Originally Posted by
(Kodiak @ Jan. 27 2006, 06:35)
Although most I've played sound wonderful, many I've seen are on the brink of needing major work to keep them in playing condition.
When I bought my 1920 A-3 in 1985, it had been stored in the attic of a retired preacher's house in Blacksburg, VA. Yeah, I got a good price, but the back seam by the tailpiece had been unglued (the strings were tight when it went up to the attic) and the back had also come unglued from the sides toward the neck block. The neck was somewhat bowed, also. I immediately had it repaired and it played great! 20 years later, I had to also get the top brace reglued.
I'm not complaining, but I figure if you are going to own/play one of these old instruments, it's likely that there will be times in the former life where storage may not have been perfect and times in the future life where you will have to address these items. So, if you plan on owing an old Gibson mandolin, make sure that you have a luthier to turn to. . . . Then again, you can also buy a new mandolin, not have the mojo factor, but be more likely to leave the need for a good luthier to the next generation.
f-d
¡papá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!
'20 A3, '30 L-1, '97 914, 2012 Cohen A5, 2012 Muth A5, '14 OM28A
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