For sale at Dayton-Vintage Weymann (Philadelphia) bowlback mandolin in excellent playing condition-$475.00
Ad #: 157
Seller: cmsatreasurer@gmail.com
Date: 10/20/2009
Price: $475.00
Selling Condition: none
Accept As Payment: CHECK, MONEY ORDER
Funny thing about vintage bowlback mandolins. Most of the inexpensive ones are not in good playing shape and most of the ones in good playing shape are getting expensive. Here's a circa 1910 Weymann, reasonably fancy but not shamefully so, 34 rosewood ribs, straight neck, no cracks, good action, intonates well with the bridge in the right place and at a slight angle from perpendicular (very normal). It's in fine shape, so nice that I thought it might have been refinished at some point in its life, but the folks at Elderly Instruments examined it and felt otherwise. All the fittings appear original. The tuners work well, not as well as a brand new instrument, but smoothly and without complaint. It did not have a case when found, but I'll have it in a nice new bowlback-shaped gigbag that's included in the price.
An exceedingly cool thing about it is that there is a subtle but deliberate flattening at the back of the body, which does a great deal to alleviate the dreaded Off-The-Lap Slide.
So consider satisfying your BAS (Bowlback Acquisition Syndrome) without breaking the bank. I'll have this mandolin at Dayton, and if you're a CMSA member your check is good as gold. I would also consider a trade, with a bit of cash either way if necessary, for a decent solid wood soprano, or even better, concert size uke in good structural condition, with tone more important to me than bling.
Thanks,
Bob Abramowitz Click the thumbnails below to enlarge
