1914 Gibson "A" Mandolin

[ricklmf]

The local GC has a 1914 Gibson "A" Model. First. what is an "A" model? Secondly, it has no Gibson on either the front or back of the headstock. Seems to have the right Gibson Sticker inside the Mando. It sounds great and looks great, but I was thrown off by the lack of Gibson Logo, even though assured by staff it is the real thing. I would appreciate any help. Thanks!

[Larry S Sherman]

Lots of helpful info on Gibson A Styles here (http://www.mandolincafe.com/archives/gibsona/gibsona.html).

Depending on the model it is very common for there to be no logo on the peghead.

Larry

[barney 59]

An "A" model doesn't have any Gibson logo on the headstock. It is bound on the front and not on the back . A1 has a headstock logo and is front bound. An A2 has the logo and is bound front and back. Some people will site examples that don't meet that criteria and that is because anything is possible with Gibson but for the most part this is how they are. An "A"1-2-3 or 4 model from that period is a tear dropped shaped mandolin with an oval hole and it was nearly 2 decades before "A" models were built with "f" holes. The thing is although the values change from one model to the next the quality and playability maybe not so much. A straight "A" may sound and play as good as an A4. Straight A's can be a really great bargain--you pay a premium for that headstock logo. An "f' model has the scroll and in 1914 had an oval hole.

[allenhopkins]

Accurate information above; a Gibson A of that period has no headstock logo. Checking the GC website, I find that they're asking $1K for the teens Gibson A's. That's a bit steep for the current market, but not wildly unreasonable, and they might bargain.

I'd try to ascertain if the mandolin has its original tuners, bridge and tailpiece, and if the pickguard is still on it. Doesn't make too much difference in terms of its musical quality, but definitely does in terms of market value. The bridge would not be adjustable, if it's original.

Pre-1920 Gibsons have no truss rod -- generally not a problem, since their necks are quite substantial and not unduly subject to warping. They can be subject to top sinkage, so you should sight across the instrument's top, and see if there's a smooth curve or if it seems "indented" around the bridge. A bit of sinkage's far from fatal, but it's nice to know if it's there.