I would appreciate any thoughts about things to look for when buying a vintage mandolin. I will be looking at a 1919 The Gibson A1 next week.
The pictures, and the description, make it sound like it is in pretty good shape. No visible cracks, partial refret, straight neck, solid neck joint, modern adjustable bridge, no pick guard and Golden Age relic tuners. (it is listed in the MC classifieds). There is apparently a small separation between the top or back and the sides. It doesn't show in any of the pictures I feel confident I can re-glue that if needed.
My concerns lie more with what's on the inside and other hidden or hard to see possible defects, and any other common issues with this type of vintage instrument.
Thanks,
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