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This Gibson mandolin, carrying the serial number EG-6072, is a piece of musical history. Manufactured in 1939 and initially shipped to J.H. Troup Music House in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, it's a testament to the craftsmanship of its era. While the pickguard shows signs of chemical instability and deterioration, which has affected some of the metal hardware and finish, it's worth noting that this issue can be addressed promptly by removing and separately storing the pickguard and metal mounting hardware. Aside from this, the mandolin is structurally in superb condition.
The instrument's finish appears original, with minor wear and tear such as small impact marks and superficial scratches. The design aligns with the typical specifications for its model and period: a teardrop-shaped body, a carved Adirondack spruce top with a sunburst finish, maple back and sides with a dark brown stain finish, f-holes, and an elevated celluloid tortoiseshell grain pickguard. Other features include a removable, height-adjustable ebony bridge, basic metal tailpiece, a mahogany neck with an adjustable truss rod and dark brown stain finish, a classic "open book shape" peghead, and a white silk-screened script-style "Gibson" peghead logo.
This mandolin also comes equipped with four-on-a-strip open back tuners with white plastic buttons, a single-ply bell-shaped black plastic truss-rod cover, an ebony nut, a 20-fret Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with mother-of-pearl dot inlays, nickel-plated metal hardware, and other standard A-00 model features. Currently, this historic piece is stored in a modern replacement hard-shell case, featuring a textured black vinyl exterior and plush red interior lining.
Check out Dave Kahn's demo here:
