It clearly has an F-style body. The only thing I can think of is the scroll isn't fully cut out and looks flat. Why is this considered an A-5? Or is it just mislabeled?
https://www.chicagomusicexchange.com...-used/30265613
It clearly has an F-style body. The only thing I can think of is the scroll isn't fully cut out and looks flat. Why is this considered an A-5? Or is it just mislabeled?
https://www.chicagomusicexchange.com...-used/30265613
They are referred to as Lump Scroll models or Gumby's. For whatever reason Gibson gave them the A model designation. There's also a model with an oval sound hole. I think it was the A-12. It is not mislabeled.
You can scroll through some past threads here.
Gibson also put out one second line model (a Cromwell) in the thirties with a lump scroll.
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
The Cromwell is an F-hole and missing the lower body point! Pretty sweet and rare with about 7 made!
Jim
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Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
Google Gumby the claymation character. That may explain the nickname.
JBovier ELS; Epiphone MM-50 VN; Epiphone MM-40L; Gretsch New Yorker G9310; Washburn M1SDLB;
Fender Nashville Deluxe Telecaster; Squier Modified Vintage Cabronita Telecaster; Gretsch 5420T; Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat: Washburn Banjo B9; Ibanez RB 5string; Ibanez RB 4 string bass
Pedalboard for ELS: Morley Cry baby Miniwah - Tuner - EHX Soul Food Overdrive - EHX Memory Toy analog Delay
Fender Blues Jr Tweed; Fender Greta;
I imagine these Gumby 60's Gibson's could be modified and made to sound and play 100% better! I bet the long neck round hole one shown above could sound very interesting redone? I just wonder how much meat is in those tops and backs? Has anyone ever modified one of these Gumby's and explained it here on the café forum by chance? I sure would like to read that read if its been done? I think interesting. well any of these say 50's-even 70's convert jobs as I know what can be done to them and most all that I've played/owned/or heard with a few exceptions have all been a load better!
My first Gibson mandolin was the oval hole gumby, it sounded like a brick with strings on it. No volume, and harsh & brash were it's redeeming tonal qualities. Thankfully, I've since learned what a decent mandolin should sound like, this definitely was not it. I did see an F hole one in a pawn/music shop in Prairie Village, KS in the late 90s that sounded great and played really well. It was obvious that the back had been off at some point, rather crudely done. In hindsight I'm sure some major re-graduations and other work had been done to it. It was only $600.00, I kind of wish I had bought it, just for the perverse fun I could have had blowing the minds of people who know about these instruments with how good this particular one sounded.
OK, I did have it backwards.
Lumpy Oval hole = A5
Lumpy F holes = A12
Here is a thread where someone converted an A12 to an F style. This isn't the thread I was thinking about so there is at least one more.
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
I knew a guy, now passed into the larger life, that had a box of parts for an A-12 who had it built with a full scroll I believe it had been inlaid...
Wait for it...
“A Gibson”
It actually wasn’t bad at all but, certainly not one bit as originally intended or much of anything else,
Timothy F. Lewis
"If brains was lard, that boy couldn't grease a very big skillet" J.D. Clampett
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