gibson snakehead mandolins from the twenties

[ollaimh]

my local repair guy says he has seen a discussion that Gibson snakehead mandolins from the mid twenties have dropped in price to 1200-1300 bucks. just curious, are the prices dropping? I haven't seen any that cheap, and I own one so I think they are the cannon of cannons of the Gibson twenties mandos(sorry f5 fans--I really like my snakehead). just wondering.

mine was rode hard and hung up wet but played hard all it's life. it may just be better warmed up than many. it doesn't sound like any other Gibson I have ever heard, loud loud loud but sweeter than most as well, and the action is tight soft but different than any other I have played.

it also has a resonator back---yeah it's weird. it's clearly a top blank turned around and attached to the back by three posts and this leaves a space of three quarters of an inch. the original hard shell case is an inch deeper than others of the era so I thin k it's original. don't really ,though,care just love the sound.

but are snakeheads dropping in price?

[Jeff Hildreth]

I paid $400 for my Dec 22, 1922... in 1985.

[LongBlackVeil]

There's already been a discussion about this and I think most agreed that the prices have been pretty stagnant for awhile now. Not up or down.

It also depends which model your talking about, a snake head a junior model is probably the only snake head you could get for 1200-1300. Everything higher up than that (a, a1, a2, a2z, a3, and a4) your looking at close to 2 grand and much more than that for the upper level models like the a2z (is there such thing as a snakehead a3?) and a4.

Also if yours has a resonator, that would explain why yours sounds different than any you've ever heard. I would bet that is not original

[BradKlein]

it also has a resonator back---yeah it's weird. it's clearly a top blank turned around and attached to the back by three posts and this leaves a space of three quarters of an inch.

Come again?

[Jim Garber]

Post some photos of that mandolin. I have never heard of Gibson making one like that.

[Capt. E]

This is one currently up on Ebay without the OHSC. Priced pretty well (perhaps $300 too high?). http://www.ebay.com/itm/261556687573...T#ht_196wt_684

Here's one owned by well known pedel steel player Greg Leisz. http://www.ebay.com/itm/171453440040...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT Considering its history and condition probably well priced.

The last snakehead A I saw sell on ebay went for $1950.

Then there was an A2Z that, if I remember, went for $4600.

[LongBlackVeil]

I would also like to see the gibson snakehead resonator a model.

[bingoccc]

Is the back a normal back with an additional plate off the back? It almost sound like some kind of added tone guard rather than a resonator?

[pfox14]

Never heard of or have seen a Gibson resonator mandolin from any era. Would really like to see some pix.

[Ken Waltham]

No such thing, I'm afraid.

[Dobe]

.....it also has a resonator back---yeah it's weird. it's clearly a top blank turned around and attached to the back by three posts and this leaves a space of three quarters of an inch. the original hard shell case is an inch deeper than others of the era so I thin k it's original. don't really ....

The rare and elusive 'IZRIV' , opposite concept to the Virzi which interestingly enough was the predecessor to the modern 'Toneguard' ! ;0

Maybe a Dola case ?

[Capt. E]

Five snakeheads on ebay at this time. Except for a Jr at $800, the four A-1's are priced at $2550 and up. Don't think they will ever be anywhere close to 1200-1300 bucks. You might get lucky and find one in that range, but it would be a fabulous grab from someone who doesn't know what they have. It does happen.

[fatt-dad]

a couple of months ago, I bought a '25 A-1 with a defaced serial number. Worm under tuners, "The Gibson" as an angled stencil, snakhead. Looks Loar era, but the FON says otherwise. Heck, as far as I know it may be a post-Loar-era body with a Loar-era neck replacement. No clue. I just know it's a great mandolin and I would not sell it for less than I got in it - about $2K. I love this mandolin!

That's all I got.

f-d

[Randi Gormley]

I wonder if it's one of those "wish it were true" comments that take on the feeling of certainty, like 'gas will go below $3 a gallon' or such like. My snakehead has been hard-used, is missing its pickguard, has a repaired crack and a replacement bridge and I still feel like I got a deal on it (it's a wonderful sounding instrument) for what appears to be slightly below the going rate (no doubt due to its flaws) but certainly way higher than the $1200 dream price.

[pfox14]

...and still no pictures of this supposed Gibson resonator mandolin....hmmmmmm

[Timbofood]

Yeah, I have never heard of a reso. Gibson either. Would love to see pics!
I love the concept of the "IZRIV"! Now that's genius!

[pheffernan]

...and still no pictures of this supposed Gibson resonator mandolin....hmmmmmm

In his defense, he hasn't been active since September 10.

