Can anyone out there help me identify a 1930s Gibson Mandolin?

[NickStrachan]

Would anybody be able to help me identify a Gibson mandolin that I recently acquired (it belonged to a distant relative who has passed away)?

A piece of paper in the case says it's a A-00 Gibson mandolin, but it doesn't resemble any descriptions of A-00s that I've been able to find online. For example, it has F holes, and the top and back seem to be carved (not flat). Also, it doesn't seem to have a sunburst finish as far as I can tell, which I believe all A-00s have?

The number 1137 is stamped on the inside of the body under the bottom F hole.

I don't know anything about it, but it's in decent shape and plays well.

I've attached several photos to help you assess what it is.

Can you help me?

Nick Strachan
Ottawa, Canada

[rcc56]

Your mandolin is either an f-hole model A-1, or an A-00.
A-00's appear with arched backs starting in 1936. And, A-00's and A-1's were both built with f-holes starting in 1934. My reference is "Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars."

A-00's and A-1's from some periods can look very similar, but the A-00's have a back brace.
It is likely that those A-00's had backs that were formed and pressed in a mold, rather than a carved back. That would explain the presence of the back brace. If I am not mistaken, A-1's always had carved backs.

A batch of A-1's with the number 1137 appears in "Spann's Guide to Gibson" in the year 1934.
We will assume that your mandolin is an A-1 from 1934, unless you can see a back brace through the f-hole.

Your mandolin does indeed have a sunburst top, although the sunburst is rather dark and muted in appearance. The mandolin appears to be in unusually fine condition for its age. We don't see many that look that nice.

[NickStrachan]

Thanks so much for your reply! You're quite right, there's no back brace so that might nail it. Nick