Gibson A — FON 2542

[Drew Streip]

Hi there — I just acquired a Gibson A through the classifieds as a player-grade repair project. The FON on the headblock is 2542, which matches this listing from the Archive:

http://www.mandolinarchive.com/gibson/serial/23871

However, the instrument in my possession looks seriously worse for wear. Though most of the specs match, the bridge is different than pictured, and the finish has been completely removed. Also, the serial number has been scratched out, so I can’t verify that it’s the same one.

Any tips on further verifying the origin of this instrument, as well as what it’s original coloring would be?

Will update with pics once the site functionality is available.

[Bill McCall]

The suspicious person might think a deliberately altered serial number was done to conceal some dishonesty

[slimt]

I do have a 1910 F4 that has the same FON as one in the archives.. only thing is the other is a Black face.. so yours might be in the same ordeal.. just a different mandolin..

[rcc56]

A Gibson batch number from that period would probably have contained several instruments. More often than not, all the instruments in that batch would have been the same model.

Spann's Guide shows FON 2542 as a batch of plain Style A's made in 1913. Those mandolins were most likely to have left the factory with natural tops, reddish brown back, sides, and neck, non-adjustable bridge with removable saddles, and elevated pickguard with a curlicue wrap around the bridge and a plastic support arm.

[Drew Streip]

A Gibson batch number from that period would probably have contained several instruments. More often than not, all the instruments in that batch would have been the same model.

Spann's Guide shows FON 2542 as a batch of plain Style A's made in 1913. Those mandolins were most likely to have left the factory with natural tops, reddish brown back, sides, and neck, non-adjustable bridge with removable saddles, and elevated pickguard with a curlicue wrap around the bridge and a plastic support arm.

Great info! The thing that perplexes me is the top — it’s got dark spots over the “pumpkin” color which look too homogenous to be just dirt. It almost looks like it was a Sheraton brown that was sanded down, and they stopped when they realized the color was still deep enough to not come off. Yet the reddish color is completely gone.

[rcc56]

Sheraton Brown was not yet available when that instrument was made. It first appears around 1918 or 19. It may be that someone previously made an attempt at refinishing the instrument.

I've seen a few old instruments that have been re-worked 3 or 4 times over the years. Sometimes you have to forget about trying to figure out an instrument's history and set your sights on how best to save it instead.

[John Rosett]

If the dark spots are where the pickguard used to be, they may be from the pickgard going bad.

[MikeEdgerton]

That FON shows as a 1913 A in Spann's book. If you search the Archive it brings back 4 A's from 1915. There is a difference between what was thought to be the dates from the serial numbers and FON's and what the new dates appear to be after Joe's book came out. It was probably a batch of basic A models. Search using the FON as the Stamp Number in the Archive. That should get you an idea of what it might have looked like.

Also, if you really want the serial number they generally (but not always) can be found penciled in under the label. As the label has already been defaced and the mandolin isn't going to be original no matter what, you might consider removing the label. There is a Cafe member that has been known to print reproduction labels for situations like this on vintage paper.

Frank Ford details the removal of the label to expose the serial in this article on his website www.frets.com.

[Drew Streip]

Thanks Mike — I had read that and already thought about it, but wanted to get several opinions.

[Drew Streip]

If the dark spots are where the pickguard used to be, they may be from the pickgard going bad.

It still has the pickguard which is 95% intact, minus a little decay near the clamp! The spots are spread out evenly across the top.

[Ray(T)]

Drew- the one you link to in the Mandolin Archive is most definitely not the mandolin you have.

I can say this as the one on the archive is hanging on my dining room wall at this very moment. The Monroe signature had been removed before I bought it, I replaced the Shadow bridge/pickup with a more appropriate one-piece and it now has StewMac Restoration tuners.

Good luck in your search.

[Br1ck]

If my 1913 is any indication, you have a rewarding project to complete.

[MikeEdgerton]

...I can say this as the one on the archive is hanging on my dining room wall at this very moment...

One of the reasons I love the Cafe

[Ray(T)]

I’ve no idea how it reached the UK; The shop owner drank himself to death shortly afterwards.

The funny side was his response when I asked him what had happened to Monroe’s signature!!! How on earth did I know about that?

[Drew Streip]

Drew- the one you link to in the Mandolin Archive is most definitely not the mandolin you have.

I can say this as the one on the archive is hanging on my dining room wall at this very moment. The Monroe signature had been removed before I bought it, I replaced the Shadow bridge/pickup with a more appropriate one-piece and it now has StewMac Restoration tuners.

Good luck in your search.

Thanks Ray! It’s interesting to learn the history of not just the Gibson company but of each individual instrument. I’m hoping very much to have a stable, good looking, good sounding piece of history.

[Br1ck]

I always wonder who and how many owners my mandolin has had. I have a history going back to 1982 from receipts. What I'd love to know is who was the original owner, and what has been played on it through the years. From the excellent condition, it may have sat in the case a lot though there is no pick guard degradation.

While my musical tastes preclude it from being my only mandolin, it excels at playing O'Carolin and other old time and fiddle tunes. And gosh, my A1 is 106 years old.