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Thread: Franken-F2 on CL, but nice price! In Reading, PA!

  1. #1
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Franken-F2 on CL, but nice price! In Reading, PA!

    Ad here:

    https://reading.craigslist.org/msg/d...581781559.html

    Who wants to play detective? The bridge looks mid-teens, which would argue against the truss rod and tuners being original. Or it might be the other way round. Pickguard and case are obviously later replacements. Depending on the amount of work it's actually had, this could be a good deal for anyone within driving distance of Reading.
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    Registered User Tom C's Avatar
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    Default Re: Franken-F2 on CL, but nice price! In Reading, PA!

    The back of the head stock looks too nice compared to rest of mando. So some neck work was done.

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    Registered User Eric Platt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Franken-F2 on CL, but nice price! In Reading, PA!

    Wouldn't 1910 have inlaid tuners? If it plays well and doesn't need much work, would say that's a really good deal.
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    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: Franken-F2 on CL, but nice price! In Reading, PA!

    Quote Originally Posted by Tom C View Post
    The back of the head stock looks too nice compared to rest of mando. So some neck work was done.
    Certainly a possibility!
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    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: Franken-F2 on CL, but nice price! In Reading, PA!

    Quote Originally Posted by Eric Platt View Post
    Wouldn't 1910 have inlaid tuners?
    Indeed, and it wouldn't have a truss rod. Either this is pre-1918 with neck work, or it's post-1922 with an older bridge for some reason.

    I asked the seller for serial number and FON.
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    Unhappy Re: Franken-F2 on CL, but nice price! In Reading, PA!

    Quote Originally Posted by mrmando View Post
    Indeed, and it wouldn't have a truss rod. Either this is pre-1918 with neck work, or it's post-1922 with an older bridge for some reason.

    I asked the seller for serial number and FON.
    I talk to him today, ser # put it around 1918, He sold it to some one that drove up from Gettysburg. looks like they got a great deal. His father got it at a tag sale in 1980 , it was passed down to him in 2001 and has been in the closet for 16 years unplayed. I missed buying it by 2hrs. O well

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    Default Re: Franken-F2 on CL, but nice price! In Reading, PA!

    1918 covers the bridge but not the truss-rod.

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    Default Re: Franken-F2 on CL, but nice price! In Reading, PA!

    Quote Originally Posted by Dacraw54 View Post
    1918 covers the bridge but not the truss-rod.
    I got to wonder if there's a truss rod there or maybe just a cover. would have loved to take a look to see. May be it was re-necked years ago however the finish looked good. almost more brown then red by the pics. He said that the ser # started with a 4xxxxx but was in pencel and hard to read??

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    Registered User Troy Engle's Avatar
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    Default Re: Franken-F2 on CL, but nice price! In Reading, PA!

    Went and checked it out today. It's a player grade mando. Worth basically what he was asking. It is a teens model, that has been totally re-necked. Not an amateur DIY job, but not Gibson factory of any era either. Has a truss rod. They must have used a neck blank, because the fingerboard starts below where the nut should be, probably to make the old wide fingerboard fit flush with the new neck. Back and sides were refinished when the neck was done. Top had some funkiness, a little dipping on the bass side around the bridge. Several small cracks. Played and sounded ok. Like I said, it would make a decent player with some setup work. I was hoping it was a factory re-neck! I passed. Oh well!
    Last edited by Troy Engle; May-08-2018 at 9:41pm.

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    Default Re: Franken-F2 on CL, but nice price! In Reading, PA!

    Thanks for the report Troy. I’m local as well. You just saved me some emails and a car ride.

    Phil

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    Default Re: Franken-F2 on CL, but nice price! In Reading, PA!

    Looks like it's been deleted, someone must have liked it.
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    Registered User Troy Engle's Avatar
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    Default Re: Franken-F2 on CL, but nice price! In Reading, PA!

    Quote Originally Posted by goaty76 View Post
    Thanks for the report Troy. I’m local as well. You just saved me some emails and a car ride.

    Phil
    Your welcome. I wish I would have saved myself a 3 hour round trip! But you don't know until you see it!

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    Default Re: Franken-F2 on CL, but nice price! In Reading, PA!

    Quote Originally Posted by Troy Engle View Post
    Your welcome. I wish I would have saved myself a 3 hour round trip! But you don't know until you see it!
    I’m only 20 minuets away but I’ve had a really busy week so never had a chance follow up.

  18. #14
    Registered User Troy Engle's Avatar
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    Default Re: Franken-F2 on CL, but nice price! In Reading, PA!

    Just FYI, this mando has re-surfaced on Reverb. The seller listed the serial number and fon. I notified the seller, that it was not original, and not from 1921. He stated that he couldn't read the serial numbers, and removed them form the listing. He also said he thought it was original. So buyer beware!! https://reverb.com/item/26280097-gib...21-brown-burst

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    Default Re: Franken-F2 on CL, but nice price! In Reading, PA!

    My experience is that even vintage guitar dealers with a lot of "guitar" experience don't necessarily know much about mandolins, unless they are a player. The get sold in a vintage guitar shop along with banjos, violins, steel guitars, amps, and effects pedals.

    Sometimes the guy with the local music store assumes the role of "expert or authority" when it comes to instruments because they are the only game in town, so to speak. They can also be quite bold, in their ignorance. I remember suggesting to one small town shop owner that he should get a written appraisal from Gruhn's on a certain instrument, years ago. He quickly came back with, "why should I get an appraisal from George Gruhn, I've been in business 25 years and can do my own appraisals!"

    Best to do your own research, IMHO.

    Sometimes, it can work in your favor. I give the example of buying a super nice boutique banjo from a "heavy metal" guitar shop for about 25 percent of its value -- because the store hated the idea of a banjo being there in the first place! ( and taking up good wall space...)
    Last edited by Jeff Mando; Jul-18-2019 at 11:25am.

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    Registered User jim simpson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Franken-F2 on CL, but nice price! In Reading, PA!

    What was the original price on craigslist?
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    Registered User Troy Engle's Avatar
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    Default Re: Franken-F2 on CL, but nice price! In Reading, PA!

    Craigslist $1400. I don't mind people making a profit, I do it sometimes too, but being sketchy or underhanded about describing it is wrong.

  23. #18

    Default Re: Franken-F2 on CL, but nice price! In Reading, PA!

    Remember there is no profit unless it sells. At this point the new owner is out $1400, regardless of motive.

    I agree there are a lot of underhanded sellers who play upon the buyer knowing less than they do. A former employer used to say, "all we can do is send it out there and see if it sticks!"

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