Obviously I’m super excited about this but for times sake here’s a copy and paste of a post I made on Facebook in the Vintage Gibson Flattop Group (kind of a misnomer as we discuss archtops and mandolins somewhat as well)
“The Mount Everest of fretted instrument rarity.” —Jonathan Kellerman
1923 Gibson K-5 Mandocello
This is the rare mandocello variant of the original Lloyd Loar quartet of Style 5 instruments (F-5, H-5, K-5, L-5). As many know this redesign of Gibson’s top of line instruments brought about many innovations such as the introduction of F-holes, raised fingerboards, and a 14 fret neck. As well as a refinement in carving and build. There are roughly 10 of these K-5 mandocello known today as compared to the approximately 250 Loar signed F-5 mandolins.
This instrument has a “prototype” snakehead style headstock as featured on only one other known instrument. That being the lone known ‘23 L-5 touted as “The First L-5”. It has also spent the last 80 years converted to a guitar and has just recently been re-converted back to a mandocello. The back was replaced in the 30’s to maple, from the original birch, presumably when the conversion took place by Gibson. It’s lead quite a life and now it’s back.
Better photo’s will hopefully follow when time allows.
Phil
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