Washburn banjolin in classified: Any one know about these!

[Barry Canada]

I am considering this instrument and would appreciate any comments about
this type of mandolin Banjo. Also is it priced accordingly?
Thanks,
Barry:mandosmiley:

[AnneFlies]

I have a 1930 Kalamazoo banjo mandolin, and it's a lot of fun to play. It's not an instrument you can really take seriously, so just have fun with it. I think I paid $325 for mine.

[Tim2723]

Hi Barry,

Do you have prior experience with mandolin-banjos? As Anne says, it's fun but not too serious. They are rather raucous and very loud. There's sort of a love-hate relationship with them and they have a limited utility in modern times as well as an often limited appeal to audiences. The sort of thing you'd use for a tune or two just to break up the monotony. Unless you're specializing in period music, of course.

I'm not 100% sure I found the ad you're talking about, but the one I found looks like it's in good condition and complete, but personally I'd want a LOT more info and pics from the seller. In my personal opinion (and many disagree with this), banjo family instruments of all sorts don't improve with age. Mostly they wear out and get restored. Old ones sound the same once they're restored because so many important tone-producing parts get replaced with modern components anyway. There's always rarity and mojo to take into consideration, but they're not like guitars and fiddles that mellow with time. When it comes to just playing I'd rather have a new instrument under warranty. But that's just me, OK?

[Jim Garber]

I think this is the ad that the OP is referring: 1917 George Washburn Improved Banjo Mandolin (http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/56768)

It looks like it was restored, cleaned up with new head -- the seller says only strings and bridge are not original but I highly doubt that it came with a plastic head in 1917 -- most likely it would have been skin and the photo looks like a nice clean plastic head.


Ad Description: Beautiful Washburn banjolin model #1960 in excellent condition..Has the patented raised tone ring on spikes..All parts original except strings and bridge..Comes with Featherweight mandolin case, Washburn Prewar Instrument catalogue and extra package of mandolin strings..Pics available..$650 includes shipping to Canada or USA

[Tim2723]

That's the one I found as well. That certainly appears to be a modern head and will not produce the 1917 sound. It can't be judged by one picture alone, but it does appear to be well restored and in good shape, so the price may not be far out of line in my opinion, especially with a new case.

[bmac]

In my opinion.... Although I have not viewed the mandolin, unless there is something really special about itmaking it a collector item, it is way overpriced. You can get them in excellent working order an sometimes condition for $100 up.... But it would have to be mighty special to warrent a $650 price.

[Tim2723]

Yeah, but that's probably just a starting price. You can ask for anything. Doesn't mean you'll get it. I thought it was pretty fair since a new one will cost around that much with a case. But I'd still prefer new with warranty personally. In my experience a lot of those $100 bargains need more than a few dollars work. YMMV.

When you think about it, we're all pretty much talking out of our hats, since all we have is one picture and an asking price. We really need more info, like collectors' value and actual condition. Maybe Barry can contact the seller then ask here again?

[Barry Canada]

Thanks for all your input. I decided to let it go!
Barry

[Tim2723]

Good thinking. It looks pretty nice, but I don't think there's anything super special about a Washburn. If you want to mess around with one look for a used Gold Tone. They're very nice for the money. They tend to change hands.

[Jim Garber]

The only banjolin I own is a Weymann one with a very small 7 inch head. It is one of the few that has some tone rather than the more percussive ones. Part of it is prob that it has a skin head. They often sound like percolators.

[bmac]

I have several banjo mandolins which I purchased off eBay for less than $100 each. One required no work or parts. The other two required heads and maybe a $20 for parts, I have skin heads on them all and am quite pleased with all. These were the rage in the 1920s and are still being brought down from attics so the price is right for a first mandolin-type instrument. I would expect to do a little work on them but there is lots of info on repair and settup on the web.

You ought to find one in good shape and working order for around $200 They are probably one of the best stringed instrument bargains to be found.

I would highly recomend one as a fun instrument.

For a great example of their sound google The Ragtime Skedaddlers. And google Dennis Pash.

[Tim2723]

You must be pretty lucky. I've never encountered a sub-$100 mandobanjo that was in any decent conditon. There's so many of them (as well as banjo ukes) that you can afford to pass up a poor example. Thanks for the lead on Ragtime Skedaddlers and Dennis Pash. I love that kind of music.

BTW, did anybody see that episode of Pawn Stars where they paid like $400 for a banjouke? It was a Gibson, sure, but it was trashed and his musical instrument expert guy said they must be very rare and that he'd never seen anything like it before. Some expert.

[bmac]

Anything with the Gibson label seems to command a high price. I went to an estate auction where there was a 60s Gibson guitar that had been stored in a leaky garage attic for many years... The finish was in huge peeing flakes but the structure seemed decent... I was going to bid on it but within seconds it was at $700 and sold for about that amount. I would assume that restored it would go for a few thousand. I was amazed.

But I came away from the auction with a crack free cello, for $35 if i recall. Needed a couple of tuning pegs a bridge and strings but otherwise it was complete and quite restorable.