Improving Vintage Gibson A's

[mando andy]

Hey fellow vintage Gibson A addicts,
I have a 1921 Gibson A-2 that I really love. #To improve playability, I had a luthier (who is highly regarded for his work--especially with vintage and the loar style mando) replace the frets (vintage style -- .053) and installed a Cumberland Loar Repro Bridge, and shimmed the nut. #The work was flawless---can't even tell that it was refretted.

The tone and playability have greatly improved. # #I use GHS 250s for strings because it plays best with the lighter strings and the smaller, vintage style frets.

Just curious--what have others done to improve their vintage instruments more playable and improve the tone--especially when you balance keeping the vintage "value" intact versus playability and tone? #

Andy Morton
Madison, WI

[sunburst]

If a mandolin plays in tune, the tone is better. A lot of older mandolins, Gibsons and others, do not have accurate fret slots in the fingerboards.
I've replaced several fingerboards with accurate ones on older instruments. I don't know how this affects vintage value, but it does improve tone.
I've got another one coming in soon for a new fingerboard. The owner is "going crazy" trying to keep it in tune, and wants a radius board, so he'll get two improvements from one job.
I have replaced the fingerboard on a vintage F5, but the original was badly damaged, so the ethical decision was not really a factor. The board needed replacement anyway, so why not use an acurate one?

[Fretbear]

Norman Blake mentioned that he has had to "move a few frets" on some vintage Gibson mandolins, especially the second fret.
http://www.vguitar.com/artists/details.asp?ID=140

[sunburst]

That's where I first heard about the inaccurate frets on old Gibsons. I was talking to John Arnold and he mentioned measuring Norman Blake's frets to see if he could find the source of the tuning problems.

[mando andy]

I just wondered if players that are using these old A's in a performance venue are using bigger frets than the vintage/original frets?

Andy

[John Zimm]

Hey Mando Andy-I think I played your mando after church on Sunday (I'm the scruffy looking blond guy who was talking to you after church).

I can attest that Mando Andy has a beautiful mandolin. I could have played it all day. I couldn't tell it was refretted until he told me-it looked and played great. Makes me wish I had saved up a little more and gotten a Gibson A rather than a Pac Rim. Maybe in a couple of years I will be able to secure spousal approval to get one.

-John.

[mando andy]

Thanks for the kind words, John, about my A-2 (I hope that my playing can live up to it!!!!!), I consider these vintage instruments a real treasure, and feel that we are "stewards" of them the brief while that we own them. I hope that this instrument will still be making beautiful music for the next 80 years.

That was the reason behind my question---I had vintage style frets installed when this was refretted. They are less forgiving on some chords (with barre chords requiring the pinkie to cover two strings). Do the professionals using these vintage instruments get them refretted with bigger, modern frets and install new fretboards, etc. to get maximum playability?

Thanks for your replies.

Andy Morton
Madison, WI

[sunburst]

You wont affect vintage value by using different size frets. If, as you say, this mandolin gets played for 80+ more years, it'll need several fret jobs. It can always be changed back to original size frets if in the future that's what gives it added value.
In general, wear points -frets, nuts, saddles, even fingerboards- will be expected to need replacement on instruments that get used. Occasional repairs and replacements are inevitable unless it's in a temperature and humidity controled glass display case or something. That's a whole 'nother class of vintage instrument. If it's been played enough to show wear it'll never be one of those.

[fatt-dad]

Can't speak for the professionals, but I had my 1919 A-3 (White face) refretted with the larger wires. I also had it reglued (seam separation from too many decades in the attic) and the neck off and ironed straight. There may have been some refinish also as I recall the guy doing the work had a misshap and tried his best to undo the problem. I know, I know the refinish to the back was the wrong thing, but I still love that mandolin.

f-d