Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: Ibanez Bowlback 805

  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Odessa, TX
    Posts
    356

    Default

    Howdy,

    I was checking pawn shops for mandolins yesterday and found an Ibanez bowlback. It was an 805 model and it had the old style logo. It said something about 1908 on the label but it wasn't the patent or date of origin as far as I could tell. It looked like the anniversary model someone posted not too long ago, but it didn't have the new logo on the label. My guess is this is an old one. It needs a little work.

    The wood was separated a little on one of the seams on the bowlback but wasn't really noticable. You could see on the inside what looked like felt paper coating the inside. It was torn a little where the crack was. One of the tuners is missing the button (or whatever you call it)...I tuned the other strings around this string (they didn't have it tuned, didn't know anything about the mandolin, didn't know how to tune it, how to change strings, etc.). I tuned it and played it a little bit and they said they would go buy new strings (these were soooooo old).

    Now the thing that makes me think this might not be as old as it looks is that the tailpeice is covered by a black plastic piece that is curved around the bottom of the mandolin. I didn't know if they had those kind of peices back in the time when the originals were made.

    The pawn shop is asking $300...I think it is over priced regardless of original or remake...even so, I would like more information and I would like to know what the value would be of something like this. Can you make a recommendation?

    Thanks in advance

  2. #2
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Odessa, TX
    Posts
    356

    Default

    maybe it was an 809 and not an 805, sorry but I don't remember for sure

  3. #3
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Westchester, NY
    Posts
    30,753

    Default

    Pictures help, of course, tho I imagine it might be difficult to do that in a pawn shop.

    I seem to remember that Ibanez bowlbacks and Suzukis are similar, if not identical and may be made by the same manufacturer.

    Here's one Suzuki style 808 I owned a while ago.

    Jim



    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

Name:	808_ftbk_sm.jpg 
Views:	1024 
Size:	43.8 KB 
ID:	11303  
    Jim

    My Stream on Soundcloud
    Facebook
    19th Century Tunes
    Playing lately:
    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

  4. #4

    Default

    Scrutinize the action too. Whatever mystery wood they used on that era of entry-level, mass-produced Japanese bowlback was rather soft and prone to warp if ever subject to strings of too high tension.

  5. #5
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Maryland
    Posts
    2,811

    Default

    Japanese bowlbacks of this quality are generally overbuilt, with the exception of the neck, which tends to warp, as mentioned. Also the probability is that it has been strung with strings that are too heavy for this type instrument. Also you have tuner buttons missing and cracks.

    I'd say a hundred bucks is not out of line, but I myself would pass it by at half that. Look for a decent Vega or Lyon & Healy, or even an Italian instrument. I just got an Italian bowlback off ebay for 113. It also has cracks and setup problems, but once it gets repaired it will still be worth what I have in it.

  6. #6
    Registered User Bruce Clausen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Vancouver Island
    Posts
    1,541

    Default Re: Ibanez Bowlback 805

    Another pawn shop, another Ibanez bowlback. I saw an ad for this one here in Victoria, and went down to take a look. It's a pretty different model from anything I've seen from Ibanez or Suzuki, and curiosity impelled me to make the 10-block trip.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	83093583_934.jpg 
Views:	143 
Size:	93.6 KB 
ID:	176831

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	83093605_934.jpg 
Views:	110 
Size:	60.5 KB 
ID:	176832

    I expected a heavy body with a terrible sound, and maybe a warped neck. Turned out the weight was reasonable and the sound quite decent for a cheap mandolin ($220 Canadian, tax in), but the neck was indeed badly warped. I tuned it up, thanked the man, and hit the road.

    There's almost no cant to the top, and the bowl seems to be one solid piece (of wood?), with thin white stripes added for effect. Model number on the label is just a smudge. It looks brand new, but I can't see any evidence on line for any current production of such a beast. Has anyone here seen this type before?

Similar Threads

  1. Ibanez in the 70's
    By mandohacker in forum General Mandolin Discussions
    Replies: 42
    Last: Feb-06-2010, 4:46pm
  2. Ibanez bowlback
    By Ken Berner in forum Orchestral, Classical, Italian, Medieval, Renaissance
    Replies: 1
    Last: Dec-28-2007, 8:51am
  3. Ibanez bowlback
    By Ken Berner in forum Looking for Information About Mandolins
    Replies: 5
    Last: Dec-12-2007, 4:46pm
  4. My Ibanez
    By trevmaggs in forum Looking for Information About Mandolins
    Replies: 5
    Last: Jul-09-2006, 9:12am
  5. Ibanez bowlback-reissue?
    By irishlass in forum Looking for Information About Mandolins
    Replies: 1
    Last: Jun-03-2005, 9:06am

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •