Any experts on mandolins out here?

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Author Message   Harry (Harry) Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 - 4:39 am:    Hi all! I was able to lay my hands on a beautiful sunburst Ibanez mandolin, model number 156. It has a stock pickup, volume and tone control. Kind of carved tree-of-life in the headstock. It's a real nice addition to my collection. I got it for around 125 USD. What puzzles me: the headstock bares the old Ibanez script logo, but inside the body is a paper label glued in, with the model number stamped in ink and the late 70s block logo. From the electric guitars I know that the switch from old to new logo took place between 1976 and 1978 (depending on model), but does anybody know if this new logo was already earlier in use for acoustics and mandolins? Because I have a strong belief this mandolin is older than 1976. Unfortunately there is no serial number to be found anywhere. I hope somebody can help me out. Kind greetz, Harry   Johnm (Johnm) Posted on Friday, October 03, 2003 - 3:32 am:    Hey Harry, Long time no see. Expanding the ever growing collection with mandolines? Yeehaaa..:-) How about a pic? John M   Johns (Johns) Posted on Friday, October 03, 2003 - 6:12 pm:    Harry: Quite a few months ago, a fellow sent me pictures and info of his Ibanez mandolins (I seem to remember 2 high end models). However, due to a computer problem I lost all my old emails. So I can't find his contact info. If I come across anything, I'll let you know.   Harry (Harry) Posted on Saturday, October 04, 2003 - 7:00 am:    Hi guys Thanks for the reactions! Since I'm stuck with two clumsy left hands when it comes to computers: can somebody explain in an EASY way how I can put on a picture here? Don't use too many "nerd-terms" because I would not understand a syllable. You can't be smart on all fronts :-{ Greetz, Harry   Johns (Johns) Posted on Saturday, October 04, 2003 - 8:10 am:    Harry: I found that email. I can give you his email via private email message, if you want to contact him. Here's his message to me: I collect Ibanez mandolins, and I have a very spectacular and rare example that I would like to submit to your guitar tours gallery. I have attached a simple photo for you to look at. If you like it, I can take some detail shots and do a writeup on it for you. It's a model 526 mandolin, an F-5 copy. In the several years of collecting these mandolins, I have seen many 524's but this is the only 526 I have seen. The serial number on the headstock is only 15 instruments away from the model 527 built for Bill Monroe, the endorsee and bluegrass legend. The 526 and 527 mandolins are the same except for the color. Mine features a cherry wine finish, engraved chrome hardware, fern peghead inlay, pinstripe flamed maple back, Gibson style neck joint binding (only found on the 526 & 527 mandos), and is in nearly unplayed condition. Cheers, ps- below are some links to Ibanez pages of interest... http://www.flyingvintage.com/gcmag/Mando.html http://home.attbi.com/~ukecat/mandolin/mandos8bill4.html   Johnm (Johnm) Posted on Sunday, October 05, 2003 - 6:43 am:    Harry, Just read this: http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/discus/board-formatting.html#images John M   Lmarroney (Lmarroney) Posted on Wednesday, April 14, 2004 - 4:08 pm:    Question for mandolin people... I recently purchased a bowl-back Ibanez. It has no markings whatsoever, except for the name on the head. I had been playing an 1890 Martin bowl-back, but am not really familiar with Ibanez. Does anybody know anything about the bowl-backs?? Thanks, Lisa   Ericsson (Ericsson) Posted on Friday, April 23, 2004 - 3:04 pm:    Lisa- Ibanez did make some bowlback mandolins at the time they made all those other copy models. I'm not quite sure why they bothered to copy a very plentiful and somewhat unpopular mandolin like the bowlback, but they did nonetheless! If it plays and sounds good, enjoy it, but there is not much collectable interest in any bowlback mandolin, Ibanez in particular. You can buy bowl backs of many vintages on ebay for under $100 until you are blue in the face!   Johns Username: Johns Registered: 2-2001 Posted on Thursday, August 02, 2007 - 8:18 am:    Here's a really cool model 524CW for all those mando lovin' board members: Ebay Item #250149108614   Ubetcha Username: Ubetcha Registered: 7-2006 Posted on Thursday, August 02, 2007 - 12:39 pm:    I have an old Tater-Bug Ibanez mando that I picked up at an accordian festival for $50. They're not collectors items, but this one plays & sounds really nice & I have it loaned out to Mando-friend Johnny...who says he prefers it's sound over his Kentucky F-5 that cost him $450.

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