Old wave mandolin auction

[John Flynn]

This is in reference to the Old Wave mandolin auction mentioned on the Café’ home page. In case you missed it, the link below has all the particulars. What follows is my candid, “mando player/enthusiast’s” impression.

http://www.mandolincafe.com/news/publish/mandolins_00483.shtml

The instrument is #366 for Bill Bussman, who seems to be at a real high point of his building career, by all accounts. It has that classic oval tone, tubby, sweet and bell-like. It has a more of a vintage tone than my #352, which is ironic because mine is a more traditional spruce/maple configuration. It is not at all boomy in the bass range like a lot of modern ovals.

The Western Red Cedar top has sharply defined grains that run straight, close and parallel. In contrast, the mesquite back and sides have a lot of figure, but the grains are wildly chaotic and interesting. The very traditional design basic design and natural finish provides a solid backdrop for the ironwood burl peghead veneer, the two-tone pickguard and the turquoise and silver position markers. The result is a look that is traditional and exotic at the same time. I was searching for the right word to describe it. Then I was corresponding with Scott Tichenor on the announcement and he nailed it. He said, “Man, this thing is full of mojo.” That was the definitely the word I was looking for!

I could go on and on, but suffice it to say that this mandolin is one of a kind and its like this may not come along again. If you go to www1.priory.org, you will see that the money that goes to buy this mandolin also goes to a good cause. Priory has a reputation of being a great school, with very high academic standards. The scholarship fund allows less fortunate students to attend. Sealed bids will be accepted anytime from now until the auction on Feb. 3, when they are turned over to the auctioneer.

Contact me at jflynncsc@aol.com for more information and for sealed bid forms. I can also arrange for serious bidders in St. Louis to see and play the instrument.

BTW, I took to a jam this weekend and some other Cafe' members got to play it. I hope they will post thier impressions also. This would also be a good thread to ask Bill Bussman any questions about the instrument. I am sure he will respond.

[John Flynn]

Here is a picture of the back:

[John Flynn]

I thought I would try my hand at doing some detailed shots of some of the more interesting aspects of this instrument. Here is some detail of the turquoise and silver position markers.

[John Flynn]

The peghead veneer, made of Desert Ironwood burl:

[John Flynn]

The Ziricote (Mexican Ebony) pickguard and the soundhole with Abalone ring and some detail of the Western Red Cedar top:

[John Flynn]

And last, but not least, the Mesquite back:

[Don Christy]

I was one of the lucky folks able to play this mandolin at a jam this weekend. It really is a beauty and I thought the tone was great. I also thought the playability was quite good. I haven't played many mandolins with pickguards though so that and the very wide string spacing took a little getting used to for me.

Bottom line, I can't say enough about the workmanship and the tone is just what you would want from an oval. Someone (maybe me) will be proud to own this one.
Don

[John Flynn]

I apologize if I am over-doing this thread. I just want to make sure the auction goes well. I have just one more thing I want to post.

Last night I had a lesson with Curtis Buckhannon and he graciously consented to play a couple of tunes on the auction mando for me to record and post so everyone could hear how it sounds. Curtis really liked the instrument, BTW. He would not put it down the whole lesson, so I wound up playing his A-50! I have these tunes posted on the Mandolin Tune Project Yahoo site, so you will need a Yahoo password to get to them. The tunes are in the "Files" section and they are "Bonaparte's March" and "Stoney Point."

Mandolin Project (http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/mandolinproject/)

Also, one quick note: There has been a little confusion on the mechanics of the auction. The auction is not until Feb. 3, 2007. If you are interested, all you need to do now is submit a bid form, a form I can send you. The eventual winner does not lay out any cash until after the auction. So you've got all of January to build up the cash after Christmas in case you win! Just thought you would want to know.

[GBG]

Yesterday I was thinking about suggesting that you get Curtis to make a recording of that mandolin. I guess you read my mind 650 miles away.

[John Flynn]

An update:

The "Bonaparte's March" and "Stoney Point" recordings are now on Mandozine's Home Recording page, linked below. Someone said they could not get to the Yahoo site.
http://www.mandotunes.com/homerecordings/index.php

Also, just FYI, the bidding is only up to $1,000, for a new instrument that Bill B. would charge at least $2,400 for. Now, I know this group is not going to let this instrument get away that easily! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[John Flynn]

Well there is only two weeks to go on this auction and the high bid is still only $1,000 for a new, $2,400 instrument. Someone is going to practically "steal" this mando!

Two years ago, I jumped at the chance to get one for $1,850 and I have never regretted it. I love it. If I didn't already own one and also did not have a some huge unexpected bills this month, I would bid on it myself at that price. I don't personally have a stake in this, I am just doing Bill B. a favor, but I am puzzled as to why the bidding has not done better on this. It really is a great instrument. If anyone has any opinions on this, I'd be interested to hear them.

I did get three new bid requests this week. We'll see how that goes.

[luckylarue]

I've played that mandolin several times when High Desert Guitars in Santa Fe had it for sale, and once at Bill's ranchito. It was far and away the best mando in the place and I a/b'd it with Webers, Eastmans and Collings'. It's a sweet and unique instrument for sure. Good luck w/ the auction.

