View Full Version : Gibson Top Wood 1910-1917
What kind of wood was used on the top of Gibson mandos from 1910-1917? I'm thinking Sitka spruce, but possibly red spruce too?
Spruce
Dec-03-2009, 12:00pm
Good question...
I've ID'd Sitka in some of those instruments, but the wood that is non-IDable (all the other spruce species besides Sitka) could be anything...
Strado Len
Dec-04-2009, 8:33am
Not that Gibson catalogs were ever accurate, but didn't they specify Norwegian (European) spruce as the top wood on their early instruments?
Spruce
Dec-04-2009, 10:12am
Not that Gibson catalogs were ever accurate, but didn't they specify Norwegian (European) spruce as the top wood on their early instruments?
That would make sense in the non-war years, as the Germans were really the only players in the "tonewood" world for the whole first half of the 20th century...
But obviously Gibson got their wood from non "tonewood" sources as well, namely the lumber yard...
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee22/e_stamp/mando.jpg
Rob Gerety
Dec-05-2009, 1:36pm
Does anyone know if there was any difference in the wood used in the different models? Did they use a higher grade of wood in the more expensive models.
Spruce
Dec-05-2009, 3:10pm
Did they use a higher grade of wood in the more expensive models.
Well, yeah....
You can tell that they devalued the wider grained woods, and that can be some of the best sounding wood there is, IMHO...
You see a lot of wide grained wood on the lesser As, and tighter grained grained woods on the 4s and Fs...
But you also see the other way around, so what the hell do I know?? ;)
Rob Gerety
Dec-06-2009, 9:14am
I have a 16 A4 and I don't really think that the top wood is particularly tight grained - that is why I asked. Certainly, I have seen a lot tighter grain in my day - wider too I suppose. I have played tight and wide grain and I never could discern any consistent tonal differences between them, but what do I know? (as you say)
I was wondering if Gibson basically just gussied up the more expensive models with pretty inlays and tuners and such or if they used different woods as well. In other words, at what point in the manufacturing process did they decide this one is an A4 and this one is an A Junior - and how did they make that decision? Probably no one knows.
The Gibson factory was engaged in mass production of musical instruments to feed the mandolin boom they helped create. Looking for the hand of a Stradivari, and the careful selection of tonewoods etc in such a setup will only bring disappointment.
However, I'm convinced that over time, a culture of excellence (egad, I loathe that phrase) did in fact develop, as the artisans mastered the techniques of instrument-building and improved their product. The fact that the name carried so much weight that it carried the company thru several dark periods is testimony to that fact.
The catalogs are wonderful reading, if you go in for the "Dark and Stormy Night" school of fiction.