Gibson Prototype A-5 Mandolin (1953) ASIDE FROM THE one-of-a-kind Loar-signed A-5 mandolin, this designation was not used until 1957, when Gibson introduced a new 2-point Florentine Artist model with a cherry-red sunburst finish and an oval sound hole.

There are very many styles and varieties of mandolins made by very manymanufacturers and independent luthiers. But, typically referred to in theUSA are those manufactured by the Gibson Co. (or patterned after the Gibsons).

Prior to about 1900, the typical mandolin was the Neapolitan style. Theoldest surviving instrument was made by the Vinaccia family of Naples, Italyaround the mid-1700's. This type of mandolin has a bowl-shaped back and atop made from a flat piece of wood bent over a hot poker forming a slightkink or ridge about where the bridge fits. This kink is important, and iswhat marks the advancement of luthiery credited to the Neapolitans, for itstrengthens the top enough to withstand higher tension strings.

Then around 1900, Orville Gibson of Kalamazoo, Michigan created two newstyles of mandolins. Inspired by the way violins are constructed, he madehis mandolins with a carved back (much flatter than the bowl-back of theNeapolitans, but carved to shape, none the less) and, importantly, the topcarved in an arched shape. The plainer of the two styles he called his'A' style - it has a simple round teardrop shape profile to the body and asimple plain peghead. His other fancier style he called his 'F' - it hasa fancy body profile with projecting points and scroll and the peghead islikewise of a fancy shape. [It is said that these designations were shortfor 'Artist' and 'Florentine', but the names are confusing because theyhave been applied by the Gibson Co. and other makers to various other stylesof mandolins. The letter designations, A and F, have been more consistentlyapplied to the styles described.]

A few years later, some moneymen (and Orville) formed the Gibson Co. andwere very successful in manufacturing mandolins, guitars and later banjos.The Gibson Co. used the following letter designations for its instruments:

• A plain bodied mandolins
• F scroll bodied mandolins
• H mandolas
• K mandocellos
• J mandobass
• L plain style guitars
• O fancy style guitars

These letter designations were suffixed with a number indicating the levelof materials and ornamentation. No number for the plainest of a series andup to (originally) the number 4 for the most highly ornamented. So, forexample, in 1916: a plain 'A' was the least ornamented of the plain bodiedmandolins with no inlay on the peghead; the 'A1' added 'The Gibson' inlayedin pearl script on the peghead. I don't know if there was any particualaryear in which Gibson offered a full line of A, A1, A2, A3, A4 and F, F1, F2,F3, F4; however, the nonmenclature during this period is that the higher thenumber, the more highly ornamented as compared to others of similar vintage.

All Gibson mandolins had oval soundholes (and guitars too; which had eitherround or oval holes) until 1922. In that year, Gibson introduced a levelof master-grade instruments under the watchful eye of its top engineer,Mr. Lloyd Loar. These instruments designated as the F5 mandolin, L5 guitar,H5 mandola, K5 mandocello, no mandobass and exactly one A5 mandolin; werecharacterized by very high quality workmanship, materials, ornamentationAND f-shaped soundholes. The F5 mandolin also has a longer neck than theprevious mandolins allowing easier access to the higher frets. Theseinstruments signed by Mr. Loar have become highly prized collector items.

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The period from the 1910's thru the 1930's has thus become to be regarded bymany as the golden age of American stringed instrument manufacturing. Allthis focus on Gibson instruments is not to slight the many other fineinstruments from other manufacturers during this time. Mandolin varietiesinclude: the cylinder-backed Vegas, Martins with their flat back and kinkedtops, the fiddle-headed Lyon & Healys as well as the many fine bowl-backedEuropean mandolins. But the fact of the matter is that Gibson was, by far,the most successful of all, and so its terminology has been adopted my mostmandolin affectionatos.

