View Full Version : has anyone seen a flower inlay on a 1913 a model gibson
hi everyone i bought a 1912 or 13 serial number is 1520x today the white label states its a a model pencil writen. but the fret board was replaced at some point. everything looks correct except it has a wonderful inlat of a rose or flower on peghead. it looks old and yellowed. i have read they offered fancy inlay but cannot find it on any other a model. i will enclose a pic of inlay. any help would be great. thank you brett i could not figure out how to put in a picture but if some one write me i will send it along. thank you
Bernie Daniel
Jan-22-2009, 9:37pm
Need to show a pic -- but I'll bet you have an A-3 model.
Click on "post reply", go to the bottom and find "additional options" -- then find the box for "manage attachments" and "browse" to the folder where your picture file is on you computer. Click on it, the click "upload image" and finally "close the window".
bdc77
Jan-22-2009, 10:25pm
hi
Zigeuner
Jan-22-2009, 10:30pm
The inlay you have is aftermarket. It also appears to have a truss rod cover. That would make it a later year.....post-1920's....unless someone added a truss rod.
MikeEdgerton
Jan-22-2009, 10:32pm
The truss rod cover isn't original, is there a truss rod under it?
I don't think the inlay is original either. I'm sure Darryl, Dan or Tom will jump in and either verify that or prove me wrong.
MikeEdgerton
Jan-22-2009, 10:33pm
Does the inlay look anything like my Avatar? ...
That's actually what I expected to see. His isn't like yours.
bdc77
Jan-22-2009, 11:44pm
i believe someone added the trusrod when they put on a new fingerbord. the body dates 1913 the neck is seam cracked where body is connected. i think neck was added or if original i don';t have an answer. i will load more pic tommorro thank you brett
bdc77
Jan-22-2009, 11:47pm
also it has the initials lmh on the tailpiece. the job was done nice if it was changed and the inlay looks very old. the entire mandolin turns green under a blacklight. no dark spots. when they say fancy inlay could this be what they mean. thank you brett
The truss rod cover isn't original, is there a truss rod under it?
I don't think the inlay is original either. I'm sure Darryl, Dan or Tom will jump in and either verify that or prove me wrong.
Correct, that's aftermarket , not original to a pre-war gibson
Hi the white oval paper inside hole looks correct has model a- #15207 and it looks loke there could have been an 8 but its really faint or just a stain that looks like an 8. The mando looks like new with some checking. I can see the marks where the pickguard clamp was .but i don't have one for it know i would like one but not for a fortune just to put it back right. It has added truss rod and new fingerboard with heart inlys. Anyone know anything .it came from the caribien area has lmh int on tailpiece. Thank you in advance. Any idea to value. Brett
bdc77
Jan-23-2009, 10:01am
When you say aftermarket. Do you mean a artist did it later. Because its done very well and there is no plate its on it was done in the original peghead. Bc
Here are some closer pictures. The flower stem and leaves inlay looks to be very old. Onder the finish. Has anyone ever seen this inlay at all on anything. Thank you brett
mrmando
Jan-23-2009, 1:36pm
It's not an A3 (no back binding) so it wouldn't have had an inlay at all, originally. It's probably either an A or A- and wouldn't even have had "The Gibson" on the headstock when it left the shop. I can believe someone added the inlay to the original headplate and then refinished on top of it ... and then the truss rod and new fretboard were added later.
Thank you all i agree. It says a- on the lable. I don't know what the inlay and updated truss and fingerboard does to value but it plays and sounds out of this world. Whoever did the inlay work was very good at it. Amoung the best i've seen. And i own alot of high end guitars,mandos and banjos,would anyone know where i could get a pickguard and clamp for thi piece. Thank you if you do please let me know. Bc
mrmando
Jan-23-2009, 7:00pm
If you're looking for a pickguard & clamp, post an ad in the classifieds and keep an eye on eBay.
Michael Cameron
Jan-23-2009, 7:46pm
I have four 1913 Gibson instruments. Looks like that one has been refinished and customized with some nice inlay.
There were no truss-rods in 1913;the 1913 Gibsons I have seen have 3-piece neck(ebony stripe),unlike the one pictured...
Nice A,eh?
bdc, those old labels are hard to read sometimes. My 1913 F4's label is so clean,some think it's a fake. I'm not worried about that;but,it is VERY clean.
My 1913,A-1(pumpkin) has only bound top and fretboard(no side position-dots). Just "The Gibson' inlayed in headstock. The label is in pencil; "Mandolin,Style A-1,Number 19096. This label is very clean also.
Nice old Gibson you got. Thanks for the pics!
thanks all yes i would say refinished in laqure as it glows green in blacklight. aside the trussrod and inlay it sounds and plays great. i wonder what a good player is worth. brett
barney 59
Jan-24-2009, 4:42pm
You obviously have a much loved and cared for mandolin. The workmanship seems good from the photos and I wouldn't worry about the fact that it's not original. You may have lucked out and someone skillfully regraduted the top as well and it could turn out to be a real cannon.
The high prices of new quality instruments is driving it and the appeal of "collectables" when there is nowhere else to put money but I think the value of old Gibson A models is over inflated when you take into account the sheer numbers of them. They seem endless. I went to a guitar show a couple of weeks back and there had to be 200 ,plus maybe 20 that are in local (to me) music shops right now- add that to what is on e-bay on any given day and the dozens you can find internet browsing dealers and I have to conclude that they are anything but rare.
You have a really rare vintage instrument in that you have something that no collector wants ---but could have great appeal to players. It's a keeper but I doubt that it's worth a great deal.
sgarrity
Jan-24-2009, 5:03pm
Brett--
Did you buy that in Chesapeake, VA by chance? I think I've seen that mando before.....
hi no i bought it 2 days ago in newport news. on craigs list. the neck joint looled lik it was cracked or reset at some point and it had a very smal split at the neck. both stable when i tuned it up. the couple i bought it from was very nice. they told me they were spliting it with their brother who got it in the carabien. i bought it as a player mandolin as so much was done to it. i doupt it has any collectors value at all. did the one you see in chesepeke have the same inlay ed flower and hearts on the board. thank you brett
sgarrity
Jan-26-2009, 4:42am
Yeh, I saw it at a violin shop. It has to be the same mandolin unless there are tow of them running around out there. At that point they wanted a ridiculous price for it and the shop owner kept telling me it was original. I tried to politely explain to her that it wasn't original and then she told me that it was $2000. I wished her luck and left......
Hi i guess the owners had it ther. I bought it from them at thier home for 300.00 as a player. I knew it was not original but it was done very well and the tone was what i wanted. I may have paid to much too. But they wanted 1850 and was mislead by someone in its value. I really like how it sounds and plays. Thank you brett
sgarrity
Jan-26-2009, 3:05pm
I think you did just fine for $300!