Mandolins

About Antique and Vintage Mandolins

Mandolins gained popularity in the United States at the end of the 19th century when a group of touring musicians from Spain took New York and Boston by storm. They weren’t playing actual mandolins, but their mandolin-like instruments had a tremendous influence on the tastes of the day. In fact, when Orville H. Gibson first began making stringed musical instruments in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1894, the eccentric, self-taught luthier gravitated to the mandolins, receiving a patent for a mandolin design in 1898.

Gibson sold his company in 1902 and died in 1918, but his early affinity for mandolins presaged the first major success for the company that bore his name. In 1922, a Gibson engineer named Lloyd Loar designed several mandolins for the company, including the F5, which featured an elevated fretboard over the instrument’s body and decorative f-holes. Today, the Lloyd Loars of that era are considered by most players to be the finest mandolins ever made.


Interviews & Articles

An Interview With Vintage Guitar Collector Clay Harrell

I grew up in upstate New York in Rochester, and started playing guitar when I was about 10 years old. We had… [more]

An Interview With Vintage Guitar Collector and Author George Gruhn

I started out primarily as a collector and the business aspect of it evolved over time, almost by accident. I… [more]



Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

Vintage Guitars Info

Vintage Guitars Info

This great reference site features detailed sections for vintage guitar makers including Gibson, Fender, Martin, Gr… [read review or visit site]

The Les Paul Forum

The Les Paul Forum

If you're into Gibson's Les Paul models, or even curious, this is your site. Chock full of useful reference data, p… [read review or visit site]

Vintageguitars.org.uk

Vintageguitars.org.uk

Want to see all the old brochures and ads for your favorite vintage axe? Check out this great site, which showcases… [read review or visit site]

Museum of Musical Instruments

Museum of Musical Instruments

If vintage guitars could talk... they'd be digging this site. With its many themed collections and exhibitions, it'… [read review or visit site]


Got a site to suggest? Let us know.




Clubs & Associations: Guitars


Discussion Forums: Guitars


Other Great Reference Sites: Guitars

Are we missing one? Tell us.

