Gibson A frame question(s)

[Gordon]

Hi -- I'm new here, so I'm not sure if this question has been discussed ad-nauseum before; forgive me if it has.

I have an antique A frame Gibson mandolin, probably from around the '20s. #The archtop has sunk somewhat under the bridge, disenabling the upper strings to sound; at the moment, with low humidity, I've lost all but the G and low part of the D string. #Even at the best of times, summer with high humidity, the strings will buzz the frets; now, in this awful NE winter, even with attempts at humidifying, I really can't get the instrument to sound across the fretboard. #When I can get the instrument to play, during the summer, it is a nice sounding mandolin.
The questions, of course, are; is this fixable? Might it also be a neck problem? #The frets will probably also need work eventually, but I'm trying to take this one step at a time.
Thanks in advance for any help or advice,
Gordon

[sunburst]

Gordon, Go to Frets.com and read about loose braces in these mandolins. You can check through the sound hole to see if the one brace that was installed in this mandolins is loose. just reach a finger through the sound hole and press on the ends of the brace. If they move, they're loose.
If it is loose, reglueing it will probably fix the mandolin. If not, yes it is fixable, but it gets a little more complicated, but check the brace first. As you say, first things first.

By the way, I would post a link to Frets.com but I don't know how. Can anyone post a short lesson on how to post a link on the message board? thanks

Here's the link (http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Technique/Mandolin/Structural/MandoBrace/mandobrace.html)

Thanks to Darryl for the computer lesson http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Darryl Wolfe]

You go to the site you want to link on. Single click the "address" window to highlight the URL... right click and hit copy..the go back to your post hand hit the http button...highlight the address...right click again and paste the new address on top of it. You can the name the link anything you want

[sunburst]

Thanks Darryl. I don't "right click" with my Mac, but your instructions will still work and are appreciated.

[Gordon]

Thanks; I'll try your suggestion first, and also check out Frets.com as well. #Much appreciated!
Gordon