I inhertied this Gison Electric Mandolin and need info.

[LouieP]

I inherited this Gibson Electric Mandolin and need information on it as I know nothing about Mandolin's. Any help would be deeply appreciated. Year, wood, model # anything, etc. Thank You!

[dustyamps]

Despite the stencil on the headstock, the mandolin is not one made by Gibson.

[LouieP]

Do you now who it might be made by? I found no numbers inside or out!

[Jim]

I am guessing it started out as a Harmony.

[MikeEdgerton]

What you have is most likely a Harmony built mandolin, made in Chicago that someone stripped the finish off, added an obvious Guitar pickup to and stenciled Gibson on the headstock. The good news is that the tailpiece and cover are worth a few bucks. The rest of it not so much. If you look inside with a flashlight you "might" find the harmony model and date code. I say might because they aren't always there and it could have been eradicated if they used any sort of chemical stripper to remove the finish. It didn't start life as a stellar instrument and the upgrades done haven't really improved the value. Back to the date, look inside for a faint number like F63 or S72. Let us know if you can see anything inside that might look like a number.

[stevedenver]

i would also check the pick up. if it is a PAF from the mid to late 50's, that has significant value, very significant, like a nice Collings A!

[LouieP]

There is a very faint 3, at least it looks like a 3 in pencil. Is ther any value what so ever?

[LouieP]

You are refering to things I know nothin about. Sorry

[dustyamps]

Here is a Harmony mandolin that has similar features.

[LouieP]

Thank You! They are very similar,other than color and mine is electric. Is there some place to find out more about the electric ones?

[spufman]

Yours was stripped, modified with pickup and refinished. As stated above, any real value would be in the tailpiece and possibly the pickup.

[Spruce]

i would also check the pick up. if it is a PAF from the mid to late 50's, that has significant value, very significant, like a nice Collings A!

Nah...
Looks Japanese to me, but it certainly isn't like any other I've seen...

I"m digging this thing, especially the "G^&*%n" stencil...
An instrument with an interesting story, I'm sure.

[MikeEdgerton]

Value as it sits? Do a happy dance if someone gives you over $100.00 for it. With that said the pickup itself and the control pots "could" be worth something if they are the right dates. Chances are they won't be but they could have some value. The tailpiece (that cloud shaped thing on the bottom that the strings are attached to) has some value as well. Stripping those two things off this mandolin would make it a $30.00 carcass if you're lucky. It's not a valuable piece on its own. In great shape these might bring $150.00. Yours isn't in great shape, it's questionably modified to be an electric. That Gibson label is going to bite you if you put it on eBay as it would be classified as a counterfeit item.

[LouieP]

Thank everyone for the ifo.

[stevedenver]

Nah...
Looks Japanese to me, but it certainly isn't like any other I've seen...

I"m digging this thing, especially the "G^&*%n" stencil...
An instrument with an interesting story, I'm sure.

I cant tell, those mount wings are wrong, but, they may have been changed. simply I cannot tell or be certain of anything.

[zedmando]

In any case, it does kind of look cool.

How does it sound?