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Thread: Gibson A-50?

  1. #1
    Registered User Trader Todd's Avatar
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    Default Gibson A-50?

    This popped up locally for sale. Seller claims it is from the 50’s. I am assuming it is a Gibson A-50. Anybody have an idea what it might be worth? Is there anything exciting about the sound of this era of Gibson? I really don’t need another mandolin, but nothing exciting ever comes up for sale in my area.

    https://photos.app.goo.gl/A7BKrKSYKusXZQbq5

  2. #2

    Default Re: Gibson A-50?

    I had one once, worst mandolin I ever owned, the retailer refunded me and apologised.

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  4. #3

    Default Re: Gibson A-50?

    The mandolin has lost its original tuners which would help date it but 1950s is very likely and it is an A-50. Those Japanese tuners seem to be on upside down for reasons best known to whoever put them on. My assumption would be it had Kluson tuners that had button rot and these tuners were used but to fit with the existing holes they went in back to front- so the mandolin may tune backwards although it may be regular! If you can get to play it and find out about its tone/volume and playable nature or not, that would be best but it depends on the price. As already suggested the sound from these mandolins can be variable from bad to good, so checking it out would be a good idea unless it is going really cheaply. There was one on eBay that sold for $600 with an original hard case. https://www.ebay.com/itm/31420383586...p2047675.l2557

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  6. #4
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    Default Re: Gibson A-50?

    We don't see many A-50's in my corner of the world. I've only played a few, and most of those were unimpressive.

    However, I do remember playing one about 35 years ago that was a pretty good mandolin. From what I remember, it was an older block logo model, perhaps from sometime between the late 1940's and the mid '50's.

    For years, the standard asking prices for them were +/- $1200, depending on condition. People are trying to get a bit more these days, but I don't know if they are having any success. In that condition, I wouldn't go much more than $1000, and I would only consider it if it sounds quite good. I wouldn't buy it without playing it first.

    If it's local and you don't mind helping out the seller and gambling a set of strings, it couldn't hurt to take a look.

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  8. #5
    Registered User Jill McAuley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A-50?

    When I was first starting out on mandolin I bought a '60's Gibson A-50 on eBay for $500 - I blame the influence of "brand recognition" as I was a long time guitar player who'd had some nice Gibson acoustic and electric guitars in the past. The A-50 was pretty uninspiring and I think it only stuck around for about 3 weeks before I sold it and bought a nice Flatiron 2M pancake mandolin for about the same price that was a million times nicer to play.
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  10. #6
    Registered User Trader Todd's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A-50?

    Thanks for the responses. I reached out to the seller but it had already been sold. MAS cured again by outside forces.

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  12. #7
    Registered User William Smith's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A-50?

    Yeah, they were rather heavy in those days, the best are the 33-35ish A-50's with the elevated board! "IMHO-For awhile I thought 35 was the only year for the F-hole elevated board A-50's but I scored on a few 33's based on the FON#" I've had maybe 10 of them over the years and all were good some better than others, the best was a 33, as it may have been a prototype as it had awesome carving and was better voiced than many later 30's-40's F-5's. I should've kept it

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