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Thread: My 1927 snakehead Gibson Ajr

  1. #1
    Registered User Jill McAuley's Avatar
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    Default My 1927 snakehead Gibson Ajr

    This arrived yesterday, and it was killing me to wait before opening the box! Tuned it up and haven't been able to put it down! Original tuners still hold tune well, a little stiff to turn. No cracks or repairs visible. Gibson A experts - does the tailpiece look original? Came with the original case, latches still work, but I'll be getting something a wee bit more protective as soon as I can. Not sure why the photos all loaded so lopsided and weird!



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  2. #2
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: My 1927 snakehead Gibson Ajr

    I have not seen a tail piece like that, on a Gibson or anything else.

    But that aside, wow, that looks like a drool worthy addition to your stable of mandolins. I hope it sounds as great as it looks.
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  4. #3
    Registered User BlueMt.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: My 1927 snakehead Gibson Ajr

    Jill, I'm glad you have a mandolin again. I've been gone for a few years, but I always enjoyed your playing. Enjoy!
    Eric

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  6. #4
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: My 1927 snakehead Gibson Ajr

    The tailpiece is probably original, the cover is probably from another mandolin. Martin used engraved covers as did a few other manufacturers. Gibson's were generally plain until later years when they actually engraved the Gibson logo on them. Gibson used the Waverly cloud tailpiece on some mandolins up into the 50's at least.

    Paul Hostetter has a page on his www.lutherie.net that talks about servicing these tuners. The link is at:

    http://www.lutherie.net/tuner.maintenance.html
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  8. #5
    Registered User Jill McAuley's Avatar
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    Default Re: My 1927 snakehead Gibson Ajr

    Thanks Mike, I thought it didn't look like an original cover. Thanks for that link about servicing the tuners!
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  9. #6
    Registered User Steve-o's Avatar
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    Default Re: My 1927 snakehead Gibson Ajr

    Jill,

    So happy to see you get another mandolin and a lovely vintage one at that. It looks to be in fine shape. Enjoy!

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  11. #7

    Default Re: My 1927 snakehead Gibson Ajr

    Congrats, Jill. Looks like a great mando. Lets hear it!
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  13. #8
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    Default Re: My 1927 snakehead Gibson Ajr

    Welcome back Jill!. The Ajr looks great; hopefully we'll get to see/hear it on your Youtube channel soon

    I'm also inclined to say that the tailpiece *cover* is probably not original. The original one was plain to my knowledge; I've seen quite a few with a cross patterns engraved on it like this one:

    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ckAiYwOw7w...00/oslin-7.jpg

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  15. #9
    acoustically inert F-2 Dave's Avatar
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    Default Re: My 1927 snakehead Gibson Ajr

    Nice. A snakehead A jr is on my wish list. Your's looks lovely. Congratulations.
    "Mongo only pawn in game of life." --- Mongo

  16. #10
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    Default Re: My 1927 snakehead Gibson Ajr

    Quote Originally Posted by F-2 Dave View Post
    Nice. A snakehead A jr is on my wish list. Your's looks lovely. Congratulations.
    Well you're in luck.. check the classifieds. NFI of course.

  17. #11
    Registered User Jill McAuley's Avatar
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    Default Re: My 1927 snakehead Gibson Ajr

    I'm going to try to record a few clips today - I'll have the house to meself for a few hours so will take advantage of that! That one in the classifieds looks nice!
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  18. #12
    Registered User Charles E.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: My 1927 snakehead Gibson Ajr

    Jill, nice to see you posting again and about a new (old) snake head at that! I am looking forward to hearing that wee beastie shred some reels.
    Charley

    A bunch of stuff with four strings

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  20. #13
    Registered User Jill McAuley's Avatar
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    Default Re: My 1927 snakehead Gibson Ajr

    Working on a few reels as we speak!
    2018 Girouard Concert oval A
    2015 JP "Whitechapel" tenor banjo
    2018 Frank Tate tenor guitar
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  21. #14

    Default Re: My 1927 snakehead Gibson Ajr

    FWIW the photos look fine when going to your album. nice.

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  23. #15
    Registered User Randi Gormley's Avatar
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    Default Re: My 1927 snakehead Gibson Ajr

    Just noticed this thread -- what a lovely instrument! congrats! snakeheads are incredible.

