Re: Gibson A5
I have a Montana-built A-5G from 1992. It looks exactly like the one in the photo, so since the photo matches the actual instrument for sale what you're looking at is what was called "A-5G" during the Montana days and "A-5" when it got to Nashville.
There were changes made upon arriving in Nashville. I'm not sure of the exact timing. Certainly a couple of years later the graduations of the top and the neck and such had been updated. If this one is labeled 1998 it may be one of the ones under construction before the move that were finished up as soon as they got to Nashville. That's not necessarily a bad thing but by some folk's reckoning it might be less desirable than either an A-5G from a couple years earlier or a A-5 from a couple years later.
The price seems quite dear in my opinion. Places in USA like Elderly sell the early-90's ones in good but not perfect condition for around US$1,500-US$1,750 and if shopping in America I myself would not give any more than that for a 1998 move-to-Nashville one. But it's probably a very nice mandolin, I certainly like my 1992 A-5G a lot!
The first man who whistled
thought he had a wren in his mouth.
He went around all day
with his lips puckered,
afraid to swallow.
--"The First" by Wendell Berry
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