Gibson A-40N Model Carved Top Mandolin, c. 1948, made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, natural lacquer finish, mahogany back, sides and neck; spruce top, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, black chipboard case.
This A-40N was Gibson's low end F-hole mandolin in the late 1940s; the design was about as basic as it got but it gets the job done! This natural finish A-40N has no visible Factory Order Number but the features date it to 1948-9, just around the time that Gibson was getting back into full-scale production after the disruptions of WWII. It features a natural-finish carved solid spruce top with unbound f-holes, mahogany body and neck and a dot-inlaid rosewood fingerboard. The headstock features the earliest "joined dot" block script logo used in the just post-war era and tapers towards the end, another quirk of the period. The one-piece mahogany neck is slimmer than some and very comfortable to play. While left with some cosmetic damage from a disintegrating Celluloid pickguard this is a good playing and sounding mandolin, a solid survivor nearly 80 years along.
Overall length is 26 1/4 in. (66.7 cm.), 10 1/4 in. (26 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 14 in. (356 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/4 in. (32 mm.).
Apart from the staining and checking to the top and side caused by outgassing celluloid this is actually a relatively clean instrument showing not too much play time. There are small dings and scuffs but not a lot of play wear. There are no structural repairs or alterations.
The bridge and tailpiece are original showing some corrosion, the Kluson Deluxe tuners are the correct style but stamped "Gibson Deluxe" indicating they date to the early '70s. The pickguard fitted is a replica using the original bracket; obviously the original deteriorated badly a long time ago. The original frets show hardly any wear and this is a very nice playing and sounding mandolin; cosmetically as bit challenged but still a relative bargain in a vintage f-hole Gibson. It lives in a later chipboard case, with a couple of old Black Diamond string packets included for good luck! Very Good + Condition.