    Oddly enough, I was thinking about you -- it was my turn to introduce a new tune to our beginner session and I chose Trumpet hornpipe (Capt. Pugwash) and one of the links that a friend posted to let the others hear it was yours from the song-a-week group. Small world!
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  24. #16
    Registered User Jill McAuley's Avatar
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    Default Re: My 1927 snakehead Gibson Ajr

    Small world indeed! A similar thing happened to a trad playing friend of mine in Paris - someone sent her a link for a tune to learn and it was one of my old videos!

    I'm leaving the Ajr with my luthier for a set up this week, so getting as much playing time in before that to offset the withdrawal!
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  25. #17

    Default Re: My 1927 snakehead Gibson Ajr

    Ohh ... what a beauty! So happy for you. I have a 1923 Ajr Paddlehead Gibson mandolin. She was reincarnated in 1976 by Ken Ratcliff of Silverangel Mandolins. http://silverangelmandolins.com/SM/

    She also has a similar tailpiece to yours. I understand why you haven't put yours down. I just love mine. Been playing it happily for close to three years now.
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    Just visiting.

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  27. #18
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: My 1927 snakehead Gibson Ajr

    Do you have the FON for this instrument?

    1927 is a conceivable ship date for a snakehead; not so sure about the build date.
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  28. #19
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: My 1927 snakehead Gibson Ajr

    Quote Originally Posted by Loretta Callahan View Post
    ...She also has a similar tailpiece to yours...
    That is a Waverly Cloud tailpiece, used by Gibson on some models but also used by Martin, Kay, Harmony, and just about everybody else over the years. They were manufactured for decades and were standard on the Gibson A Jr. mandolins.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
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  29. #20
    Registered User Jill McAuley's Avatar
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    Default Re: My 1927 snakehead Gibson Ajr

    Quote Originally Posted by mrmando View Post
    Do you have the FON for this instrument?

    1927 is a conceivable ship date for a snakehead; not so sure about the build date.
    Yes, the FON is 8726, Serial # is 82231
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  30. #21
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: My 1927 snakehead Gibson Ajr

    FON 8726 = A Jr - 1927 according to Spann.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
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  32. #22

    Default Re: My 1927 snakehead Gibson Ajr

    Two questions for the cognoscenti:

    1.) Anybody with a copy of Spann's can verify me the birthdate of my '27 A-jr?: SN#82726 FON# 8833

    2.) I'm trying to verify that this bridge is non-original.
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    Everything I've seen/read says it's not, but I ran across this one, and this one, and just wanted to make sure.

    Thanks for any insights/ opinions!

  33. #23
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    Default Re: My 1927 snakehead Gibson Ajr

    Joe Spann’s research places production in late 1927 assuming that the FON’s were issued sequentially. The exact birthday is unknown. The serial number table places the sale in 1928. According to Joe Spann it would have been pulled from finished goods and received strings and a bridge just before it shipped. The standard bridge for the A-Jr is a one-piece fixed type. Since the adjustable bridge was available by 1928 it would have been possible to have left Gibson with the pictured bridge as original equipment. Is there a patent stamp on the side of the bridge base? Adjustable bridges could be purchased separately so it could have been changed at any point in the last ninety years.

    Mark
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  34. #24
    two t's and one hyphen fatt-dad's Avatar
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    Default Re: My 1927 snakehead Gibson Ajr

    Knowing how well you play (SOW club), that mandolin will have a good life!

    Big fan of oval-hole Gibsons too!

    Congratulations.

    f-d
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  35. #25
    Registered User Hendrik Ahrend's Avatar
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    Default Re: My 1927 snakehead Gibson Ajr

    Quote Originally Posted by paul dirac View Post
    Two questions for the cognoscenti:

    1.) Anybody with a copy of Spann's can verify me the birthdate of my '27 A-jr?: SN#82726 FON# 8833

    2.) I'm trying to verify that this bridge is non-original.
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    Everything I've seen/read says it's not, but I ran across this one, and this one, and just wanted to make sure.

    Thanks for any insights/ opinions!
    My two cents: That bridge top is on backwards, and it lacks the indigo stain (as far as I can see). The base seems to be on correctly with the treble side shoulder having a slightly smaller radius, as on many original bridges. The patent stamp should be on the front then; is it?
    If the original equipment was a one-pice bridge, there should be the typical (smaller) imprint visible on the top under the bridge base.

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