This is “Vader”. He’s big, all black, and mean.
It is also very much the crown jewel of my collection seeing as how depending on who you talk to there are no more than 3o0 of these puppies left.
While I fell in love with the Mandocello early on it was always the Mandobass I coveted. For years I looked around to find one but with no luck. And then the internet, and with that they started popping up here and there on auctions sites and e(vil)Bay. But they were still well beyond reach financially.
Then as luck would have it the car I was restoring could no longer be restored and I decided to sell it and with those proceeds try and find one. I contacted gentleman in St. Louis who owns three of them to see if he’d part with one while at the same time was looking at on down at the Hopestreet Music Emporium. In the effort of comparing their relative merits in a public forum, I was contacted out of the blue by a Nova Scotian gentleman who had one and would sell it to me on the cheaper side.
Done. And also done. It just so happens to be this instrument — formerly in the care of Elderly Instruments.
It had a neck issue that needed sorting though. Happily Mr. Nova Scotia was also a luthier and agreed to make the repairs. Vader has a massive back-crack and several smaller ones which had been very solidly cleated. Unfortunately Disaster 2014 also meant a slight back separation which thanks to the folks at Noll Guitars was quickly and expertly addressed.
Recently purchased and carefully installed is a cello end pin to act as the side pin.
Vader does not have the armrest typical of late 20s models. The tuners do not appear to be original, but they are old. Nor is that dohickey where the strings are mounted. There is a green canvas gig bag.
SN: 82593
FON: 8828
Because the FON did not appear in Spann’s Guide, Mr. Spann was consulted and had this to say:
“Thank you for pointing out the FON error in my data. The FON 8828 indicates that this mandobass was produced late in the year 1927 and the serial number 82593 indicates it was originally shipped very early in the year 1928 (likely January). I find no record of this instrument being returned to Gibson for repairs during the period March 1935 through January 1953.”
In the 1959 Vader was in use by the Ukranian Mandolin Orchestra Kobzar (or the Kobzar Mandolin Orchestra) as evidenced by a label on the inside. The Ukrainian Mandolin Orchestra active in Detroit and was under the direction of Sam Mills, and produced 2 albums. My bass is one of the two in the center of the photo.
Will consider offers.
I play Vader for the L’Esperance Mandolin Orchestra.
Peter Warlock — The Witch from Joshua Bell on Vimeo.