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Thread: 1932 F5 copy

  1. #1
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default 1932 F5 copy

    Anyone heard tell of a Portland-area luthier from the 1930s named Verheuren?
    https://portland.craigslist.org/wsc/...424474726.html
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    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1932 F5 copy

    Quote Originally Posted by mrmando View Post
    Anyone heard tell of a Portland-area luthier from the 1930s named Verheuren?
    https://portland.craigslist.org/wsc/...424474726.html
    I grew up in Portland. He wasn't on my paper route. I'd probably consider buying that just because.
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  3. #3
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1932 F5 copy

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    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

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  5. #4
    Registered User William Smith's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1932 F5 copy

    If it was built then, someone knew what they were doing/ was there a Gibson employee by that name by chance? The case is different I never seen one like that before, the hardware looks around that time frame. the mando, I don't know??

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  7. #5
    Registered User William Smith's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1932 F5 copy

    There was an employee named Willard Vermeulen, worked as a stringer and woodworker "Known Employment Dates 1937-1939?" According to Spann's Book? An H and M could look similar in hand writing?

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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1932 F5 copy

    It never ceases to amaze me what an incredible resource Joe Spann's book is. I use it as a reference mostly for FON but i really have to read it (scan it at least) from cover to cover to see what a wealth of knowledge is in there that was previously unavailable. A big THANKS to Joe for this book.

    My first thought was that this was a violin maker and I looked in my American violin maker's book, but nothing in that. BTW the name is Dutch FWIW.
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  10. #7
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1932 F5 copy

    yes, "verheuren" is Dutch, but various translators disagree on what it means. Vermeulen is more common as a surname.
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  11. #8
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1932 F5 copy

    The person also might have had an F5 available to copy but I like the idea of the guy being a Gibson employee. I just don't know how he gets from Kalamazoo to Portland.
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  12. #9
    Registered User William Smith's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1932 F5 copy

    Ok just heard from the seller and no Gibson employee by the name of Willard! He said on the inside its handwritten Victor Verheusen 1932! Well I thought I had a good idea at first-long shot but there it is from the seller named Dan.

  13. #10

    Default Re: 1932 F5 copy

    Seems like the odds of two mandolin makers having such similar names both working in the 30's on F5 style mandolins would be something like 10 Billion to one.........John Smith or Tom Jones or Joe Blow, sure, but Vermeulen???????????

    OTOH, if it is indeed from the 30's and has any kind of sound, it should be worth $700..........shouldn't it? That's the price of a lower to mid level pac-rim mandolin.......for Pete's sake!

    My first impression was that it wasn't nearly as old as they claim. When did Gibson start the volute thing?

    I say this as a person who routinely writes "Larson Bros" inside old no name parlor guitars before donating them to the Goodwill...

  14. #11
    acoustically inert F-2 Dave's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1932 F5 copy

    Wish I lived in the area. I'd sure like to see it up close.

  15. #12
    Registered User Timbofood's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1932 F5 copy

    Put it in perspective, there is and, was, a HUGE Dutch population in Michigan. Vermeulen is a common name around here. How the mandolin got from here to there might be a more interesting story.
    We have VanSwedens, Vredevoogds, Boonzaaijers, Vermeulens, Vanderkloks, Luykx’s all over the place. You name the surname with Dutch roots, it’s here, the furniture industry in Grand Rapids was largely owned and managed by Dutch families. To see something like this come up is kind of cool but, this one is a little rough no matter how cool. And it is very cool.
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    Default Re: 1932 F5 copy

    For $700 I'd hit it like a shark in a feeding frenzy, if I was a local, and it played well.

  17. #14
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1932 F5 copy

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  19. #15

    Default Re: 1932 F5 copy

    Quote Originally Posted by Timbofood View Post
    Put it in perspective, there is and, was, a HUGE Dutch population in Michigan. Vermeulen is a common name around here.
    Now that you mention it, I have heard of the Tulip Parade in Holland, Michigan.

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  21. #16
    Registered User William Smith's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1932 F5 copy

    The 34 link above is the F-5 that I remember from a recent thread on something? Someone wanted to know who else was making style 5's other than Gibson, and that is the mandolin! Anyone know where that one dwells, I'd have some interest in her, It was on ebay and went cheap if I recall correctly? I thought it was Joe Stewert but the 34 is a Joe Wilson-I was close? Anybody buy that 32 yet from Craigslist?
    I'd buy the Wilson if I could find it, it looks as though it has a H-5 mandola vibe about her? All are KOOL if really that old

  22. #17
    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1932 F5 copy

    Is the name "Verheuren" or "Verheusen?" Shows up both ways above.
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  23. #18
    Registered User Timbofood's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1932 F5 copy

    Kalamazoo used to be one of the largest celery producing areas in the United States, fabulous muck land for the stuff. That has mostly gone away, times change, people move. I would not be surprised if the name was VerHuesen or any variation on the spelling.
    Timothy F. Lewis
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  24. #19
    Registered User Troy Engle's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1932 F5 copy

    Unless the case is a re-lined case from another instrument (fiddle, lap steel), the case is for sure old. Mandolin doesn't look to be from the 30's, in my opinion. Might look different in person. Anyone snag this? I'd be interested in seeing more about the case.

  25. #20
    Registered User William Smith's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1932 F5 copy

    Right on Troy, I thought the case may have a bit of the KOOL factor!

  26. #21
    Registered User Timbofood's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1932 F5 copy

    KOOL is a menthol cigarette brand, COOL is far deeper. Not to be confused with “Kewl”,
    Interesting, is how I’d classify this homage to an F-5. It’s not much of a “copy” but, it is surely an interesting bit of construction. If it sounds good, it’s ahead of some other “copies” I’ve seen.
    The case is very interesting indeed.
    Timothy F. Lewis
    "If brains was lard, that boy couldn't grease a very big skillet" J.D. Clampett

  27. #22
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1932 F5 copy

    Posting deleted, so ... SOMEBODY snagged it.

    If I were footloose and independently wealthy I'd just drive 3 hours down to Portland whenever I saw something like that. Sadly, however ...
    Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.

    Notorious: My Celtic CD--listen & buy!

    Lyon & Healy • Wood • Thormahlen • Andersen • Bacorn • Yanuziello • Fender • National • Gibson • Franke • Fuchs • Aceto • Three Hungry Pit Bulls

  28. #23
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    Default Re: 1932 F5 copy

    I had this up on a tab and was going to email him, it is deleted now so someone, I hope here, got it.
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  29. #24

    Default Re: 1932 F5 copy

    Quote Originally Posted by mrmando View Post
    the benko was the coolest thing to me. i lived near little burgundy where he had his montreal shop, before he moved to toronto. a friend found one of his As in a flea market for 300cad, it was fantastic

  30. #25
    Registered User Givson's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1932 F5 copy

    Based on the volute on the back of the neck, I am guessing that this instrument is a copy of a 70's Gibson F5.
    When 'good enough' is more than adequate.

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