Ebay - A model, lost cause?

[jim simpson]

This poor thing, it looks like it is wearing a cape as a result of black paint, an attempt to minimize the look of a repair?


https://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Gibson-...QAAOSwPPlfD3Vl

[Jim Garber]

It looks like someone (not the seller, I hope) did some amateur "repairs", took a fretboard from another mandolin that may or may not match the original scale and attempted some insertion of a dowel in the neck block to repair the neck/body joint break. Not sure what that pearl does—maybe covers a large lag bolt? This one is a carwreck for sure—possibly that the mandolin was in or under the car when it happened.



Yikes, $650 for a break-even price. I assume he means that is what he paid for this or really, overpaid.

This is an over 100 year old mandolin that I purchased for my own use. It is in fair to good condition but I just never got around to completing the work on it. I have had many A-1's in my shop and the bones on this mandolin are solid. I am pricing it at a 'break even' price. A piece of history here. What you see in the photos is exactly what you will receive. The tape is just holding the bridge and nut.

[jim simpson]

It looks like someone (not the seller, I hope) did some amateur "repairs", took a fretboard from another mandolin that may or may not match the original scale and attempted some insertion of a dowel in the neck block to repair the neck/body joint break. Not sure what that pearl does—maybe covers a large lag bolt? This one is a carwreck for sure—possibly that the mandolin was in or under the car when it happened.



Yikes, $650 for a break-even price. I assume he means that is what he paid for this or really, overpaid.

Funny, but I don't think I would admit that I paid $650 for this!

[Northwest Steve]

"It is in fair to good condition" - I would hate to see poor or rough condition

[rickbella]

Good for a $100 experiment in lutherie, to undo both normal wear and ill-advised abuse. But at $650, I'd say forget it.

[Vernon Hughes]

My thoughts exactly. I'm a sucker for restoring basket cases but not at that price.

[pops1]

The Everly Brothers sang about this......Dream, Dream Dream Dream, Dream.

[Drew Streip]

My thoughts exactly. I'm a sucker for restoring basket cases but not at that price.

I may have overpaid for a basket case A, but it was a couple hundred less and in similarly bad condition. I could never sell for a break even price when you count labor, but it was valuable experience And I have a lifer mandolin. Now I know what I’d be willing to pay in the future, and $650 ain’t it.