Do the sheet rock screws help this mandocello?

[Bob Visentin]

Do the sheet rock screws help this mandocello?

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/msg/5803343079.html

[Mark Gunter]

Wow! I'd call that a completely unacceptable bridge system

[MikeEdgerton]

I'm guessing the top was collapsing. I've never seen anything like that and I'm into alligator dentistry.

[theCOOP]

Wow. Given it looks like it's photographed in a home shop, I think the seller is responsible.

If I had a grand laying around for one of these, maybe...

[MikeEdgerton]

OK, there are some problems here other than the aluminum contraption. One side has a cheap tuner replacement but the big thing is the headstock. There is a serial number imprinted on the back plus a serial number on the label inside. He doesn't list either one but I guarantee they don't match. You've got two different decades of Gibson colliding there. That's a 50's Gibson logo on the headstock but that's an old label inside. I'm thinking maybe it was renecked at the factory? I'm pretty sure that replacement tuner is going to turn the wrong way. This is one of those things I'd want to hold in my hand and I'd never offer what he's asking.

[CarlM]

I'm thinking maybe it was renecked at the factory?

When I glanced at that I first read that it was rednecked at the factory. It was rednecked somewhere but I am not sure it was the factory.

[Mark Gunter]

It's a little bruised and bloodied.

[Jim Garber]

OK, there are some problems here other than the aluminum contraption. One side has a cheap tuner replacement but the big thing is the headstock. There is a serial number imprinted on the back plus a serial number on the label inside. He doesn't list either one but I guarantee they don't match. You've got two different decades of Gibson colliding there. That's a 50's Gibson logo on the headstock but that's an old label inside. I'm thinking maybe it was renecked at the factory? I'm pretty sure that replacement tuner is going to turn the wrong way. This is one of those things I'd want to hold in my hand and I'd never offer what he's asking.

I agree with your assessment, Mike. As usual for that era at Gibson it looks like the body was refinished as well.

For hysterical porpoises:

[Jeff Mando]

The top appears to have two full length cracks and another partial one hidden by the pickguard. Aluminum brace was probably someone's idea to reduce string pressure downward at the bridge. Couldn't be a good idea, soundwise.

[Bernie Daniel]

Well I've taken the back off one Gibson K-1 and lived to tell about it maybe I should ....NAH!

[mandolinstew]

hard to believe,but there's the photos.his name might be Dr Frankenstien

[dustyamps]

I like the pick holder stuck to the tailpiece cover.

[Jim Garber]

Well I've taken the back off one Gibson K-1 and lived to tell about it maybe I should ....NAH!

Hmmmmmmmmmm...

I see these selling for around $3000 in fair to good condition.
MAKE ME AN OFFER
Offers below $1000 will receive less consideration than offers above this amount.

"Fair to good condition"???? I just recently sold a late model one in excellent condition through a well-known vintage dealer and it was slightly more that that but it was very playable and needed no work.

[Bernie Daniel]

Hmmmmmmmmmm...


"Fair to good condition"???? I just recently sold a late model one in excellent condition through a well-known vintage dealer and it was slightly more that that but it was very playable and needed no work.

Even if you could fixed this one up, i.e., removed that back, adjusted the top board curvature, cleated the cracks, add a brace under the bridge, then closed it back (which is a very tricky thing to pull off if you don't really brace up the sides while the back is off).

Even then you are just getting started.

You still need to find and buy a compete set of the correct vintage mandolin tuners (neither side of tuners on it now are right), then one needs to carve new bridge, and hope the neck is straight.

The frets are unknown.

Finally I do not think the finish is original either.

Even assuming everything worked out on the restoration I doubt a person could expect more than $1200 - 1500 for it?

That is a lot of restoration work for $200 -500. And all that assumes nothing else is wrong?

[Folkmusician.com]

When I glanced at that I first read that it was rednecked at the factory. It was rednecked somewhere but I am not sure it was the factory.

You might be a redneck...
You ever cut your grass and found a car.
You own a home that is mobile and 5 cars that aren't.
You think an aluminum bridge truss system is a good idea.
Your stereo speakers used to belong to the Drive-in Theater.
Your boat has not left the drive-way in 15 years.
Your wife has ever said, "Come move this transmission so I can take a bath." <-- close!
You read the Auto Trader with a highlight pen. <-- uh oh
You've ever hit a deer with your car...deliberately.
Your school fight song was "Dueling Banjos".
You've ever given rat traps as gifts.
You've totaled every car you've ever owned. <-- not every, but several!

[MikeEdgerton]

OK, so I actually look at my post and can't believe I wrote that and in fact I didn't. It almost has to be the forum software making the change because when I went to edit the message it looked like the image below. When I simply saved it made the change but again, I went to edit and it looked like the image below. I never knew it did that.

[CarlM]

You didn't write that. It was just an eye brain misconnection on my part coupled with hillbilly humor.

[multidon]

Mike might have meant to say "re-necked", but in the case of this cello "rednecked", although accidental, may be a more accurate description!

[Bernie Daniel]

I'm sure it was "re-necked" (or rednecked) but probably some time after 1945 and by the woodworkers at Kalamazoo?

I say this be cause the number on the back of the head stock does indeed agree with the number on the vintage label on the inside. So two things point to a factory repair -- engraving the serial number on the back of the head stock and adding block letter "Gibson" with a float off water label these were all 40's era things done at the Gibson factory.

Finally the mandocello was probably refinished also at Gibson since that is certainly the kind of sunburst you would see on a arch top guitar from the 1940's.

It is well known that Gibson used to refinish vintage instruments in the colors of the day.

[Steve Ostrander]

That's just wrong. I'm calling the mandocello police right now.....

[Bernie Daniel]

That's just wrong. I'm calling the mandocello police right now.....

Go ahead see if I care --- I'm in the witness protection plan!

[Paul Hird]

Yikes!!

[Bill Kammerzell]

OK, there are some problems here other than the aluminum contraption. One side has a cheap tuner replacement but the big thing is the headstock. There is a serial number imprinted on the back plus a serial number on the label inside. He doesn't list either one but I guarantee they don't match. You've got two different decades of Gibson colliding there. That's a 50's Gibson logo on the headstock but that's an old label inside. I'm thinking maybe it was renecked at the factory? I'm pretty sure that replacement tuner is going to turn the wrong way. This is one of those things I'd want to hold in my hand and I'd never offer what he's asking.

Maybe he meant to write "Years of production 1900-1950's"?

[MikeEdgerton]

No, he got the years of production right, that thing got a new neck someplace way after it was built.

I think the aluminum contraption and the mismatched tuners should be causing the seller more pain than anything else.

You can at least explain the neck. I guess you might be able to explain the tuners.

[Denny Gies]

So Mike, how many times have you been bitten?