1909 Gibson Mandolin questions

[Richard Wilkins]

I know this is a little beyond typical CBG repairs but a neighbor brought this over to me yesterday. He said, "Could you take a look at this? It says Gibson on it. Does Gibson still make guitars? What do you think, can it be repaired?"

I'm just happy to hold the thing in my hands! The serial number inside says No. 8079. I looked in the Mandolin Archives and place the date of manufacture on this guitar at 1909.

107 years old!

I told him I could clean it up a little but the guitar would need serious repairs (by someone else!) . The 3 piece neck is split and the fretboard is so dried out, it's busting apart all the way down from first fret to the last. The back is starting to detach from the sides, etc...

What I'd like to ask yall is how I might go about cleaning the tail piece. I'm hoping I can at least clean it up so it's easier to read "The Gibson".

I attached a bunch of pictures....

[the anonymous pick]

looks like you  have a 1909  Gibson "A" model .  NICE!!!

I would NOT do anything to it at all . leave it to  the  professionals  ,   you  are getting into antique gun territory   where even cleaning it  may  ruin the  value , or impede  a professional restoration.

even left as a wall  hanging  it's better with the patina . 

[Richard Wilkins]

ok ,will do! I'll let the dude know what he's got and leave the rest up to him. Thanks, man!

[the anonymous pick]

that is your  "safest " bet   . 

anyway  , it may  look  pretty  far gone  , but  the splits and issues are common  in those early gibsons  and have been tackled before  . 

you  may find interest   and /or renewed  hope  in this  post  .. maybe even contact the guy that did it  .  ;-)

http://imgur.com/gallery/CgkvF

  cause  a pro jobs cost   will most likely outweigh its end value . 

but if you can preserve  history  . then there's  that  ;-)

[Richard Wilkins]

Thx,  I reached out via imgur to the guy who did that restoration. Not sure if he'll respond --- that restoration was done in 2014...

I wish the guy that owns this little guitar would just give it to me. lol

[the anonymous pick]

;-)  me too  ;-)

 

[Titch the Clown]

Post these questions on mandolin cafe to get opinions from the experts

[Richard Wilkins]

ok, on my way

[JL]

Its potentially worth $1000 up to $2500....DO NOT MESS WITH IT.

If I have learned nothing else from watching all those episodes of Pawn Stars, its that an antique can lose value from a clean-up-n-restore....

[Fomhorach]

Yeah don't touch it.

It's best to also loosen off the strings a little, take the strain off the old girl but not too much, just a little detune.

Put it somewhere to be admired and buy another mandolin to play with.