I have had this instrument since 1984, music store said '76 model, so it was NOS. I haven't seen another one like it. Any help with possible value?
I have had this instrument since 1984, music store said '76 model, so it was NOS. I haven't seen another one like it. Any help with possible value?
yeap, the old 70's lumpy scroll (some call them the mickey mouse ears model). This A5 replaced the previous A5 which had the 2 points on it with the red cherryburst finish. Even in great minty condition I don't see it being over $1500. But it is a real Gibson made in the mid 70's when they fired all the old luthiers and hired some space aliens to make them up until 1978 when they went back to building a better mandolin. They sound like an old F4 sorta.
"They sound like an old F4 sorta."
Yah, sorta... I'd much rather have an old F4!
I think there's a lump scroll A-12 in the classifieds right now. It's the same as yours only with F holes. They have been called the Gumby model here as well. As far as the value goes the F5's from that era usually don't bring a huge amount of money so these are not going to be seen as world beaters. Tom's probably right about the value.
Here are two links to many many discussions:
https://www.google.com/search?client...4dUDCAo&uact=5
https://www.google.com/search?client...4dUDCAo&uact=5
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
I've played a few of these that actually sounded quite good and they all had very nice, Loar-tapered necks... very comfy in the hand.
My friend Wayne Fugate has played a Smart mandolin for many years. You can hear some samples here.
Lawrence came here (about an hour north of New York City about 12 years or so ago and showed off a few of his creations. Very nice mandolins for sure.
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
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
I'm pretty sure Jim posted this in the wrong thread.
Last edited by MikeEdgerton; Feb-15-2020 at 11:35pm.
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
Last edited by MikeEdgerton; Feb-15-2020 at 11:36pm.
WWW.THEAMATEURMANDOLINIST.COM
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"Life is short. Play hard." - AlanN
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HEY! The Cafe has Social Groups, check 'em out. I'm in these groups:
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- Advice For Mandolin Beginners
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Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
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
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
Freudian slip?
Loar LM-370
“The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between.” ― Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Overdubbed now
WWW.THEAMATEURMANDOLINIST.COM
----------------------------------
"Life is short. Play hard." - AlanN
----------------------------------
HEY! The Cafe has Social Groups, check 'em out. I'm in these groups:
Newbies Social Group | The Song-A-Week Social
The Woodshed Study Group | Blues Mando
- Advice For Mandolin Beginners
- YouTube Stuff
Thanks for all the replies to this post; I'm much more informed now. I will probably put it up for sale, perhaps the Fishman bridge PU will add value to help it move. I'm interested in a quality mandola next.
Here's a pic of my other mandolin:
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
Timothy F. Lewis
"If brains was lard, that boy couldn't grease a very big skillet" J.D. Clampett
In the early 1980s, although I had owned 2 Gibson oval holes, I always fancied a scroll model Gibson and this was the nearest I could get at the time. I bought it from an Italian Ice Cream seller, John Valente from Sunderland, Tune & Wear. It never sounded great and, like many others, I never really rated it. However, several years ago I went to a concert in the Isle of Arran, off the west coast of Scotland. The main guest was Eric Bogle, of Green Fields of France and Waltzing Matilda fame and his playing partner John Munro was playing one of these Gibson 'Mickey Mouse' Mandolins. He had a pick up in it and it was one of the best amplified mandolins I've ever heard.
I thought the mandolin was overbuilt so no doubt the lack of overtones etc resulted in no feedback. Anyway- it sounded great.
I have seen many but sadly never heard one that sounded like it deserved the name on the headstock. To quote Forrest Gump, "sometimes people (Gibson in this case) do things that just don't make no sense."
Sam Lyman
Moscow, Idaho
My CD: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/samlyman
My YouTube videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdf...A_Ph_qw/videos
I can see using an overbuilt mandolin for amplifying with a pickup. It makes sense to me.
THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!
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