1914 Gibson model A on the Goodwill Auction site

[mreidsma]

NFI - serial number from one of the photos puts it at 1914 according to the Mandolin Archive. Looks to be in decent shape. There is a reserve price on it, so they at least know it's more valuable than the Rogues they usually see.

https://www.shopgoodwill.com/Item/56378077

The big question is: who gives a 100+ year old Gibson mandolin to Goodwill?!?

[MikeEdgerton]

I hope nobody really thinks that is the original case. There was a very expensive Gibson F-5L with Waverly tuners and a Calton case that showed up there last year. Somebody dies, the people cleaning out the house don't know what they've got, they just want it gone. That's generally how Goodwill ends up with one of these.

[vince f]

On Goodwill, I have seen very pricey Selmer saxophones, and vintage guitars of every stripe. I have bought a few Gibson made banjos (tenor, OPF, thick rims for those interested). Unfortunately, the prices are not low, no bargains, but you have a better chance of snagging something that has not changed hands 30 times before it arrived here. More virgin attic finds if you are willing to pay for them.

[Jeff Mando]

Unfortunately, the prices are not low, no bargains, but you have a better chance of snagging something that has not changed hands 30 times before it arrived here. More virgin attic finds if you are willing to pay for them.

Good point. There are no $50 Gibsons. But, sometimes the "bargain" is just being able to find something you have been looking for, IMHO.

[Roger Moss]

Good point. There are no $50 Gibsons. But, sometimes the "bargain" is just being able to find something you have been looking for, IMHO.

There's no $50 Gibson level bargains, but finding a $2,000 instrument for $600 is still a pretty sweet score (I'm not ssying this one is, just generally).

[mreidsma]

True on the big names like Gibson. But I just picked up a late 70s Ibanez 518, all solid wood A style with an “antique violin finish” (probably buried under an inch of polyurethane) in the original yellow lined case for $88. I call any all solid wood mandolin under $100 a hell of a deal!

[mreidsma]

Just sold for $851.00. In the last 5 seconds the price jumped $100. Not a bad price, but not a steal, either.