Shocking revelation! Lyon & Healy Style C on eBay

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Ant...kAAOSwzO9d1deT

This is a Style C that's been dropped on its end. It's probably worth $500 to $600 just for the parts. As a project it looks like something of a challenge.

The shocking revelation, however, is that it has the serial number stamped inside on the rib! I have never never NEVER come across any mention of this before, in connection to any other L&H instrument. Definitely going to have a look inside my mandola with a mirror when I get a chance.

Attachment 181407

Wouldn't it be great to see one of the great luthiers here on the Cafe rebuild that lovely mandolin! It would make a great repair thread and at the same time rescue a delightful instrument from the scrap heap.

If anyone here buys it and decides to try to bring it back to life I'm sure many would love to follow the story.

Nice info. And a very nice instrument deserving of repair. I suppose that with the back off, the end block could be reglued, cracks repaired, broken rib rejoined. It would take some doing, that’s for sure.

I personally prefer the longer ‘Gibson’ scale that this has, although I understand that some feel the other way, especially classical players.

Alas, accidents happen even to nice mandolins like that one.

Let us assume that I'd have to fork out $650 to win the auction and get the mandolin shipped to me.
With Ontario sales tax that comes to $730.
The mandolin repairs, including fixing the FB relief, I'll very roughly estimate as costing me $1,300 + $200 in shipping charges to and from the repair man.
Thus, the estimated investment into this mandolin amounts to $2,230.

Let us now assume I'd want to sell my repaired L&H Style C. How much could I get for it, given all tell tale signs of major repairs done on it ? Perhaps $800 ?

In cases like this, the only one who could make some money on a smashed mandolin is the person who bought it for perhaps $50, and is reselling it "as is". Even if I could do the required repairs myself, I'd be toiling many hours for peanuts, given the poor return potential of the repaired instrument.

The good news is he states it is domestic USA only- so you don't have to worry.

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Originally Posted by Peter K

In cases like this, the only one who could make some money on a smashed mandolin is the person who bought it for perhaps $50, and is reselling it "as is". Even if I could do the required repairs myself, I'd be toiling many hours for peanuts, given the poor return potential of the repaired instrument.

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About 15 years ago I had a backroom full of "cool old projects" that I was waiting to repair in my free time -- which there never seems to be any of.....

I noticed on eBay there were similar instruments offered "as is" being advertised and sold as "projects." Well, I quickly cleared out years of accumulation and made a good profit without lifting a finger to repair them -- like ya say I probably got more as projects than I would have if I had taken the time to make them playable.

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Originally Posted by Jeff Mando

About 15 years ago I had a backroom full of "cool old projects" that I was waiting to repair in my free time -- which there never seems to be any of.....

I noticed on eBay there were similar instruments offered "as is" being advertised and sold as "projects." Well, I quickly cleared out years of accumulation and made a good profit without lifting a finger to repair them -- like ya say I probably got more as projects than I would have if I had taken the time to make them playable.

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My experience exactly. There is something convoluted which triggers people's hunter-gatherer instincts when they see a "project" for sale. At one point in time I became tempted to drop on purpose my fully restored De Meglio BB mandolin onto a hardwood floor in order to turn it into a "project", and that way increase my chances of finally getting the darn mandolin sold.:grin:

Well, it is still at $325, so who knows whether it will go much higher before it sells?

It's not a money-making prospect for anyone who doesn't have the necessary repair skills and some time on their hands.

I think that once repaired it could go for higher than $800 Cdn; maybe US$1K with a top-notch restoration job.

Wow, it went for $818.08!

I hope it was bought by someone with repair skills who will fix it because it's the right thing to do ... but at that price there's almost no financial upside.

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Originally Posted by mrmando

Wow, it went for $818.08!

I hope it was bought by someone with repair skills who will fix it because it's the right thing to do ... but at that price there's almost no financial upside.

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The "project" selling strategy works its magic again. Damn.

Not such a bad deal. Owner could sell the tailpiece, original case, and finger rest for $500. And with a few days of skillful labor have one of the finest oval hole mandolins ever made at a cash outlay of less than $400. Plus some sweat equity. Should be fine structurally after some decent work. Taht's just one approach.

Best of look, whoever it was.

If it finds its way into the hands of someone with enough skill, that instrument can be repaired well enough that the cracks will not be very noticeable.

I bid on it, but the buyer had a higher automatic bid. Not a bad repair and would be a nice mandolin to have at that price. I do hope it will be repaired and played.

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Originally Posted by BradKlein

Not such a bad deal. Owner could sell the tailpiece, original case, and finger rest for $500. And with a few days of skillful labor have one of the finest oval hole mandolins ever made at a cash outlay of less than $400. Plus some sweat equity.

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Heck, I've sold a tailpiece cover alone for that amount. That is certainly one way it could go, presuming the buyer isn't paying someone else to do the work.

I too helped raise the sale price of this auction with the idea of fixing it myself. I wondered how high the buyer would have gone as it exceeded my limit.

I'd have loved to see the finish shop at the L&H factory. If you've seen one in fine condition, it's obvious that their varnishing skills were somewhere beyond Gibson's. Just fantastic staining, finish, and polish.

I would have been interested as I have a massively indulgent luthier who does amazing work and charges me so very little for his expertise- and he would have risen to this challenge. However, the seller would not ship outside on the USA- so, I wasn't in the running. Unbelievably, and sadly for the seller, I have just acquired a Style B from 1920/1 for less than this Style C's cost. Yes, it does not have the tailpiece or guard but it looks to be a very good instrument. I cannot understand why there were no other bidders- it must have been just one of those auctions that flew under the radar.

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Originally Posted by NickR

I would have been interested as I have a massively indulgent luthier who does amazing work and charges me so very little for his expertise- and he would have risen to this challenge. However, the seller would not ship outside on the USA- so, I wasn't in the running. Unbelievably, and sadly for the seller, I have just acquired a Style B from 1920/1 for less than this Style C's cost. Yes, it does not have the tailpiece or guard but it looks to be a very good instrument. I cannot understand why there were no other bidders- it must have been just one of those auctions that flew under the radar.

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Everyone's radar except for the unidentified buyer, lol! I hope if the buyer is a cafe member, they'll let us know about their conquest.

Anyone tried looking inside your L&H with a mirror for a side-stamped serial number yet?

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Originally Posted by mrmando

Anyone tried looking inside your L&H with a mirror for a side-stamped serial number yet?

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Both a style A-Professional, and a style C, have side-stamped numbers. Oddly, the A-Pro label and stamp match (1070), whereas the C label (118) and stamp (281) are different. On both instruments, the stamped number is on the side of the treble bout, near the neck block, and can be seen through the sound hole.

I'm not good enough with the mirror to see if there are other markings inside. Hmmm, I think I might "need" to get one of those endoscopes. :)