Gibson mando history book?

[Barry Platnick]

I've got a lot of guitar history books.
strats, teles, gibson, beuaty of the burst etc.

whats a good Gibson mandolin history book?
lots of pictures, specs, who played what and the differences in the models?

something that would help learn whats collectible?
thanks

[MikeEdgerton]

So far I know of no mandolin specific books but the George Gruhn Book Acoustic Guitars and Other Fretted Instruments has sections with great pictures that deal with Gibson mandolins as well as mandolins from other builders as well.

[AlanN]

Also, Marilyn Kochman's The Big Book Of Bluegrass (ca. 1984) had a section at the end on instrument builders - Gibson, Monteleone, Martin, small builders, etc.

[David Newton]

Cutter, there is a reproduction Gibson catalog (from the '20's) out there. It's out of print, but maybe you can find one. It's great history.

[Laurence Firth]

There is a great video (VHS)that covers the history of the mandolin development (all gibson) in the US.

The Sound of the American mandolin [videorecording] / featuring Tony Williamson ; with host Maxwell McCullough.
Publisher Kensington, Md. (Box 2770, Kensington, MD 20891) : Plucked String, Inc., c1995

My library has a copy and even though i would have preferred a DVD for both video and audio quality the content of this video is so interesting that I loved viewing it. Tony Williamson plays all of the mandolins in the collection and describes the construction differences and how they influence the sound of the instrument. Great viewing.

[Barry Platnick]

thanks to all. I at least have a starting point

[GRW3]

Check for this book in the Library:

Gibson Guitars 100 Years of an American Icon

Walter Carter

I say library because I just checked Amazon and used copies are going for big bucks.

I have a copy, no you can't have it.

It covers all historical Gibson instruments, not just guitars. Mandolins dominate the first hundred pages.

On a bigger picture note, you'll have more respect for what Mr. J has done with Gibson when you read the books account of how close the Norlin era company came to folding.

[allenhopkins]

There's also The Gibson Story by former company VP Julius Bellson; came out in the early '70's, I believe.

[Barry Platnick]

Thanks for the suggestions. I just ordered a couple off of Amazon.com...or so I thought.
God bless them and their suggestions. I wound up buying 5 total books. What a great marketing plan.
Imagine a lawyer you go to to sue some one and they suggest "If you like to sue them you might also like to sue these folks" (no dis to lawyers, my wife is one).