Wide body Gibson A model mandolin

[Matt Bowe]

At a local music store. Sunburst finish. Has silk screened 'Gibson' script logo. 'The Gibson' script tailpiece cover. Pickguard has crumbled. No label or FON visible inside the body. Back of peghead is stamped EG 2014. Any notion when this would date from? Thanks.

[Timbofood]

Pictures?

[pheffernan]

Charles Johnson over at vintage mandolin.com has EG-3817 listed as a 1939 A50 wide body: http://www.vintagemandolin.com/39gibsona50_eg3817.html.

[Matt Bowe]

Thanks. I should have Googled first. Based on the serial number stamp on the peghead I assume it's a little earlier in 1939 than the one shown in the link. Also has dot marker position inlays on the fingerboard and appears to be birch back and sides. Sadly the bridge has gone missing.

[pfox14]

The EG prefix would suggest 1940 as the year of manufacture, and if it's got the 11 1/4" wide pear-shaped body, it's an A-50. Here's a '41 A-50

[Jim Garber]

Not much of a graceful design IMHO. I am not sure what Gibson was thinking with this one. I may have played one many years ago but it left no memory imprint. I have nothing against ugliness if it plays and sounds well, tho.

[allenhopkins]

...I have nothing against ugliness if it plays and sounds well, tho.

Thanx Jim, I keep practicing, though it doesn't improve my looks...

[lenf12]

Jim Garber said "I have nothing against ugliness if it plays and sounds well, tho..."

Allenhopkins said "Thanx Jim, I keep practicing, though it doesn't improve my looks..."

All I can say is....

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[Matt Bowe]

Allen and Jim - this thread has become so much more than I ever imagined. Thank you. : )

[f5loar]

All EG stamped on back of headstock are 1939 models.

[pfox14]

All EG stamped on back of headstock are 1939 models.

Sorry, you are correct. EG would be 1939. Ooops.

I agree with Jim, the pear-shaped A-50 was not pretty and certainly not any kind of improvement over the pre-1937 10 1/4" wide A mandos. However, Gibson wasn't selling many mandolins in the 1930s regardless of the model, so my guess is they said, "why not try something different". In hindsight, it was a poor decision.

[acousticphd]

I agree with Jim, the pear-shaped A-50 was not pretty and certainly not any kind of improvement over the pre-1937 10 1/4" wide A mandos. However, Gibson wasn't selling many mandolins in the 1930s regardless of the model, so my guess is they said, "why not try something different". In hindsight, it was a poor decision.

Rarely have I been ready to put a mandolin back on the rack faster than the several times I have picked up of these widebodies. There must have been some decent exceptions, but the ones I've heard sounded thin and quiet.

[William Smith]

I thaught EA prefix was 39?

[pfox14]

Gibson used a letter-coded FON system starting in 1935. A=1935, B=1936, etc. Then they changed the FONs to actual serial numbers in 1938 which were different on every instrument and stamped on the back of the peghead. So as an example DG-1234 would be D for 1938 and the G stands for Gibson. The letter prefix EA does show up in 1939 on some higher-end instruments like the L-5 guitar, but I haven't got a clue what the A stands for. On Gibson's budget brands, they used letters like EK for 1939 Kalamazoos, and DW for 1938 (Wards) Recording King and other instruments made for the Montgomery Ward catalog.

Around the start of WWII, Gibson stopped using this system and I really don't know why.

[Matt Bowe]

It's raining wide A50s -
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...d-worth-please

[William Smith]

Yep EA is on my F-7 Gibby.

[fiddler56]

It's raining wide A50s -
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...d-worth-please

Hah! That's my old post that you're referring to. I picked up that '39 A-50 for a song, had Joe Konkoly over at Elderly Instruments repair the (common) treble side crack and dress the frets. I cleaned her up and she sounds like a cannon. Nowhere as sweet as my 1919 F-2, and lacks the depth of my 1919 A-3, but I'm pleased as punch with it. She'll make a perfect outdoor session mandolin. I'm a working musician, and that late night session festival dew was keeping my F-2 in the camper.
I'm finishing up another CD, and I think a couple of fiddle tunes with all three of these mandolins chasing harmonys around each other might be a great hidden track at the end. Such distinct voices. Thanks to those who were responding to my earlier posts.

[Marty Jacobson]

I've never thought much of these, but Wyatt Wilkie said he has one and it's an amazing instrument. I'd trust his judgement on that.