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Hi, a friend just dropped this off for some repairs. I have looked around the web trying to find any reference to this being a Gibson mandolin. From what I've read it would appear to be a fake.

It stamped "made in the USA" and with the number "814", has Waverly tuners. Is made of maple, carved top, back is arched with braces and has maple sides. The neck is mahogany with a functional truss rod.

It measures 25 1/2 " long, waist is 10 1/8 ", tail to neck joint 13 5/8".

A bit of damage but repairable. My only concern is a possible neck reset.

I would like to hear your thought on whether it's a truce or fake Gibson mandolin.

Thanks and much appreciated.

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Michael Lloyd

“I was born to ignorance, yes, and lesser poverties ...
I was born to privilege that I did not see ... I didn’t know it, but my way was paved” – John Gorka

Looks too old to be a fake but I know nothing of mandolins.

The shape is right, the brace is right, but the Gibson logo on the headstock doesn't look right to me, the headstock shape is a bit odd, and there is no Gibson label. Added to that is I have never seen a carved top with a flat back in a Gibson, but they could have made them, they did make a few odd ball mandolins. I am no Gibson expert, but the absence of a Gibson label tells me it is more likely to be a fake.

Apparently Gibson did make some carved top/flat back mandos for a time--here's a link to an old thread on Mandolin Cafe:

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?80072-Gibson-A00

My bet is that it's real.

Dave

Thanks, Given your thoughts on the subject I'm now leaning toward a real Gibson instrument.

Thanks again and very much appreciated!

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Michael Lloyd

“I was born to ignorance, yes, and lesser poverties ...
I was born to privilege that I did not see ... I didn’t know it, but my way was paved” – John Gorka

Without looking it up, it looks like a Gibson A00 from the early to mid 1930s to me. Gibson went through a lot of different headstock logos in different materials and typefaces back in those days. That could help you narrow it down to the year. Also, I think they switched from flat to carved back in around 1937 or thereabouts.

yes this is real circia 1900 to 1910 I have one like this.

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

I'm green with envy... I would love to work on Gibson stuff that old just to soak up the vibe.

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

It's a real Gibson.

Gibson made countless instruments that were bastardized models that did not exactly fit anything in the books. They built with what they had laying around and the concept of configuration control didn't exist at Gibson back then and well into the 50's and even 60's.

The workmanship, glue, construction, tuners, tailpiece and as mentioned age of the wood all point to Gibson from what I can tell from here.

Gibson went Corporate early on, and it's been downhill ever since..... Lloyd Loar was a brief bright spot, but he didn't stick around too long either.