zombywoof Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 Yet another orphan of the storm has found a home here. Nope, not a guitar but a Gibson-made Recording King mandolin. If these follow the Kalamazoo guitars, the rope binding around the soundhole would date the mando at 1933. Calling this one a fixer upper would be kind. Not only is the neck about to fall off but half of the back is plain gone. But it does have that glorious Gibson burst, cool firestripe pickguard and original Kluson tuners. Not quite sure how I am going to go about this one. Probably start by trying to dig up a busted up old A mando on the cheap that I can scrounge the back off of. Might be this will end up being one of those "Looking Forward" to instruments -you know you look at it and just smile thinking about the day you will get it all fixed up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 That looks challenging ! G'Luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xkimo Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 Looks like a job for ; SUPER RABS !!! X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 I think it's neat, especially the burst and the pickguard. I know nothing about the construction of these. I love the top bracing. Does that back have any bracing? The back actually looks like a reasonably straightforward job, but I know nothing about the type of neck joint. I might buy a back set for it from one of the luthier wood suppliers. Good find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 Did you get it from Tiger? Fairly straight forward job with a new back, wouldn't it? BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted June 28, 2015 Author Share Posted June 28, 2015 I believe the mandolin was found in a storage locker. It ended up at a local music shop. As these mandolins are not worth all that much, the owner figured the cost of restoration would not leave any profit in it. So what do you do, you call Woof. He will buy anything, especially if Gibson had a hand in it. Simply replacing the back is the easy way to go, especially if I do not worry about the finish matching the sides. I know my repair guy has a bunch of busted up old instruments of all kinds which I assumes he cannibalizes for parts all over the place. I could also have two pieces spliced in. That would obviously be more work but would keep at least part of the original back on the instrument. It may come down to how much work the neck needs. I really want to get this thing done on the cheap. I am not looking for a collector's item, just a playable mandolin so cost trumps originality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted June 28, 2015 Author Share Posted June 28, 2015 I think it's neat, especially the burst and the pickguard. I know nothing about the construction of these. I love the top bracing. Does that back have any bracing? When the back is off I am planning to get some photos of the bracing. Don't have a clue what I would need the photos for but it is an opportunity you do not get all that often. I do not see any trace of glue anywhere on what is left of the back so I assume no bracing. As the Recording Kings are re-badged Kalamazoos I can check to see if they had back bracing. But I will let the repair guy worry about it. If he feels they are needed then they will go in. Maybe I should send the scratchplate to Bozeman so they can see what a firestripe pickguard is supposed to look like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 Maybe I should send the scratchplate to Bozeman so they can see what a firestripe pickguard is supposed to look like. Have to admit my first thought when I saw that was the desire to lay a teardrop pickguard template over that firestripe, to see if I could get a guitar pickguard out of it. I have two guitars that could benefit from a "proper" firestripe, rather than Gibson's modern caricature. And I'm talking about real celluloid, not some other polymer near-replica. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted June 28, 2015 Author Share Posted June 28, 2015 I think I bought this thing because of the pickguard. It is drop dead gorgeous. They do make that hard plastic these days that is incredibly close to the old celluloid except it will not instantly vaporize if you strike a match to it. But talking about sinking money into a vintage instrument, if this thing was in good original condition top dollar would only be around $600. You put a non-original back on it and you would be lucky to pull in $275 or so. A spliced back (which is what I would rather do) will knock the value up but would probably just even out in terms of the extra cost of the work. So assuming a neck reset will be the same as a guitar (which I pay $300 for) that alone will put me underwater on the thing. But I know it going into it and that kind of consideration has never stopped me before and I guess I am too old to change my ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 IFwe are talking Beatle's songs…perhaps "Get Back!" would be more appropriate than "I'm looking through you"???!!! www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BmVUxmVBKc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Or 'all you need is love' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted June 30, 2015 Author Share Posted June 30, 2015 Or "Fixing a Hole" Apparently, this mandolin was made the first year they were available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 How about "If I Fell"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarrr Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 Looking throught the tailgate, looks like red spruce top. My 35' Tonk Bros Fascinator (arch) top looks to be the same wood, maybe Honduran mahog b/s? It has the same rope binding. Rots of ruk with it, worthy challenge. best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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