Gibson Style A Carved Top Mandolin (1917)
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Item # 8402
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Gibson Style A Model Carved Top Mandolin (1917), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, natural top, cherry stained back and sides finish, birch body, spruce top, mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard, brown chipboard case.
This is a nice example of the typical 'teens Gibson Style A, have seen some use through the years but still with a lot of life left in it! Typical period features include the nicely aged "pumpkin" finish top, raised celluloid pickguard and the solid carved ebony compensated bridge without bridge with individual saddle inserts. This is the most basic A model, simple with all the sound of "the Gibson" (as it was advertised at the time) without much in the way of decoration. An excellent centennial survivor, and an enduring testament to the work of the original Kalamazoo, Michigan Gibson factory.
Overall length is 26 1/2 in. (67.3 cm.), 10 1/16 in. (25.6 cm.) wide, and 1 7/8 in. (4.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 14 in. (356 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/16 in. (30 mm.). This mandolin shows some checking and general wear (it is over 100 years old, after all!) but remains an excellent instrument. It has recently had the 200,000 mile checkup with the fingerboard trued and a refret, and is now ready for the next fifty or so years. All else remains original including the tuners, tailpiece and even the oft-missing pickguard. A very nice playing and sounding mandolin, housed in a functional if shabby-chic chipboard case from the 1940's. Overall Excellent - Condition.
This is a nice example of the typical 'teens Gibson Style A, have seen some use through the years but still with a lot of life left in it! Typical period features include the nicely aged "pumpkin" finish top, raised celluloid pickguard and the solid carved ebony compensated bridge without bridge with individual saddle inserts. This is the most basic A model, simple with all the sound of "the Gibson" (as it was advertised at the time) without much in the way of decoration. An excellent centennial survivor, and an enduring testament to the work of the original Kalamazoo, Michigan Gibson factory.
Overall length is 26 1/2 in. (67.3 cm.), 10 1/16 in. (25.6 cm.) wide, and 1 7/8 in. (4.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 14 in. (356 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/16 in. (30 mm.). This mandolin shows some checking and general wear (it is over 100 years old, after all!) but remains an excellent instrument. It has recently had the 200,000 mile checkup with the fingerboard trued and a refret, and is now ready for the next fifty or so years. All else remains original including the tuners, tailpiece and even the oft-missing pickguard. A very nice playing and sounding mandolin, housed in a functional if shabby-chic chipboard case from the 1940's. Overall Excellent - Condition.