Re: In the ads
Never seen a Cromwell "lump scroll" mandolin before. This article on "Gibson Made Brands" says the GM-6 was only made for six months in 1936:
In 1936, they added two more mandolins, the GM-5, which was probably just a fancier version of the GM-4, but no known examples exist, and the very odd GM-6, which is not similar to any other mandolin Gibson was making. The GM-6 had the basic body shape of a Gibson F-style mandolin, but with a "lump scroll" instead of a regular scroll on the body. Gibson only wound up making the GM-5 and GM-6 for less than 6 months making them extremely rare.
There's a picture of the "only known example" of the Cromwell GM-6, which may in fact be the one in the classifieds.
Gibson "off brands" are sometimes bargains, but I don't know if you would call this one at $2K. Definitely worth a look; a "rare bird" if there ever was one.
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
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