Hi, I used to play mandolin in high school over 30 years ago and loved it, but ended up becoming a jazz double bassist by profession. I've always had it in the back of my head that I would pick up mandolin again for fun. So, my girlfriend recently inherited her grandfather's old Gibson mandolin. His whole family played instruments and they all played together in bands playing that mountain music, I hear. I never met him. When I would hear about this mandolin I always assumed it was probably from the 40s or 50s. Then I actually got it and was shocked to find that it looked more like the 1920s to me. Then I found and ran the serial number inside the body on the Gibson website, and it seems to be possibly from 1908. It doesn't tell me what model it is, and I am completely unfamiliar with old Gibson mandolins, or mandolins in general. In high school I played a cheap hundred dollar mandolin and dreamed of having a new Gibson after I played my teachers. I was hoping people here could help me sort it out before I take it up to my local music shop, Chuck Levin's. We are definitely keeping it and I'd like to possibly have it brought up to the finest playing condition it can be, though my fat flattened mushroom calloused bass fingers struggle to play on it. Based on looking at pics on the internet my guess is that it's possibly an A-junior, based particularly on the clam shell looking tail piece. The serial number is 8283 and I'll post some pics. It seems to be in great condition to me. Even the strings are still playable, though dull, and the action seems a little clumsy to me, though that may just be my inability to play well yet. The one thing that baffles me is the bridge feels plastic to my girlfriend and me, but we could be wrong and we debated it back and forth as to whether it could actually be ebony or not. I haven't cleaned it yet so forgive the dustiness. Thank you in advance!
Bookmarks