Official Luthiers Forum!

Owned and operated by Lance Kragenbrink
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 9:24 pm


All times are UTC - 5 hours


Forum rules


Be nice, no cussin and enjoy!




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 10 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Old Gibson Mandolin ????
PostPosted: Fri Jan 11, 2019 3:00 pm 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Mon Sep 25, 2006 12:46 pm
Posts: 413
Location: Toronto, Canada
First name: Michael
Last Name: Lloyd
City: Toronto
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Hi, a friend just dropped this off for some repairs. I have looked around the web trying to find any reference to this being a Gibson mandolin. From what I've read it would appear to be a fake.

It stamped "made in the USA" and with the number "814", has Waverly tuners. Is made of maple, carved top, back is arched with braces and has maple sides. The neck is mahogany with a functional truss rod.

It measures 25 1/2 " long, waist is 10 1/8 ", tail to neck joint 13 5/8".

A bit of damage but repairable. My only concern is a possible neck reset.

I would like to hear your thought on whether it's a truce or fake Gibson mandolin.

Thanks and much appreciated.


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

_________________
Michael Lloyd

“I was born to ignorance, yes, and lesser poverties ...
I was born to privilege that I did not see ... I didn’t know it, but my way was paved” – John Gorka


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Jan 11, 2019 4:53 pm 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Fri Aug 19, 2005 4:02 am
Posts: 3227
Location: The Woodlands, Texas
First name: Barry
Last Name: Daniels
Looks too old to be a fake but I know nothing of mandolins.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 4:24 pm 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2010 6:26 pm
Posts: 166
First name: Peter
Last Name: Coombe
City: Bega
State: NSW
Zip/Postal Code: 2550
Country: Australia
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
The shape is right, the brace is right, but the Gibson logo on the headstock doesn't look right to me, the headstock shape is a bit odd, and there is no Gibson label. Added to that is I have never seen a carved top with a flat back in a Gibson, but they could have made them, they did make a few odd ball mandolins. I am no Gibson expert, but the absence of a Gibson label tells me it is more likely to be a fake.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 6:36 am 
Offline
Koa
Koa
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2007 11:14 am
Posts: 1011
Location: Newland, North Carolina
Apparently Gibson did make some carved top/flat back mandos for a time--here's a link to an old thread on Mandolin Cafe:

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?80072-Gibson-A00

My bet is that it's real.

Dave


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 12:45 pm 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Mon Sep 25, 2006 12:46 pm
Posts: 413
Location: Toronto, Canada
First name: Michael
Last Name: Lloyd
City: Toronto
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Thanks, Given your thoughts on the subject I'm now leaning toward a real Gibson instrument.

Thanks again and very much appreciated!

_________________
Michael Lloyd

“I was born to ignorance, yes, and lesser poverties ...
I was born to privilege that I did not see ... I didn’t know it, but my way was paved” – John Gorka


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Apr 25, 2019 2:54 pm 
Offline
Walnut
Walnut

Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2019 2:12 pm
Posts: 4
First name: Brian
Last Name: Godfrey
City: Escondido
State: CA
Zip/Postal Code: 92029
Country: USA
Status: Amateur
Without looking it up, it looks like a Gibson A00 from the early to mid 1930s to me. Gibson went through a lot of different headstock logos in different materials and typefaces back in those days. That could help you narrow it down to the year. Also, I think they switched from flat to carved back in around 1937 or thereabouts.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Apr 25, 2019 3:06 pm 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2008 5:21 am
Posts: 4839
Location: Central PA
First name: john
Last Name: hall
City: Hegins
State: pa
Zip/Postal Code: 17938
Country: usa
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
yes this is real circia 1900 to 1910 I have one like this.

_________________
John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Apr 25, 2019 5:33 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Sun Mar 06, 2011 12:04 am
Posts: 5743
First name: Chris
Last Name: Pile
City: Wichita
State: Kansas
Country: Good old US of A
Focus: Repair
Status: Professional
I'm green with envy... I would love to work on Gibson stuff that old just to soak up the vibe.

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Apr 25, 2019 6:52 pm 
Offline
Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
User avatar

Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:49 am
Posts: 12971
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
First name: Hesh
Last Name: Breakstone
City: Ann Arbor
State: Michigan
Country: United States
Status: Professional
It's a real Gibson.

Gibson made countless instruments that were bastardized models that did not exactly fit anything in the books. They built with what they had laying around and the concept of configuration control didn't exist at Gibson back then and well into the 50's and even 60's.

The workmanship, glue, construction, tuners, tailpiece and as mentioned age of the wood all point to Gibson from what I can tell from here.

_________________
Ann Arbor Guitars


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Apr 26, 2019 11:06 am 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2008 8:20 am
Posts: 5924
Gibson went Corporate early on, and it's been downhill ever since..... Lloyd Loar was a brief bright spot, but he didn't stick around too long either.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 10 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 51 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
cron
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
phpBB customization services by 2by2host.com