Gibson

This mandola is quite handsome with its glossy lacquered black finished face offset by a simple, symmetrical but classy soundhole rosette of tan, black, grained ivoroid, black and tan.  The soundhole itself is bound in grained ivoroid (celluloid), and so is the face – but not the back on this model.  The headstock is also polished black ebony and hosts “The Gibson” in script mother of pearl positioned horizontally.   Thereunder is the bell-shaped black plastic truss rod cover held in place by two brave screws.

The Gibson F-2 was, in its time, the least expensive Florentine model mandolin.  It has the large body scroll on the upper bass bout and the two large body points on the treble side.  The headstock is wide at the top with a small scroll on the bass, a larger scroll on the treble and a huge dangerous looking point at the top of the headstock slightly off center to the right.   This headstock is inlaid “The Gibson” in script mother of pearl at an angle and there is nothing else inlaid or provided on the headstock except a glossy black ebony headplate that shows some crazing lines.

We present to our readers and fans a truly gorgeous Gibson mostly 1964 Model ES-175, in vintage sunburst which was stated to us by its owner as being in excellent [it's not, exactly] and mostly original [it's not that either] condition, presently having two humbucking nickel-plated pickups.  Although altered, this guitar fulfills the dream of the working jazz practitioner who needs to get the finest sound possible out of a modestly priced vintage instrument.  NOW ON SALE!  WAS $5670 BUT NOW: 

One of the most beautiful guitars that Gibson Company has ever designed is the SJ, or mahogany and spruce slope-shouldered dreadnought.   The period of the early 1950s is, by anybody’s standards, one of the finest in Gibson acoustic guitar history.   The sound of this instrument is proof of that.    This instrument shows about the right amount of wear one might anticipate seeing on a guitar that’s 60 years old.  NOW ON SALE -- OUR PRICE WAS $6701 BUT NOW ON SALE FOR: 

This is an extremely fine and also beautiful late example of this style, which model moniker was discontinued in 1943.   Being that is made later in the timeline it has some sophisticated features that the F-4s made in the teens and ‘20s don’t have.

Our 1940 Gibson F-4 mandolin sounds wonderful – it has that deep, throaty thing going strongly and vigorously.   It has the punch and presence that most associate with the F-5 model mandolin – a far different vocalize than one associates with the far more prolific F-4 mandolins of the teens.    It is an incredibly good deal, quality wise and price wise, at only . . .

The Gibson F-7 was a fairly short-lived but extremely well regarded model, made for just six years between 1934 and 1939. What it is, essentially, is a Gibson prewar F-5 mandolin with simpler appointments, and having a neck that joins the body at the 10th fret. In terms of the simpler appointments, this model has single-ply crème celluloid side, neck, headstock and pickguard binding, unbound twin lower case f-shaped soundholes.  NOW ON SALE!  OUR PRICE WAS $12,887 BUT NOW ON SALE FOR: 

This is an extremely handsome mandolin, similar in some ways to a Gibson A-50 model, including having the adjustable truss rod feature, except having crème top binding while the A-50 also has back binding, and also having a flat back and not the A-50’s arched back. The top is, however, arched and finished in a glorious prewar sunburst; f-holes are unbound, the bridge is ebony and adjustable (possibly a replacement since the fingerboard is magnificent Brazilian rosewood and usually they match).

Behold, a gorgeous thing was one of the 3 top-of-the-line Gibson banjos.  Steve Martin and John McEuen of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band each have a Gibson Florentine, Roger Sprung has a Gibson All American, and this was the third in the trilogy – the “Beautiful Voice” or “Bella Voce.”    The back and sides of the resonator are engraved and painted in many colors.   THIS WAS $9275 BUT THEN PUT ON SALE for $5671 with a Cash Price of $5,500.     THIS BANJO IS "ON HOLD FOR A BUYER FROM VIRGINIA. 

There is no more desirable A-style oval hole mandolin in the world than the Gibson Snakehead version made between 1923 and 1927. It incorporates design changes co-instituted by Lloyd A. Loar, Gibson’s Chief Acoustic Engineer without whom we might not, today, have the f-hole archtop instrument which led to the electric archtop which led to the solid body guitar which led to The Rolling Stones. Imagine that.   THIS WAS $4,118 but it is NOW ON SALE:  

If this guitar vintage Gibson semi-hollow body guitar from an extremely good period had been maintained in wholly original, excellent condition and unaltered in every way it could have been worth in the range of $6500. Luckily for you (since it makes a fine sounding guitar much more affordable) it has experienced a few changes (who among us hasn’t), and is also marked for life with a stamped “2” which is something like Hester’s “A.” And so, as a “player” with an complicated past, it can be yours for a lot less.

This is a semi-custom order (see More Info) Granada 40-hole archtop plectrum with some interesting features. Its gold plating is slightly dulled from time and oxidation; it shows light normal scratches and minor signs of use. It has the modestly figured maple resonator with the white-black purfling on four borders and the serial numbers written in chalk near the center back of inside resonator and also painted (with chalk for the last two digits) near the neck opening.

We present a tube-and-plate flange banjo having a refinished mahogany resonator that may not be original to this banjo rim since the serial number painted into the back of the resonator is #9113, but the serial number on the inside rim is #8826-2. The back of the neck and the headplate are refinished as well. This comes in a prewar (period) Paramount Banjo case that’s been painted and taped up. 

As per the Gibson wesbite "In 1955, the competition to develop and market solid body electric guitars that were both affordable and professionally built was heating up. Just three years earlier, Gibson had introduced the incredible Les Paul model with a $249.50 price tag (including case), yet increased competition was triggering the exploration into new directions that would eventually yield a wide variety of new and innovative Gibson products at various price points.
The Gibson List Price is $3,527

This is about as standard as a Gibson SG Standard can be.  The color is metallic burgundy.  It shows up in photos available if you click "More Info"  as a deep wine red, but in fact it’s a bit darker than wine red, and if you hold a flashlight on the body you can see tiny little red sparkles.  The Gibson List Price is $5057