Stripped-down EM200 on CL

[mrmando]

Hm. No pickguard, bridge, frets, or nut; 6 of 8 tuner buttons shot.

Given the amount of restoration this needs, plus the fact that it's worth less with replacement hardware, I would be unwilling to give more than half of what he's asking for it...

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/msg/3431549497.html

[Bernie Daniel]

Yeah not much left of it. What's the deal on that P-90 pickup? The ones on my EM-150 have four heads on them.

[mrmando]

Well, the good news is that there doesn't appear to be a lot of player wear or body damage. I'm sure Tom can tell us when the P90 ceased having the screw poles.

[John Rosett]

It looks like there's no pickup under the cover to me. The two screws that are visible are the mounting screws.

[Pribar]

It looks like there's no pickup under the cover to me. The two screws that are visible are the mounting screws.

You are right, if you expand that pic you can see that it is just the cover for the pickup, and he has ruined that by screwing it into the mando in between the holes for the poles....

[Bernie Daniel]

You are right, if you expand that pic you can see that it is just the cover for the pickup, and he has ruined that by screwing it into the mando in between the holes for the poles....

Good observation! Really this thing would require a significant rebuild and assuming you had a local mandolin competent repair shop do it all: Tuners ($75), bridge ($80 part plus labor), fret job and probably fret board leveling ($250 - 300); new P-90 pick up ($150 parts and labor); new nut ($50 parts and labor), strings ($10) -- so at least $600 - 700 estimated to get it back to playable condition and that assumes the wiring and the pots are not shot -- which considering the state of the rest of the mando is a big assumption. I guess I see intact, playable Gibson EM-200's going for $2000 or a bit more.

Seller wants $1600 for it so he is really asking at least $2200 - 2300 for an instrument after repairs that would actually allow you to play it. Seems like too big of a risk IMO. Maybe I'd pay $1000 for it -- if I was interested, which I am not! :)

[mrmando]

Only an absolutely pristine '60s EM200 would sell for more than $2K. With normal wear/tear they're more in the $1500-1800 range. The '50s ones are more collectible and can fetch higher prices.

John and Pribar are right, it looks like the pickup isn't in the photos either. But the seller tells me via email that he has the missing hardware and is doing a fret job ... so perhaps he has the pickup as well, I dunno. If one is repairing an instrument to get it ready to sell, it would seem advisable to mention it in the ad, and/or to wait to take photos until the repair is finished.

[Bernie Daniel]

Only an absolutely pristine '60s EM200 would sell for more than $2K. With normal wear/tear they're more in the $1500-1800 range. The '50s ones are more collectible and can fetch higher prices.

John and Pribar are right, it looks like the pickup isn't in the photos either. But the seller tells me via email that he has the missing hardware and is doing a fret job ... so perhaps he has the pickup as well, I dunno. If one is repairing an instrument to get it ready to sell, it would seem advisable to mention it in the ad, and/or to wait to take photos until the repair is finished.

Yeah, might be a good idea to let on some of that stuff in the add? LOL!!

Good information on the EM-200 values -- I was looking for one a few years ago & dd not realize you could get them for that kind of $$.

But now that I have the EM-150 I'm not looking anymore - I think the hollow body is a better deal for me.

The only other emando that I still lust after is one of those F-12's from the 1970's that were set up with a P-90. I don't even think they had a model number because they were probably special order or a custom mandolin. Had a chance to buy one many years ago and didn't -- dang it.

[f5loar]

First problem is this is not a 1963 EM200 it is a 1964 which makes a big difference. The serial no. of 160886 clearly puts this in 1964. How do these owners think different? Darned if I know but you can't change what it is and it's a 1964. It was the first year for the bigger screwed down pickguard. See the screw hole at the 17th fret and the one by the G side of the pickup? That's to attach the bigger pickguard. The 1963 had the smaller guard that attached with pins on the side of fingerboard NOT screws.
The P90 is fine just looks like the contact screws are all the way down or missing. The 2 screws is what held this type P90 in place and that is the correct cover for this type. Also the case is orange interior/black exterior and 1964 was the first year for this type case. A 1963 case would have been pink interior/brown exterior. Finding a replacement guard would be hard but you can pick it without one. Price is only slightly too high. Maybe $1200 is a better price if he does the fret job first. You can use a regular F5 bridge on these. Tuners maybe stable enough to continue to work fine and if not no big deal to get more tuners.

[John Rosett]

[QUOTE=Pribar;1107204]You are right, if you expand that pic you can see that it is just the cover for the pickup, and he has ruined that by screwing it into the mando in between the holes for the poles....[/QUOTE

Those two screws are the original mounting screws, so the cover is fine. Here's what they look like with the pickup inside:

94614

[brunello97]

Good call. Here are EM200s showing pick guard changes and the mounting central screws holes for the pickup. I have these as '62 and '64 respectively in my files, but not the serial numbers to back it up.

Mick

Ha! You are quick on the draw, John.

[mrmando]

Price is only slightly too high. Maybe $1200 is a better price if he does the fret job first.
Agreed -- when he puts it all back together it should be worth about $1200.

You can use a regular F5 bridge on these.
Have you tried that? Does it sound better than the metal saddle, in your opinion?

Tuners maybe stable enough to continue to work fine and if not no big deal to get more tuners.
Yeah, old Klusons pop up all the time ... but these look like they should be fine except for the buttons.

[f5loar]

I have used a regular 50's F5/A50 rosewood bridge on these and soundwise is pretty much the same once your amp is turned up to Number 11 on volume (think Spinal Tap). I think the metal top bridge does look pretty cool and if you have a Gibson rosewood base you should be able to make a metal top pretty easy. This guy may have the bridge. If you could get a pattern for the pickguard there are several pickguard makers out there that could duplicate one for around $150. Hardware easy to get.

[FL Dawg]

I wonder where the binding is on the fingerboard? Maybe the board is new.

[Jim Garber]

Have you tried that? Does it sound better than the metal saddle, in your opinion?

Yeah, old Klusons pop up all the time ... but these look like they should be fine except for the buttons.

I have the original brass saddle for mine but I hate the way it sounds. Too much ringing -- like it might cause tinnitis. I replaced it with a std compensated one.

Yes the buttons are shot -- unfortunately they seem to have these snot-colored ones and I never saw those used on anything but these EM200s. Perhaps someone can correct me on that. Why would Gibson use these buttons only on this model?

[f5loar]

The EM200 used the same gold plated Klusons as the F5 and F12. The A-5 was nickel plated. Some over time would shrink like this while others would not. Can't really say why other than exposure to extreme heat and constant temperature changes over time. Strange that only 2 of them didn't change. They were a pearloid looking plastic button. You cannot get those same replacements. The replacements I've seen are just plain off-white plastic and have slightly different shape to them. Looks like he removed the fingerboard binding to remove the frets easier. They appear to be in the case in that open case photo.

[Bernie Daniel]

Here is an EM-200 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/1958-Gibson-EM200-Florentine-Electric-Mandolin-/200846620638?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ec36437de) in a LOT better shape! :)