The ultimate beater: a vintage Gibson?

**mrmando** · Jun-17-2012, 12:54pm

Well, it sounds like a mess, but for $150 one can hardly go wrong:

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/msg/3083412990.html

**Jim Garber** · Jun-17-2012, 2:33pm

You mean this one:

∗Gibson A-1 mandolin in terrible condition about 1919 but the label is flaking and I can not read serial number..It has an unprofessional repair to neck crack and poor gluing on back which shows cracks also a crack repair to one side of tuners. NO GUARD NO TAILPIECE cover. original bridge adjustable with a tiny flawed separation at one edge but very sound has original tuners (one is slightly bent but works) Yes it is a mess of a mando but IT plays just fine and has a good fretboard, a good spruce top with no cracks and its original finish. . . first $150 gets it which is likely the value of the tuners.

Could be another Mandolin Cafe Luthier's project?

**Ed Goist** · Jun-17-2012, 2:36pm

Sounds like one could buy it, put ~$600 into it, and probably get $1,000 plus for it.
Has great 'flipper' potential or, as you say, an 'ultimate beater'.
It would be cool if a Cafe member in the Philadelphia area got it and documented the 'rebirth'. (Jamie, are you reading this?)

**mrmando** · Jun-17-2012, 2:51pm

Heck, if we want to make this the next Cafe restoration project, I will put up half the funds to acquire it. This is one of those CL sellers who's persnickety about shipping, so it's best if Jamie or another Philly denizen goes to pick it up.

**vhughes2000** · Jun-17-2012, 3:00pm

Gone 2 minutes after he posted it..I was close but no cigar..

**mrmando** · Jun-17-2012, 3:01pm

Ah well ... nice try, Vernon.

I actually don't like putting quite that much work into my "flip-it" projects. $600 might cover all the needed repair, or it might not.

**vhughes2000** · Jun-17-2012, 3:26pm

I do the work myself,for therapy..My time is worth nothing so all I would have had in it is materials. Plus it's a great way to learn too! Oh well,there'll be others.