Gibson mandolin 1930's ?

[Bert Deivert]

Hi

I was wondering if anybody recognizes this type of Gibson mandolin? The dealer I bought it from said he thought it was a 1930's, some sort of A-00 model possibly. I can find no serial number on it anywhere... Any way to identify it?

I can send more pics or put some up on the web if needed...

thanks!

Cheers
BERT

[Bert Deivert]

one more pic of headstock---

BERT

[wah]

Bert,

Does it have a flat back or a carved back?

I have an A-00 that I figure is a '34. It looks very much like that but has a pick guard, a flat back, and a factory order number on the inside back in red ink.

Wayne

[Bert Deivert]

Hi Wayne
thanks for the response. it is a flat back.I found 33 A stamped inside, with a red penned 11 after it... that is all.

thanks!
BERT

[Bert Deivert]

No pickguard came with this one, but there might have been one on originally...
BERT

[wah]

Mine has the numbers 1281 stamped on the inside back under the lower f-hole. According to the info I have the A-00 was built from 1933-43. In 1933 it was an oval hole, flat back, with the pickguard glued on the body. In 1934 It had f-holes with elevated pickguard. In 1936 they had a carved back. Only the top was bound until 1939 when they added binding to the back. In 1935 they started adding letters to the factory order numbers starting with A. So my guess is that yours is a '35 because the fon has that A in it (I don't think the 33 part of the number has anything to do with year). I think mine is a '34 because it has the older style fon.

Wayne

[wah]

By the way, it's a wonderful blues instrument.

Wayne

[Bert Deivert]

Thanks for the info Wayne!
actually I will be selling this one because I got a refrigerator white 1919 A-3 which I use for blues... wider fretboard and funkier!

[Paul Hostetter]

White mandolins always play blues better.

A-00 with a flat back and f-holes had to be '34 or '35.

[Bert Deivert]

Paul THANKS!

I am going to use your quote as a sig!!!
I see that you like Sobell guitars. I have one of his first ones, and have bought 3 instruments from him, including a mandolin, but this white Gibson kills the Sobell, for any kind of music.

cheers
BERT

[wah]

An A-3 can't play the blues - too high class. Ya need a funky flat back bottom of the line depression era Gibson to play da blues! Refrigerator white? "You can't play the blues in an air-conditioned room," (Blues Brothers)!
# #

Wayne

[Bert Deivert]

You call this HIGH CLASS??? THIS IS FUNKY!

cheers
BERT

[wah]

She's a beauty, Bert. I'll bet she sounds sweet. I was going to sell my '34 because I hadn't been playing it but my Pomeroy (#13) developed a crack by the f-hole. I had to send her back to Don for some doctoring. So out comes the '34 since I'm getting ready for a blues workshop with Rich DelGrosso. I really don't want to sell it now.

Wayne

[Bert Deivert]

Wayne, just finished recording a cut yesterday with it for an album. IT sounds great... I would love to go to a workshop with Rich Del Grosso! hope he gets to Sweden sometime... we don't get that many people coming over...

sorry to hear about the damage on the instruments... seems they just do that, especially in winter.

cheers
BERT