"Sheridan Brown snakehead w/ A-2Z appointments ?

[mandotool]

opinions on this one ?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/161695237269?rmvSB=true

The description..
"Here is a super nice, crack free example of a 1923 Loar Era A-2 Snakehead mandolin. If you are looking at this ad then you already appreciate what you are looking at. This is a rare Sheridan Brown A-2. It is serial number 73916 and the batch number is 11865. The mandolin is easily a 9 on condition on a scale of 1 to 10. The original finish still shines very nicely and there are only some superficial marks on the body. It is totally original. The original pickguard is still firmly in place and has no loose motion. It also has the original "arrow end" tuning machines. The mandolin sounds great as most all of the mandolins from this period do. It comes in its original hardshell case. Overall, this is one of the nicest examples of one of these mandolins that you will see."

[JeffD]

I own 73934 with the same FON#. (see avatar) I am not sure how many mandolins can have the same FON#.

There is an 1923 A2 snakehead in the classifieds

74327 or 74347 and FON is 11881

missing a pick guard and with a replaced bridge, going for more than the current bid on the ebay one.

If it is everything as described that could be a real nice instrument. Mine has gotten many many nice compliments, and it was not because of my playing.

[pheffernan]

I am not sure how many mandolins can have the same FON#.

I have read that a FON was for a group of forty instruments:

http://bluebookofguitarvalues.com/Ma...tion_1903_1960

[Capt. E]

The number of instruments in a single FON varied a lot. Depended on the model especially. An F-5 run would be nothing like 40. A plain A run might be 100.

[allenhopkins]

Sheridan Brown was apparently an alternate finish with Sherman Blue and Beauregard Gray...

What I mean is, it was Sheraton Brown.

[mandotool]

Hard to tell from a photo but seems like a lot of black in that finish..
Wonder if it started out as a black top ?

[kudzugypsy]

when i see that kind of discoloration in a case (which doesn't seem to match the condition of the instrument) - it usually means a celluloid pick guard disintegrated in it. find it often in archtops that have sat in their cases for years. i don't know - something just not right to me, but these are just from pics.
i feel the whole "A2-z" thing has been blown way out of proportion. these were simply A2 mandolins...if you want to pay 25-50% more for the "z" rubber stamp on the label...well that is anyones right.

my theory is the A2z was the blond/natural top version of the A2 and nothing more. some got the z, some didn't. the whole extra inlay around the soundhole on some of them has been often stated as the difference, but you find them both ways with and without the z.

nobody will ever know the reason for the 'z' - i worked at Gibson in Nashville in the early 90's and there was a screw up in the binding dept where the guy used the wrong router bit to cut the binding on the premium les paul flame tops...essentially making them useless. so some bright guy said lets make a run of 'premium flame top studio les pauls' out of them - which they did. somewhere out there is a run of a few dozen very nicely flamed Les Paul studios (the ones with the opaque color finishes).

so i think it was probably someone screwed up the soundhole rosette and they fixed it with a z.

hummm - i just saw where the seller is msmotors in cleveland ga...sure enough - mitch simpson. so this adds up - the case isn't original to that mandolin i would bet.

[pianoman89]

I agree with mandotool, alot of black in that finish. I vote refinish, but a very nice job.

[pfox14]

opinions on this one ?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/161695237269?rmvSB=true

The description..
"Here is a super nice, crack free example of a 1923 Loar Era A-2 Snakehead mandolin. If you are looking at this ad then you already appreciate what you are looking at. This is a rare Sheridan Brown A-2. It is serial number 73916 and the batch number is 11865. The mandolin is easily a 9 on condition on a scale of 1 to 10. The original finish still shines very nicely and there are only some superficial marks on the body. It is totally original. The original pickguard is still firmly in place and has no loose motion. It also has the original "arrow end" tuning machines. The mandolin sounds great as most all of the mandolins from this period do. It comes in its original hardshell case. Overall, this is one of the nicest examples of one of these mandolins that you will see."

What "A-2z" appointments are you referring to?

[Jeff Mando]

Sheridan Brown was apparently an alternate finish with Sherman Blue and Beauregard Gray...

What I mean is, it was Sheraton Brown.

And then there's the rare Nathan Bedford Forrest Green.....

[barney 59]

Somewhere, and it was probably here on Cafe, I read that the A2z was a run of instruments using tops that had been left over from the discontinued A3. I've seen a lot of Sheraton Brown tops but none with that black in them. I actually like the color but would agree that it is most likely a refinish. It's still a very pretty mandolin but as pretty as it is it's being passed as a pristine all original instrument when in fact it is most likely just a nicely restored one.

[mrmando]

What "A-2z" appointments are you referring to?

That's my question as well. It kinda sorta looks like it might have the extra ring of black outer binding inside the white ring, but I couldn't swear to it from this photo. I think most A2Zs do have the arrow-ends, but those aren't exclusive to A2Zs. However, this doesn't have the distinctive A2Z rosette. (A few non-A2Zs have it, but there are no A2Zs that don't.) Nor does it have the blond finish, nor does it say A2Z on the label ... so the claim about "A2Z appointments" doesn't make sense.

Claims have been made for black A2Zs, including Andy Statman's old Gibson and the mandolin Al Viola played on the Godfather soundtrack ... but neither of these has a Z on the label. (Statman's had the correct rosette and Viola's did not.)

[Capt. E]

Went for $3085.00 which includes shipping cost. Hope it sounds good.

The body looks pretty much identical to my 1920 A-2 except for the adjustable bridge. Are the bodies of Loar Era A model mandolins identical to the earlier paddle-heads...same bracing etc? Are the differences primarily in the neck with truss rod and the snakehead, or were the bodies also carved and braced differently?

[Dave Greenspoon]

Witty cover, I'll Grant you that.