1919 Gibson A2 Carved-Top Mandolin

Ah, yes, the classic "old time" mandolin. Gibson A-style, oval-hole instruments are always in demand up here. This one's in for consignment and it's super-clean for its age, save its destroyed/missing pickguard (though the bracket's still in the case). There's one tiny, repaired, hairline crack to the treble side of the fretboard extension but that's it.

I was amazed because I took it out of the case and the main brace wasn't loose and there were no mismatched seams on the back/side joints and the neck itself was nice and straight and level with its extension over the body. The side/back seams are almost always buggered in some way or another. This one was loved-enough to always be stored safely in its original case and as a result it's come through time in great condition.

It has a direct, clean, midsy, punchy voice that really cuts in just the right frequency range to be easily heard above guitars in a jam. It sounds somewhere between the prototypical "oval-hole Gibson" sound (sweet, warm, round, and sing-songy on the high end) and the prototypical "f-hole Gibson" sound with its midsy snarl and bite. So, in short -- a good all-around instrument for someone wanting to go beyond just old time and also be able to chop a bit in bluegrass fashion.

Work included: a fret level/dress, two cleats to the almost-invisible hairline at the treble side of the fretboard extension, refitting/adjustment to the original bridge, cleaning, and a restring.

Setup notes: it plays perfectly with hair-under 1/16" action at the 12th fret and a straight neck. It's strung with 36w-10 gauges in phosphor bronze.

Scale length: 13 7/8"

Nut width: 1 3/16"

String spacing at nut: 1 3/32"

String spacing at bridge: 1 9/16"

Body length: 13 3/8"

Lower bout width: 10 1/8"

Side depth at deepest: 1 13/16" +top/back arch

Top wood: solid spruce

Back/sides wood: solid birch

Neck wood: mahogany

Fretboard: ebony

Bridge: non-adjustable ebony, compensated

Neck feel: medium V-shape, flat board

Condition notes: as noted, it's all-original and in good order save a missing/destroyed original pickguard. The finish is pretty clean and good throughout though there's a little buckle-ish wear on the back and average mild use-wear on the sides and a little arm-rubbing wear on the lower-bout-top.

It comes with: its original hard case in good shape save for a replacement handle.