My old oval hole Gibson

["Umm, fish?"]

This is what I play. She doesn't look like much maybe, but she has all kinds of beautiful tone and sustain for days. It's a good thing. I don't like playing tremolo much.

http://www.ummfish.com/mandolin_photos/front.jpg

http://www.ummfish.com/mandolin_photos/back.jpg

http://www.ummfish.com/mandolin_photos/side.jpg

http://www.ummfish.com/mandolin_photos/bridge.jpg

http://www.ummfish.com/mandolin_photos/makers_sticker.jpg

["Umm, fish?"]

And the original case:

http://www.ummfish.com/mandolin_photos/case.jpg

[Jim Garber]

So, later 1920s (1926?) A with Thomastiks? Is that a pearl or metal truss rod cover? Interesting that your bridge is slightly slanted. is that to improve the intonation? In any case, enjoy it... I say, for the most part eye candy is not always indication of the tone and soul of an instrument. Some of my best mandolins and guitars have been ugly ducklings.

[bmac]

"She doesn't look like much maybe,,, "

We all should look that good at that age!!!

To me she is beautiful... Besides... Unless you are planningn to sell her,,, Who cares?

[F-2 Dave]

Looks good to me.

[Randi Gormley]

Ah, what stories all those nicks and worn places could tell!

[Dagger Gordon]

"To me she is beautiful... "

Me too. That's the way I like 'em.

[journeybear]

Looks fine to me. I am quite happy with my old pumpkin, but I like the brown, too. All the nicks, dings, scratches, gouges, cracks - they are signs of a life well-lived, full of fun, good times, and plenty of music! :mandosmiley: Given a choice between that or a pristine condition derived from a life spent sheltered away in the case, it's pretty obvious which I believe is better. ;)

["Umm, fish?"]

Thanks, y'all. She's a good 'un. I always seem to regret it whenever I let a musical instrument go (the latest is that I'm still kicking myself for passing on my old saxophone--another one with lovely tone and a few dings--because now my kid's taken it up and I would've loved to pass it to her), so I'll certainly be hanging on to this one.


So, later 1920s (1926?) A with Thomastiks? Is that a pearl or metal truss rod cover? Interesting that your bridge is slightly slanted. is that to improve the intonation? In any case, enjoy it... I say, for the most part eye candy is not always indication of the tone and soul of an instrument. Some of my best mandolins and guitars have been ugly ducklings.

I confess that I don't know the date or even what Thomastiks are (but I'd love to know both). Here's the serial number if it helps to date: 68943.

The truss rod cover is metal. It looks like it was meant to be engraved but no one's ever gotten around to that, so it's just flat metal.

She's just back from the Luthier's where she had a complete re-fretting and fretboard sanding. They just put the bridge back in the same place it was. Probably trying to hide the nicks, as if I care. Anyway, that's just not the right spot so I'm still working on getting everything in tune on up the neck. I'm still not there with it, though. It takes a couple of weeks for everything to stabilize again after I move it around so the process is pretty involved. Besides, once you get used to the blue notes, you can use 'em. :)

[Jim Garber]

Ask your luthier what strings are on it. They loo0ked like flatwounds so I assumed Thomastiks. By the SN looks like '21 or '22 which makes it an early truss rodded one. I thought paddle-head and truss rod and then post-Loar, but it is barely pre-Loar or on the cusp.

I have lots of mandolins of all sorts and get warm and cozy with one for a time. Then I go back to my Gibson and realize how very nice it is.

["Umm, fish?"]

Oh, sorry. You were talking about the strings. Duh. The caffeine is clearly not catching up to me yet this morning. No, they are the LaBella JM11s, but still flat wound jazz strings. Absolutely wonderful sound, but certainly much quieter than bluegrass strings. They seem to even out the tone across all the strings to me, as opposed to the bluegrass strings I've used where the A and E were really harsh. But I mostly just play for me so I'm not trying to be heard in a crowd.

["Umm, fish?"]

And we posted at the same time. Thanks for the info. That's good to know!

[EdHanrahan]

Yes it IS beautiful, in the same vein that some (most?) steam locomotives are beautiful. Ya gotta work a bit to make either of 'em ugly... mando or steam engine. But that's just me. And my MAS was just getting under control!

[JeffD]

A real beauty. Shame about the tremolo though, because the old Gibson oval holes sound so good with that high lonesome tremolo.

[journeybear]

You're right, Jim - by my reckoning it's late 1921.

BTW, Mr. Fish, if you miss your sax, I have a line on one. One of my street musician cohorts, who usually just plays out-of-tune guitar through a battery amp to accompany his out-of-tune singing and also taps a pretty dead-sounding high hat out-of-rhythm - but manages to get by somehow by putting in lots of hours, playing right outside the Wendy's, and having his dog with him (he's the real talent of the outfit) - has found a sax somewhere and is playing (stretching the definition) Christmas songs on this, without having taken the time to learn and/or practice them. I would be doing everyone within earshot a favor - and the poor horn, too, I expect - by liberating it from his clutches. And i would be happy to send it to you, where it surely will find better treatment and a happier life.

Just sayin' ... :whistling:

["Umm, fish?"]

Well, thanks Jeff. I still play tremolo when I have to (I'm working up a blues right now that calls for it), but I'm just not a fan. I'm much happier letting the silences happen and using them than filling up all the space with sound. But that's just me. I can appreciate it when other people do it.

And thanks for the offer, journey, but I doubt they'd let you send many packages out from the county lockup. :) It's hard to play through cookie crumbs. Maybe some well-timed gifts of holiday cookies to keep him busy?

["Umm, fish?"]

I had to be in Denver all day today because my kid was taking several different classes. So, while I was waiting I made a tour of several acoustic music shops to try out any mando I can find. I'm happy to say that I wouldn't trade my old Gibson for a single one of them (including the old Gibson's I tried), even though I tried many that were priced several times what I paid for mine. There were a lot of nice mandos, don't get me wrong, but the sounds from this one are just amazing to my ears.

I thought I'd end the day hot after a new one, but I can say that I'm still a satisfied guy. A good problem to have! :)

[JGWoods]

http://i544.photobucket.com/albums/hh335/jgwoods1/A4web3.jpg
Love those old Gibsons.
You can see all the finger divots on the fingerboard of mine- still plays great, and sounds magnificent.
enjoy yours - they are real keepers.

["Umm, fish?"]

That's a nice-looking mandolin. I like the reddish tint. Nice. Thanks for the picture!

[woodwizard]

I really luv my oval hole too. It's very simular to JGWoods A4

[Bob DeVellis]

Yeah, the old Gibson ovals are great. Here's yet another take:

http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc111/devellis_photo/Frontsmall.jpg

[woodwizard]

Yeah, the old Gibson ovals are great. Here's yet another take:

http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc111/devellis_photo/Frontsmall.jpg

Sweeeeetttt ! looks like the same inlay uou would see on an A3

[John Soper]

It is a pumpkin top A3... teens?

[Steve Ostrander]

I'm jealous. I was THIS close to acquiring a nice '21 A4 from a co-workers father. While he was deciding how much he wanted for it, the mandolin was taken from his home by a relative. Unfortunately, the man died before he got the mandolin back, and the relative got away with it, along with a fiddle. I'm still not over it, and that was two years ago.

Anyway, nice mando you have there. Hang on to her.

[Mike Snyder]

You guys are killin' me. I want an oval so bad that I'm about to sell my shotguns. That's serious bad for a Kansas country boy bird hunter.
Those are ALL beauties. You have a right to be proud of those instruments.

[mandolirius]

I sure understand the lust for old Gibson oval holes. The good ones are a joy to play. I've owned a few and played a lot more. Some turn me on, others not so much. This time when I went looking for an oval hole I opened myself up to the idea of a new mandolin. Old Wave consistently get good reviews and that was a strong consideration.

Then I found out about Mike Black, who makes A4 copies. I've had to have work done on all the old A's I've had and I was interested in getting something I wouldn't have to spend more money on. Mike had some interesting options, including a virzi. After a bit on emailing and prices that were in line with what I'd have to pay for a Gibson, I went with the new instrument. Mine will be Engleman spruce with a single transverse brace and a virzi. I think it's great there is someone who is building to modern standards with an appreciation for that great old Gibson oval hole sound.

[Rob Gerety]

Here are some shots of my 1916 A4. Its a wonderful instrument. I play it every day. I feel very fortunate to own it. I did end up replacing the bridge with a good adjustable bridge, new nut, fret dress, re glue transverse brace. It plays like a dream now.

[frshwtrbob]

Quaaaack, quaaaack!

["Umm, fish?"]

Sorry. I didn't get any notices from the thread until bob posted. Those are all gorgeous. Love the inlay on the tuning knobs, Rob!

[John Hill]

One of my dream mando's is an old A Jr. snakehead, kinda like this one:

http://www.vintagemandolin.com/images/25gibsonajr_82704_fon8766/front.jpg

[mandoshane]

i want that A jr, been eyein it. great A4, nice handels. love these.