# Instruments and Equipment > Videos, Pictures & Sound Files >  I love me an a5

## bradeinhorn

let's see some A5 mandos!

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## Lee

Poor resolution. Any guesses?

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## djweiss

This one has been here before...but you asked; 2002 Newson A5:

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## David Horovitz

1989 Gibson A-5L

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## Brad Weiss

Always happy to oblige!! 

Oh! It's a Mowry #21, Valentine's Day '07

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## mandolooter

Its been awhile since I posted a pic of this mandolin...1979 R L Givens A5

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## sboneill

Here is my MT2. She been driven pretty hard but plays like a dream and sounds fantastic!!  -Scott

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## cooper4205

1987 Flatiron A5-Jr. pre-Gibson, signed by Carlson. best $600 i have ever spent!

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## pickinNgrinnin

December 99 Gibson A5-L, signed by Charlie.

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## Eric F.

2005 Arches:

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## jasona

2002 Laura Ratcliff

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## Gibson A5

Here is my 1964 Gibson A5
Bill P.

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## Jim Garber

1983 Flatiron A5-2, one of the early ones.

Jim

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## BassGuy

My 83' A5-1, a true Hoss that moves lots of air.

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## BassGuy

Picture

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## Hans

My favorite piece of quilt!

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## BassGuy

70's ODE A-5, mature vintage tone

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## fatt-dad

It's the Gruhn photo of my 84 A5-1. I have many others, but they're just too big to post with out resizing and I'm still waiting for my coffee. . . . 

I love this mandolin (nice brother BassGuy)

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## BassGuy

My Nugget Tim Obrien #19, special mandolins

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## BassGuy

I love my A-5's. Here is my old Tucker A-5 prototype now owned by another happy cafe member. I miss it bad.

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## BassGuy

Headstock of Tucker

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## BassGuy

And the Stiver that is also in the hands of another Cafe member.

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## BassGuy

I apologize for using up so much bandwidth. I don't post much, but the A-5's get me going. Thanks,

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## Lane Pryce

Tracy don't apologize keep em coming!! You and Lee definitely have it going on with the A5s. I'll get a pic of Mowry up shortly. Lp

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## mandopete

It appears that the term "A-5" designates and an A style body shape with F holes. What is the standard term for a A style body with an oval hole?

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## bradeinhorn

a, a0, a1, a2, a3, a4
also sometimes ajr, sometimes jrs have f holes.
also a5 can be a two point with oval hole.

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## Lane Pryce

> What is the standard term for a A style body with an oval hole?


How bout jes an ole A hole!!     Lp

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## fatt-dad

My ol' Stiver went to a fellow Cafe member (I decided to keep the A5-1). I really, really liked that Stiver A5! Nice collection BassGuy~!

f-d

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## mandopete

> Originally Posted by  (mandopete @ May 17 2007, 10:01)
> 
> What is the standard term for a A style body with an oval hole?
> 
> 
> How bout jes an ole A hole!!  # # # Lp


Bada Boom!

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## Lane Pryce

Here is my Mowry A5. Lp

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## mandopete

Can I play too? 

Fletcher Brock A-somethingorother...

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## BassGuy

Thanks FD and Shayne, my old Flatiron A5-1 has seen quite a few mandolins come and go. It has ran off several high end F-5's. Something special about those early Flatirons.

I like the Newson and the Mowry. 

Shayne, when can I come and visit that Dudenbostel again?

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## mandopete

> Something special about those early Flatirons.


You can say that again, especially the Carlson flatties!

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## Chip Booth

My old '23 A4. This went to a cafe member.

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## Chip Booth

My old '83 Carlson Flatiron A5-2. I believe this is for sale at Intermountain in Salt Lake. Someone should buy it. I traded it for an '85 Carlson F5.

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## hanknc

Yo!

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## Chip Booth

Fletcher Brock holding up my Brentrup 21V at Wintergrass this year. Both those guys sure can make a nice mandolin! Fletcher's octaves just kill me every time.

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## Chip Booth

Chad Fadley's Gilchrist A4. What a mandolin! Best oval hole I have ever played.

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## Chip Booth

My '24 A Jr and my cat Skank.

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## fatt-dad

Now that the old oval hole Gibsons have made an appearance, the floodgates are open. There's no end to these. . . . .


Back to the topic at hand: The poor man's monster MIJ KM-250s. Never should have sold it. . . . 

f-d

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## kyken

here's one of Laura's A's.

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## kyken

back......

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## kyken

the head......

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## mandopete

> Chad Fadley's Gilchrist A4. #What a mandolin! #Best oval hole I have ever played.


Hey, I gotta copyright on that photo doncha know!