[Capt. E]

An update: Just saw a blacktop snakehead A for sale in a local vintage guitar shop: ser 813xx. Beautiful original finish with only light wear and OHSC. These guys want $3950 for it. Got to play it some and it sounds very very nice. It could sell for that much if somebody just falls in love after trying it out, but I wouldn't begin to think about it above $3000.

[LongBlackVeil]

I wonder if it's one of those "wish it were true" comments that take on the feeling of certainty, like 'gas will go below $3 a gallon' or such like

haha this made me chuckle. and it was only 4 months ago!

Gas is below $2 now in my area!

[MikeEdgerton]

I'm going to guess that snakehead mandolin with the weird resonator back was a mandolin banjo.

[ollaimh]

ohh people want pictures, well soon. I sounds great. part of the attaching of the resonator is replacement. years ago I talked to George gruhn about it. he said he had a catalog with no pictures from Gibson for that year which listed a resonator mandolin foe sale. then he found that 19 were made but no further mention . as I said it is a top blank. and it's as old as the mandolin. which some one turned around and attached with three posts. again years ago I took poloroid pictures and sent them to some expert--can't remember who-but got no reply.

the age of the blank and its obviously being a Gibson top blank makes me think it's original, but I could not likely prove it. besides who gives a sweet flying (opps) it's my favourite player and long time gigging and busking mandolin. louder than any other A I have ever heard but still sweet. I used to use it a lot at small gigs, with only one or two mikes or plug ins, the mandolin could be played acoustically and be heard easily next to an amped guitar and singer.

she's been rode hard. the guy before me was in a boat with it when the boat sank!!! but it's a great player.

the resonator works partially because it holds the back away from your body.

so pictures soon--I ma low tech and bad at pictures.

[ollaimh]

ps, no , not a banjo mandolin. a regular A-0 from 1924--according to gruhn, and made in December according to him. it has A 4 and A 2 binding, which he said was common back then to use up everything in the shop at the end of the year. black top and screen printed "the Gibson" diagonal logo on the head stock. I can't read the serial number very well any more, I should get a magnifying glass. it has faded as have my eyes. I had to have a brace re done about a year ago--top crack and drop. it has recovered it's loudness but lost some sweetness, but its'; getting better. I had bone inserts put in the bridge for the a and e strings to get sweetness. my repair guy said the back(resonator) was from the same era and was the same as Gibson top blanks from the era--which I had already been told by others. big mystery!!!!

I got it in 1989 at the sound hole in Spokane Washington, for 500 bucks. best deal I every made. with original case , but the case is falling apart now.

[pheffernan]

ps, no , not a banjo mandolin. a regular A-0 from 1924

I was under the impression that a regular A-0 didn't debut until 1927.

[ollaimh]

Attachment 129428Attachment 129429Attachment 129429Attachment 129430Attachment 129431Attachment 129432

ok here are some quick pictures before I go out to busk the market.(with my Korean made aspen not the Gibson)

the original Gibson case I s an inch or so deeper than the standard ones to fit the extra width of the body, as to an A 0--I dunno, the label says A and then seriel number, I thought that was an A 0, maybe that's just an A.

[ollaimh]

hope this works, the pictures seem to be attachements and not just displaying. I don't know why. i'll check later to see if anybody but me can open the pictures. in any case, as I said , George gruhn told me over the phone(and he was very helpful and kind--but I was a passionate player and not a collector) that Gibson catalog he has showed 19 "resonator back" A mandolins for sale in 1924, then the line was discontinued as they did not sell. he said he had never seen one and had wondered about the catalog item for years. this was before I had e mail. remember gruhn's mail out list? back then. no pictures.

the seriel number matched 1924 , he said December. we never discussed money as I was then in love with the mandolin--as I am now. best buy ever!!

when I walked around Spokane that day with the mandolin, looking at other stores, three guys at stores told me they had offered less(400, 450 etc) and they kicked themselves for not taking it at 500. I also learned the lesson. if you've got the deal you want on the instrument you want, pay yer money down. you'll never regret having an instrument you love, but you will regret passing on it for decades.

dicker over secondary instruments, but buy main players when they are right in front of you. I have done this for my dream instruments several times and never had a regret. money disappears, but great instruments keep you happy till you kick the resonator!!!

I bought a hand made ted Thompson guitar, several zouks,and several harps just this way and they have been my joy. money--pfft. sometimes ya got it and some times ya don't/ . remember instruments can get you through times of no money, but money can't get you through times of no instruments