JGWoods
Nov-12-2004, 9:09am
A little while ago a Fairbanks bowlback was offered on eBay and I was intrigued. It looked great, seemed to have no issues at all, and in the end it didn't get a bid against the $299 opening price.
I contacted the owner, as he lives near me, to see if he was still interested in selling and he said yes, so now I can go see it and play it, and maybe buy it for a reasonable price.
As a banjo player of the clawhammer variety the Fairbanks name is well known to me. They made some of the best banjos ever around the turn of the last century, with their pre 1904 fire instruments being most prized. This mandolin looks to be from the same era and it would be great to have it from that perspective- but it might not be a fine mandolin- would any of you folks who specialize in bowlbacks care to comment on Fairbanks mandolins? Or what to look for in an old bowlback that might indicate quality, and/or future problems?
best,
jgwoods
I contacted the owner, as he lives near me, to see if he was still interested in selling and he said yes, so now I can go see it and play it, and maybe buy it for a reasonable price.
As a banjo player of the clawhammer variety the Fairbanks name is well known to me. They made some of the best banjos ever around the turn of the last century, with their pre 1904 fire instruments being most prized. This mandolin looks to be from the same era and it would be great to have it from that perspective- but it might not be a fine mandolin- would any of you folks who specialize in bowlbacks care to comment on Fairbanks mandolins? Or what to look for in an old bowlback that might indicate quality, and/or future problems?
best,
jgwoods