Gibson A-5 Florentine Artist Model Carved Top Mandolin (1960)

Gibson  A-5 Florentine Artist Model Carved Top Mandolin  (1960)
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Item # 10882
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Gibson A-5 Florentine Artist Model Model Carved Top Mandolin (1960), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # A-34131, sunburst top, dark back and sides finish, maple back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, original brown tolex hard shell case.

The mandolin had slipped in importance at Gibson by the late '50s, but in 1957 the company offered something new they had not for some time, a high-grade oval hole mandolin. The F-hole F-5 was Gibson's top-of-the-line mandolin, in bluegrass circles anyway, but that was a pretty small market in the 1950s. The A-5 was introduced in 1957 with a similar outline to the solidbody EM-200 that debuted in 1954. It's possible that someone simply suggested that the company offer an acoustic version of the 2-point "Florentine" body shape. Why it was given an oval soundhole (which Gibson had otherwise abandoned before WWII) is an open question.

This A-5 dates to 1960 and is a beautiful high quality instrument, albeit a slightly odd-looking one to tradition-bound eyes. The body has symmetrical pointed cutaways and a bound oval sound hole bordered with thick celluloid rings. The top, back and fingerboard are single bound, the F-style scrolled headstock is unbound. The tuners are Kluson Deluxe strips with plastic buttons, the tailpiece and bridge standard fittings of the period. The top is carved spruce finished in a dark '50s style sunburst; the A-5's more commonly are found with the bright cherry burst characteristic of the 1960s.

The A-5 listed at $275 in 1960, plus $48 for the case. It was shipped in VERY small numbers through the late 1950s and 60s. Only 22 were sold in 1960, but it was still the model's best year so far! Less than 500 in total were built over nearly 15 years before the instrument was re-designed as a widely maligned "lump-scroll" f-style design in 1971. The A-5 is most associated with master mandolinist Jethro Burns, who played a specially made custom example with a cherry finish and deluxe appointments through the 1960s. Although never a popular instrument it has a certain oddball cachet; this one is an excellent player and sounds great, with its own distinctive character.
 
Overall length is 27 in. (68.6 cm.), 10 1/4 in. (26 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 13/16 in. (4.6 cm.) in depth, measured at rib. Scale length is 14 in. (356 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/4 in. (32 mm.).

This is a very clean mandolin, showing just the most minor play wear and some mostly invisible maintenance repairs. The finish still shines like it did before JFK was elected, with some light checking and a few minor dings, dents and scrapes. The bridge has a discreet shim under the base, and the top braces have been reglued cleanly. They were likely loose for some time as there is a slight dimple in the top under the treble side foot of the bridge, but all is solid now. All hardware is original and in excellent condition and this is a fine playing and sounding, if slightly eccentric looking mandolin with plenty of chop when pushed and a sweet ring when throttled back. It comes in the original nicely preserved deluxe brown Gibson HSC, worthy of an F-5 as well. Overall Excellent + Condition.