VINTAGE 1927 THE GIBSON A-Jr. A JUNIOR A STYLE MANDOLIN

[NewsFetcher]

View...

$247.50 (8 Bids) End Date: Wednesday Apr-11-2012 14:12:20 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list

This news feed watches mandolin family related items on eBay and selects one randomly. By appearing here the Mandolin Cafe is not endorsing the legitimacy of the item nor the honesty of the seller. This is a computer generated posting. If you feel the auction represents fraudulent activity please contact the site owner.

[Mo Soar]

So, what is the collective Mandolin Cafe opinion of value and condition?

[Clement Barrera-Ng]

As someone who is very interested in this mandolin, I'll just say that the auction will likely end up somewhere between $1000 - $1500. It appears to be in fine condition, though I expect the neck to be somewhat uneven, and if I were to win it, I'll probably will have the neck leveled and refretted. When I look at these A-Jrs, I usually keep in mind that I can get a snakehead A-jr for $1500 from a number of reputed dealers, and bid accordingly.

So there you have it.

[Vernon Hughes]

That sure is a light top ..All the juniors I've seen were the sheraton brown color,maybe it's the lighting?

[barney 59]

It's the lighting. We'll see, if that tops a thousand dollars I'll be surprised.

[Clement Barrera-Ng]

It's the lighting. We'll see, if that tops a thousand dollars I'll be surprised.

barney for my sake I hope you're right

[Ron McMillan]

barney for my sake I hope you're right

Good luck - I hope you win it. One of these days I am going to go out looking for exactly this sort of mandolin - a Gibson A oval hole made in 1927, the year my late Dad was born.

rm

[Vernon Hughes]

I sold a '24 junior snakehead,all original in the old case w/ no repairs, last year..it took a while but I did get 1600.00 out of it..Can't imagine this will go near that high unless the market is really picking up.

[Capt. E]

From the pictures, I believe the tuners, pickguard and perhaps even the tailpiece have been replaced. What do think??

[barney 59]

The tailpiece is at least the correct one, original or not, tuners and bridge are replacements.
I do have a '27 A-0 with an 86xxx serial number*, it was my first mandolin and is now very used and beat up looking after decades of playing it and dragging it all over the world . Someone played it quite a lot before I bought it to boot so it came to me preworn but I wouldn't replace it with a better looking one. I can't imagine finding one that sounds better or plays better and besides I have a soft spot for the one I have. I replaced my tuners when the old ones got arthritic and I don't regret doing that as it was a vast improvement. From the looks of mine I probably should have left the pick guard on ---but water over the dam now. Mine is worth at least the $100 I paid for it in '73,and considerably more to me than anyone else.
* I always believed mine to be a '27 as Roger Siminoff told me it was not long after I got it and he listed it in his "Frets" article in '75 as such -- but it seems that that date may have changed by a year after Spann's guide and the FON bit.

[Clement Barrera-Ng]

From the pictures, I believe the tuners, pickguard and perhaps even the tailpiece have been replaced. What do think??

Interesting you mentioned the tailpiece. I just noticed that it has a strap button whereas most of the clamp tailpiece I've seen, as well as the one I had on my old '26 A-Jr, does not have one. Could be a more contemporary version (50's?) or even a reproduction.

[barney 59]

I think maybe it's a conversion or maybe a new bottom and modified to take the old cover. The button solves the little piece of rawhide that I have slipped through the little groove that Waverly Cloud tailpieces have,although in many many years not ever has the strap come loose from that end. I think it's safe to say,so to speak, that my way works pretty good.

[barney 59]

I looked at the picture --that just a button screwed through the bottom screw hole on the tailpiece.

[pefjr]

I had rather have the Kentucky 900.... same money. But my mileage varies.

[Clement Barrera-Ng]

So it ended at $912.. I must say I was a bit surprised, but am glad to be proven wrong. And no I did not bid on it, as something else came up. I hope someone on the cafe ended up with it.

[barney 59]

Like you said,you can get a snakehead from a dealer for $1500 so this one came in about right. I don't know how long this will continue but anybody that ever thought that they would like to have a vintage "A" Gibson this is a good time for buyers. Lots and lots of these under a grand these days. When you think of the quality, not to mention the "cool" factor, and lets not forget about the distinctive aroma, I don't think that there can be much out there that can compare at these prices.

[paul dirac]

Good luck - I hope you win it. One of these days I am going to go out looking for exactly this sort of mandolin - a Gibson A oval hole made in 1927, the year my late Dad was born.

rm

Ah, Ron, just doing some research and ran across this old thread- I recently acquired a snakehead '27 junior, the year my late Dad was born! It's in wonderful original shape, sounds excellent, and is now my main mandolin. Anyway, cheers to both our beloved Dad's!