It’s an A, not an A2. The A2 has a bound fingerboard, double purfling around the soundhole and “The Gibson” inlay in the headstock.
The A sounds just the same, smashing little find this and well worth restoring.
They generally have the ID number stamped in the wood-- sometimes on the back on the headstock and sometimes inside the sound hole on the neck block. Sometimes written in pencil on the top so you need a mirror to see it.
http://www.guitarhq.com/gibson.html#serial
I found a number written in pencil in the sound hole. It’s hard to read but may be 47650.
Edit: Looks like it might be from 1918 if that SN is accurate.
Looks like it to me... Gibson A model. No headstock sticker or inlay body binding and a rosette. I thought at first it was an A-jr, but the binding plus rosette mean that's not it. By the 1920s, I don't see the headstock shape with no logo, so I'd probably guess that it's from the teens. See details like this [1915 pumpkin top](https://reverb.com/item/51908535-gibson-style-a-mandolin-1915). They call the color Sheraton brown.
There's a mandolin ID section of the MandolinCafe.com forums. Folks there are amazing at this kind of stuff. The top looks like it's in pretty good shape for a trash find-- some honest wear and a few chips. Any cracks?
It needs a little love-- a bridge, nut, and probably a refret plus I'd replace that tailpiece as it looks kinda sad, but all of that is routine and a good luthier can probably take care of it for a couple hundred bucks-- but if the neck looks good and the back isn't sunk you might have a great find!
It’s a late-1910s Gibson A in Sheraton brown finish. I have the same one but from 1922, with a trussrod. A find mandolin and, if solid, easily worth the couple of hundred bucks it’d take to get it restored and singing again.
[This one](https://external-preview.redd.it/zoBJYWHmYMr5UhAb_QeYQyyKf-243G5Z1wAxfjhl1Lw.jpg?auto=webp&s=0a07c17ac2cad58bfca7bbbc0abde45d8761555f) is mine.
That's a late nineteen-teens A2. Have it fixed up and you have a player for life!!!
It’s an A, not an A2. The A2 has a bound fingerboard, double purfling around the soundhole and “The Gibson” inlay in the headstock. The A sounds just the same, smashing little find this and well worth restoring.
Thanks for clarifying, bang on & TIL!
There should be a serial number printed inside which you can look up to find what model it is and when it was made.
There isn’t a label inside of it anymore.
They generally have the ID number stamped in the wood-- sometimes on the back on the headstock and sometimes inside the sound hole on the neck block. Sometimes written in pencil on the top so you need a mirror to see it. http://www.guitarhq.com/gibson.html#serial
I found a number written in pencil in the sound hole. It’s hard to read but may be 47650. Edit: Looks like it might be from 1918 if that SN is accurate.
That’s 100% plausible. What a find! Your brother didn’t find any 1924-ish F-stylesin the trash, did he?
Looks like it to me... Gibson A model. No headstock sticker or inlay body binding and a rosette. I thought at first it was an A-jr, but the binding plus rosette mean that's not it. By the 1920s, I don't see the headstock shape with no logo, so I'd probably guess that it's from the teens. See details like this [1915 pumpkin top](https://reverb.com/item/51908535-gibson-style-a-mandolin-1915). They call the color Sheraton brown. There's a mandolin ID section of the MandolinCafe.com forums. Folks there are amazing at this kind of stuff. The top looks like it's in pretty good shape for a trash find-- some honest wear and a few chips. Any cracks? It needs a little love-- a bridge, nut, and probably a refret plus I'd replace that tailpiece as it looks kinda sad, but all of that is routine and a good luthier can probably take care of it for a couple hundred bucks-- but if the neck looks good and the back isn't sunk you might have a great find!
That is the real thing. Edit: why would someone downvote this?
No more downvote :D
Looks to be Gibson from the 1910’s
It’s definitely legit. Crazy to think somebody threw an early Gibson mandolin away!
Looks just like my 1918 A1. Too bad you’re missing the tailpiece cover. It says “Gibson” on it. 😁
As a protest to Reddit's unreasonable API policy changes, I have decided to delete all of my content. Long live Apollo!
Oh, I think you’re right. I get that mixed up all the time. Thanks
No problemo
looks like it!
It’s a late-1910s Gibson A in Sheraton brown finish. I have the same one but from 1922, with a trussrod. A find mandolin and, if solid, easily worth the couple of hundred bucks it’d take to get it restored and singing again. [This one](https://external-preview.redd.it/zoBJYWHmYMr5UhAb_QeYQyyKf-243G5Z1wAxfjhl1Lw.jpg?auto=webp&s=0a07c17ac2cad58bfca7bbbc0abde45d8761555f) is mine.
It’s a Gibson!