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Thread: Gibson A-12

  1. #1
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    Default Gibson A-12

    Is there such a thing?
    I asked the concert mistress of the Long Island Mandolin and Guitar Orchestra what kind of mandolin she played and she said "Gibson A-12". It didn't look like anything I have seen before or since. I think it was made after 1950.
    She didn't get it herself. Jack Matlin, the founder of the Long Island Mandolin and Guitar Orchestra, got it for her.
    So if anybody has a picture of a Gibson A-12 please post!
    David Herman

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    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A-12

    All right, I'll bite. Did you google it? Try here.
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

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  3. #3
    Registered User trevor's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A-12

    The lump scroll or mouse ear. They aren't known for great tone, how did it sound.
    Trevor
    Formerly of The Acoustic Music Co (TAMCO) Brighton England now retired.

  4. #4

    Default Re: Gibson A-12

    ol' lumpy strikes again....

  5. #5
    Registered User pfox14's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A-12

    The only other lump scroll model that I've seen was an F-9, not "A", so I have my doubts that A-12 is correct.
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    Registered User Timbofood's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A-12

    A-12 is correct. I believe so is "Gumby","Lumpy" and, "OL' one ear".
    Timothy F. Lewis
    "If brains was lard, that boy couldn't grease a very big skillet" J.D. Clampett

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    Default Re: Gibson A-12

    Absolutely correct.

    I've told this story here: Was visiting Manny's Music in NYC one time. They had one. I played it for a few minutes, plugged in via a top-mounted pick-up. I put it down and walked out of the store. The sales gal literally ran out on to the street, begging me to buy it. I kept a-walkin'.

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    Default Re: Gibson A-12

    Quote Originally Posted by AlanN View Post
    Absolutely correct.

    I've told this story here: Was visiting Manny's Music in NYC one time. They had one. I played it for a few minutes, plugged in via a top-mounted pick-up. I put it down and walked out of the store. The sales gal literally ran out on to the street, begging me to buy it. I kept a-walkin'.
    But knowing you, Alan, and how you get that wonderful tone out of a mandolin, I am not surprised she chased you!
    Our concert mistress gets a good sound out of her A-12. It doesn't look like the one at Greg Boyd. It is painted, almost white.
    But I will heed the warnings about the dreaded A-12!
    David Herman

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    Default Re: Gibson A-12

    .
    I have seen and played three A-12`s and suggested to the each of the owners that they might make good kindling wood, I cannot even start to wonder why Gibson would make such a dreaded mandolin...We always seem to hear about the Big G`s great instruments but they also made some clunkers....The A-12 was about the worst one though...

    Willie

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    Default Re: Gibson A-12

    They were made in the "dark" years at Gibson. Gibson was still trying to get top dollar for an inferior product and Asia instruments were coming of age.I remember when the worst thing you could say about an instrument was " it sounds like it was made in Japan". All that was changing in the late 60s early 70s they were cheap, and they sounded better than most made in the USA. I think Gibson was trying to make a lower priced mandolin thinking people would buy the name at that price regardless of the sound.

  12. #11
    Registered User trevor's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A-12

    Gibson and a lot of other big companies seem very good at basing their marketing decisions on how they think their potential customers should behave rather than trying to understand how they actually think.

    Some things they do are hard to understand...

    The famous occasion of Henry smashing an SG to demonstrate that their new digital guitar was the future.

    Labelling all models 'Master Model' then having a model called the Master Model so many folks get confused.
    Trevor
    Formerly of The Acoustic Music Co (TAMCO) Brighton England now retired.

  13. #12
    Registered User pfox14's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A-12

    Interesting to note that Gibson never cataloged the A-12. They probably did not make very many of these.
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  14. #13
    Registered User tkdboyd's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A-12

    I have one, never been able to verify the year.

    Not a spectacular instrument, but it was my father's and he was very proud of it and I am proud to have it. I have even played it in public before not embarrassed. It was much better than the Kay he used to own and years before China mass producing fine instruments by the 10's of thousands that you can order online for a couple of hundred dollars.

    Can't figure out why someone would buy one now for the $1200.00+ that they go for online.

  15. #14
    Registered User f5loar's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A-12

    Easy to date, not so easy to play. The Gibson 70's A5 and A12 were at the top of the peak of the worst mandolin ever made in the history of making mandolins. Gibson never seem to have a method to their madness on model numbers. The original A5 was made in 1923 with A body and F holes and a long neck like the F5. The late 50's to late 60's A5 was a two pointer, round hole with short neck. The 70's A5 was a lump solid scroll with short neck and round hole. They only used A12 once and saved it for the 70's lump solid scroll with F holes.

  16. #15
    Registered User f5loar's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A-12

    the one listed above at Greg Boyds says 60's but that is wrong.
    http://gregboyd.com/instrument_detai...y=1755#big_pic
    Greg Boyd should know better than to say that. The numbers of the mid to late 60's and early to mid 70's do overlap using the same numbers but anyone at a dealer such as Greg Boyd should know how to read those numbers. There is no excuse for them to list this as a 60's. Maybe that's why it sold so quickly, the new owner thought they were getting an older 60's Gibson instead of a 70's.. And if anyone from Greg Boyds doesn't like what I said about them, they are welcome to call me and I can explain to them over the phone the difference between a 60's and 70's Gibson mandolin. First off they never made the A12 in the 60's. There's your sign!

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    Default Re: Gibson A-12

    I have found that since my time on this forum that when F-5 Loar speaks you can take it to the bank, his knowledge is fantastic....

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  20. #17
    Registered User Timbofood's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A-12

    Yep, he's got a grasp on this stuff like a Siamese twin octopus!
    Timothy F. Lewis
    "If brains was lard, that boy couldn't grease a very big skillet" J.D. Clampett

  21. #18
    Registered User f5loar's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A-12

    You had to have lived and breathed during the worst times of a Gibson mandolin to appreciated the love!

  22. #19
    Fatally Flawed Bill Kammerzell's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A-12

    What would you pay for an A-12 with a proper set up, if you'd pay anything at all?

  23. #20
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    Default Re: Gibson A-12

    What has been the selling price history for those on eBay?

    that is where you can get a ball park Idea about what people pay for those.
    writing about music
    is like dancing,
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  24. #21
    Fatally Flawed Bill Kammerzell's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A-12

    Quote Originally Posted by mandroid View Post
    What has been the selling price history for those on eBay?

    that is where you can get a ball park Idea about what people pay for those.
    Thanks. I posted incorrectly. I meant to reply to a specific poster.

  25. #22
    Fatally Flawed Bill Kammerzell's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A-12

    Quote Originally Posted by tkdboyd View Post
    I have one, never been able to verify the year.

    Not a spectacular instrument, but it was my father's and he was very proud of it and I am proud to have it. I have even played it in public before not embarrassed. It was much better than the Kay he used to own and years before China mass producing fine instruments by the 10's of thousands that you can order online for a couple of hundred dollars.

    Can't figure out why someone would buy one now for the $1200.00+ that they go for online.
    In that case, would $750.00 to $900.00 be out of line?

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