{"product_id":"gibson-alrite-style-d-flat-top-mandolin-1917-3994","title":"Gibson Alrite Style D Flat Top Mandolin (1917)","description":"Gibson Alrite Style D Model Flat Top Mandolin (1917), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, natural varnish finish, birch back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard, brown soft shell case. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe style D \"Alrite\" mandolin was a very short-lived Gibson experiment, the company's first attempt at a flat-topped instrument. Gibson's entire marketing campaign was built around the superiority of their carved-top design, so the company had to tread carefully when opening up this new area! Using an oval, flat-bodied design for the new \"Alrite\" model, Gibson fitted their standard neck and hardware with a lower cost tailpiece and tuner strips. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGibson seemed ambivalent about the idea from the beginning, and the instruments were built for only a year or so in fairly small numbers. The top is amber spruce, with colored wood marquetry around the edge and soundhole. The back and sides are cherry-stained birch, while the neck is mahogany with an ebony fingerboard. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Style D has a distinctive sound, and despite its short shelf life is well-remembered; the Flatiron company was founded to produce instruments based on this model in 1977. Gibson kept the plain-Jane low-cost line alive with the \"Army-Navy Special\", which was built to the same general design as the Alrite but dispensed with all decorative trim, sporting only a utilitarian brown finish. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThese were intended originally for sale to Doughboys at military PX's. This was followed by the \"Junior\" models introduced after 1919, but the \"A-Jr.\" mandolin was built with a carved top, leaving the flat-top mandolin design to languish until the 1930's. The Style D Alrite has a unique tone, bright and peppy but with a distinctly Gibson flavor. This is a good-playing and sounding example of a rare mandolin.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eOverall length is 24 1\/4 in. (61.6 cm.), 9 1\/2 in. (24.1 cm.) width, and 1 15\/16 in. (4.9 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 14 in. (356 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1\/8 in. (29 mm.). \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOverall a nice example; tailpiece cover is missing and a larger ebony bridge replaces the original. Some general wear and old repairs to the back edge (the birch back often shrinks on these) and play wear to the top. A good-sounding and playing \"Alrite\".\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/7HHa1nSmWDA\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e Excellent Condition.","brand":"Gibson","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46853386895500,"sku":"3994","price":1200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0672\/8702\/3756\/files\/01_55903209-3afd-44b7-87e0-5c751d1bab4b.jpg?v=1774336947","url":"https:\/\/retrofret.com\/products\/gibson-alrite-style-d-flat-top-mandolin-1917-3994","provider":"RetroFret","version":"1.0","type":"link"}