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## oldwave maker

Someday soon I'll get me a real mando, in the meantime 321 and 400 will have to do.....

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## Russ Jordan

here's one I regret selling, John Sullivan "The Angel"

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## Russ Jordan

german spruce top

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## Russ Jordan

quilted big leaf back

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## Russ Jordan

This Gerald Anderson is a dandy too. It lives in Ca now.

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## sgarrity

I do love a nice A5. And them thar are some nice'uns.

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## Lane Pryce

Here is a Kelley Snakehead A5 I had once. It now resides in California. Lp

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## Lane Pryce

Here is a back shot of the Kelley Snakehead. Lp

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## man doh

Here is an A-5G I aquired. If anyone has any info on one with these appointments I would be interested in the story.

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## man doh

Head stock ala A-5L

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## man doh

unbound fretboard and triple bound top. A real nice mando I was going to sell but have decided not to.

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## Mark Franzke

Here's my '83 Flatiron A-5-2, Carlson signed #83050016. I traded a Mossman guitar and one of my wife's fiddles for it in 1983. It's always been a killer in sound and looks, with the wild back and super wide grain top. It also has a laminated neck stripe, like some of the other early ones.
I hardly ever miss that Mossman.

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## Mark Franzke

Here's a close-up of the wide grain top. I've always really liked the wider grain.

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## Lane Pryce

Mark that is without a doubt the best looking Flatiron A5 I have ever seen. Lp

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I agree,
and the nicest thing about it is that it looks like you play it a lot and dont just polish it! 
Respect 
DD

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## MikeEdgerton

I've been thinking I might want one of those A5G's. Now I'm pretty sure I do. Very nice.

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## fatt-dad

One more of my Flatiron A5-1. I'm thinking of going electric. . . . 

f-d

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## James P

I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop. #
Will Brad post a picture of his Sully? #Or will he post a picture of the mandolin he's replacing it with?
&lt;tap, tap, tap&gt;

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## bradeinhorn

ha ha....

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## squirrelabama

i seem to have more a's than f's, however when I was in grade school, it was quite the opposite when my report card came out!!

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## squirrelabama

another sonic treat....Vessel deluxe A5

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## squirrelabama

some how this didnt make it .....

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## Avi Ziv

My Flatiron A5-Artist

Avi

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## Lane Pryce

Avi --- nice photo of the Artist. Lp

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## cbogle

My all-time favorite "A" model, the prototypical "21MTV", as Dr. Brentrup allows me to call it (tongue-in-cheek), depicted here being held hostage in a basement, somewhere in Minnepoppolis prior to its subsequent escape to sunny California..... rumored to soon be joined by a sibling with a fancy strap hanger.

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## fatt-dad

Avi, What year is your Flatiron and who signed it?

f-d

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## Avi Ziv

f-d - it's a 1998 Nashville-made, Gibson-owned, unsigned, and yet excellent Flatiron.... I know it doesn't have "that" mojo but it's very good still.

Avi

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## Ken Berner

Hey Mark, How did that nice neck inlay get on your Flatiron A5-2? That is a great instrument you have. A friend has an '84 and it is a killer mandolin; yours doesn't look quite as "rustic". I was fortunate to own a '93 A5 Artist (Carlson) which was quilted and very stunning. Thanks for sharing with us!

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## ninevah

Monteleone Style B

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## ninevah

Gilchrist A2-Z - Long neck

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## budtrain45

This is one that I use for a loner.

www.davismandolins.com

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## Jim Roberts

Here's a shot of the backside of Heiden #38 which Santa Claus brought me last Christmas. One piece back and a one piece Englemann top.

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## Jim Roberts

And top-side. This is an incredible mandolin from a great builder and great guy. Top notch in all respects.

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## BRW

Here's a back shot of a BRW MA-H2
-Ben

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## mandolooter

RLG A5

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## Daniel1975

Awesome thread. Thanks for all the pics everyone. 

ninevah, I would love to see more pics of that Gilchrist A2-Z if you get a chance. 

Incredible instruments here! I love mandolins

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## bradeinhorn

this is a great thread! thanks for all the pics guys!

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## Hoovetone

SKIP KELLY # 17

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## cooper4205

is that Kelly based on the Loar A5?

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## OregonMike

> ...holy cow! ninevah you have any more pics of that Gil A2-Z? very nice


Ditto - wow x 2. This one has some serious screen saver mando-drool potential. Please post any more pics you have ninevah (or better yet just send me your address so I can send payment!)  

