Having, over the years, passed on several opportunities to own LL's, for various reasons, I have finally achieved my goal of purchasing a Lloyd-period Gibson. So... maybe not one LL paid much attention to... an A-Jr. (snakehead). He might have walked past it on his way to examine and sign an F5!
I've not found a great deal of information about the Jrs. (found what was in the Forum... still more details would be wonderful!)
I've struggled to clearly make out the identifying numbers in my mandolin. Best I can tell, the serial number is 70050 and the FON 11165. (both the numbers on the block and the label are obscured by age and wear.) The numbers don't seem to jibe with the reading I've done! They are somewhat in conflict, as 70050 would put it one number past Dan Beimborn’s own Jr. (a 1922 - I didn't know snakeheads were produced that early). The FON 11165 (which, on inspection) is a bit clearer, shows no relatives other than a Virzi - H5 [mandola] from 1924.
Incidentally, my Jr. is a natural front, sans stain! (It could have been refinished sometime in it’s life, I guess!; Tuners are not original. Bridge? New fret-board and frets.)
Any information I could glean would be gratefully received. (Loaned my Spann to a “friend”! It disappeared!)
Thanks! Rush
PS It’s a great player regardless of its pedigree!
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