:53am

That's a good price on the classifieds one -- it's a snakehead! Looks like it's been stripped of (some of) the original finish, though.

Martin
(proud owner of Ajr #68884 -- no need for any other Gibson oval)

**Jim Garber** · Apr-16-2012, 12:36pm

I have to get my 23 in shape. This thread is getting me going. It is next in line for the luthier's bench.

**barrangatan** · Apr-16-2012, 12:49pm

I have seen the one in the classifieds.. in fact I used to own it. I let it go in a fit of MAS, and have had sellers' remorse on many a nights. If I hadn't just purchased a new mandolin that's basically a snakehead clone, I would have loved to bring the old girl home.