Hoss!
Price: $2,999.95
Always love Kelley mandolins, particularly the Redwood topped models. Mine has a Redwood top, but it’s not the 1850’s Redwood that this gem has. This model, s/n 84, is unique in that it has a chocolate finish top. To my knowledge, Skip has only built a pair of chocolate top mandolins, this example and a 2-Point. Footnote: Camera flash did this mandolin no favors. It’s much prettier than my poor photos suggest.
1850’s California Redwood top in a chocolate varnish finish, Northern Maple back/sides/neck, tortoise bindings, Red Spruce parallel tone bars, flat Ebony fretboard with gold EVO frets, 1-3/32″ nut width, three piece neck with truss rod and gold hardware includes; engraved James tailpiece and Grover (?) tuning gears.
Sounds incredible. Big, bold and responsive. A banjo slayer. A woody sounding thumper. Very powerful. Huge bluegrass chop.
Excellent overall condition showing some minor pinky wear beneath the strings and a couple pick scratches from overzealous picking along with some string scratches and a few blemishes on the headstock. Previous owner had the original Schaller tuners “professionally” replaced with Grovers(?). The shop that did the work apparently left a substance on the back of the headstock. I’ve shown this to a luthier and we both think it looks like super glue. Definitely not a crack. Just sloppy work. As a result, buyer will save at least $250 compared to where I’d normally price this mandolin.
Offered with a Roadrunner case. Trades gladly considered on this fine American made instrument.