Top eBay Auctions  Help | Get weekly Mandolins email

Sorted by        
Vintage 1918 Gibson F2 Mandolin Sunburst$1,495 Ends Monday 2 bids 38 watchers
Collings Mt A-model Mandolin - Excellent Condition!!!$1,306 Ends in 10 hours 9 bids 57 watchers
Rare Vintage 1919 Gibson A-3 Mandolin$1,101 Ends in 19 hours 8 bids 67 watchers
Breedlove Cascade Mandolin - Beautiful Instrument$751.00 Ends Monday 10 bids 57 watchers
All Original 1898 With Label Gibson A-3 White Mandolin$650.00 Ends in 12 hours 9 bids 55 watchers
Michael Kelly Limited Edition Dragonfly Flame Mandolin$550.00 Ends in 15 hours 2 bids 2 watchers
1951 Martin Style A Mandolin - Excellent Condition!$550.00 Ends Monday 9 bids 48 watchers
Antique Vega Mandolin ~ Nov. 14, 1913 ~ Boston, Ma ~wow$461.00 Ends in 21 hours 9 bids 57 watchers
Vintage 1918 The Gibson A-1 Mandolin Mando Orange Nice$455.00 Ends in 18 hours 16 bids 107 watchers
1932 Rosenthal Mickey Mouse Playing Mandolin Figurine$416.00 Ends Wednesday 2 bids 11 watchers
Pristine Godin Electric Acoustic Mandolin No Reserve$400.01 Ends in 15 hours 15 bids 65 watchers
5 String Acoustic Mandolin$400.00 Ends Tuesday 3 bids 4 watchers
1923 Gibson Mb 3 Mandolin Banjo$380.00 Ends Monday 13 bids 43 watchers
Vega & Co. Mandolin Vintage Bow Back Pat Nov 4 1913$355.00 Ends Monday 11 bids 63 watchers
Rare Very Clean 1930s Gibson A-0 Mandolin$338.33 Ends Monday 12 bids 89 watchers
1920 Gibson A-4 Project Mandolin$330.00 Ends Wednesday 9 bids 87 watchers
Embergher No2 Concert Mandolin 1930$300.00 Ends Tuesday 12 bids 34 watchers
1926 Gibson Mb Mandolin Banjo Pre War Working Antique $297.00 Ends Wednesday 8 bids 64 watchers
Epiphone F-style Mandolin: Excellent Condition$284.00 Ends in 14 hours 3 bids 22 watchers
Fender Mandolin In Gibson Case # Fm36s Sb$250.01 Ends in 13 hours 17 bids 33 watchers
Mandolin Flatiron W/case Ser.# 81121303$224.50 Ends in 12 hours 7 bids 47 watchers
Antique Vintage Bowed Zither Mandolin Harp 31 String$201.49 Ends Monday 10 bids 34 watchers
Ovation Applause Mae148 Acoustic/electric Mandolin$200.00 Ends in 11 hours 12 bids 32 watchers
Kentucky Km505 Mandolin$200.00 Ends Friday 1 bid 8 watchers
Ibanez M522s F-style Acoustic Mandolin *loud And Clear*$164.00 Ends in 19 hours 25 bids 61 watchers
Epiphone Mm-30 Mandolin$159.95 Ends Thursday 1 bid
Nice 1916-1921 Gibson A 1 2 3 Mandolin Pickguard No R! $149.95 Ends in 21 hours 1 bid 24 watchers
Mint Fender Fr-52e Electric Mandolin With Hard Case$149.00 Ends in 17 hours 1 bid 10 watchers
Gold Tone Mandolin Gm110- Pro Set Up W/ Hardshell Case$147.50 Ends in 20 hours 6 bids 10 watchers
Vintage Ferry Quality Banjo Mandolin Banjolin Manjo Nr$147.50 Ends in 17 hours 13 bids 29 watchers
Crafter Acoustic/electric Mandolin$143.56 Ends Monday 5 bids 12 watchers
Fender Acoustic/electric Mandolin Fm-52e - Must See!!!$129.00 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 10 watchers
Gibson F-5 Copy Mandolin F5$127.50 Ends Wednesday 9 bids 19 watchers
Kentucky Mandolin Km 350s W/hard Case - Flawless!$122.15 Ends in 15 hours 9 bids 18 watchers
Ditson Empire Bowl Back Mandolin With Case - Vintage$120.00 Ends Monday 1 bid 16 watchers
Italian Bowback Mandolin With Case F. Lli Ferrari & Co$119.58 Ends Wednesday 8 bids 39 watchers
Epiphone "mandobird" 8 String Electric Mandolin$117.50 Ends Monday 5 bids 34 watchers
Vintage Martin Mandolin Buy it Now$113.50 Ends in 11 hours 3 bids 29 watchers
New Martin & Co Backpacker Mandolin And Case$112.50 Ends Tuesday 3 bids 15 watchers
Pre-owned F Style Mandolin$102.50 Ends Wednesday 2 bids 32 watchers
Bell? Banjo Mandolin $100.00 Ends Friday 1 bid 5 watchers
Suzuki Mandolin With Hard Shell Case $96.00 Ends Wednesday 3 bids 13 watchers
Mandolin Acoustic Electric New R R P $439 Top Quality $94.08 Ends in 2 hours 9 bids 40 watchers
Fender Model Fm-63s F Style Mandolin$91.00 Ends Monday 9 bids 52 watchers
Galveston Accoustic/electric Mandolin$85.00 Ends in 15 hours 1 bid 3 watchers
Custom Built Left Handed Kentucky Style Mandolin$82.00 Ends Monday 9 bids 6 watchers
A Style Mandolin Converted To Dulcimer!$81.00 Ends in 18 hours 7 bids 20 watchers
Kentucky Km380s "artist" Model Mandolin$81.00 Ends Wednesday 6 bids 18 watchers
Old Woods Lutherie Handmade Celtic Style Mandolin$78.00 Ends Wednesday 2 bids 10 watchers
True Classic 1957 Kay Mandolin Model 72 Or 74$76.00 Ends Friday 2 bids 8 watchers
Antique Sears, Roebuck And Co. Supertone Mandolin$72.00 Ends in 7 hours 3 bids 23 watchers
Weymann Banjo Mandolin 1920 Style No 30 W/ Case$68.00 Ends Wednesday 9 bids 25 watchers
Johnson F Style Sunburst Mandolin W/hardshell Case $65.00 Ends Tuesday 7 bids 24 watchers
Silvertone Mandolin -- 1950s $61.00 Ends in 18 hours 8 bids 12 watchers
Old Antique Guitar Shape Mandolin Rosewood Back$56.00 Ends Monday 6 bids 52 watchers
Kentucky Km-174 Oval Hole Mandolin W/ Hard Case $56.00 Ends Wednesday 6 bids 12 watchers

»» Get our weekly Mandolins email
Right now on eBay

Guitars

See also

Tools