Summary
1919 manufacture date (traditional estimates)
1919 shipment date, according to Spann's Guide to Gibson
Mandolin, Style A2
Serial 52558
Factory order number unknown
Description
A particularly fine sounding example of Gibson's brown-topped A-2. This one is completely original, crack-free, and very playable. Its 3 piece red-spruce top is in great shape with no sinkage below the bridge.
The top's center section is fairly wide-grained, with tightly grained and quarter-sawn bookmatched bass and treble sections; possibly part of the reason that this one sounds so good. This A-2 also has the rare aluminum
bridge top that does a good job of adding a little extra punch and sparkle. We think that the bridge is original to the instrument, although the serial number dates this mandolin a year or two earlier than the
aluminum-top bridges; it is entirely possible that this instrument was completed in '21, but numbered in '19. It has a woody voice, fairly open, with a very responsive back; subtle overtones, and good strength.
The pickguard support clamp is missing, and with only a few small dings and some fretwear from eighty-some years of tunes, there's not much else that
can be held against this beauty.
There is a small slip of paper glued inside the sound hole above the label that says: "Frank J. Schott, Fort Wayne IND"
