Thoughts on 1924 Gibson A-4 snakehead mandolin

[swampthing]

First off - I am definitely an amateur mandolin. I enjoy and appreciate finely made "things" of all sorts. Of all the mandolins that I have seen, the 1924 A-4 is my favorite. This one is available at Elderly:

https://www.elderly.com/catalog/prod...n/category/97/

Any thoughts from yall is appreciated. I don't live anywhere close to Michigan and going to Elderly in person isn't an option.

Thanks!

[William Smith]

Well the busted Virzi is a bummer?

[allenhopkins]

Elderly's an honest dealer, with good customer support.

Having said that, if you can't get to MI, I wouldn't spend $5K on an instrument I couldn't play first. I'm sure they'll give you a trial period, though I don't know what the financial arrangements are if you decide to return it ("re-stocking fee?").

There ain't a lot of snakehead A-4's flooding the market, so if your heart's set on one, it's hard to pass one up. But I'd be super jittery about laying out that kind of buxx sight unseen, and sound unplayed.

Let us know what you decide.

[rcc56]

I believe Elderly has an approval and return policy on vintage instruments. Buyer has a couple of days to examine the instrument, and if he/she does not want it, pays shipping both ways, otherwise a full refund with no re-stocking fee.

The down side of buying on approval these days is that shipping costs a lot more than it used to.

Actually, in the last few years, I've seen quite a lot of snakehead A-4's on the market. I count a total of 6 for sale right now at the better known shops, plus a couple more on Reverb.

[John Bertotti]

Three of my favorite instruments were bought without me seeing them first the 000-18GE '37 burst was ordered because it had specs I had asked for in a CS guitar and their reply was if I could live with a burst that guitar was to my specs 100% for a 3k savings. I was in like Flint. And I will always appreciate their honesty and saving me 3K. My Oldwave A was a special order as well, sometimes you have to take a leap of faith. What little that video says to me makes me think if I had 5K to burn I would certainly take a chance on it. I agree about the virizi though, too bad it's not whole but then again who knows maybe that mod is giving it the great tone I bet this one has. But unless you have to have an Old Gibson I would consider some modern builders. I think my Old Wave would hold its own against that A4 and with a modern builder you have a bit of input if you commission an instrument from them.

[pops1]

Elderly will make a video of the mandolin you want and email it to you. With some headphones or good speakers you can at least get and idea of the sound.

[pheffernan]

Elderly will make a video of the mandolin you want and email it to you. With some headphones or good speakers you can at least get and idea of the sound.

There is a video on the Elderly page:

[JeffD]

If I were spending $5000 plus on a mandolin, I would be tempted to spend a little more and fly out to see it.

[Timbofood]

I think the embedded sound bite is pretty good, I might have appreciated a little bit more including the lower courses but,it sounds pretty good to me.
If it’s a model that really gets your juices going, buy it!
If you get it home and you are “disenchanted” send it back. Pretty easy these days.
I like it.

[LadysSolo]

Looks like it is in good shape and sounds pretty good to me in that sound clip. If you get it, let us know!

[jimmy powells]

I think Elderly are great to deal with (from my experience buying from the UK) but reading your post I can't think why you'd want to pay $5250 for a Gibson A model when there are quite a few old clean Gibson A styles advertised form time to time on the Cafe at $1200 upwards.

The Snakehead thing seems to put a major mark up on the price but I honestly can't see it sounding any better than a normal A style. I've had 27 Gibson mandolins so some experience there. You could get a lovely F4 for that.

I'm sure Elderly would have better buys because the snakehead thing just doesn't wash with me.

Best of luck

[John Bertotti]

I think Elderly are great to deal with (from my experience buying from the UK) but reading your post I can't think why you'd want to pay $5250 for a Gibson A model when there are quite a few old clean Gibson A styles advertised form time to time on the Cafe at $1200 upwards.

The Snakehead thing seems to put a major mark up on the price but I honestly can't see it sounding any better than a normal A style. I've had 27 Gibson mandolins so some experience there. You could get a lovely F4 for that.

I'm sure Elderly would have better buys because the snakehead thing just doesn't wash with me.

Best of luck

I’m with you in this but Instead I would go modern maker, some of these guys are making miler snake heads!

[J.Albert]

For that kind of money you could have Tom Ellis build you a custom oval version of his deluxe A model.

Will probably sound as good (maybe better), plus it's brand-new construction.

[pops1]

I would be glad to compare sound of any snake to my '22 paddle head. It has a truss rod and most Loar improvements except the wide fingerboard and paddle head. I haven't heard any better.

[Darryl Wolfe]

This is a reasonable price for this. It just needs a few parts to complete it nicely. I recently sold one of mine for considerably more.

Those tuners are period correct, but I do not think they came on it

[Br1ck]

Just wondering, is an A2z thought as more or less desirable than the A4?

I've seen a few for around $6k.

[rcc56]

Just wondering, is an A2z thought as more or less desirable than the A4?

I've seen a few for around $6k.

Are they selling?

Right now, it seems to me I see prices like that on both snakehead A-4's and A-2 Z's, but they are not selling quickly. And I don't know how much they are actually selling for when they do sell.

[rcc56]

For 6k, you can get a really nice F-4.

Or you can get one that's not perfect, but still pretty nice, and have enough left over for a worn but serviceable plain A.

For $5250, you would still have enough for the pretty nice F-4, with maybe a couple hundred left over.

Right now, there are 9 F-4's in Nashville ranging from $4900 to $6000. 5 are at Gruhn's and 4 are at Carter Vintage. One is a rare blonde. Both stores offer an approval policy, you pay the shipping costs, no re-stocking fee.

But if you just love the look of a snakehead A-4, Elderly has a good reputation that is well-earned.

[Mandoplumb]

For $5250 you could buy a fairly reliable used car but that is NOT what the OP wanted. Maybe it's hard for some to believe but some of us prefer ban A style.

[mandotool]

you could get a lot of things.. but they wont play or sound like a Loar period A-4 snakehead ...
A hard maple backed Loar period A-4 snakehead is the most highly evolved and perfected round hole A style mandolin Gibson produced ....IMHO...

[Br1ck]

Gryphon has had at least two very clean A2Zs in the last year or two. I go by about every two months, and I've never seen one twice.

[carleshicks]

I played that A4 at Elderly last week, it is incredible. You should buy it.

[Timbofood]

Nice to hear you liked it Carles.

[Jim Garber]

I have played quite a few snakehead A-4's and A-2z's and have yet to find one that wasn't exceptional. And they do sound different than pre-snakehead Gibsons though there are some fine ones from that era also.

[Glassweb]

I have played quite a few snakehead A-4's and A-2z's and have yet to find one that wasn't exceptional. And they do sound different than pre-snakehead Gibsons though there are some fine ones from that era also.

I recently bought one of the new, block-inlay, acoustic-electric Eastman MD604s from The Mandolin Store. All I can say is WOW! Anyone looking for an oval-hole, A model mandolin should check one of these out. Beyond impressive... and way under $1K including a fantastic violin-style case that alone is worth $150 bucks.... unreal deal...