Results 1 to 19 of 19

Thread: 1911 Gibson Magazine - The Sounding Board

  1. #1
    Registered User pfox14's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Holiday, FL
    Posts
    1,152

    Default 1911 Gibson Magazine - The Sounding Board

    Just thought I would share this startling new discovery - Volume 1 No. 1 of "The Sounding Board" Gibson's own in-house magazine they started publishing in 1911! There's also an inside page showing off the "Alrite" mandolin; an inside title page that lists Lewis A. Williams as Editor and showing a picture of a very promising new mandolinist named L.A. (Lloyd) Loar. Plus, a neat little poem (had to have written by Williams himself) slamming the "potato bug" mandolins their competitors were making. The name of the magazine was later changed to "The Sounding Board Salesman", which discontinued around the same time Williams resigned from Gibson in 1923-24. It was later replaced by "Mastertone Magazine" which was published from 1926-1937. More information is available at: http://www.fox-guitars.com/Gibson_Publications.html


    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	1911 Vol 1 No 1 cvr.jpg 
Views:	308 
Size:	82.7 KB 
ID:	80651Click image for larger version. 

Name:	1911 Alrite D mando.jpg 
Views:	370 
Size:	43.9 KB 
ID:	80652Click image for larger version. 

Name:	1914 Gibson SB 3 pg 14 Loar.jpg 
Views:	993 
Size:	73.1 KB 
ID:	80653Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Gibson SB 1 pg 5 buggist poem.jpg 
Views:	306 
Size:	72.1 KB 
ID:	80654

  2. #2

    Default Re: 1911 Gibson Magazine - The Sounding Board

    Curious -- are you sure this one is from 1911? I wasn't aware the Alrites were made that early.

  3. #3
    Registered User pfox14's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Holiday, FL
    Posts
    1,152

    Default Re: 1911 Gibson Magazine - The Sounding Board

    I didn't think the Model D Alrites were available that early either, but the copyright on the magazine clearly says 1911. Pretty cool.

  4. #4
    Registered User Joe Spann's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Nashville. TN
    Posts
    149

    Default Re: 1911 Gibson Magazine - The Sounding Board

    In my serial number list I don't have any examples of a model D "Alright" mandolin before 1917. So this is indeed very interesting new information. Since none have turned up with a serial number earlier it makes me wonder if Gibson didn't make many of them before 1917. Or perhaps they just didn't survive. Cool stuff.

    Joe

  5. #5
    Registered User pfox14's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Holiday, FL
    Posts
    1,152

    Default Re: 1911 Gibson Magazine - The Sounding Board

    Joe, is it possible that Gibson didn't put serial #s on the early Alrites? I don't think the DY Army Navy mandos had serials #s. The red-headed step child syndrome kinda thang.

  6. #6
    NY Naturalist BradKlein's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Lehigh Valley - Pennsylvania
    Posts
    2,275

    Default Re: 1911 Gibson Magazine - The Sounding Board

    Does anyone know the whereabouts of Loar's three point mandola in the photo? Perhaps it's in the archive?
    BradKlein
    Morning Edition Host, WLVR News
    Senior Producer, Twangbox®
    Twangbox® Videos

  7. #7

    Default Re: 1911 Gibson Magazine - The Sounding Board

    Are we sure that's a mandola?

  8. #8
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    13,103

    Default Re: 1911 Gibson Magazine - The Sounding Board

    It's an F2 in the photo, not a mandola. See here:
    http://www.siminoff.net/pages/loar_background.html

    Anyone have a copy of Loar's "Gibson Folio No. 1" for plectral quartet with mandobass ad libitum? Sounds like fun.

    Catalog collectors: What's the first appearance of the Alrite in a Gibson catalog? Is it possible that the Alrites were conceived and built as early as 1911, but then held back for some reason?
    Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.

    Notorious: My Celtic CD--listen & buy!

