Hobos Mandolin

The hobo is a truly American word. Its origins can be traced back to the late 19th century and though many use the word in the same context of “bum” or “vagrant” the hobo does not fit into those categories. The hobo was considered a bohemian – someone that lived outside the normal way of life for the day, an artist, an adventurer ……. a gypsy.

The hobo culture had it’s own language, laws and legends. One such legend was that of the mandolin. The mandolin is an easy instrument to carry and was much more popular in the late 19th and early 20th century than the guitar. In the hobo culture it would protect and comfort its owner (Thank you Tom Rush!) by “singing” out if danger was near, by entertaining other hobos on cold nights and letting the hobo know if a friendly meal was close by.

Welcome to Hobo’s Mandolin……………….

From our wanderings and travels we are pleased to offer a varied and unique selection of instruments, jewelry, books and just about any other “relic from the roads and rails” you can imagine. This site is dedicated mostly to fine stringed (fretted) instruments, amps and the artifacts of our musical history, but keep an eye out for an occasional pocket watch or old coin that just might strike your interest.

We welcome your input, comments and of course your business. You might want to bookmark this page as there is so much more to come…… not just merchandise but information and stories for your entertainment and enjoyment.

Matt
Scottsdale, AZ Jackson, WY

Payment Policies

Payment can be made by Certified Check, Money Order, Bank Check, Wire Transfer, Credit Card, or Paypal. Outside US, please send US Dollars via Bank Wire transfer, or Paypal. There is a 3% cash discount on all items.

Hold or Layaway Policies

We will happily hold any item for a 20% Non-Refundable deposit for a period of 30 days.
All layaway purchases are final. No refunds, no returns, no exceptions.

Return Policies

Excluding layaway purchases. Up receiving the item if you are dissatisfied, notify within 48 hours of posted delivery time and we will gladly refund your money as soon as the merchandise is returned to us in the same condition as when shipped. Customer is responsible for all return shipping, any bank charges, and insurance on returned items. There are no returns on international purchases.

Shipping Policies

We typically ship FedEx or UPS, occasionally the USPS will be used. Special shipping requests will try to be accommodated. All shipments are fully insured. Customer is responsible for paying all shipping, insurance and any bank charges, including any returned merchandise. All insurance claims are the responsibility of the customer.

Privacy

Your privacy is important to us. This notice explains our online information practices and the choices you can make about the way your information is collected and used. The only personal information we collect is name, street and email address, telephone number and credit card information when applicable.
We use the personal information collected from you to process sales and shipping of our products. Such personal information as we collect is not used for any other purpose and is not shared.

Other Policies

All prices are subject to change. We are not responsible for typographical errors. All items are subject to prior sale.