F4 on ShopGoodwill with busted headstock scroll

[mrmando]

SN 24216. so 1914 ship date per Spann ... Doesn't appear to be much wrong with this one apart from the headstock scroll break ... but if you were looking for an unbelievable bargain, this may not be it. Already over $2500 and doesn't close till Easter Sunday.

Out of curiosity, what might one expect to pay a luthier to make a new headstock scroll?

https://www.shopgoodwill.com/Item/66665766

[rcc56]

I've never priced a job like this. Maybe around $300, and that might be hard-earned. After a second look, the carpentry looks like it will be quite a bit more difficult than one might think at first glance.

Getting a good color and texture match in the finish will be difficult. Remember that the outer edge will be a red or brown stain, not black. Reds and browns are hard to match.

This is one of those jobs that appears easy but is not. I might get to the middle of a job like this and decide I had mis-quoted. But how much will the market bear for a piece of wood under an inch square??

[Timbofood]

Yes, the job “looks easy” until you’re up to your eyeballs in the project and there is still no end in sight!
It can be restored but, sometimes the cost in time and frustration can be prohibitive from the mental health side!

[mrmando]

Well, I knocked a corner off my fiddle once, and paid someone about $200 to carve, grain-match, color-match, and glue on a teensy piece of spruce. So if you quoted me $300 to replace a headstock scroll I wouldn't blink.

[Bill Kammerzell]

Looks like the auction ended at $3,334.33.

[MikeZito]

The mandolin was beauty - but I just couldn't shell out over 3-grand for an instrument that had no real accurate description and that I couldn't play in advance. I hope everything works out nicely for the new owner.

[Jeff Mando]

I must be missing something..........to me, the appeal of a project or fixer-upper is price -- so the cost of the item plus repair is still well under retail. Evidently, a lot of people don't mind paying real money for broken stuff?!! I own a 50's Les Paul and a 60's ES-330, both with headstock repairs -- which made the price less than half what a good one was going for and that made me happy. Both have been stable for over 25 years after the repairs and have given me good service and enjoyment.

[mrmando]

I didn't have $3,334 handy to spend on an instrument right now ... but even if i did, I'd share MikeZito's hesitation to drop that much on a project.

[rcc56]

I don't think the buyer is going to get upside down on this one as long as the repairs are well done.

If he decides he doesn't like the instrument, he can sell it and probably net more than his total cost.

[mrmando]

I don't see upside-down risk. I do see risk of not turning much of a profit. But every musician knows that not everything is about profit.

[Timbofood]

I don't see upside-down risk. I do see risk of not turning much of a profit. But every musician knows that not everything is about profit.

That’s RICH!
Musicians know nothing of profit, instrument collectors and “flippers” have an idea but, musicians make tens of dollars a week!

[mrmando]

I had some cool paying gigs last year ... but I still made more money by flipping.

[Jeff Mando]

I do see risk of not turning much of a profit.

Goodwill is the one who made the profit.

[allenhopkins]

Odd price figure -- almost exactly 1/3 of $10K.

Wonder if someone was bidding per an enigmatic formula.

[sunburst]

I lucked out on this one in the sense that the finish wasn't original, but matching an original finish is not that much more difficult. I didn't luck out as much getting the pics to post, but here's evidence that it can be done.
Wish I could remember how much I undercharged for the job...
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...ruction-Aother