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#1
07-28-2022, 03:27 PM
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New Vintage Mandolin Day
I while back I posted about my new Gibson F5G mando that I got, which I love, and may be the best mandolin I've ever played, but before I got that mandolin, I was searching for a vintage A model oval soundhole. It was only a half hearted attempt, because most of the ones that I was looking at weren't in very good shape, and I worried about the playability of those, and also about things like loose braces and seam separations. But I really like the sound of those oval hole mandos so I kept one eye open so to say. And just the other day, a nice one popped up on reverb, a 1917 Gibson A1, and man was it in good condition. The price was a bit higher than the typical teen era A1, but the guy accepted a little lower offer that I made. I just got it yesterday, and I like it. It's all original, and it's in excellent condition (the seller called it mint, but that was a stretch). No seam separations or loose braces, and a very stable neck! The thing that caught me by surprise was how well it played. Seems like the mandos were crafted to a higher standard than some in the modern era. And it sounds the way I wanted, a nice warm, yet clear, medium volume mando. I love how the old wood seems to resonate so clearly.
Here it is...     
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#3
07-29-2022, 04:07 AM
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Nice! The stories it might tell.
Bob
__________________
"It is said, 'Go not to the elves for counsel for they will say both no and yes.' " Frodo Baggins to Gildor Inglorion, The Fellowship of the Ring THE MUSICIAN'S ROOM (my website)
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#5
07-29-2022, 09:54 AM
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I got the bug after hearing my friend's 1915 A1!
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#6
07-29-2022, 11:47 AM
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What a beauty, I'll bet it sounds great. I'm always amused at ads for mandolins like this that take the extra step to note that it's "used". Like there is new old stock of 100+ year old mandolins!
__________________
"I go for a lotta things that's a little too strong" J.L. Hooker
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#7
07-29-2022, 01:19 PM
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Looks like my 1913 A1. Yes, condition is all over the place on these, so finding a player with no pickgard and some rough finish is not too hard or expensive. Mine is just about perfect. If you haven't already, bounce some light off the top at an angle. Likely you'll see the most amazing finish checking ever. So fine, you'll need to really look for it. When you change strings, you will likely have a LOT of backlash in the tuners. Don't worry, when brought up to pitch, they'll probably hold fine.
Learn some slow old Irish tunes on it. I paid top dollar for mine at Gryphon. Condition can have them as low as $1000 for a player. Double that for excellent.
__________________
2007 Martin D 35 Custom 1970 Guild D 35 1965 Epiphone Texan 2011 Santa Cruz D P/W Pono OP 30 D parlor Pono OP12-30 Pono MT uke Goldtone Paul Beard squareneck resophonic Fluke tenor ukulele Boatload of home rolled telecasters "Shut up and play ur guitar" Frank Zappa
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#9
07-30-2022, 11:05 AM
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#10
07-30-2022, 01:32 PM
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#11
07-30-2022, 04:59 PM
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Yes, my '13 is like playing another instrument altogether. You run out of real estate on the neck too, and the flat fingerboard is different too. Mine did get wider frets though, and I find them more playable than the smaller ones.
I do think the snakeheads sound better, but these days the buy in is $2k +.
__________________
2007 Martin D 35 Custom 1970 Guild D 35 1965 Epiphone Texan 2011 Santa Cruz D P/W Pono OP 30 D parlor Pono OP12-30 Pono MT uke Goldtone Paul Beard squareneck resophonic Fluke tenor ukulele Boatload of home rolled telecasters "Shut up and play ur guitar" Frank Zappa
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#12
08-02-2022, 05:38 AM
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Looks good!
I've got a 1916 A0 (no logo on the peghead). Not the easiest instrument to play, but a very different sound from an f-hole mando. D.H. Last edited by Dave Hicks; 08-02-2022 at 08:26 AM.
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#13
08-02-2022, 12:24 PM
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