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Thread: Did the Gibson A1 become the Gibson A2 and why?

  1. #1
    Mandolingerer Bazz Jass's Avatar
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    Default Did the Gibson A1 become the Gibson A2 and why?

    Looking at the 1917 and 1921 mandolin catalogues today.

    The 1917 one has models A, A1, A3 and A4.
    The 1921 one has models A, A2, A3 and A4.

    Looking at the mandolin archive, it seems that A1s stop occurring around 1918 and A2s start appearing.

    From what I can see, the A1 and A2 have identical features.

    I guess the early sequence of numbers was a little confusing, so they changed the numbering?

  2. #2
    Teacher, repair person
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    Default Re: Did the Gibson A1 become the Gibson A2 and why?

    The A-1 of 1917 had an unbound back, natural top standard.
    The A-2 of 1919 had a bound back, Sheraton brown finish standard.
    The re-designed A-1, re-introduced in 1922, had a bound back. Black top becomes standard.
    The re-designed 1923 A-2, shortly to be renamed A-2Z for a limited amount of time, gets fancier bindings and soundhole rings. Color can be natural or black.

    People argue whether or not any of the black examples can correctly called A-2Z or whether an A-2Z must be blonde. I'm not going to that fight. "Does she or doesn't she? Only her hairdresser knows for sure." Folks born after 1980 will have to look that one up.

    Confusing?? By 1927, the models have all changed again. We also see Gibson guitar and banjo models with overlapping specifications before WWII. Sometimes they changed their specs as often as some people change their shirts.

    Why??? Marketing. Also, sometimes what was produced depended upon what parts were [or weren't] lying around,
    Last edited by rcc56; Aug-29-2021 at 12:04am.

  3. #3
    Mandolingerer Bazz Jass's Avatar
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    Default Re: Did the Gibson A1 become the Gibson A2 and why?

    Quote Originally Posted by rcc56 View Post
    The A-1 of 1917 had an unbound back, natural top standard.
    The A-2 of 1919 had a bound back, Sheraton brown finish standard.
    The re-designed A-1, re-introduced in 1922, had a bound back. Black top becomes standard.
    The re-designed 1923 A-2, shortly to be renamed A-2Z for a limited amount of time, gets fancier bindings and soundhole rings. Color can be natural or black.

    People argue whether or not any of the black examples can correctly called A-2Z or whether an A-2Z must be blonde. I'm not going to that fight. "Does she or doesn't she? Only her hairdresser knows for sure." Folks born after 1980 will have to look that one up.

    Confusing?? By 1927, the models have all changed again. We also see Gibson guitar and banjo models with overlapping specifications before WWII. Sometimes they changed their specs as often as some people change their shirts.

    Why??? Marketing. Also, sometimes what was produced depended upon what parts were [or weren't] lying around,
    Thanks - very useful info, and always great to be learning more

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