Two Gibson F4 1938

[Kallain]

Bonjour,
(I'm French and new to this Forum but I read most of the subjects for years)

What do you Think about this Mandolin ?

[url]http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gibson-Mandolin-F-F-4-1938-ALL-ORIG-Redline-Case-NM-/250625940206?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a5a785aee#ht_521wt_1166[url]

The price is too High ?

Buy it from France.

[url]http://cgi.ebay.fr/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130877611454&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649[url]

(I'm sorry but I don't understand how to insert the [url]...)

but don't forget, I'm French.

[Kallain]

I forgot to tell you that is not me for this Ebay.fr

But I'm search for a good Vintage Gibson

But I'm sorry, I'm French and I'm Lefty, So.... I's nor for me.

[Jim Garber]

Kallain:

I would be very careful. One of these might be a scammer. After all, how can it be in two different places. Maybe the French one at the lower price is the scam?

Jim

1938 F4 on eBay (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gibson-Mandolin-F-F-4-1938-ALL-ORIG-Redline-Case-NM-/250625940206?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a5a78%205aee#ht_521wt_1166)

1938 F4 on eBay France (http://cgi.ebay.fr/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130877611454&ssPageNam%20e=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649)

[Kallain]

Thanks you Jim For the [url]


I would be very careful. One of these might be a scammer. After all, how can it be in two different places. Maybe the French one at the lower price is the scam?



"Bien sur que j'ai compris l'arnaque"

[Kallain]

This is 95137 on Mandoliarchive.com
http://www.mandolinarchive.com/gibson/serial/95137

[grassrootphilosopher]

Bonjour Kallain,

caution is well advised. A late 30ies to early 40ies F-4 Gibson will probably be around 5 - 6 thousand USD. Charles Johnson has two in that pricerange here: http://www.vintagemandolin.com/instruments.html#40gibsonf4_96390_fon565f
These mandolins also have an elevated fretboard which I would see as an advantage. The lefty issue is not to be neglected. I doubt that you´ll have luck finding any lefty vintage mandolin quickly. In the price range of 5 to 6 thousand USD you´ll find many a modern luthier build you what you like and lefty too. That may be an easier way to go. You may even check out Coufleau mandolins (depending on where you live in France): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wYnV0pnw9I http://www.laguitare.com/guitare-lutherie-salon-ballainvilliers-herve_coufleau-5919-0.html http://www.myspace.com/hervcoufleauluthier http://www.creationgo.net/coufleauguitars/

[Jim Garber]

Maybe better to buy from the Cafe classifieds?

[Bruce Clausen]

What I've seen by Coufleau was very fine work. Another nice French builder (also in Saone-et-Loire) is Jean Lacote, who posts here as french guy. You could also post a request on the France Bluegrass forum. Good luck!

[houseworker]

That French listing is as suspect as eBay listings get. The seller has no eBay history whatever, and the listing is a classified ad. No PayPal protection, and no doubt a request to wire the money. The US listing was posted two weeks before the French one, and is clearly genuine.

I've reported the French listing as fraudulent to eBay, and sent them a follow up email.

[Jim Garber]

Oh, I missed the lefty part. Sorry about that, but yes, that would be difficult to find a vintage one. Better to find a good builder.

Mandolin Builders in France (http://www.mandolincafe.com/cgi-bin/builders/searchdb.cgi?uid=default&view_records=1&keyword=France&submit=Search) (from the Builder listing)

Michael Reichenbach in Germany has a nice red Coufleau mandolin. You can see it here (http://mandoisland.de/eng_index.html).