    Lyon & Healy • Wood • Thormahlen • Andersen • Bacorn • Yanuziello • Fender • National • Gibson • Franke • Fuchs • Aceto • Three Hungry Pit Bulls

  9. #9
    Registered User pfox14's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Holiday, FL
    Posts
    1,152

    Default Re: 1911 Gibson Magazine - The Sounding Board

    Do not have Loar's "Gibson Folio", but I did check all of Gibson's catalogs from 1912's Catalog H through 1924's Catalog O and the Alrite Model D does not appear in any of them! However, it does appear on Catalog H's price list for a whopping $3.50, but no page number is given. It also appears on a 1917 price list as "D" Gibson Junior "Alrite" with a huge price increase to $20. I don't have any other price lists between 1912 and 1917.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	1912 CatH PL.jpg 
Views:	243 
Size:	113.9 KB 
ID:	80997
    Visit www.fox-guitars.com - cool Gibson & Epiphone history and more. Vintage replacement mandolin pickguards

  10. #10
    Registered User pfox14's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Holiday, FL
    Posts
    1,152

    Default Re: 1911 Gibson Magazine - The Sounding Board

    Here's the only other piece of Gibson literature I have that shows the Alrite - it must date to c1915-16-ish based on the price of $17.00. This one appears to be kinda nice with the inlay purfling around the edges and the unusual tailpiece design.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	1916 Gibson-Alrite D mandolin.jpg 
Views:	269 
Size:	121.6 KB 
ID:	80998
    Visit www.fox-guitars.com - cool Gibson & Epiphone history and more. Vintage replacement mandolin pickguards

  11. #11
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Howell, NJ
    Posts
    26,874

    Default Re: 1911 Gibson Magazine - The Sounding Board

    That's really not an unusual tailpiece design, that is a Waverly cloud tailpiece that Gibson used over the years on inexpensive models. The same tailpiece was used by Martin and just about every other builder up through the 1960's. It's well known.

  12. #12
    Closet Banjo Picker P.D. Kirby's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Palmyra, Virginia
    Posts
    679

    Default Re: 1911 Gibson Magazine - The Sounding Board

    I love the write up about L. A. Loar " He will long be remembered for his prodigious work". If they only knew...
    Never Argue with an Idiot, they will just drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

  13. #13
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Okinawa, Japan
    Posts
    626

    Default Re: 1911 Gibson Magazine - The Sounding Board

    The way I read it, it doesn't say that magazine was published in 1911, just that it [the name "The Sounding Board"?] was copyrighted in 1911.

  14. #14
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Howell, NJ
    Posts
    26,874

    Default Re: 1911 Gibson Magazine - The Sounding Board

    For anyone interested there is another later copy of the Sounding Board in the mandolin archive. It's here.

  15. #15
    Registered User pfox14's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Holiday, FL
    Posts
    1,152

    Default Re: 1911 Gibson Magazine - The Sounding Board

    There is another forum member that posted information about some WWI-era "Sounding Boards" that I sent a message to, but got no response. Hopefully he reads this as I would like make some sort of trade for any other existing issues of this magazine.

    Does anyone else have any?
    Visit www.fox-guitars.com - cool Gibson & Epiphone history and more. Vintage replacement mandolin pickguards

  16. #16
    Registered User pfox14's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Holiday, FL
    Posts
    1,152

    Default Re: 1911 Gibson Magazine - The Sounding Board

    Quote Originally Posted by PseudoCelt View Post
    The way I read it, it doesn't say that magazine was published in 1911, just that it [the name "The Sounding Board"?] was copyrighted in 1911.
    I also have Vol. 3 No. 3 that says Copyright, 1914, so I believe the copyright corresponds to the year of publication although it seems like they skipped a year or one volume covered 2 years.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	1914 Vol3 No3 cvr.jpg 
Views:	237 
Size:	52.7 KB 
ID:	81098
    Visit www.fox-guitars.com - cool Gibson & Epiphone history and more. Vintage replacement mandolin pickguards

  17. #17
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Okinawa, Japan
    Posts
    626

    Default Re: 1911 Gibson Magazine - The Sounding Board

    Yes, based on the two issues together, your interpretation makes more sense.

  18. #18
    Registered User pfox14's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Holiday, FL
    Posts
    1,152

    Default Re: 1911 Gibson Magazine - The Sounding Board

    I was also contacted by someone who has a Vol. 2 issue dated 1912, but am waiting to get a copy.
    Visit www.fox-guitars.com - cool Gibson & Epiphone history and more. Vintage replacement mandolin pickguards

  19. #19

    Default Re: 1911 Gibson Magazine - The Sounding Board

    The way I read it, it doesn't say that magazine was published in 1911, just that it [the name "The Sounding Board"?] was copyrighted in 1911.
    Publications will have a copyright date of the year they are published. A name such as "Sounding Board" would be trademarked, not copyrighted.

    Steve

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •