{"product_id":"bigsby-10-string-solid-body-electric-mandolin-1951-6343","title":"Bigsby 10-String Solid Body Electric Mandolin (1951)","description":"Bigsby 10-String Model Solid Body Electric Mandolin (1951), made in Downey, CA, serial # 113051, natural finish, maple body and neck, original brown hard shell case. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis most unusual instrument is one of the rarest even we have ever handled: a 1951 Bigsby 10-string solid body electric mandolin, one of only a handful Paul made in the early 1950's. The best educated guess is that Bigsby made a maximum of 8 or 9 mandolins of all types between 1949 and 1956, and none after. After several top \"Hillbilly\" musicians began playing Bigsby electric guitars, mandolins and steel guitars, he quickly had a waiting list two to four years long. Bigsby refused to consider mass-producion (Leo Fender's stock-in-trade), instead making one piece a month in his garage completely by hand, which accounts for the cachet of any original Bigsby-it was created by the hand of the man himself.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis particular mandolin was originally ordered by a Jefferson City Missouri DJ named Johnny Muessig in 1951, who owned and played it for many years. It sports five courses of strings instead of the usual four, a configuration popular in western swing. It is all original if well played, a birds-eye maple beauty that only re-surfaced a few years back. This ultra-rare bird also comes with the original hand-made rectangular case (Bigsby made his own cases as well), a period \"cowboy\" strap and a nearly unique piece of documentation: a copy of the original order letter from Muessig to Bigsby. The sound is both unique and spectacular, and just holding this practically unique piece is a unforgettable experience.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eOverall length is 27 1\/2 in. (69.8 cm.), 10 1\/2 in. (26.7 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 7\/8 in. (4.8 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 13 3\/4 in. (349 mm.). Width of nut is 1 7\/16 in. (36 mm.). \u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4ujmOm1n7kg\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bRqMVQsL3cQ\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e Very Good + Condition.","brand":"Bigsby","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46852999151756,"sku":"6343","price":42000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0672\/8702\/3756\/files\/01_cc29d0ce-f6be-4564-8b6b-322ae435bd08.jpg?v=1774330117","url":"https:\/\/retrofret.com\/products\/bigsby-10-string-solid-body-electric-mandolin-1951-6343","provider":"RetroFret","version":"1.0","type":"link"}