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Thread: Gibson 1902 Mandolin Repaired & Playing now.

  1. #1
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    Default Gibson 1902 Mandolin Repaired & Playing now.

    [SIZE=2]It has been awhile since I have posted but good things sometimes slowly.
    I thought I would share some pics of my "Oldest factory built Gibson Mandolin that still exists" #6 (2506).
    Attached video is at Ry Charters Kal-Tone repair shop here in Kalamazoo. Perhaps you might recognise some of the players of this instrument soon after it was repaired.
    They mention that this old design of a bowl shaped back gives not only a loud sound but great low tones too. Note, Orville did not put a strap peg hole in the end, but rather played it on his lap. Who knows, this might even be the one on his lap in the picture.
    Video can be seen at:
    Https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPnw499yOJc
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    Last edited by Bmaverick; Sep-04-2018 at 11:44am. Reason: Add more pics

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  3. #2
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    Default Re: Gibson 1902 Mandolin Repaired & Playing now.

    Orville Gibson holding A Style Mandolin
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  4. #3
    Registered User Timbofood's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson 1902 Mandolin Repaired & Playing now.

    I would not be surprised that your Mandolin is indeed the one in Orville’s lap in the picture!
    Nice link.
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  5. #4
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    Default Re: Gibson 1902 Mandolin Repaired & Playing now.

    Amazing!

    Enjoy!

  6. #5
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson 1902 Mandolin Repaired & Playing now.

    Hm. Well, that's a pretty young Orv in that photo (pre-mustache), and since he had little or nothing to do with the Gibson Company after it was incorporated, I'm guessing the mandolin in the photo is a pre-company instrument he built himself.

    It is cool to see this instrument back in one piece, whatever its provenance. It's also a reminder that when the company went to Sheraton brown for most of its A-style mandolins in 1918, that wasn't a new color, strictly speaking ... more like a reissue of one of its earliest finishes.
    Last edited by mrmando; Sep-04-2018 at 7:56pm.
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  7. #6
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    Default Re: Gibson 1902 Mandolin Repaired & Playing now.

    Hm. This photo also purports to be of a young Orv. Was he left-handed?
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  8. #7
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    Default Re: Gibson 1902 Mandolin Repaired & Playing now.

    Thats Pretty Cool looking...

  9. #8
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    Default Re: Gibson 1902 Mandolin Repaired & Playing now.

    Great mandolin! I remember when you found it. Yes, Orville was left handed. I’m not so sure that is Orville in the photo with the mandolin in his lap though.

    Phil

  10. #9
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson 1902 Mandolin Repaired & Playing now.

    Yeah, Google Image Search doesn't find any other instances of that photo, which is odd if it's really Orv. Bmaverick, where did the photo come from?
    https://www.google.com/search?tbs=sb...Q5g5QkHUsTJzBY
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  11. #10
    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson 1902 Mandolin Repaired & Playing now.

    The pic. in post # 2 doesn't appear to be of Orville Gibson. The pic. in post # 6 appears on Roger Siminoff's website as a pic. of Orville Gibson.http://siminoff.net/gibson-background/ It's a pic. of a pre-moustachio'd OG,but the similarilty in pre & post moustache is pretty obvious - the eyes have it !.

    Bmaverick - That's an incredible treasure piece that you have there,& it's wonderful to see it in such excellent condition,looking & sounding pretty darned awesome !,
    Ivan
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  12. #11
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    Default Re: Gibson 1902 Mandolin Repaired & Playing now.

    Here is it’s slightly older very similar brother. Ca. 1897 Orville Gibson made and labeled.

    Phil

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  14. #12
    mandolin slinger Steve Ostrander's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson 1902 Mandolin Repaired & Playing now.

    I too doubt that the photo in the second post is Orville. The eyes appear to be different. Also. he is holding the mandolin the way a right hander would.
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    Default Re: Gibson 1902 Mandolin Repaired & Playing now.

    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Ostrander View Post
    Also. he is holding the mandolin the way a right hander would.
    Yeah but... he's fretting the guitar (righty-strung w/ right-hand D-chord formation on bass strings; maybe call it CM7addb5??) the way someone would who's thinking, "Hey, this'll confuse the heck outta them in a century of so!"
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  16. #14
    Registered User Russ Donahue's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson 1902 Mandolin Repaired & Playing now.

    Thanks for posting the video. I missed this the first time around. What a treasure!
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  17. #15
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    Default Re: Gibson 1902 Mandolin Repaired & Playing now.

    Very informative, very enjoyable.

    Thank you.

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