[Jim Garber]

I am a little confused as to how to bid. It says on the Cafe page that you just have the info but that the bidding has to be done thru the Priory. Yet, when I went on the Priory site there is no contact info. Am I missing something?

Jim

[John Flynn]

I am a little confused as to how to bid. It says on the Cafe page that you just have the info but that the bidding has to be done thru the Priory. Yet, when I went on the Priory site there is no contact info. Am I missing something?
Jim:

Sorry of the confusion and thanks for the opportunity to explain. The announcement says I also provide bid forms. The idea is that if you send me an email at the jflynncsc@aol.com, address I can send you a bid form. You print that form out and mail it to Priory at the address indicated on the form. However, I will make it even easier. The form is attached to this post. Maybe I should have done that to begin with.

[John Flynn]

Also, I should clear up some other confusion brought to my attention in an email. This auction will be resolved on the evening of Feb. 3 with a live auction event, run by a professional auctioneer. Obviously however, absentee bids can be submitted, and are being submitted, in advance. I will keep everyone up to date as to the current high absentee bid, via the add in the classifieds, up until the Priory office closes on Feb. 2.

Now it is true that the live bidders could have the final say. However, I don't think there will be any mandolin players at that event. Also, there will be hundreds of other things to bid that evening: sports tickets, vacations, jewlery, golf matches with celebrities, etc. I have been to a lot of these events and something like a mandolin is a very non-standard item to have among the offerings. My personal prediction is that the high absentee bid will win the mandolin.

[oldwave maker]

Donated an archtop parlor jazz guitar for the 2000 scholarship auction, a cool blacktop that went for $1500, had some nice 1992 harvest wisconsin 1 pc maple:

[mandolooter]

wow...the back of that archtop is a beauty! I sure hope this thing gets up to near or over the actual instrument value to benifit the school.

[PaulD]

I hope it gets bid up to a fair value... that archtop sounds like it somebody got a great deal. That's been a frustration I've had with donating art & craft items to charity auctions; it seems like there a often a lot of folks with a lot more money than I have want to be seen benefitting a charity while they pick up artwork cheap and then use it as a tax write off. I've actually bid and bought back kaleidoscopes I've donated and then turned them for a fair price later. I had seen my ex-wife's soft sculpture go for 2/3 to 3/4 of what it would at an festival or gallery show. I would rather pay more than the other bidders and benefit the charity than give somebody a steal on my work... maybe that's just me.

This seems like a good strategy posting the auction here where folks know what it's worth... the lowest bid will probably be close to a fair value. It's a great looking instrument... I wish I were in a position to bid! I love the tone of the few Old Wave ovals I've played.

Paul Doubek

[acousticphd]

Well there is only two weeks to go on this auction and the high bid is still only $1,000 for a new, $2,400 instrument. Someone is going to practically "steal" this mando

I'm also confused (as well as potentially interested). Is there a reserve? I'm not sure I'm clear on how we would make use of the absentee bidding updates. Can we submit a 2nd (and 3rd, etc) entry if we learn we get outbid?

[John Flynn]

You can submit as many bids as you like. If you find you are outbid, you can fire another one in, up until the Priory office closes on Feb. 1.

I also just set up that you can submit bids electronically. You can fax the signed form to Priory at 314-434-4526, attention Julie Constantino, who is the Development Director for Priory. You could also fill out the form, sign it, scan it, and email the scanned file it to jconstantino@priory.org.

Do use the form, however, don't just send her an email with a bid amount. That would not have the signature and the other info they need.

[rhetoric]

Very few people go to auctions in order to donate to charity. Most people go to auctions to get deals. Even charity auctions.

[John Flynn]

Very few people go to auctions in order to donate to charity. #Most people go to auctions to get deals. #Even charity auctions.
I agree. That's why I think the winning bid will be an absentee bid from a Cafe' member. I doubt that anyone will bid on it at all at the live auction.

BTW, in answer to the earlier question, there is no "reserve" or minimum bid. The high bid takes it.

[Jerry Byers]

Does the Priory Office close on 2/1 or 2/2?

[oldwave maker]

I'd like to thank John Flynn and Scott Tichenor for their efforts to get this instrument into the hands of a player. As it turns out, Rhetoric was right, not only did the mando go for $1700, but the parlor jazz guitar pictured above was tossed back into the auction (originally bought by a parent for one of the 7th graders at the Y2K auction, I suspect it spent the last 6 years untouched under a bed, and the parents surrendered it when the kid went off to college) and John bought it for $260! I already offered to double his money!
Thanks guys.....

[John Flynn]

You're welcome, Bill! I enjoyed the whole thing. Getting that parlor guitar for $260 was a complete surprise and definitely icing on the cake. It is not only a beautiful instrument, but it has an incredible old-timey sound that reminds me of guitar playing on tracks by Gillian Welch and also Reeltime Travelers. Sorry, I will not take the "double your money" offer. I think it's gonna be a keeper!

[Lee]

Will the lucky winner of Bill's #366 please stand up?

[JEStanek]

I was hoping it was going to be me but I got out bid in the live auction...

Congrats to the new owner and to John his steal too!

Jamie