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Thread: Tenor Lute Blues

  1. #1
    My Florida is scooped pheffernan's Avatar
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    Default Tenor Lute Blues

    eBay suggested that I might be interested in this listing. Instead, it just made me blue:

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/1924-The-Gi...QAAOSwikRbeuas
    1924 Gibson A Snakehead
    2005 National RM-1
    2007 Hester A5
    2009 Passernig A5
    2015 Black A2-z
    2010 Black GBOM
    2017 Poe Scout
    2014 Smart F-Style Mandola
    2018 Vessel TM5
    2019 Hogan F5

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Tenor Lute Blues

    Looks like a mandolin-banjo neck stuck on a tenor lute body...

  3. #3

    Default Re: Tenor Lute Blues

    Nice color for an old Stratocaster or something but looks out of place with that natural wood top.

  4. #4
    Registered User William Smith's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tenor Lute Blues

    I just got my TL to dola conversion back from Gary Vessel and I must say fantastic Dola conversion-very Dark sounding! I got the 24 Gibson TL from evilbay awhile back and it was a true basket case! Many cracks in top and back, terrible sanding to top and back, many little brad nails nailed into the back and sides into the neck block, broken neck at extension, missing all hardware, broken tailpiece base, A real basket case! So Gary made a snakehead neck, refinished the whole thing and gave it a brownish back, black top, pearl block inlays in ebony board, I had a vintage 1924 cream guard, and vintage style Loar pearl button prototype tuners that Derrington put together years ago, original "The Gibson" tailpiece assembly, He used the original pearl "The Gibson" inlay from the TL peg head and finished it in a lite varnish. What a looker man and spectacular sounding, I'll get some pix up soon. Gary does fantastic work!

  5. #5
    Teacher, repair person
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    Default Re: Tenor Lute Blues

    That instrument used to belong to an acquaintance of mine. It came out of George Gruhn's shop in the early '90's. It already had the blue finish on it at that time. That is the original head. It was removed from the original neck, which was then shortened. Then the head was drilled for mandolin tuners, spliced back on, the moon inlay added, and the instrument finished blue. We don't know who did the work.

  6. #6

    Default Re: Tenor Lute Blues

    Seems like an odd choice for tuners.....

  7. #7

    Default Re: Tenor Lute Blues

    pheff--your list is missing a mandola. ebay is on to you.
    2010 Heiden A5, 2020 Pomeroy oval A, 2013 Kentucky KM1000 F5, 2012 Girouard A Mandola w ff holes, 2001 Old Wave A oval octave
    http://HillbillyChamberMusic.bandcamp.com
    Videos: https://www.youtube.com/@hillbillychambermusic

  8. The following members say thank you to Don Grieser for this post:


  9. #8
    My Florida is scooped pheffernan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tenor Lute Blues

    Quote Originally Posted by Don Grieser View Post
    pheff--your list is missing a mandola. ebay is on to you.
    I'm surrounded by enablers, Don. They're coming at me from all angles. Even the bots and cookies have it in for me. What's an honest man with an occasional interest in fine instruments to do?
    1924 Gibson A Snakehead
    2005 National RM-1
    2007 Hester A5
    2009 Passernig A5
    2015 Black A2-z
    2010 Black GBOM
    2017 Poe Scout
    2014 Smart F-Style Mandola
    2018 Vessel TM5
    2019 Hogan F5

  10. #9
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tenor Lute Blues

    How about a few photos before the auction disappears?
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    Jim

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    1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1

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  12. #10
    Registered User Charles E.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: Tenor Lute Blues

    I don't think it is going anywhere at that price.
    Charley

    A bunch of stuff with four strings

  13. #11
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    Default Re: Tenor Lute Blues

    Quote Originally Posted by bluegrasser78 View Post
    I just got my TL to dola conversion back from Gary Vessel and I must say fantastic Dola conversion-very Dark sounding! I got the 24 Gibson TL from evilbay awhile back and it was a true basket case! Many cracks in top and back, terrible sanding to top and back, many little brad nails nailed into the back and sides into the neck block, broken neck at extension, missing all hardware, broken tailpiece base, A real basket case! So Gary made a snakehead neck, refinished the whole thing and gave it a brownish back, black top, pearl block inlays in ebony board, I had a vintage 1924 cream guard, and vintage style Loar pearl button prototype tuners that Derrington put together years ago, original "The Gibson" tailpiece assembly, He used the original pearl "The Gibson" inlay from the TL peg head and finished it in a lite varnish. What a looker man and spectacular sounding, I'll get some pix up soon. Gary does fantastic work!
    Yeah, would love to see some pics when you can. Sound pretty interesting. I know someone looking for a cream pickguard if you ever decide to switch it out. In fact I think I have two 'dola guards in my stash of parts here if your looking that.

    Phil

  14. #12

    Default Re: Tenor Lute Blues

    lard tundering jaysas h. christ on a crutch hobbling about aimlessly. what an instrument. i wonder if the scale length is octave mandola or a fifth mandola. a friend out west had one of those with the stock four strings. the neck was long enough for an octave conversion. but blue finish????

    i'd love to try it, but it's awfully pricey.

  15. #13
    Teacher, repair person
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    Default Re: Tenor Lute Blues

    Quote Originally Posted by ollaimh View Post
    i wonder if the scale length is octave mandola or a fifth mandola.
    The instrument has a standard Gibson mandola scale length-- around 15 3/4".

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