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Thread: the 1940's at Gibson

  1. #1
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    Can anyone tell of what went on at Gibson in the early 1940's where it appears production decreased and serial numbers and the usual markings on some mandolins are non-existent?
    I have a 1942 to 1946 A-50 which has no neck block stamp, no pencil markings I can find, and no label. Small diamond and "Gibson" logo inlay paddlehead.
    I 've been content for awhile to know it's time frame alone, but am curious as to why Gibson, who usually serialized most everything along the way, did not (at least obviously) at this point in time.

    rasa
    just lately wondering who's the older of the two of us!

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    Registered User Tom C's Avatar
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    WWII

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    Thanks Tom. I'm old enough to remember the 40's and I'm not oblivious to the fact that that war may have created the basis of the situation. I was, however, seeking something a bit more specific. I was more interested in finding out if they were perhaps disorganized to the point where they had to drop certain documentation proceedure(s). Or if it is just this instrument (specific, model, year)? Just a little something further to go on in narrowing down that four year span.

    rasa

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    Registered User John Rosett's Avatar
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    gibson definately dropped the ball as far as documentation went during and after WWII. i used to have a southern jumbo guitar that was built shortly after the war. it had no markings of any kind, and i really searched. in my research i found many examples of gibson instruments from that era that left the factory without a single number on them.
    #you have to go by the "features" of the instrument to date it. for example, gibson dropped the script logo on the peghead sometime in 1947. sometimes, if an instrument sat around unsold, they would repaint the headstock and put the current logo on it. if it looks early 40's, but has a late 40's-early 50's logo, look at it from different angles, and you may see an older logo undernaeth. i don't think that gibson made many mandolins from '42 to '49, as they were recovering from the war and consentrating on guitars, which were better selling items.
    #there's alot of information on the web about gibson guitars, and you can get clues about your mando from that.
    #it's kinda fun trying to figure out the particulars of a vintage instruments. enjoy the hunt!
    # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # john
    can you post some pics?



    "it's not in bad taste, if it's funny" - john waters

  5. #5

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    I have an A-50 bell-shaped mandolin from, I think, around 1939 or 1940 with no marks on it. So, even though this mandolin wasn't a "budget" instrument, Gibson didn't serialize it.
    This A-50 widebody has Nick Lucas inlays but, instead of the usual Flower du Lisp headstock inlay, this one has a flowerpot like they put on earlier F models.

  6. #6
    Formerly F5JOURNL Darryl Wolfe's Avatar
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    rasa..you have a very fine question. #Usually the answer is a swift WWII, but that really does not shed the right amount of light on the situation. #This banjo at Elderly is just one of thousands of instrument examples from Gibson during that period that defy real explanation other than a simple disjointed unstructured period for the company. Even the serial number which is present in this case makes no sense compared to generally accepted numbering schemes that were in transition during the period.

    Elderly



    Darryl G. Wolfe, The F5 Journal
    www.f5journal.com

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    Thanks for checking in, Darryl. I figured you would understand the nature of the question.
    Walter Carter's research of the FON ledgers of that period is very instructive, although not conclusive. I would like to try and get the mandolin production figures, and destinations, for that time period as my next step. It is thought that few mandolins were produced then, but until I see the actual numbers, I really don't know what to believe, as there appear to be many interesting and unusual things going on during those years at Gibson.

    Here's a link to some of Mr. Carter's articles. here
    This is one of 5 articles (the others are in issues 3,4,5, and 6 of 1998.

    Sorry, no pics, john, but Charles at MWHQ has a 1946 that is almost identical to mine with his usual good pics. The back on mine is a bit more figured and the two pieces are well put together without the problem that one had. Also the inlay on mine is a little more precise, esp. the diamond.
    Xyzpup, your's sounds like a beauty!

    rasa




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