Gibson a century

**sean parker** · Sep-02-2007, 4:59am

Hello. I'm a big fan of the Gibson L-Century of Progress guitars. I seriously regret not buying one a year or two back, when there were a couple around on the internet in good cond for a reasonable price.

I just noticed in an article, that there was a A Century mandolin, apparently with the same "mother of toilet seat" headstock. Did it have the same "mother of toilet seat" fretboard? Does anyone own one out there? Got a photo? Hoping to check it out. Thanks.

**Jim Garber** · Sep-02-2007, 7:04am

I don't have one but the National Music Museum does.

Jim

**sean parker** · Sep-03-2007, 12:19am

hey thanks. looks excellent. do you or does anyone have any experience playing one or has heard one? i imagine it'd sound like most A ovals but the pearloid fretboard must make some kind of difference, and the L-Cs apparently sound good.

**Jim Garber** · Sep-03-2007, 6:27am

I had played one many years ago but was not overly impressed more than I would be for any 1930s Gibson.

I have an L-C guitar and it is a nice one tho I prefer the warmer sound of my mahogany backed L-00 from the same period. The pearloid also makes it more dicey for fret jobs I am told by my luthier.

Jim

**sean parker** · Sep-03-2007, 9:47am

jim, what's the L-C? maple? I have a '39 HG-00 or 0 (not sure which) that's mahogany backed. it's one of my faves and sounds wonderful.

that's really interesting re: pearloid making fret jobs difficult.

**Charles Johnson** · Sep-03-2007, 11:49am

Sean,
There were actually four Century of Progress Instruments - a mandolin, a archtop guitar, and two flattops, one conventional and one a Hawaiian setup. The guitars are L00 size with maple back and sides. From the web:

"In 1933 Chicago hosted the Century of Progress International Exhibition. This commemorated the 100 years that had elapsed since its incorporation in 1833. In the middle of the Great Depression, the 1933 to 1934 Century of Progress exhibition attracted 48 million visitors.

Gibson sought to capitalize on this event, focusing on the exhibition's emphasis on scientific progress. Gibson unveiled two instruments in 1933 that were decorated with "pearloid", a celluloid plastic which had the look of pearl. The L-Century guitar and A-Century mandolin featured pegheads and fingerboards covered with this material often called "mother-of-toilet-seat" (since it was not "mother-of-pearl", and this celluloid was often used for toilet seat covers during the 1950s). Gibson produced these Century instruments from 1933 to 1941."

I have a LC for sale right now. Appointments are the same as the mandolin. You can see pics at:
http://www.vintagemandolin.com/38gibsoncentury_nsn.html

Best regards,
Charles Johnson
Mandolin World Headquarters, Inc.
www.vintagemandlin.com

**Jim Garber** · Sep-03-2007, 5:39pm

Hi Charles:
Mine is one year older 1937.

Jim

**Michael Gowell** · Sep-03-2007, 6:24pm

Wow, 70 years old and immaculate!

**jim_n_virginia** · Sep-03-2007, 7:37pm

wow! beautiful instruments!

**sean parker** · Sep-04-2007, 4:30am

charles, thanks for the info. i knew about the hawaiins but not the mandos and the archtop - what was the archtop based on? L-Cs are great. i wonder who R M F E is?

jim, amazing L-C. lovely. as maine michael says; immaculate.

i don't own a L-C, but i do have a converted '39 HG-00. snappy little guitar.

**Fretbear** · Sep-04-2007, 3:11pm

Norman Blake has a matched "Century" mandolin & guitar#set, and plays the guitar frequently.

**sean parker** · Sep-05-2007, 8:03am

norman blake is the boss.

**Ken Sager** · Sep-05-2007, 8:24am

I remember the last Mandofest did a tasting and a Century mando stole the show. It sounded amazing. Here's a link to the sound clips and responses from folks:

http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin....century

Best,
Ken

**sean parker** · Sep-06-2007, 6:59am

thanks ken, but alas, i have no sound on my pc.

**Ken Sager** · Sep-06-2007, 10:37am

No sound on your PC?!?! That's so 90's workplace!

Nonetheless, you should make friends with someone who does and is willing to burn a disk for you... or, better yet, contact Ken Cartwright (Mando Medic on the cafe message board) and ask for a 2005 mando-tasting CD.

Best,
Ken

**sean parker** · Sep-08-2007, 3:07am

ken, i have a sound card and all that, but the amplifier died about five years back #

# and i haven't gotten around replacing it. i don't know what happened to the speakers.....somewhere....

# ....

thanks, i'll explore alternative means!.......and i read the review of your cd - great! i'm sure i've seen that album somewhere other than jazzmando....hmmm...anyway, i'd love to check it out.

**Jim Garber** · Sep-14-2007, 7:28pm

There is one in the classifieds for some serious money.

I dunno... I played one many years ago and I felt it did not compare to 1920s Gibsons. Then again... i may feel differently now.

That price is higher than an A2Z. Yikes.

Jim

**MikeEdgerton** · Sep-14-2007, 7:31pm

I have a feeling that somebody real serious will have to step up for the one in the classifieds. They aren't totally extinct, they do come up now and then.

By the way Jim, nice strap. I have one of those that was case candy with my Strad-O-Lin. It was never attached to the mandolin.

**Larry S Sherman** · Sep-14-2007, 8:00pm

There's a guitar/mando set in a store near me in MA (NFI).

**Jim Garber** · Sep-14-2007, 8:08pm

Originally Posted by (MikeEdgerton @ Sep. 14 2007, 20:31)

By the way Jim, nice strap. I have one of those that was case candy with my Strad-O-Lin. It was never attached to the mandolin.

Mine also came with a 1933 Century of Progress exposition pamphlet and the original red-line hardshell case as well as the "strap."

Jim

**Jim Garber** · Sep-14-2007, 8:10pm

Originally Posted by (larrydata @ Sep. 14 2007, 21:00)

There's a guitar/mando set in a store near me in MA (NFI).

That is a nice set and a bargain, esp considering that the classifieds one is almost the price for both.

Jim

**MikeEdgerton** · Sep-14-2007, 8:15pm

I'd say that the duo is about what you'd expect for a retail price.

Nice snag on that guitar. That's a keeper.

**BBarton** · Sep-20-2007, 4:15pm

The National Music Museum at University of South Dakota (see earlier post for link) has the mando along with an L-C guitar and an HG-C guitar. #Good pictures and descriptions of all three once you get to the right links (try the museum's catalog listings). #Thay also have lots of other cool stuff to peruse through.

**Jim Garber** · Sep-20-2007, 9:53pm

I know it is not a mandolin but I do have this old postcard of Bashful Glenn and his L-C guitar.

**Mando Medic** · Sep-23-2007, 10:30pm

There was one played at the 2005 Mandofest owned by a friend of Scott T's and if I remember correctly, it was owned by someone from his home town. It did indeed steal the show. What a great sounding and looking instrument. Kenc