Re: Crack~say it isn't so!
My 1913 A1 is crack free with astonishingly little wear. Everything is original and intact except the case has been replaced. I had been looking at old Gibsons for a while and decided I wanted an inlaid logo, which meant A1 or above. When one showed up at my favorite store, I decided to pay top dollar for it and never looked back. I could have bought a mandolin with no pick guard, non original tuners and a repaired crack or two for around half and had the same playing experience, but opted for clean and trouble free.
So it really depends on what you want. To me a white A 3 that hasn't had paint worn to bare wood just looks wrong to me. To others it would be a negotiation. But do pay attention to top sink or other structural problems and pay accordingly. I have no problem with mandolins with repaired areas, especially if I know they were done at a shop I trust. That is why I'd consider paying more for a mandolin repaired at Gryphon or Elderly, or other top shop.
Silverangel A
Arches F style kit
1913 Gibson A-1
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