what is this little broken beauty?

[vintagelover]

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hvwgmtsgn...iXYRsTMza?dl=0

Hi,
a friend of mine has baught this mando but we heve no experience with gibson mandos and how they should look. it seems to me that there's something wrong with the neck and the upper body. any info about it, what you think is wrong with it, if it might be repaired and how much you think it is worth, would be very helpful for us greenhorns...
thanks

[Darryl Wolfe]

It appears to be a 1919ish F2 that has a new top and has been mostly refinished. It "may" be the original top, but if so it has been sanded down completely through the original rosette around the sound hole.

The back has separated from the head block. That can be re-glued but it is going to show. The finish on the back may be original. The tuners and bridge are replacements, the tailpiece and case are original.

The finish on the top "may be" Gibson work from the mid to late '60's..it has that general appearance and the tuners and bridge are of that general period

[pfox14]

Serial # looks like 52034, so I agree with Darryl - 1919 F-2. Definitely refinished and not very well. Tuners and bridge are not original as Darryl stated. Missing the pickguard. Worth getting repaired IMHO.

[Tobin]

Are the frets original? They look rather wider and flatter than I'm used to seeing. Maybe it's just the perspective of the camera, but the very last photo makes them look strange.

[Darryl Wolfe]

Are the frets original? They look rather wider and flatter than I'm used to seeing. Maybe it's just the perspective of the camera, but the very last photo makes them look strange.

Good catch....frets not original and it appears that the binding on the top and the fingerboard are newer...at the same time as the refin work.