GUITAR TRASH OR TREASURE
BLUE BOOK PUBLICATIONS
Gibson Mandolin
Hey Zach,
I’ve read your article many times in the
past, and I feel like you might be able to
provide me with some assistance. My grandfather passed away several years ago and
one of the items my parents ended up with
was an old Gibson mandolin. There are no
markings on the mandolin itself, including
on the headstock. The only information is
on the inside with the numbers 24XXX. I’m
trying to get some information on it, including the model name and the current value.
Can you help me and my parents out?
Thanks,
Rick in Detroit, Michigan
Hey Rick,
As unusual as this might seem, I answer many
questions regarding instruments in the estates
of family members. I recommend documenting all musical instruments (as well as any
important artifacts) and designating what
should happen to them when a loved one
passes away. I see this much too often, and
without proper documentation it can really
turn into a mess. I really dislike hearing about
how a certain musical instrument was either
sold for little to nothing, or thrown away
because the family didn’t know what it was.
Mandolins are a common estate item today
since they were so popular during the early
20th century (many people who have passed
away in recent years grew up during this era).
Let’s start with a little history about Gibson
mandolins. It may surprise readers that Gibson
started out as a mandolin manufacturer—
guitars didn’t come into their line until several
years later. Founder Orville H. Gibson settled
in Kalamazoo, Michigan in the early 1880s,
and by 1896 he was listed in Kalamazoo’s
directory as a musical instrument manufacturer (Gibson’s first year of production is generally accepted as 1894). In the early 1900s,
five men from Kalamazoo invested in Gibson’s
business in order to help it grow. At this point,
Gibson became more of a designer/consultant
rather than president. He became less interested in the Gibson company, and was also
sick for most of the 1910s. In 1918, Orville
H. Gibson passed away, but the inspiration
he left for Gibson guitars and mandolins was
clearly growing.
esting story, it became increasingly popular
during the late 19th century. Another important note, Gibson is responsible for coming up
with the A- and F-style mandolins—the two
most popular designs in the mandolin world.
Gibson’s most important design element is
the one-piece back and sides (most mandolin
backs up to this point had been constructed
of many small strips glued together). Gibson
also experimented with many other designs,
such as accessible fingerboards, partially hollowed necks, and violin-style soundboards. His
main goal was to make the mandolin easier
to play, while at the same time improving the
vibrations within the instrument. Gibson truly
changed the mandolin world.
Your mandolin features an A-style body
typically referred to as “pear shaped,” and
it appears to be the Model A. It features a
graduated spruce top with ivoroid binding,
an oval soundhole, maple back and sides,
a mahogany neck, a 20-fret ebony fingerboard with pearl dot inlays, a standard headstock with no logo, four-per-side tuners, an
engraved tailpiece, and a raised pickguard. It
was finished with a “Sheraton Brown” top and
darker brown back and sides.
was built in 1915; at the time it was Gibson’s
entry-level model (that’s not to say it wasn’t
built with quality components). Gibson gave
their models higher numbers to designate a
fancier design. For instance, a model A- 4 will
have better bindings and inlays than a Model
A- 2. The Model A sits at the bottom, with
basic appointments. According to the picture,
it appears to be in low excellent condition
and is currently valued between $1,500 and
$1,800.
Gibson’s other main design was the F-style
body, featuring a scrolled body and headstock
along with body carvings and typically more
ornate inlays and appointments. As Gibson’s
designs improved, their mandolins (and other
instruments, typically) are worth more the
newer they are. In 1919, luthier Lloyd Loar
came to work for Gibson, and during the mid-twenties he built/designed some of the finest
Gibson instruments ever produced. Today,
Loar’s F- 5 mandolin is often considered the
holy grail of mandolins.
Gibson is now known mostly for building
electric guitars, but they still offer a variety of
mandolins, which are produced in the acoustic Bozeman, Montana shop. Although your
mandolin is not the most valuable Gibson
mandolin today, it is truly a great player (for
those who know how to play!) and it should
generate some interest in the collectible market if you (or your parents) ever decide to sell
it. Your grandpa may have never known the
treasure he had!
Sources: Walter Carter, Gibson Guitars 100
Years of an American Icon, and Gibson’s circa-
1912 catalog.
Zachary R. Fjestad
is the author of the Blue Book of Acoustic Guitars, Blue
Book of Electric Guitars, and the Blue Book of Guitar
Amplifiers.
Questions can be submitted to:
Blue Book Publications
Attn: Guitar Trash or Treasure
8009 34th Ave. S. Ste #175
Minneapolis, MN 55425
800-877-4867
bluebookinc.com
guitars@bluebookinc.com
