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Thread: Rigel on Ebay

  1. #1
    Registered User jim simpson's Avatar
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    Default Rigel on Ebay

    Spotted this little Rigel on Ebay the other day. Might end up being a good buy. I recently picked up one myself and am pretty happy with it. Off topic slightly but I wonder if the licensed Gold Tone versions are constructed the same as Rigel or are they alike only in appearance?

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/A-Natural-R...e/192926714778
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  2. #2
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    Default Re: Rigel on Ebay

    Gone already - but at just over $700, it was a good price . . . although I personally thought that the (what I am assuming was a replacement) bridge looked horrible!

  3. #3
    Registered User jim simpson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Rigel on Ebay

    Mike,
    I'm a little surprised that it went as low as it did. Perhaps it appeals to less folks being a little (a lot!) not traditional. You're right about the bridge being ugly. I believe that is original. Here's a photo of my Rigel with the same bridge. A new ebony bridge with little wheels might dress it up.
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  4. #4

    Default Re: Rigel on Ebay

    looked like a good price to me, but i have only ever played one rigel. i don't know enough about them. the one was a nice mandolin

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    Default Re: Rigel on Ebay

    I had a SPECTACULAR Rigel Custom R-100 Deluxe back in the early 2000's - which (thankfully) did not have thumb wheels that were as big as truck tires. At first was a bit turned off by their non-traditional look - but after some helpful communication with Peter Mix, the tone, playability and built-in electronics helped to very quickly change my mind about them.

    Perhaps, someday, I will become a Rigel owner again . . . .

  6. #6
    Registered User jim simpson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Rigel on Ebay

    Mike, A R-100?, that looks like fun. A G110 should be in my arsenal, lol! I do like the look. I wish my Rigel had the built in pickup just to explore. I could see situations where a pickup might make life easier. I use a Pro AT mic as present on my main gig rig.
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  7. #7
    two t's and one hyphen fatt-dad's Avatar
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    Default Re: Rigel on Ebay

    I've told myself if I found one at or under $800, I'd buy it!

    Missed one. . .

    f-d
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    Default Re: Rigel on Ebay

    Hey Jim:

    Yeah, a hack player like me had an R-100. Talk about being 'not worthy'!

    Long story short - about 17 years ago I bought a Martin mandolin from Peter Mix, but I had no idea who he was. Through some subsequent e-mails I found out that he was with Rigel, and he was VERY excited about this new mandolin that they were building at the time. It was going to be their very first white R-100, and they were going all out to make sure that it was a 'very special' mandolin. Peter sent me pictures of the mandolin, all the way through the construction process . . . and when all was said and done, I threw down 2 months salary and bought it. Peter was right - it was a VERY SPECIAL instrument. Everybody that I let play it didn't want to give it back.

    . . . and, oh yeah - that built in pick-up sounded GREAT. Once I plugged that thing in, microphones became a thing of the past. I was now free to play the mandolin and move around on stage, whenever I wanted to.

    Kudos to all of the folks at Rigel!

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    Registered User Eric Platt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Rigel on Ebay

    Wow, that was a good price. Would have tried for it, as one of those was my first "good" mandolin. Sold it off at a huge loss when I went back to concentrating on guitar for another decade. Really was comfortable to play.
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  13. #10

    Default Re: Rigel on Ebay

    Quote Originally Posted by jim simpson View Post
    You're right about the bridge being ugly. I believe that is original. Here's a photo of my Rigel with the same bridge. A new ebony bridge with little wheels might dress it up.
    I see it's the A Natural model you have there which was their "budget" model without a pickup. I don't remember much about that model re: the bridges they used. I don't remember ever seeing RW bridges around the shop. Perhaps the RW bridge was used to match the RW fingerboard?

    The A Plus Deluxe and higher models used the Cumberland Acoustics ebony bridges with the small adjustment wheels. Upgrading to a CA ebony bridge with the small wheels would certainly benefit the sound of your mandolin as well. Nice score at $700!!

    Len B.
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  14. #11
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    Default Re: Rigel on Ebay

    Browsing craigslist I just saw -- https://boston.craigslist.org/nwb/ms...921298216.html

    (No connection, not vouching for ad, I just saw it and thought I'd post it as someone above mentioned a price under $800 is good.)

  15. #12
    Quietly Making Noise Dave Greenspoon's Avatar
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    Default Re: Rigel on Ebay

    Quote Originally Posted by kvk View Post
    Browsing craigslist I just saw -- https://boston.craigslist.org/nwb/ms...921298216.html

    (No connection, not vouching for ad, I just saw it and thought I'd post it as someone above mentioned a price under $800 is good.)
    I got mine new, shopworn, from First Quality Music back in the day ('03) for $800 with a replacement ebony bridge already on the instrument. OEM tuners & pickguard were installed by the local Rigel dealer; it went back to Rigel for the pickup retrofit. Add an early Rigel Tone-Gard™ and Rigel Bailey strap to round out the rig. Presuming used A+ prices, I'd ever let go of this modded A Nat I'd expect to see every penny back, if not a modest profit. In short, the A Nat is one of the most undervalued mandolins on the market.

    MikeZito the one time I almost let it go was when the local Rigel dealer offered to take it in partial trade for the R-100 he was loaning me.
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  16. #13
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    Default Re: Rigel on Ebay

    I got a brand new Rigel A+ deluxe in 2003 I think. I played it for about 5 years. It had fantastic playability, but ultimately not quite the sound I wanted. I went from there to a Breedlove to a Weber Yellowstone before settling on the Collings MT.
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  17. #14
    Registered User jim simpson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Rigel on Ebay

    Quote Originally Posted by kvk View Post
    Browsing craigslist I just saw -- https://boston.craigslist.org/nwb/ms...921298216.html

    (No connection, not vouching for ad, I just saw it and thought I'd post it as someone above mentioned a price under $800 is good.)
    That's interesting (and a great price!). I don't recall that tailpiece, early, I guess?
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