1947 Gibson A-50 Mandolin

Here’s the specs on this vintage gem:

• All carved solid spruce top and solid maple back and sides.
• Three-piece maple neck with fully functioning truss rod.
• Original open-geared riveted-post Kulson tuners in great working condition
• Original adjustable bridge rosewood bridge
• Original Waverly cloud tailpiece.
• Replica replacement tortoise acrylic pickguard

This came to me with a failed dovetail joint.  I rebuilt the dovetail and joint, reset the neck, and added a hidden internal bolt for additional insurance.  I also added a 12” radius to the fretboard and refretted it with modern narrow fret wire and rebound the fingerboard. Frets have all been leveled, dressed and polished and feel wonderful- with the new frets and added radius it really plays and feels like a nice modern instrument.

Overall it is in very good condition- there is a splotch of mucked-up original finish on the back where it looks like some sort of solvent spilled or something, and there is some light muck around the neck joint as is shown in the pictures.  There is the typical dark-marked crazing under the pickguard from where the original pickguard off-gassed.

Structurally this is in great shape and plays marvelously with fast action up and down the neck- it’s ready to play for another 76 years! Tone is exactly what you would expect from a carved top vintage Gibson mandolin- crisp and clear with excellent volume and chop and that direct projection sound that you’d expect from an f-hole Gibson.

I will refund any shipping if it comes in under $40. Come with the chipboard case I got it in, or I can upgrade to a modern hardshell case for an additional $50.  Feel free to ask any questions!