Care And Feeding Of My New 1919 Gibson H-2 Mandola

[Robert Smyth]

I tried a search but was not coming up with any direct answers so...

I just got a 1919 Gibson H-2 Mandola, courtesy of Martin Stillion at eMando, and wanted to know how I should care for the finish on it. From what I've gathered, Pre-Loar Gibsons were varnished, but I wanted to verify that. In any case, what can I do to polish the finish on it?

My first Mandola! I just got it so haven't even set up the intonation yet but am so looking forward to exploring it's voice and capabilities!

[Larry S Sherman]

Beautiful! I would just wipe it with a clean cloth once in a while. No polishing needed on a cool old Gibson 'dola.

Larry

[tmsweeney]

That looks sweet, bet is sounds great.

[Robert Smyth]

Hey, thanks! It sounds phenomenal! I don't have anything to really compare it to except for what I've heard recently on Marla Fibish's albums, and it sounds just like her mandola on the recordings. The tone really lends itself to Irish music. Many thanks to the fellow Mandolin Cafe people who turned me onto Marla Fibish! I'm going to see her this weekend at the Pt. Cabrillo Lighthouse between Ft. Bragg and Mendocino along the California coast... can't wait! I'll post a review on this forum afterwards.

[Robert Smyth]

Some more pictures!

Supposedly a 1919 factory order number but a 1920 model? What date would you guys call it? Serial number 55291...

[allenhopkins]

Factory order numbers assigned when they were built, serial numbers when they left the Gibson factory -- as I understand it. An instrument could be built and sit for months before being ordered and shipped, hence a FON date earlier than the serial number date.

[Groyk]

Factory order numbers assigned when they were built, serial numbers when they left the Gibson factory -- as I understand it. An instrument could be built and sit for months before being ordered and shipped, hence a FON date earlier than the serial number date.

Hello there. I have a couple of Gibson mandolins from the same era as your mandola. I also had the same concerns re. Cleaning etc. If you have a look at the 1923 Gibson service manual on the Mandolin Archive ,page 25 there is a recipe for a cleaner
Recommended by Gibson. It says :- mix 1 tablespoon of lemon oil, 1 tablespoon of paraffin oil and a quart of gasoline in a container and use this. This should dispel any worries you may have about modern petroleum based polishes available today. I have used Meguiars and Poorboys car polish to clean mine with no detriment to the finish.Hope this helps a bit.
Have a great Christmas everyone.
Best wishes form North Wales.

[mrmando]

As you can see in the closeup photo of the top, this mandola has a little residue from its outgassed pickguard. I've had more than one person recommend using Meguiar's Mirror Glaze for this:
http://www.autopia-carcare.com/megui...FQto7AodwFkAhQ

Here is a clip of this particular H2:
http://emando.com/clips/Gibson%20H2%20Mandola.mp3

This mandola, as far as I could tell, does not have a FON. I pulled the endpin and looked everywhere I could see inside, and found nothing. I've had two other old Gibsons, an F4 and an H1, that also were missing FONs.

[mrmando]

One interesting point about this mandola is its case. The lid of the accessory pocket has a double diamond, not a single diamond, which according to LoudLoar's vintage case Web site would make it an M&W/Bull's Head case, not a Geib.

[Robert Smyth]

Hey Martin! Thanks for weighing in on this thread. Hey, I was wondering if you knew what strings were on the mandola when you sent it to me? I just put on some GHS PF 285s (12-22-32-44) on her and my initial thoughts are that they're too light. It seems like the volume as dropped off a little and the strings seem a little twangy.

For reference purposes, my scale length is around 15 3/4 inches.

[Eddie Sheehy]

I use D'Addario J76 on mine. I find the J72 too light - and the J72 are heavier than the GHS... Daddario FT 76 or TI 164 are good for classical...

[mrmando]

Oh good golly -- I restrung it when I got it, because some silly person had set it up as a mandolin. I don't recall the exact gauges but I'm sure they were heavier than the GHS, at least an .046 C.