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Thread: Gibson A Style-like mandolin from Russia

  1. #1

    Default Gibson A Style-like mandolin from Russia

    Just wanted to share the pics of Gibson-like instrument found in Russia. Undated, but probably made in the 1970's. Labelled Luthier M.M. Pavlov, Irkutsk. Nothing is available on this luthier in the net. Clearly made with A-style Gibson in mind. Not sure if the luthier had an actual Gibson before in his hand, could be just the photos, Gibsons were very rare birds in the USSR. Tuners used are from the old Italian or German bowlback by the look of it. No wonder, as there was shortage of good machine heads in the USSR, the ones from Soviet-made mandolins looked ugly and were rubbish. Anyway, here's the pics:

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  3. #2
    Registered User MANDOLINMYSTER's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A Style-like mandolin from Russia

    Very cool.
    Michael Lettieri

  4. #3

    Default Re: Gibson A Style-like mandolin from Russia

    Looks much nicer than my Lunacharsky mandolin!

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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A Style-like mandolin from Russia

    Interesting that this luthier would live way out in eastern Siberia.
    Jim

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    Full Grown and Cussin' brunello97's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A Style-like mandolin from Russia

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Garber View Post
    Interesting that this luthier would live way out in eastern Siberia.
    Looking for that cold, lonesome sound?

    Mick
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    Registered User MANDOLINMYSTER's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A Style-like mandolin from Russia

    I also like the tailpiece, looks like a hand made copy of what was used on Gibsons.
    Michael Lettieri

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    Default Re: Gibson A Style-like mandolin from Russia

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Garber View Post
    Interesting that this luthier would live way out in eastern Siberia.
    Yes indeed.

    One of the most fascinating music/travel books I have ever read is quite a recent book called 'The Lost Pianos Of Siberia' by Sophy Roberts. An extraordinary and very unusual project.
    https://www.lostpianosofsiberia.com/

    No mandolins, but worth a look.
    David A. Gordon

  10. #8

    Default Re: Gibson A Style-like mandolin from Russia

    David, hanks for the link. I was also exploring the topic when visiting Russia. Sometimes I stumbled upon a 150 years old grand piano being sold for literally peanuts or offered for free. There is an organization in Moscow, called "Приют роялей" which can be roughly translated as "The Grand Piano Hostel", which gathers old, mostly Russian-made grand pianos in order of keeping the history. They have most of the models that were ever produced in Russia collected. But space to keep and money to maintain them seem to be the biggest problems (mandolins are certainly more compact and easier to handle) and I am not sure what is being happening now with their vast collection.. I still have my great-grand father's Russian-made C.M. Schroder baby grand.

    Talking about that Russian mandolin, what are the differences you guys can spot compared to an original Gibson?
    Last edited by vic-victor; Mar-22-2023 at 8:02pm.

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    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A Style-like mandolin from Russia

    I'm drooling ...
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  13. #10

    Default Re: Gibson A Style-like mandolin from Russia

    Finally had a chance to inspect the Russian instrument in person and here are some observations. Nicely playable one with perfect intonation, great action and with quite a bark. Some fretboard binding is missing and one repaired soundboard crack, but apart from that it is in a very good condition. My first guess from the photos was that it was made in the 1970s, but when I inspected it personally it looks and feels much older. And my further research confirmed that. The street name on the label was named as such until 1934 and was renamed after that. The label used new Russian spelling that was in place from the early 1920s. So the instrument was made between 1920 and 1934. Probably during the New Economic Policy times 1921-29 when private enterprise was encouraged by the Soviets. The question is how the Siberian luthier got the access to the actual Gibson to copy it from. They were very rare there back then, but there apparently were some. I have seen one F4 for sale in Russia a while back. The sellers' great grandfather brought it from Canada in 1930s. There are also a couple of Gibsons in the Musical Instrument Museum's collection in Moscow and not the recent imports. There was even a Gibson mandobass, someone has taken the trouble bringing in from the USA at some stage. Anyway, certainly a very rare and interesting instrument.
    Last edited by vic-victor; Jul-04-2023 at 12:45pm.

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  15. #11

    Default Re: Gibson A Style-like mandolin from Russia

    Instruments could be bought by seafarers in their travels. I have a guitar made in London- reckoned to be 1842 that was owned by a Latvian sea captain for many decades. He may have bought it before WW2, or afterwards and he may have acquired it in London which was a thriving seaport until relatively recently. Anyway, it is very interesting to be able to narrow down the date range through the details on the label. The fingerboard- its end looks more like one on a Gibson mandola than the A-4 version but I think it unlikely a mandola was the original model for this mandolin.

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