From the 1930's on, begins what many see as a long decline in quality ofmandolins, Gibson's and others too. This is somewhat understandable as themandolin was not the popular seller it once was. Post 1930 terminology isalso more confusing than the golden age terms. For example: Gibson hadF7's and F12's which were of lower grade than the F5's of the same years -violating the higher number = higher grade system. A-style mandolins cameto have f-holes, and the oval-holed F-styles were no longer made. In thelate 50's Gibson made a fancy oval-hole A5 with two points on the body.(There are golden age examples of this style also - considered in casualspeech to be of the 'A' variety, regardless of what its manufacturer mighthave actually called it.) The early 70's saw a scrolled 'A' made by Gibson,but with the scroll not really carved to shape, just a lump made to looklike a scroll - thus violating the 'F' = scroll rule. Keeping track of allthese variations would be a bewildering task.

Through all that time, Mr. Loar's F5 remained the standard by which otherswere judged. Many manufacturers to a greater or lesser (mostly lesser)degree made F-style mandolins in the F5 configuration. Many independentluthiers copied Loar's F5 - some perhaps exceeded its quality. Finally, in1978, Gibson itself decided to try to recapture the level of quality of theold Loar F5. Mustering all its in-house knowledge and drawing on outsideexpertise from some of these same independent luthiers who had studied andduplicated the Loar design, they re-introduced the master-grade mandolin;now designated as the F5-L. [Actually patterned closer to the 'Fern' styleF5's from the years shortly after Mr. Loar left the Gibson Co. - for thosewho split such hairs.] The lesser configured Gibson being designated asthe F5-G.

Now at the cusp of the 21st century we have entered the second golden age ofstringed instrument building. Many independent luthiers, small and mediumsize mfr.s are building - not just mandolins, but guitars, banjos, harps,dulcimers, etc, etc. These range from student-grade up to (and in some casesperhaps exceeding) Loar-grade instruments. Many larger manufacturers aremaking (mostly lower end, but some higher grade) instruments by the thousands.More telling that we have truly entered a new golden age is the renewedinterest in a wide variety of styles; not just the F5, which everybody triedto copy for so long. Each maker has his (hers/its) own terminology for his(hers/its) various styles of mandolins. The names 'Artist' and 'Performer',for example, were used by the Flatiron Co. (owned by Gibson, and recentlyclosed-up) - the 'Artist', I think, being the more expensive.

Common speech has mostly stuck to the Gibson terms from the first golden age:

• A
  A mandolin with rounded teardrop shaped body. It may have two points projecting from the body, one on each side of the neck - but the term 'A', is then further qualified as a 'double cutaway A' or 'Jethro style A' or 'Florentine A' in this case. In the absence of further designation, vintage 'A's are understood to be of the oval hole variety, modern 'A's of the f-hole variety.
• F
  A mandolin with a fancy scroll and 1,2 or 3 points projecting from the body. Unless qualified as an 'oval hole F', it is usualy understood to have f-holes. Almost always fancier and more expensive than an 'A'.
• F5
  A top-of-the-line, long-necked, f-holed 'F'
• Army-Navy or 'pancake'
  A flat-topped and flat-backed mandolin, originally made inthe first golden age by Gibson for sale in military PX's. In latter years, revived by the Flatiron Co. Surprisingly good tone, despite its simple design and low cost.
• Tater-Bug or Bowlback
  American name for the Neapolitan style mandolin with itsbowl-shaped back and flat kinked top. Taterbug being a derogatory name used by Gibson to enhance its prestige over the older style. Not a nice term for what is sometimes a very fine and sweet-voiced instrument. Neapolitans almost always have oval (or round) holes.

For more information, the following books may help:

Acoustic Guitars And Other Fretted Instruments - A Photographic History - by George Gruhn & Walter Carter pub GPI Books / Miller Freeman ISBN 0-87930-240-2

The Early Mandolin - The Mandolino and the Neapolitan Mandoline - by James Tyler & Paul Sparks pub Oxford University Press ISBN 0-19-318516-4

Description

Built with a tone bar braced red spruce top. Curly maple back, rim ,and neck. W/B/W bound ebony peghead veneer with ’The Gibson’ logo in mother-of-pearl and abalone Fern inlay. Bound flat ebony fingerboard with a 1-1/16” pearl nut, 6mm pearl dot fret markers and .050 frets. W/B/W body binding top, back, back button and tortoise pickguard. Adjustable truss rod, adjustable ebony bridge, and gold hardware. Traditional burst color and finished in gloss lacquer.
TKL rectangular hard shell case in good condition.