Images of a 1990's Carlson-signed Gibson H-5 Mandola?

[Bernie Daniel]

I know that Steve Carlson made a few scroll-style mandolas (I think they were designated H-5 like the '20's models) at the Montana Gibson facility.

An old thread (2006) indicates that someone even posted pics of one of these mandolas on the Mandolin Cafe. But those pics are not longer on the server I guess because they do not come up. Would anyone be able to post (or repost) a nice set of images for one of these 1990's H-5's? Thanks.

[Bill Snyder]

I can't help you with your request but I did want to mention I am pretty sure that if photos were ever uploaded to the server the Mandolin Cafe uses they would still be there. You can post photos directly to the Cafe or post them elsewhere and "point" the Mandolin Cafe to them. It is very common for the the second type to disappear after a while. That is why I wish people would upload them to the Mandolin Cafe, they stick around no matter how old the thread is. At least I know that photos I posted in 2004 still show up here. :)

[Bernie Daniel]

I can't help you with your request but I did want to mention I am pretty sure that if photos were ever uploaded to the server the Mandolin Cafe uses they would still be there. You can post photos directly to the Cafe or post them elsewhere and "point" the Mandolin Cafe to them. It is very common for the the second type to disappear after a while. That is why I wish people would upload them to the Mandolin Cafe, they stick around no matter how old the thread is. At least I know that photos I posted in 2004 still show up here. :)

You might be right about that -- here is the thread (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/newreply.php?do=postreply&t=78526) I was referring to.

The hyperlink seems unreliable -- here is the URL of the thread:
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?20570-Type-of-tuners-on-1990-Gibson-H5-Mandola

[Bill Snyder]

Bernie,
Those photos were on a site lilypix.com . They appear to be gone now. Perhaps Knucklehead will see this thread and repost them. I checked his status and he has logged in the last 8 days.

[Bernie Daniel]

Thanks for info. I hope he does. According to that thread the Carlson H-5 was not a copy of the Loar. It had a longer scale? Due to selecting a different point to attach the neck? I was under the impression that on the Loar H-5 the neck was attached attached at fret 13 - -but it looks like 14 on this image? Just trying to sort it out....

[Givson]

It looks to me like the crosspiece on the Carlson H-5 is lined up with the 13th fret, not the 14th.

[Bernie Daniel]

It looks to me like the crosspiece on the Carlson H-5 is lined up with the 13th fret, not the 14th.


Actually that is a 1924 Gibson H-5 (Loar signed) I would still like to compare it with the 1990 Carlson H-5 -- no pic of that one yet.

As to the point of attachment being at fret 13 -- yes you are right I miscounted. That is what I had always thought it was too. Thanks!

[Jim Garber]

There is this thread (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?60272-When-did-Gibson-stop-making-mandolas-Mandocellos&p=794472&viewfull=1#post794472) in which one poster uploaded pics of a 1989 Carlson H5. Not the same as a 1990 but it might help.

In the same thread (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?60272-When-did-Gibson-stop-making-mandolas-Mandocellos&p=795265&viewfull=1#post795265) there is a 1991 as well.

[Bernie Daniel]

Ok Jim Thanks!

With that we can see Carlson clearly abandoned the patterns for the Loar H-5 when he built his H-5's in the 1990's -- for one thing he when with a longer scale mandola -- the neck attaches at fret 15 (like an F-5).

Here on approximately the same scale are three H-5's: a 1924 Loar signed, Dave Appolon's 1939 H-5 and a 1991 Carlson 1991 H-5. The two older mandolas appear to have necks attached at fret 13.

But other subtle differences are evident too eh? For example the scroll on the newer Carlson mandola seems to be different from the older ones -- more like a mandolin scroll than a mandola. Did Carlson perhaps make his mandolas by scaling up an F-5?

[fatt-dad]

the comparison photo is cool. These Gibiron mandolas are cool. I had no idea and for some reason (all of a sudden) I want one!

f-d

[Bernie Daniel]

Yes indeed I want that '39 H-5 -- it would look great hanging next to my Sam Bush F-5 :)

I am sure one of the Gibson vintage experts here will know the story on that Apollon mandola. I wonder who has it now?

I do believe I have read that Gibson still was making a few mandolas and mandocellos into the very early 1940's -- but I think only mandolins production was resumed in the winter of 1948 -- after the WWII shut down.

But I think Carlson had the better idea -- the longer neck. (incidentally, I think the middle image of the '39 is still sized bit too large compared to the other two -- structurally I think its pretty much identical to the Loar.

[Knucklehead]

If it's any help, here's some pics of my 1990 Gibson H-5 Carlson Mandola that was posted on another thread. it's a 17" scale.

I bought this one from Gruhn in the late '90s and could swear there were a couple of others in the Mandolin Family section of his catalog. Apparently they all sold out quickly. I would very much like to find out how many H-5s were built by Steve Carlson, while he was at Gibson. The initial thread that was referred to had a few of them pictured, and the dates were all over the place. I guess the only one who has the answer is Steve Carlson.

http://images.lilypix.com/albums/userpics/10012/normal_DSC00638.JPG
http://images.lilypix.com/albums/userpics/10012/normal_DSC00639.JPG