Old, cheap ebay purchase

[Baird6869]

I am new to mandolin but have been playing like crazy and will be playing mandolin on a few songs with my band during upcoming gigs.

I figured I would buy a cheap backup to my fairly inexpensive Epiphone MM-50.

At first glace, is this thing likely even playable? Also, there seems to be no identifying marks so any help with helping me determine what it is and how old it might be would be helpful.

Thanks!

Here is the link.....
Mandolin on eBay (http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350064608798&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ebay.ca%3A80%2Fsearch%2Fsea rch.dll%3Ffrom%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dm37%26satitle%3D3 50064608798%26category0%3D%26fvi%3D1)

[Bill Snyder]

You were the winner of the auction?
It is probably fine for a "beater". My guess is that it is an all laminate (plywood) instrument so it won't have wonderful tone. If the neck is good on it and the bridge and nut are ok you might not have to anything more than put fresh strings on it.
It does not have an adjuctable bridge so if the string height needs adjusting it may mean altering or replacing the bridge.
FWIW, I think it is kind of neat looking.

[Baird6869]

You were the winner of the auction?

FWIW, I think it is kind of neat looking.
I did win it.

I agree that it is kinda neat looking. I figured it would be a good (and inexpensive) way to screw around with new bridges, tuners and whatever else might be required if it isn't playable initially.

Plus, if it is garbage it already comes with a burlap bag. A couple of bricks and into lake Ontario it goes. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[JEStanek]

I think it looks pretty cool. Lots of those cool sounding old Stradolins are all laminate so, you may have a good-un. It's really does have a cool look. Good luck and give us a report when you get it. Don't throw it in the lake... on a wall, maybe.

Jamie

[Martin Jonas]

Cool in an down-at-heel way -- clearly, this was a cheap instrument, quite crudely made, and a previous owner stuck with the sprit of it by painting wobbly white lines as makeshift fret markers. Nevertheless, it does have that grungy charm -- the bodyshape is very reminiscent of the National resonators, which have a similar grunge appeal, with the bumbs and scraped/flaked paint many of the them have.

May sound wonderful, may sound terrible, but not much risk at that price.

Martin

[hoffmannia2k7]

It is always tough when you can't see a side shot showing string height, but if it doesn't play well you can always hang it on the wall and it will look cool!

[gnelson651]

Interesting looking mandolin, especially for the price.

If it doesn't play well for you, you can always do what I did with my first eBay el cheapo. Use it as a wallhanger. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[allenhopkins]

Looks European to me, like a Framus or Hoyer. #Having said that, can't say I've ever seen soundholes exactly like those -- but hey, how wrong can you go for $53 + shipping? #If it plays, and you get some use out of it, fine. #You could spend more on a restaurant meal for two, and how long does that last? #(Well, considering my weight problem, probably too long...)

[JeffD]

what is the deal with the fret marking?

[Walter]

Nice Sunburst !!!!

[Jim Garber]

I agree on the German/European guess. The tuners look like some Euro ones I have seen.

[MikeEdgerton]

I'll third the European origin theory.

[Paul Hostetter]

Fourth.

[MikeEdgerton]

We have a quorum.

[Baird6869]

Yay! Maybe it is worth like, $60!!! Whew hoo, I am rich!http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[tonydxn]

Hardly a reliable indicator, but I've seen LOTS of German mandolins in cloth bags just that. I'd bet a German owned it even if it wasn't made in Germany. Worth the money just to find out what it sounds like . . .

[Jim Garber]

I just figured I would upload the picture of this one for the web-archaeologists. Let us know when it arrives and we can hear a report on this one.