Mike
1916 A-0 Pumpkintop Paddlehead
1924 A-1 Blackface Snakehead
www.MusicMoose.org

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## ninevah

More Gilchrist A2-Z Long Neck

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## ninevah

More Gilchrist A2-Z Long Neck

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## ninevah

More Gilchrist A2-Z Long Neck

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## Daniel1975

Nice, that thing is incredible. I'm sure it sounds as good as it looks, thanks.

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## fatt-dad

Just took some (hopefully) better photos. Here goes. . . 

f-d

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## fatt-dad

and of the back. . . .

f-d

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## fatt-dad

more of the back. . . .

f-d

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## fatt-dad

and "in-case"

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## ninevah

Gilchrist A2-Z Long Neck...I'll send all the positive comments to Steve! Yes it's an incredible sounding instrument. To my knowledge there are only two Long Neck A2-Z's like this, the other in the hands of the Dawg. I loaned this instrument to Bill Collings when he was designing his oval hole mandolin. They did make a prototype oval hole, with the usual short neck, back about a year and a half ago. I don't know where Collings is with the oval hole now, though my guess is it's dead. At the same time that Bill was working on the oval hole mando, he was developing the electric guitar and moving into a new, big, expensive building. Hopefully he will get back to the oval hole mandolin, but I'm not holding my breath. The young man who's name I can't remember right now, who does the set-ups for Collings did a super job re-setting the bridge, as it was sloping forward when I got it. WOW what a HUGE effect this has on the sound. I'm floored!

One more pic of the detail in the oval.

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## cooper4205

i scrolled past the headstock pic at first and upon seeing the pics thought "I've never seen an old Gibson that clean"; that Gil is the bee's knees, so to speak

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## John Rosett

Here's my 70's Tennessee A5.

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## OregonMike

Thanks ninevah,

That is so sweet - I think this whole thread and that Gil shot especially shows that the design of the "lowly" A can shine every bit as much as the scrolls can. I think you just kicked off a 'bout of "round hole envy" across the web.

I'm starting a new savings account in case you ever want to sell that one.  

Mike
1916 A-0 Pumpkintop Paddlehead
1924 A-1 Blackface Snakehead
www.MusicMoose.org

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## squirrelabama

Collings may not be spending any time with the oval hole at the moment, but Gail Hester sure is!! Check this puppy out!

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## squirrelabama

one more shot of my Vessel A.....Deeeeeeeluxe!

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## squirrelabama

Wow!! You're quite fortunate. I agree, Gail is a great soul!! Thought I'd add one more shot of my Vessel A, shows off the top a bit better. This is one nice sounding A, however the F5 Gary built me makes my tone (not my playing unfortunately) sound like Compton!! It's amazing what world class violin luthiers can do with mandos!

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## mingusb1

Sent this Bill Davis up north recently:

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## sgarrity

I wanted that Bill Davis soooooo bad. I used to own one of his F5's. But I got's too many already.

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## Lee

I've kept in touch with a fellow at Collings and Bill's still very interested in pursuing the Oval-A project, except the introduction of their electric guitar line is keeping them too busy, yet.

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## grassrootphilosopher

Great mandos so far folks, one nicer than the other. This is just my humble gut being adorned by my 30ies Strad-O-Lin. We go back longer than some marriages. Found it at a mandomaker´s shop here in Germany, payed a very decent price for it, and it has outplayed many a much higher valued A or F mando alike.

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I love those F holes..stylish.
This pic has a kinda southern comfort/deliverance vibe going on (could be the lack of heads)

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## budtrain45

Charlie Smith an X Monroe fiddle player and recorded with Monroe in the late Fiftys and earley sixtys took his A-5L that I built him to the Opra when he played with Monroe around 1992 at Xmas time and this is a picture that he took of Monroe playing it back stage.

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## mandolooter

I love the vintage vibe of that Vessel headstock...sweeet!

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## mandoaaron

I really liked that picture of Laura's A's. Especially the back of Laura's A's.

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## Ken Berner

Buddy, Your A5-L looks very classy with that F headstock. I think that picture is a classic, too! Thanks for sharing it with us.

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## JimRichter

The first is the Kimble A5 I currently own and gig out with. It has a very unique voice of its own which works well in several styles, including the blues music I mainly do. I don't have a photo of the back, but it has some of the most flamey maple you'd ever see.

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## JimRichter

This is the Kimble A5 two point I owned two Kimbles back. I'd love to have another two point from Will, but I think he's stopped production on them. This was a bluegrass hoss.

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## kyblue

Those 2 pts of Will's are sweet! 

Paula

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## amowry

Yes, that's a real beauty.

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## Gary S

Here is my Kimble #57 2 point. It is actually called a style J (nod to Jethro?). This is a fine versatile sounding mandolin that is a joy to play...Gary

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