1910s Gibson Style A Carved-Top Mandolin

Update 2022: this guy's back in for sale and so I've updated the photos, added a video, and updated the description where necessary...

What's fascinating about this instrument is not that it's another pumpkin-top, ruddy back-and-sides, Gibson A from the teens (those are all nice, though). It's that someone yanked the original bracing and put a star-shaped pattern in it instead. It was then left with the back off for a good number of years so that when it came time to put it back together (here), the sides and back mismatched like crazy.

What's funny is that the tone isn't dramatically different from a normal Gibson A -- but if I didn't know it was changed inside, I wouldn't necessarily have thought anything of it. It sounds like a Gibson A but with a little more balance and "clean" and a little less of that husky lower-mids sound that can turn into "woof." It's, to my ears, louder than average and with a lot more punch. So maybe it makes sense to call it a "crossover" between the bluegrass and old-time sounds.

I have before/after photos of the bracing changes down at the end of this post.

After repairs, this mando's playing spot-on and has a quick, easy feel. I strung it up with stainess steel light-gauge strings (36w-10) and the action's easy and has plenty of adjustment room up/down at the bridge.

Repairs included: shaving/adjusting the replacement bracing on the top, refitting the back to the sides, install of an adjustable bridge (original stowed in case), installing proper period Gibson-style Waverly tuners to the headstock (it had old replacements on it), a fret level/dress, new bone nut, minor hairline crack repairs to the back, cleaning, and setup work.

Top wood: solid spruce (carved)

Back & sides wood: solid birch (carved back)

Bracing type: star-shaped

Bridge: ebony, adjustable

Fretboard: ebony

Neck wood: mahogany w/center strip

Action height at 12th fret: 1/16" overall (fast)
String gauges: 36w-10

Neck shape: medium-big V

Board radius: flat

Neck relief: straight

Fret style: small/narrow

Scale length: 13 7/8"

Nut width: 1 3/16"

Body width: 10 3/8"

Body depth: 1 3/4"

Weight: 1 lb 14 oz

Condition notes: it's mostly-original but does have a few period-correct Gibson replacement parts and period-correct replacement Waverly tuners. I'm not super-happy with the look of my refitting of the back to the sides (they had to be trimmed and tweaked/filled at the edges a lot as everything was mismatched), but it's definitely "good enough." At a glance it's not obvious -- it just looks like it's had an old reglue job combined with funky finish aging. Also, I replaced the original bridge with an adjustable one cut to fit -- you'll thank me when it comes time to adjust the action as the seasons change. The finish, overall, is quite weathered and played-in and nicked, dinged, and scratched throughout. It's a player for sure. Oh, the endpin is a replacement as well, but older.

It comes with: its original hard case in quite good shape with the original bridge stowed in it.

Above: the bracing "as found" when this got here.

Below: the bracing "as shaved" before I reglued the back on it.