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Thread: Gibson A2Z

  1. #1
    Registered User zookster's Avatar
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    Default Gibson A2Z

    Hey mando community


    Recently picked up a 1924 A2Z, and now I know what all the buzz is about. What a wonderful mandolin, in many ways. After having owned many A models, the search is over. It's killer.

    Does anybody know of total production numbers for this model, since it was only available for two years? Just curious. An estimate is fine.

  2. #2
    Administrator Mandolin Cafe's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A2Z

    There is this information, the A2Z database search on Mandolin Archive. Of course they don't have all of the serial numbers, but it's a great resource.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Gibson A2Z

    When I got my A2Z in the 1970s I had no idea what the heck it was. Being the pre-innernet stoneage, I went to the resource everyone else did and called Mandolin Bros. Either Stan or Hap (I can't recall which) told me they hadn't seen many and offered that the Z likely indicated a natural finish top. I thought it somewhat strange that "the experts" were this uncertain, but accepted what I was told, until I started seeing more than a couple of Gibson snakehead mandolins marked A2Z with a black finish on the top. Can anyone definitively state what the Z indicates?
    too many strings

  4. #4
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A2Z

    While you're waiting here are a few threads to look at. It has been a journey of discovery on these as what was originally thought to be only natural finished tops has changed. Here's a description from Dan Beinborn the proprietor of the Mandolin Archive:

    https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...354-Gibson-A2Z

    And here is every thread with the mention of A2Z on the Cafe.

    https://www.google.com/search?client...ncafe.com#ip=1

    As for Stan and Company and the rest of the early experts in the field, they only knew what they saw. They didn't have the benefit of linking together with thousands of other people. In the years I've been here I've seen several Gibson models that didn't previously exist suddenly pop out from under someone's bed and we've discovered what the letters L and G meant as well. We stand on the shoulders of giants and recognize all of the people that started amassing this great data set regarding mandolins.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

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